CHARTRES, France -- For Bradley Wiggins, the Champagne on the Champs-Elysees is about to flow. Hugo Ayala Mexico Soccer Jersey . He all but locked up Tour de France victory with a tour-de-force in winning the final time trial, putting him on the cusp of becoming the first Briton to win cyclings showpiece race. Wiggins blew away the field in Saturdays race against the clock in Stage 19, his second stage victory in a time trial, his specialty. "I really wanted to go out there and finish with a bang, and fortunately I was able to do that," said Wiggins, who noted the breadth of emotion for his historic achievement when he spotted his mechanic in tears. Even before the Tour, Wiggins was the favourite. But in the yellow jersey since Stage 7, he had to handle questions about the unity of his Sky Team, pre-race preparations, and ability to get up mountains -- all of which he put to rest. There was also the absence of two-time Tour champion and cycling superstar Alberto Contador, whos serving out a doping ban, that led many to question whether Wiggins was really the sports best. Wiggins has been vocal in his criticism of doping in cycling and said the sport may be changing after tough new controls put in place by the sports governing body, the UCI, in recent years to battle drugs cheats. "I think the Tour is a lot more human now with everything the UCI is doing," he said, suggesting that dopers -- and their intermittently incredible performances -- are being rinsed from the peloton. The three-time Olympic track champion made the tricky transition to road racing, and said he was driven to win this Tour after crashing out a year ago with a broken collarbone. He envied Australias Cadel Evans, who had the elation of winning the 2011 race. "That was my motivation: I want to feel whats hes feeling," Wiggins recalled. The Team Sky leader obliterated the pack in the 53.5-kilometre ride from Bonneval to Chartres and punched the air and shouted as he crossed the finish line. Again this year, Sundays ride to the finish on Paris Champs-Elysees will be largely ceremonial -- his three-minute lead was too large for any competitor to erase over the 120 kilometres from Rambouillet. And besides, second-placed was teammate and countryman Christopher Froome. Wiggins sighed and looked skyward as he hoisted the winners bouquet. "I have a lot of emotion right now," he said. "Its the stuff of dreams to win the final time trial and seal the Tour." Wiggins was timed in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 13 seconds. Froome was second, 1:16 behind. Luis Leon Sanchez of Spain was third, 1:50 back. Overall, Wiggins has a 3:21 lead over Froome. Italys Vincenzo Nibali was third, 6:19 back. Riders set off one-by-one in the race against the clock in reverse order of the standings, and Wiggins dominance was evident from the first time check. He was 12 seconds ahead of Froome after (13 kilometres). Wiggins had a formidable lead coming into the stage. His only threat of any kind was from Froome, a successful time-trial rider, and less so from Nibali, whos not quite as strong in this discipline. Despite rumblings about behind-the-scenes competition between them, Froome proved a faithful teammate to the end. "As we saw today, hes stronger than me," Froome told French TV, after hugging Wiggins. "Im very happy. The (Sky) goal this year was to win the Tour with Bradley. To be second (for me) is an added plus." The standings below them were the biggest question mark: Whether young American Tejay Van Garderen could overtake Jurgen Van Den Broeck for fourth -- he didnt -- or whether Frenchman Pierre Rolland, a strong climber but not a time-trialer, would stay in the top 10. He did. The main change at the top concerned Evans. He was passed by BMC teammate Van Garderen despite a three-minute head start and fell one spot to seventh in the overall standings. The mostly flat course passed fields of corn and wheat into Chartres, known for its towering cathedral with asymmetrical spires. The route presented few challenges other than the breeze. In the last 10 kilometres, Wiggins thoughts turned to his family. Born in Belgium, he was raised by a single mother in the working-class area of Kilburn in northwest London. His father, a former racing cyclist, was largely absent from his life; he died in 2008. "Just thinking back to my childhood. My father leaving us when I was a kid and growing up with my mum in a flat," Wiggins said, recalling his grandfathers death during the 2010 Tour. "My grandfather brought me up -- he was my father role-model." Wiggins also gave a nod to the legions of British fans who have flocked into France to watch the race, some dressing up as English knights or unfurling Union Jacks in their car windows. "Thats something that touches me more because its difficult for the English with the French," Wiggins told French TV, in French, "because I know France doesnt like the English." Wiggins has been the odds-on favourite to win after showing dazzling form with three stage-race victories this season. He was fourth in the 2009 Tour and 24th in 2010. This Tour has been about as favourable as it could come for Wiggins: He is among the worlds top time-trialists. Mountains, not his specialty, carried relatively less importance this time. But he proved through two days in the Alps and two in the Pyrenees that hes among the best climbers, too. Vicente Matias Vuoso Mexico Soccer Jersey . -- Vladimir Tkachev scored his second goal of the game 16:58 into overtime as the Moncton Wildcats took Game 2 against the host Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 6-5 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. Marco Fabian Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday.ATLANTA -- The mayor has already heard from plenty of potential buyers for the Atlanta Hawks. And the city is ready to kick in a hefty sum to make the deal happen. Flanked by Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and other city leaders, Mayor Kasim Reed said Tuesday he expects the sale of the team to move briskly after racially charged comments by owner Bruce Levenson and general manager Danny Ferry. "I have had conversations with no less than six prospective buyers," Reed said during a City Hall news conference. "All six of those prospective buyers will have to go through a process to be vetted by the NBA. That process is going to occur very quickly." The Hawks have been under fire since it was revealed Levenson sent an email two years ago theorizing that many suburban whites would not attend NBA games because of the teams African-American fans. He agreed to sell his share of the team, but it also emerged that Ferry had disparaged then-free agent Luol Deng on a conference call with team owners this past summer, saying he "has a little African in him." Ferry has taken an indefinite leave of absence. The NBA, meanwhile, is left to deal with another embarrassing case after stripping the Los Angeles Clippers from longtime owner Donald Sterling. He was forced out for telling his girlfriend on a secretly recorded audio not to bring black fans to his games. Reed said he plans to meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Sept. 26 in New York to discuss the sale of the Hawks. According to the mayor, the league is already lining up an investment bank to look into the finances of any potential buyer. "I think were going to end up in a superior position, based on everything we know today, than we were before," Reed said. He didnt identify the prospective buyers, but whoever steps in would apparently have majority ownership. Levenson owns 24 per cent of the team, and his Washington partner, Ed Peskowitz, has also agreed to sell his share, meaning that 50.1 per cent of the team is now available, Reed said. In addition, Reed said the city will likely be willing to offer concessions to any new owner to ensure the Hawkks commit to remaining in Atlanta for another 30 years. Alan Pulido Mexico Soccer Jersey. He said there could be as much as $150 million available after the city sells Turner Field, the current home of the Braves, though the mayor said that process has been held up by the baseball teams refusal to negotiate terms for its departure. The Braves are planning to move to a new stadium in suburban Cobb County in 2017. Team spokeswoman Beth Marshall said the Braves arent required to notify the stadium authority of its plans until Dec. 31, 2015, but added, "It is our hope to be able to work with them, the city of Atlanta and Fulton County, on negotiating an exit so they can best prepare for the future of the Turner Field site." In the meantime, Reed said the city would be heavily involved in efforts to find new ownership for the Hawks, since it is responsible for the debt on 15-year-old Philips Arena. Wilkins, a former Hawks star who now serves as a team vice-president and television commentator, said he would "absolutely" be interested in taking on a greater role with the franchise. The city already plans to honour him with a statue outside Philips Arena before a March 6 game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Reed said city leaders would look favourably on Wilkins involvement with any new ownership group, especially if it gives the team more diversity in the front office. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has refused calls to fire Ferry, saying he believes the general manager can learn from the experience. Ferry met privately Monday with civil rights leaders, hoping to mend fences within the city, and has said he will undergo sensitivity training during his leave. But Ferrys future is still very much in doubt, with the start of training camp only two weeks away. Wilkins would neither endorse Ferry nor call for him to be ousted, knowing that any decision about the general manager will likely rest with the new owner. "Thats not a choice I can make," Wilkins said. "The only thing I can say is whatever pieces are put in place are going to be the right pieces to help our franchise heal from what weve been through." Cheap Soccer Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '
