Le Mans winner inspires other F1 drivers to compete

SPIELBERG, Austria – Nico Hulkenberg’s exploit in winning the 24 Hours Le Mans last weekend made other Formula One drivers dream of taking part.

Hulkenberg, driving this week for Force India at the Austrian Grand Prix, was among the trio of drivers who helped Porsche seal a record 17th Le Mans when he took the checkered flag last weekend.

The German won the race at his first attempt and became the first active F1 driver to win since Britain’s Johnny Herbert in 1991.

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, two-time F1 champ Fernando Alonso, and Daniel Ricciardo have expressed strong interest in following Hulkenberg.

Cycling

Sagan loses a rare sprint, while Pinot keeps the lead

DUEDINGEN, Switzerland – Alexander Kristoff handed Peter Sagan a rare sprint defeat at the Tour de Suisse on Friday to win the seventh stage, while Thibaut Pinot’s overall lead was cut again.

Norway’s Kristoff dominated the final stages of a 102.5-mile route from Biel to Duedingen and denied Sagan a record-setting 12th career stage win in the race.

Kristoff clocked 3 hours, 38 minutes, 7 seconds to add another victory to his season, which includes the Tour of Flanders one-day classic.

Pinot was caught up in a split of the leading pack near the end and gave up five seconds to Geraint Thomas of Britain, who is second overall.

NHL

Millions celebrated the Blackhawks’ title in Chicago

CHICAGO – Crowd estimates are,in and the city of Chicago said about 2 million people attended the parade and rally honoring the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup win.

The Chicago Fire Department said its responders treated 41 patients, mostly for heat issues. The fire department had medical buses and other equipment on scene during the Thursday festivities.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup for the third time in six years Monday night when they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tennis

Tsonga looks doubtful for Wimbledon with an injury

PARIS – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled out of the Nottingham Open with an abdominal injury, casting doubts on his participation at Wimbledon.

The 12th-ranked Tsonga, who has not played since his semifinal loss to Stan Wawrinka at the French Open, picked up the injury in Paris. He already withdrew from grass-court tournaments in Germany and the Netherlands in previous weeks.

Volleyball

Women weren’t allowed to attend Iran’s win over U.S.

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran defeated the United States 3-0 at a home volleyball match attended by 12,000 people and broadcast live on state TV, as a ban on female spectators remained in place despite an official saying recently that it might be eased.

Iran won the first set 25-19, the second by 29-27 and the third by 25-20 in the FIVB world league series Friday at Azadi Stadium in the capital, Tehran. The two teams will meet again Sunday.

No Iranian women were allowed to attend the match in keeping with a ban in place since the Islamic Revolution .

The ban came to worldwide attention last year over the detention of an Iranian-British woman, Ghoncheh Ghavami, who tried to attend a men’s volleyball match between Iran and Italy. Ghavami was eventually sentenced to a year in prison for “propagating against the ruling system,” but was freed on bail in November.

Associated Press