Für unsere Gäste » in front of goal by Nebojsa Marin

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The president of cyclings world governing body defended the Olympic road course on Saturday, calling it a fair test and suggesting those who crashed pushed past their limits.Brian Cookson addressed a number of issues during a wide-ranging news conference at the Rio de Janeiro Games at the midway point of the cycling program, including doping, the schedule of the track cycling program and several road racing issues.But perhaps the biggest hot-button issue through a week of competition was a road course that some had labeled too dangerous. One particularly nasty descent caused riders such as Italian star Vincenzo Nibali to go down and left Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten in the hospital.Weve had discussions about the number of crashes and the circumstances, Cookson said. It is my belief and our belief at the UCI that the courses were in the bounds of what was reasonable.Van Vleuten spent several days in the hospital with a concussion and three small fractures to her spine. She flew home to the Netherlands on Friday to continue her recovery.Its the riders responsibility to make the right decisions, Cookson said. I went to speak with Annemiek in the hospital and talked to her, and in her case, it was an error of judgment there.Cookson was also asked about the silver medal won by Olga Zabelinskaya in the time trial. It came just days after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled a ban on Russian athletes who had been barred from competing for prior doping offenses was unenforceable, allowing Zabelinskaya to compete.The Russian cyclist who finished second in the time trial was entitled to be here under the rules of the [World Anti-Doping Agency] and the IOC, Cookson said. Im guessing she will not be the only previously convicted doped athlete at the Games.Cookson has been working to clean up the sport after years of doping, including Lance Armstrongs admission of guilt a few years ago. He said the positive test of a Brazilian cyclist in an out-of-competition test the week before the road race was a sign of progress.Ive said this many times before, cycling has been leading for many years in the fight against doping in sport, Cookson said. Whether there is a small number of athletes trying to cheat, I hope not, but if they are, we will catch them and we will sanction them.In other issues:? Cookson said the UCI is still examining the blood bags from Operation Puerto, the Spanish police investigation into a doping ring led by Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes. Cookson otherwise declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, saying only that when we have something to report, we will.??The UCI is confident WorldTour teams will compete in the team time trial at the world championships in Qatar. Several teams announced plans to boycott the event, in part because they are required to compete at their own expense.??Cookson said he was open to smaller teams in major events such as the Tour de France, but he warned that I think some of the bigger teams would object to that, and there are pros and cons to the details of that. Its something I wouldnt rule, out but lets move forward gradually.??The UCI hopes to expand the cycling program at future Olympics, though Cookson did not say whether it would be merely an expansion of the track program or the addition of another discipline, such as downhill mountain biking or freestyle BMX competition. James Van Riemsdyk Jersey . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. Travis Sanheim Flyers Jersey . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/ivan-provorov-jersey/ . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Scott Laughton Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Jamie Maclaren broke his A-League scoring drought and set up another goal as Brisbane Roar booked an impressive 2-1 win over Perth Glory on Sunday.In by far their best performance this season, the Roar made all the play at Suncorp Stadium and survived a second-half scare from the plucky visitors before logging a deserved victory in front of 13,428 fans.Maclaren, the highest-scoring Australian player in the competition last season, was the central figure against his old side.Just days after Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said goals were his only route back into national team calculations, Maclaren toed home an inch-perfect cross from left-back Corey Brown in the 31st minute to open his season account.Then with 15 minutes to go, he played in substitute Brandon Borrello, who showed great poise to control the ball as he burst into the penalty area at pace and then fired past goalkeeper Liam Reddy into the far-bottom corner.Coach John Aloisi said it was only going to be a matter of time for Maclaren.I wasnt worried about if hes feeling nervous or anything like that. Hes been looking sharp, Aloisi said.I just said to him, keep on doing the right things like you have been and the goals will come.A goalscorer doesnt become not a goalscorer overnight. Maccas a goalscorer.Borrellos strike was thhe ideal response after Brisbane were punished for being wasteful in front of goal by Nebojsa Marinkovics 54th-minute equaliser.ddddddddddddRhys Williams cut out two Brisbane defenders with a terrific turn-and-pass to tee up Marinkovic, who curled in from the top of the box to level the scores - but despite a busy game from star marquee Diego Castro, it was the only real shot they fired in attack all night.Perth coach Kenny Lowe had to watch on from the stands as he served the first of a two-game ban for referee abuse, while skipper Rostyn Griffiths was taken to hospital for dental surgery after a collision with Brett Holman and could be in doubt for next weeks home encounter with Western Sydney.Griffiths lost half a tooth when he collided with the back of Holmans head early in the first half but also aggravated a neck injury he was carrying from the previous week.Assistant coach Andrew Ord, who stood in for Lowe, said the Glory had nothing left after chasing the Roar around for most of the afternoon.I dont think we deserved to get anything out of it, he said.It wasnt down to people taking the foot off the pedal, they just didnt have anything left in the legs. 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