Astana puts brakes on Armstrong story

September 9, 2008

Lance Armstrong's reported comeback won't take place with the Astana cycling team. "He is no part of our team," Astana press officer Philippe Maertens told the Associated Press. "Team Astana has no plans with him." The cycling journal VeloNews, citing anonymous sources, reported on its website yesterday that the 36-year-old seven-time Tour de France champion would compete in the Tour and four other road races with Astana in 2009. Armstrong, who overcame testicular cancer, has turned his competitive juices to running marathons since he retired from competitive cycling three years ago.

Mets closer Billy Wagner will undergo elbow surgery later this week that likely will sideline the 37-year-old lefthander through the 2009 season. The five-time All-Star has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left elbow and a torn flexor pronator, a muscle in the forearm . . . With Chris Carpenter limited to relief duty the rest of the season, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said the the 2005 NL Cy Young winner, who injured his shoulder early this season, will be his first choice as the closer . . . Don Gutteridge, who played for four major league teams (including the Red Sox in 1946 and '47) and managed the White Sox in 1969 and 1970, died Sunday at his home in Kansas. He was 96. Obituary, Page B7.

The Yankees, hit hard by injuries and likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993, plan to retain Joe Girardi as manager next year, co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said. Girardi is in his first season managing the Yankees. Steinbrenner said discussions on a possible extension for general manager Brian Cashman, whose contract is up this year, will take place after the season . . . The Angels' Jered Weaver was scratched from his start tonight against the Yankees because of cuts on the middle and ring fingers of his right pitching hand. Ervin Santana will start in place of Weaver, who cut his fingers on staples under the bench during last week's series at Detroit.

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his right pinkie, ESPN.com reported. Bryant, who suffered the injury Feb. 5, chose to put off the procedure until after the Olympics. Bryant is expected to need six weeks to recover from the surgery . . . Tan White scored 24 points to lift the visiting Indiana Fever to an 81-77 WNBA victory over the Atlanta Dream.

Thanks in large part to Liam Coen, Massachusetts moved up one spot to No. 3 in The Sports Network's Football Championship Subdivision Top 25 poll. Coen, who threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns in the Minutemen's 45-42 victory at Holy Cross Saturday, was named The Sports Network's FCS offensive player of the week. New Hampshire, which won, 28-10, at Army, moved up five spots to No. 10. Harvard, which doesn't kick off its season until Sept. 19, moved up one spot to No. 24 . . . Pac-10 officiating coordinator Dave Cutaia told the Seattle Times that officials made the proper call near the end of Saturday's BYU-Washington game, which BYU won, 28-27. Washington's Jake Locker was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration for tossing the ball in the air as he was swarmed by his teammates following his touchdown run with two seconds left. Washington's extra point attempt from 35 yards was unsuccessful . . . Miami running back Javarris James's ankle sprain could keep him out of the Hurricanes' next game, Sept. 20 against Texas A&M . . . Utah defensive lineman Lei Talamaivao had surgery to repair a broken fibula and will miss the rest of the season.

Former Chelsea resident John Ruiz is contesting his loss to Nikolai Valuev Aug. 30 in Berlin, asking the World Boxing Association to rule the bout a no-contest and strip Valuev of his heavyweight title. Ruiz believes a judge improperly kept a running score and that Valuev's cornermen were informed about the judges' scoring after rounds.

Daryl Veltman was selected No. 1 overall by the Boston Blazers in the National Lacrosse League draft. Veltman was an all-American last season at Hobart College, during which he led the ECAC with 26 goals. The Blazers, who selected UMass's Paul Manesis in Round 5, will make their NLL debut in January and play eight home games at TD Banknorth Garden . . . Tim Mickelson, younger brother of Phil, pulled out a 1-up victory over Scott Kammann, while 2004 champ Austin Eaton III of New Hampshire was eliminated by Gene Elliott, 6 and 4, in the first round of match play at the US Mid-Amateur Championship in River Hills, Wis. Maine's Ricky Jones and Elmcrest Country Club's Jack Kearney advanced with 1-up wins over Jason Oien and T.J. Shuart, respectively. At the women's Mid-Amateur in Ann Arbor, Mich., Duxbury's Tara Joy-Connelly suffered a 1-up loss to Lisa McGill, and Winchester's Tracy Welch was ousted by Julie Harrison, 5 and 4 . . . Owner Michael Paulson rejected a $7.7 million bid for Vallenzeri, an A.P. Indy colt and the first foal out of former Breeders' Cup Distaff champion Azeri. It was the highest price refused for a horse at a Keeneland sale . . . Michael Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, made the first donation to the Michael Phelps Foundation by committing the $1 million bonus he earned from his swimsuit sponsor . . . Oscar Pistorius of South Africa began his bid for three golds at the Beijing Paralympics by finishing in 11.16 seconds for the fastest time in 100-meter heats . . . US Olympic Committee officials will talk this week with the cyclists who wore masks when they got off their plane in Beijing. The cyclists are seeking an apology from the USOC for making them apologize for offending the Olympic hosts, saying the flap was "emotionally devastating" and had a negative effect on their Olympic performances.