winning the first two individual stages, Bouhanni doesn

A group of Russian sports stars has appealed to the International Olympic Committee to let athletes with no history of doping compete at the Rio Games in August, two days ahead of a ruling on Russias ban from world athletics. Thirteen Olympic medallists and world champions signed a letter addressed to IOC head Thomas Bach saying it would be unfair if Russian track-and-field athletes with no record of using banned substances were not allowed to go to Rio.The fraud of dishonest people should not jeopardise the career of the other innocent fellow athletes and throw a stain on our countrys reputation, they said in the letter.The right of any athlete who has never violated any of the existing rules to perform at the Olympic Games is inviolable. IOC president Thomas Bach Those signing the letter included Alexander Popov, a four-time Olympic champion swimmer, Olympic judo champion Tagir Khaibulaev and others from a range of summer and winter sports.After being suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last year, Russia is trying to convince sports authorities it is serious about rooting out cheats and overhauling its anti-doping systems.The IAAF will decide whether Russia has done enough to have the ban overturned at a meeting in Vienna on Friday.But Russian sports officials say the IOC could still invite individual athletes to compete at the Games even if the IAAF rules to uphold Russias suspension.Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko also reportedly wrote to IAAF head Sebastian Coe on Wednesday outlining the progress Russia has made reforming its disgraced athletics association. Also See: Three IAAF staff suspended Russia denies allegations Russians shock suggestion Pavel Bure Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Daniel Sedin Jersey . Karlovic of Croatia used his big serve to beat Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7). Kohlschreiber had lost all of his three previous matches against Istomin but the German broke serve for a decisive 3-2 lead in the third set and held on to reach his first final of the year. http://www.officialcanuckspro.com/Trevor-linden-canucks-jersey/ .Y. -- The "for sale" sign is up at the Buffalo Bills with the hiring of financial and legal advisers who may begin talking with prospective buyers within the next month. Custom Vancouver Canucks Jerseys . Expensive. The NFL fined Tomlin $100,000 on Wednesday for interfering with Baltimores Jacoby Jones on a kickoff return in the third quarter of a 22-20 loss to the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. Brock Boeser Jersey . Zimmermann became the National Leagues first 16-game winner, pitching seven solid innings to lead the Washington Nationals past the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 Wednesday night.SALSOMAGGIORE TERME, Italy -- French rider Nacer Bouhanni timed another sprint to perfection to win his third stage in this years Giro dItalia, and Cadel Evans overall lead remained unchanged after Tuesdays 10th leg. Bouhanni clocked just over 4 hours on the mostly flat 173-kilometre (108-mile) route from Modena to Salsomaggiore Terme. Italian rider Giacomo Nizzolo finished second for his fourth podium finish of this years race and Michael Matthews of Australia was third, both with the same time as Bouhanni. It was the eighth win this year and the 28th career victory for Bouhanni, who rides for the FDJ.fr team. "The speed was very high at the end. I took Nizzolos wheel and was able to pass him," Bouhanni said of his burst to the line. "My goal is the points jersey." With Mark Cavendish skipping the Giro and with Marcel Kitttle having withdrawn after winning the first two individual stages, Bouhanni doesnt have many rivals in the sprints capable of beating him. "Cavendish is Cavenddish and Im Bouhanni," the stage winner said when asked who was faster, adding that he stays fit in the off-season by boxing.dddddddddddd A crash in the final kilometre involved American sprinter Tyler Farrar. Belgian rider Yannick Eijssen, a teammate of Evans with BMC, was involved in a fall with about 20 kilometres (12 miles) to go and was put on a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance with a brace around his neck. Evans remained 57 seconds ahead of Colombian rival Rigoberto Uran in the overall standings. Stage 11 Wednesday is a 249-kilometre (155-mile) leg from Collecchio to Savona with two minor climbs, including one shortly before the finish. Evans, the 37-year-old Australian who won the 2011 Tour de France, was looking ahead to Thursdays 41.9-kilometre (26-mile) individual time trial from Barbaresco to Barolo, which celebrates two of Italys best-known wines. "I think it suits me better than most of my overall rivals," Evans said. The race ends in Trieste on June 1. ' ' '