Herausforderungen » y because of rain.Toronto (10-7-7)

SAINT-LO, France -- Not too long ago, a successful Tour de France for Mark Cavendish meant coming away with a handful of victories.Not anymore. And not only because German rivals Marcel Kittel and Andre Greipel have taken over as cyclings top sprinters.The sprint opportunities are less, Cavendish said on Thursday, lamenting how Tour organizers have created more challenging routes in recent years with more hilly stages in the opening week, as opposed to the purely flat opening stages that the race once started with.In 2008, it was 18 Cat (category) 2, Cat 1 and HC (Hors Categorie, beyond category) climbs in the whole Tour de France. Last year, there was 18 in the last week. This year, theres 28 Cat 2, Cat 1 and HC climbs, Cavendish said. Its quite an increase.He won four stages in 2008, six in 2009, five each in 2010 and 2011, and three in 2012. But over the last three races, he has won a total of three stages, and just one last year.While the first three stages this year -- highlighted by Saturdays scenic opening leg from Mont-Saint-Michel to Utah Beach -- set up well for sprinters, the route gets hilly from the fourth day onward.It makes more people win, which is good for the sport but it definitely changes our approach, Cavendish said. You dont go with a nine-man leadout team to the Tour de France anymore unless youre happy with just a couple of stage wins.Theres a longer list of GC (general classification) contenders than there ever was. And the teams are built behind them. That makes it very difficult for the sprinters.The 31-year-old British rider, nicknamed the Manx Missile, joined South African team Dimension Data for this season after shoulder surgery in September. He withdrew during last years race with ruptured ligaments in his right shoulder.Cavendish prepared for the Tour by opening his season in February, and has raced constantly to mixed results -- winning one stage each in the Tour of Qatar, Tour of Croatia, and Tour of California. He finished second to Adam Blythe in the British championships last weekend.Its been completely different. I used a lot of racing to build up my endurance, Cavendish said. I really dont know how its going to be. It could be the best thing in the world. It could be the worst thing Ive ever done.With 26 career stage wins in the Tour, Cavendish sits third on the all-time list behind Eddy Merckx (34) and Bernard Hinault (28).Hes aiming for early and late wins this year, especially on the concluding stage in Paris.The biggest stage in the world, Cavendish said, is the Champs-Elysees for a sprinter.---Andrew Dampf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asdampfRajon Rondo Jersey . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Pervis Ellison Jersey . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. https://www.cheapceltics.com/ . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Bill Sharman Jersey .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Satch Sanders Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014.HOUSTON -- Jozy Altidore scored his third goal in four games and Toronto FC played to a 1-1 tie with the 10-man Houston Dynamo on Sunday night in a game postponed Saturday because of rain.Toronto (10-7-7) had its four-game winning streak snapped. Houston (4-10-9) is winless in six games.Altidore tied it in the 24th minute. Sebastian Giovinco rolled a corner kick to the penalty spot and Altidore put it into the net with a one touch. Altidores sliding left-footed shot in the 64th minute hit the post.Crisstian Maidana scored from a difficult angle in the eighth minute after Mauro Manotas chipped the defense.dddddddddddd. But the Dynamo played a man down for the entire second half. Abdoulie Mansally received a red card in first-half stoppage time for taking down Giovinco on a breakaway.It was the fifth consecutive draw in the series. The last win for either team came in 2011. ' ' '