Briefs | Cycling: Lance Armstrong loses clumps of hair for drug test

Cycling

Armstrong's hair tested in new anti-doping effort: Lance Armstrong has undergone hundreds of urine and blood tests throughout his cycling career. This time, he was in for a surprise — a hair sample test.

Armstrong and French anti-doping agency AFLD said Wednesday that he was approached for a hair sample in an unannounced test Tuesday in Beaulieu-sur-Mer in southern France, where he is training as part of his comeback for a shot at an eighth Tour de France title.

A French anti-doping inspector armed with a pair of scissors took six clumps of Armstrong's hair.

"He didn't make my hair look very good," said Armstrong, who also gave blood and urine samples. "That's why I cut it after that, after he butchered it. There were a few good stripes at the back so we just buzzed it down."

Belgian cyclist Hovelijnck critical after crash: Belgian cyclist Kurt Hovelijnck remains in critical condition with a skull fracture, one day after crashing during a training run. The 27-year-old rider crashed onto his head because of a mechanical failure to his back wheel when practicing at high speed.

Auto racing

Budweiser expected to stay with Kahne: NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne, an Enumclaw native, said he expects to continue his partnership with Anheuser-Busch even though the beer distributor is ending its sponsorship with the NHRA.

NBA

Landry feels "blessed and lucky to be alive": Houston Rockets forward Carl Landry said he felt "blessed and lucky to be alive" the day after he was shot in the left leg near his home. Landry was wounded around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, about two hours after the team returned from a victory in New Orleans. According to police, a car with two occupants hit Landry's sport-utility vehicle twice on a city street, forcing Landry's vehicle into a utility pole. When Landry got out of his vehicle to inspect the damage, one of the occupants fired two shots.

Police said one of the suspects chased Landry briefly on foot, then fled.

The 6-foot-9 Landry said Wednesday that he ran about six blocks and hid between a house and a fence. He then started frantically ringing doorbells and someone finally answered and called police, about 90 minutes after the shooting.

"I could have been dead," Landry said. "The shooter was 10 yards or less away. I'm 6-9 and I had a bright shirt on. I don't know how he missed, but thank God he did and he hit the lower part of my leg."

Outdoor exhibition game: The Phoenix Suns will play an exhibition game outdoors in Indian Wells, Calif., on Oct. 10 against the Golden State Warriors.

Cavs' Szczerbiak out with knee injury: Forward Wally Szczerbiak, a former Sonic, could be out for three weeks with a sprained left knee, yet another injury for the bruised Cleveland Cavaliers.

Nets suspend Williams two games after arrest: Center Sean Williams was suspended two games by the New Jersey Nets for conduct detrimental to the team. Williams was arrested Monday at a cellphone store in a mall in suburban Denver. Police said he got into an argument with a clerk and threw a computer monitor.

Colleges

Portland State drops wrestling: Portland State University says it is dropping its Division I wrestling program because it has done poorly in the classroom, at the bottom line, and on the mats. The wrestlers had failed in recent years to meet minimum NCAA academic standards — so poorly that it could have impacted the school's Division I status, the school's athletic director said.

Golf

Woods to play in Australian Masters: Tiger Woods will play at the Australian Masters in November, his first tournament appearance Down Under since 1998.

Tennis

Federer, Murray advance at Indian Wells: Roger Federer ran his record against Fernando Gonzalez to 12-1 with a three-set victory Wednesday and moved into the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open. Federer, his play spotty but good enough to continue his domination of his frequent foe, ousted Gonzalez 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

Andy Murray also advanced, extending his fine 2009 start to 18-1 when Tommy Robredo retired in the second set of their match because of a wrist injury.

Horse racing

Mafaaz gets spot in Kentucky Derby: Mafaaz earned an automatic berth into this year's Kentucky Derby by winning a race at Kempton Park on Wednesday. The 3-year-old chestnut colt defeated 13 rivals in the $115,000 Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes, and gained one of the coveted 20 spots for the Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Olympics

USOC lays off 54 as cost-cutting measure: The U.S. Olympic Committee has laid off 54 employees as a key part of its plan to trim its budget by 5 percent to deal with rough economic times. The layoffs equal 13 percent of the work force.

Plushenko aims for Vancouver: Evgeni Plushenko is planning a comeback to defend his Olympic figure skating title at the Vancouver Games. He has not competed since he overwhelmed the men's field at the 2006 Turin Olympics.

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