Sports in brief
Frenchman wins a stage
Thibaut Pinot gave France its first stage victory in the Tour de France Sunday while Bradley Wiggins of Britain kept the overall lead as the race entered Switzerland. Pinot broke away from the pack during a steep, final climb and captured the 98-mile, eighth stage from Belfort to the Swiss town of Porrentruy. The 22-year-old Frenchman was the youngest rider in the main pack.
Defending Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez withdrew from the race after a crash in which he broke his right hand and injured his left shoulder. He could miss the London Games. Seven days into the race, it is shaping up as the most dangerous in decades, with 20 riders pulling out of the three-week event following crashes.
Wiggins' Team Sky has controlled the Tour in a style reminiscent of Lance Armstrong's former U.S. Postal team. The Briton, however, lost his composure when asked by a reporter to comment on comparisons between the teams and "cynics who believe that you have to be doped up to win the Tour." Wiggins, angered by the chatter on social media, let loose with an expletive-filled outburst.
"I cannot be dealing with people like that. It justifies their own bone-idleness because they can't ever imagine applying themselves to anything in their lives," he said. "And it's easy for them to sit under a pseudonym on Twitter and write that." The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency filed charges against Armstrong, accusing the seven-time Tour champion of using performance-enhancing drugs.
SOCCER
Revolution beats Red Bulls
Lee Nguyen and Jerry Bengtson tallied for the New England Revolution in its 2-0 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls. Nguyen's third goal of the season came in the 24th minute and Bengston scored in the 84th. The Red Bulls are now 9-5-4.
AUTO RACING
Webber wins in Britain
Red Bull driver Mark Webber won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, overtaking Fernando Alonso to move closer to his rival in the race for the Formula One championship. Webber pursued pole-sitter Alonso from the start and finally passed the Ferrari driver on lap 48 of 52.
Hunter-Reay triumphs
Coming off two wins on oval courses, Ryan Hunter-Reay showed he can also dominate a street course, winning the Honda Indy Toronto. In taking over the points series lead, Hunter-Reay led the final 28 laps of the 85-lap race. -- AP
