Briefs | Cycling: Armstrong finishes 2nd in Leadville Trail 100

Cycling

Armstrong is runner-up in "Race Across the Sky" in Colorado: Not since his last victory ride down the Champs-Elysees in Paris in 2005 has a finish line looked so sensational to American Lance Armstrong.

The seven-time Tour de France champion took second place in the Leadville Trail 100 Saturday, pushing Dave Wiens to a record time in the "Race Across the Sky," a lung-searing, 100-mile mountain-bike race through the Rockies. Wiens won the event for the sixth time.

"I was empty at the end, just in terms of fuel. I just haven't had seven-hour rides," Armstrong said after his first finish in a competitive cycling event since he retired after his seventh consecutive triumph in the Tour de France.

Wiens reached the finish on a flat back tire in 6 hours, 45 minutes, 45 seconds, shaving 13 minutes off the record he set last year while holding off Floyd Landis.

Armstrong, 36, crossed 1 minute, 56 seconds later.

"The guy that I raced today wasn't the guy who won the Tours, so I don't put myself in that category," Wiens said.

Armstrong, who has turned his competitive juices to running marathons since he retired from competitive cycling three years ago, had said he would be happy with a top-five finish.

"At the end, I realized I was thoroughly cooked, but I said, 'I am having a good time,' " Armstrong said.

Casper tests positive: French cyclist Jimmy Casper of the Agritubel team tested positive for a banned steroid during this year's Tour de France, said Pierre Bordry, the head of the nation's anti-doping agency.

College football

Louisville's Guy is on the mend: Trent Guy still can hear the shots echoing through a parking garage moments after he left a nightclub last month.

Nineteen times a group of assailants fired at Guy and his fiancée on July 5. One of the bullets struck the Louisville wide receiver, lodging in his back.

A month later, the memories haunt Guy. He said he is not sure what happened or why it happened. No arrests have been made.

Guy is thankful to have survived.

"An inch to the right, it would have hit my spine," he said. "An inch to the left, it would have hit a vital organ."

Doctors were able to remove the bullet shortly after the attack. Guy has declared himself free of pain and is preparing for his return. He began running Friday and could be cleared for contact drills next month.

Bowden frowns on fisticuffs: Near the end of Florida State's practice, defensive tackle Budd Thacker and offensive lineman Will Furlong fought. The altercation grew to include center Ryan McMahon and linebacker Kenny Ingram.

"I don't like to see fights," Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said. "I'm glad they are feisty, but we ain't got time to wait on them to get through fighting."

NBA

6-foot-9 guard was Lakers' second-round pick last year: The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to terms with guard Sun Yue, who is playing for China in the Beijing Olympics.

The 6-foot-9, 212-pound Sun was the Lakers' second-round draft pick last year. Sun, 22, played with the Aoshen club in Beijing and with the Chinese national team before the Olympics.

Tennis

Roddick, del Potro reach final: American Andy Roddick overpowered Denis Gremelmayr of Germany 6-2, 6-2 and will face Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina for the Countrywide Classic title today in Los Angeles.

The 19-year-old del Potro beat American Mardy Fish 6-2, 6-1.

Mixed martial arts

St. Pierre keeps title: Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre of Canada held on to his title belt by unanimous decision over ex-Purdue wrestler Jon Fitch at UFC 87, an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Minneapolis.

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