Dein erstes Forum » After playing three seasons in a 3-4 system

CHERBOURG-EN-COTENTIN, France -- The Tour de France can rarely be won in the first week.It can be lost, though.Stage 2 on Sunday was a case in point.Four contenders for the overall title lost time over a wet and challenging route that resembled a course for a single-day classic, with two short climbs -- one of them very steep -- near the finish.If a key contender continues to lose time over easier stages in the first week, he will find it difficult to get back into contention once the mountains come later in the race.Vincenzo Nibali, the 2014 champion from Italy, and top French hope Thibaut Pinot each finished 11 seconds behind stage winner Peter Sagan as they struggled up the final climb.It was like a classics finale, on slippery roads, a bit complicated, Pinot said. There are still a couple of tricky stages to come. I need to be patient but all in all Im satisfied.Two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador fell to the ground for the second consecutive day and lost 48 seconds.I lost more time than I had hoped to lose, Contador said. I hit the handlebars and I was hurt on the other side from yesterday. I must stay calm, not lose morale. ... The Tour has really started on the wrong footing. Im not happy at all. Its cycling. I must see if I can make up some time in the Pyrenees and the Alps.Richie Porte, the co-captain of the BMC squad with American standout Tejay van Garderen, punctured a tire toward the end and didnt have any teammates to help him ride back into the peloton. Porte dropped 1 minute, 45 seconds -- likely ending his chances of overall victory.Porte, an Australian, was Chris Froomes top support rider at Team Sky during the Britons Tour wins in 2013 and 2015. He joined the BMC squad for this season with hopes of individual glory.Froome, the Kenyan-born British rider who is favored to defend his title, is placed well in fifth overall, 14 seconds behind leader Sagan.Nairo Quintana, the two-time runner-up from Colombia, also hasnt lost any time in the overall battle and is positioned seventh with the same time as Froome.The other overall favorites who have not lost time are Spanish Vuelta champion Fabio Aru of Italy, Romain Bardet of France and van Garderen.After a flatter Stage 3, more trouble looms in a hilly Stage 4, followed by the first mountain test on Stage 5.The 21-stage race ends July 24 in Paris. Minnesota Timberwolves Gear . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Sam Cassell Jersey . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/130j-kevin-love-jersey-timberwolves.html . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Radoslav Nesterovic Jersey . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Doug West Jersey . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. PHILADELPHIA -- Carson Wentz was so impressive in the film room and on the practice field that he earned a promotion from No. 3 quarterback to starter.Time to show his stuff in actual games.The No. 2 overall draft pick will make his NFL debut Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Cleveland Browns.Wentz threw 24 passes in the preseason before he injured his ribs and missed the last three games. Still, he was elevated to No. 1 after the Eagles traded Sam Bradford to Minnesota.The things that we saw in practice, just the plays that he has been able to make, the plays going against even our starting defense, just the way he has handled things, the way he calls plays in the huddle, the way he can just spit out the verbiage, his athleticism, the way he can move and scramble and make some plays with his legs, I just felt so comfortable putting him in this spot, rookie coach Doug Pederson said.Wentz will face a team that passed up a chance to draft him by trading the pick to Philadelphia.That is all in the past, Wentz said. Im excited Im here in Philadelphia, and Im ready to go for Week 1.Robert Griffin III will play his first game since 2014 and becomes the 25th quarterback to start for the Browns since 1999. RG3 is trying to resurrect his career in Cleveland after a difficult finish in Washington.Just excited to go out and play with these guys, Griffin said. We have an opportunity to do something special.Here are some things to know about the Browns-Eagles matchup:PROTECTING WENTZ: The projected starting offensive line will be out there for the Eagles, led by eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters and right tackle Lane Johnson, who said last month hes expecting a 10-game suspension for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Left guard Allen Barbre, center Jason Kelce and right guard Brandon Brooks round out the line.Weve been communicating and working together cohesively since the spring, so we expect to go out and there and play well, have success, Kelce said.dddddddddddd It doesnt matter who the starting quarterback is. We have to do our jobs and keep him clean. That doesnt change. But, sure, its great that were all together for this game.WIN-WIN: The Browns own Philadelphias first-round pick in 2017 as part of the trade for No. 2, so beating the Eagles is a double win because they want them to finish as low as possible in the standings.NEW DEFENSE DEBUTS: After playing three seasons in a 3-4 system, the Eagles have switched to a 4-3 scheme under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The unit showed flashes of dominance in the preseason, and the front four led by Fletcher Cox have potential to wreak havoc, harass quarterbacks and force turnovers.WOEPENERS: The Browns have lost an NFL-record 11 straight openers. Theyre 1-16 in Week 1 since their expansion rebirth in 1999, with their only win coming against Baltimore in 2004 under coach Butch Davis. Seven of those 16 losses have come by five points or less, and includes a 17-16 defeat against the Eagles in 2012.LOOKING BACK: Pederson has history with the Browns. He became their third starting quarterback following Clevelands return to the league when he replaced an injured Tim Couch in 2000. Pederson led the Browns to a 19-11 win over New England, snapping a seven-game losing streak and giving Cleveland its only win in the final 13 games.It was almost like a relief, a weight, a burden off your shoulders, Pederson said this week. It was exciting obviously to get that win finally and just sort of the excitement that the guys felt walking off of that field, because I remember, too, that team that year was decimated with injury and there were a lot of new faces in Cleveland.---AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org---Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP-RobMaaddi ' ' '