Wichtig » the promotion-relegation contest as the last-placed Sout

MONT VENTOUX, France -- British rider Chris Froome showed why he remains the overwhelming Tour de France favourite by winning Sundays grueling 15th stage up to Mont Ventoux to extend his lead over main rival Alberto Contador. Froome attacked about two-thirds of the way up the mammoth 21-kilometre Ventoux, and his brutal acceleration was too much for two-time former champion Contador. The Spaniard dropped back and finished about one minute 40 seconds behind. Colombian Nairo Quintana was second, 29 seconds behind. "This is massive. Everyone wanted to win this stage today, on Bastille Day, being on top of Mont Ventoux," Froome said. "It really was an epic stage today." The win means Froome effectively made up the time he lost on Fridays sprint stage, when Contador caught him out with a surprise attack. "My objective today was to take a bit of time in the general classification, but I didnt think I could win the stage," Froome said. "I thought Quintana would win it. But then his legs started to go in the last two kilometres." Ventoux is one of the most famed climbs in the Tours 110-year history. Britains Tom Simpson collapsed and died on it during the 1967 Tour. Froome raised his right arm in the air when he clinched his second stage win of the race after winning a mountain stage in the Pyrenees on stage 8 with a similarly effective attack. "It was incredible today, incredible. This is the biggest victory of my career," Froome said. "This climb is so historical. It means so much to this race, especially being the 100th edition. I really cant believe this." He now leads Dutchman Bauke Mollema by 4 minutes, 14 seconds and Contador by 4:25. "It wasnt really about sending (Contador) a message but Im obviously going to take as much time as I can," Froome said. "Im really happy to have this advantage now." The longest stage of the race took riders over 242.5-kilometres from Givors in the winemaking Rhone Valley and ended in the Provence region. A nine-man breakaway group led early on, including sprint champion Peter Sagan, who has a massive lead in the green jersey competition for sprinters, and French veteran Sylvain Chavanel. Touted as one of cyclings showmen, Sagan lifted his front wheel and did a wheelie, followed by a salute to the crowd in a rare moment of frivolity on a bitterly hard day. Froome said he needed "five or 10 minutes on the oxygen" mask after the stage. The small group of front-runners split open on Ventoux, leaving Chavanel alone in front. Andy Schleck, the 2010 Tour champion, was dropped straight away while the 36-year-old Cadel Evans, the 2011 winner, then faded along with Chavanel. "It was a terrible day for me," Evans said. With about 15 kilometres to go. Froome, meanwhile, only had two Sky teammates -- Australian Richie Porte and Britains Peter Kennaugh -- to help him. Then Quintana surged ahead. He attacked Froome four times on the last climb in the Pyrenean mountains on stage 9 up to Bagneres-de-Bigorre, but could not beat him. It proved to be the same story this time. "We talked a little bit. I was just trying to motivate him," Froome said. "I was telling him Come on man, keep pushing. But in the last 2k he just couldnt really hold the wheel anymore." At one point, Contador still had three teammates with him but Froome would lose Kennaugh shortly after, leaving just Porte. Then the yellow jersey group blew wide open. Suddenly, Froome and Porte were alone with Contador. With seven kilometres to go, Froome launched a devastating attack on Contador -- rocketing up the slope as fans threw water over him and others lit orange flares or waved British flags close to his face. As he moved alongside Quintana -- who had a nose bleed during the climb -- Froome launched a second brutal acceleration. "I needed more strength but I couldnt find it," Quintana said. "Id already made an enormous effort." Victoria cyclist Ryder Hesjedal is 66th after finishing the stage 114th, one ahead of David Veilleux of Cap-Rouge, Que. Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., was 166th in the stage. Tens of thousands of people crammed the roadside on July 14 -- Frances national day. Other countries were well represented, though. There were dozens of Union Jacks and Norwegians and Danes wearing Viking costumes. Pockets of Belgians and Dutch swigged beers, others dressed up as animals or ran alongside the riders in inflatable body suits. "I was amazed to see so many British people there," Froome said. The chaotic, raucous, deafeningly loud scene saw race motorbikes and spectators perilously close to the riders. Near the summit, the scenery started to change, with fewer and fewer trees; then just a little bit of green brush left, before even that gave way to the barren, lunar landscape that makes Ventoux unique. Following Mondays rest day, there is a medium mountain stage on Tuesday, and then three straight days of tough climbing in the Alps.Air Force 270 Deutschland .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Nike Air Force 1 Herren Deutschland . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. http://www.airforce1gunstig.de/ . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Air Force 1 Günstig Kaufen Deutschland . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Nike Air Huarache Deutschland Kaufen . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium.JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The Lions won back their place in Super Rugby despite losing 23-18 to the Southern Kings in the second leg of their South African promotion-relegation playoff on Saturday. The Kings dropped out of the southern hemisphere rugby competition after just one season and following a stirring comeback to win away at Ellis Park. Agonizingly for the Kings, it just wasnt by enough points. Both teams finished level on log points following the two-game series having won one game each and both taken a bonus point from their loss, eventually leaving the Lions to prevail on points difference. The Johannesburg-based Lions took the first leg at the Port Elizabeth-based Kings Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium by 26-19 last week for an overall points total of 44 in the two-game series. The Kings finished with 42 points and had needed just one more score of any kind in the final six minutes of Saturdays game to retain their place in Super Rugby. The Lions will be South Africas fifth team in the 2014 season and rejoin the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Cheetahs having been dropped from the competition last year for the Kings without aa playoff.dddddddddddd The Kings faced the promotion-relegation contest as the last-placed South African team in the seasons standings. They will have to play another season back in domestic competitions before getting another chance at Super Rugby in a playoff against South Africas bottom-placed team next year. Both teams scored two tries on Saturday, with flankers Derick Minnie and Jaco Kriel going over for the Lions to help them to a healthy 18-9 lead with around 15 minutes to play. The Kings were revived by the sin-binning of Lions centre Stokkies Hanekom in the 66th and surged back into contention when prop Schalk Ferreira bashed over near the posts two minutes after Hanekom left the field. Wing Scott van Breda finished off a sweeping counter that started inside their own 22-meter area for the Kings second try and converted his score for an 18-point haul and a 23-18 lead for the visitors with four minutes to go. The Kings needed one more score to take their overall points total above the Lions, but couldnt find another opportunity as the Lions accepted the loss and held on to possession for the final minutes. ' ' '