SPORTS DIGEST: MOTOR CYCLING: Troy Bayliss closed in on his third World Superbike title after breaking his Donington duck on a chaotic day of racing.
The 39-year-old is retiring at the end of the season and capped his last competitive visit to Britain by finally winning at the Leicestershire circuit in difficult conditions.
Bayliss first raced at Donington in 1998 but had never won there before today after a series of nightmares - including losing his little finger in a crash last season. Xerox Ducati rider Bayliss took race one on aggregate from British wildcard rider Tom Sykes after the race was twice stopped before reverting to type and crashing out of race two.
The Australian is now 101 points ahead of fellow countryman Troy Corser with just 200 points up for grabs. This week's horrendous weather meant the riders had not been on the circuit in the dry all weekend but the field were greeted with a drying track for race one.
Petacchi takes yellow jersey
CYCLING: French climber David Moncoutie bounced back from two injury-blighted years for a solo win in yesterday's mountainous stage eight of the Tour of Spain, while American Levi Leipheimer grabbed the overall lead.
Cofidis rider Moncoutie crossed the line on the mountain top finish at Pla de Beret in the Pyrenees 34 seconds ahead of Spaniard Alejandro Valverde. Alberto Contador, also of Spain, was third.
Part of a day-long break of five, Moncoutie dropped his most persistent rival, Sebastien Joly of France, at the foot of the six-kilometre Pla de Beret climb.
"I only had 90 seconds advantage on the favourites at the bottom of the climb, so it was a close-run thing," the 33-year-old former postman said.
"I only knew for sure that I could win when the climb flattened out two kilometres from the finish." Moncoutie's 2006 season was wrecked by a knee injury.
Nicolas Roche finished eighteenth and is eighteenth overall.
Lynch to learn today if he remains suspended
EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Denis Lynch will learn today whether he remains under suspension or not until the tribunal of the Federation Equestre International hands down its judgement regarding the Lantinus doping/medication case at the end of the month, writes Margie McLoone.
The Germany-based rider was automatically suspended by the FEI when Lantinus was one of four horses which tested positive to the banned substance capsaicin at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong last month.
When the results of the A samples were released, Lynch, Brazilian Bernardo Alves (Chupa Chup), Germany's Christian Ahlmann (Coster) and Norwegian rider Tony Andre Hansen (Camiro) were withdrawn from the final rounds of the individual show jumping competition. A week later, the B samples confirmed the initial findings.
Speaking from Laussane on Saturday evening, 32-year-old Lynch said: "I'm very happy with the way things went. I was able to put my case fully and I believe I received a fair hearing"
The Irish team of Edward Doyle (Sequoyah Farms Utopia), Cameron Hanley (Southwind VDL), Cian O'Connor (Rancorrado) and Niall Talbot (Tequi d'I CH) failed to make it through to the second stage of Saturday's Nations' Cup in Canada. Ireland and Britain completed the first round on 12 faults but, being three seconds faster, the British team made it through to round two.
Powell continues in good form
ATHLETICS: Former world record holder Asafa Powell continued his good form yesterday, winning the 100 metres at the Rieti Grand Prix with a time of 9.82 seconds.
Powell beat his Jamaican sprint team mate Michael Frater, who clocked 9.98, as well as Ronald Pognon of France and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who both ran 10.10. Powell has produced some impressive performances since he finished a disappointing fifth in the 100 metres Olympic final, which was won by his compatriot Usain Bolt with the record time of 9.69.
After running 9.72 in Switzerland last week, expectations here were high that Powell could beat that time. He raised them further when he warmed up for the final by running 9.77 to win his heat but was slower in the final after making a false start. "I know I can break that record," Powell said.
Moncoutie takes mountain stage
CYCLING:Rob Hayles upstaged Britain's Olympic team during yesterday's opening Tour of Britain stage. The 35-year-old Hampshire rider finished the 53-mile stage in second, beating off competition from Sweden's Magnus Backstedt, as Italian Alessandro Petacchi took the first yellow jersey.
Fellow Italian Danilo Di Luca led for most of the stage, but paid the price of going out too hard with Hayles storming past him late on to pick up 14 points.
Khan upbeat despite knock out
BOXING: Amir Khan believes the first defeat of his career has given him a "kick up the backside" after being knocked out in less than a minute by Colombian Breidis Prescott.
A stunning 54-second knockout defeat in Manchester on Saturday night left his world title dreams in tatters with promoter Frank Warren admitting they would have to go "back to the drawing board".
However, Khan insisted he still has confidence in new trainer Jorge Rubio despite the Cuban suggesting Prescott as an opponent before watching his young charge get blown away.
"Sometimes I let my heart rule my mind and it showed," said Khan afterwards. "I've been hit harder in my career but it was just at the wrong time, too early in the fight before I could get into it."
