PARIS — A day after Lance Armstrong confirmed he would ride with the Astana squad, Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme cleared up any doubts over whether the Texan and his new team will be allowed to race next year.
The Tour barred Astana this year, when Armstrong was still in retirement, because of previous doping violations. Prudhomme said Astana should be allowed to race in 2009 as long as it avoids doping problems before cycling’s showpiece event starts July 4.
“At this point, I’m not aware of proven doping cases, of scandals, in the team. So, logically, they should take the start at our races next year,” Prudhomme said Thursday.
Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, anti- doping expert Don Catlin said he would test the seven-time Tour de France winner for “everything” and keep frozen samples of the cyclist’s blood to be analyzed in the future.
• Germany’s Bert Grabsch won the time trial world championship with a strong finish to beat Canada’s Svein Tuft in Varese, Italy.
David Zabriskie of the United States took bronze, while teammate and prerace favorite Levi Leip-heimer was fourth.
Sparks win WNBA series opener
LOS ANGELES — Lisa Leslie had 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to an 85-70 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars in Game 1 of the WNBA Western Conference finals.
Becky Hammon, who was averaging 19.3 points in the playoffs for the Silver Stars, was held to nine.
• Minnesota Lynx rookie Candice Wiggins was named the WNBA sixth woman of the year.
Houston to try another Knicks comeback
NEW YORK — Allan Houston signed with the New York Knicks and will attempt another comeback with his former team.
Fourth on the Knicks’ all-time scoring list, Houston, 37, hasn’t played in an NBA game since 2005, when chronic knee soreness forced his retirement.
• Swingman Francisco Garcia, who averaged 12.3 points and 2.9 rebounds last season, agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension with the Sacramento Kings.
• The Houston Rockets matched the Charlotte Bobcats’ three-year, $9 million offer sheet for restricted free-agent forward Carl Landry, who averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds last season.
Footnotes.
Pittsburgh basketball coach Jamie Dixon received an undisclosed raise from his $1.3 million salary and a contract extension through the 2015-16 season.
• Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom suffered a broken nose after being hit in the face with a puck during Wednesday’s exhibition game against Montreal. He is day to day.
• Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has bought the operating rights for the Los Angeles Marathon and will switch the race from Sunday to Monday next year.
• Chris Rolfe scored two goals to lead the Chicago Fire to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS play.
• Vitor Meira, the Indy Racing League’s most experienced nonwinner, will drive for A.J. Foyt Racing in the 2009 IndyCar Series.
The Associated Press
