Doping-Scarred Tour Begins Without Many Big Names

The Tour de France, cycling's most prestigious race, begins today, trying to shake its history of drugs and cheating. The turmoil has left this year's race without many of the sport's biggest names. The loss of glamour, however, gives a new crop of riders a chance to step forward.

Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde, Carlos Sastre, Denis Menchov and Damiano Cunego are among the most likely to prevail in the 2,175-mile trek.

"I'd rate myself as a pretty good chance to win," said Evans, who was runner-up in 2007.

The race begins with a 123-mile flat ride through Brittany. For the first time since 1967, the Tour will begin without an opening-day prologue.

It also starts without a defending champion for the second straight year. The team of 2007 winner Alberto Contador, Astana, wasn't invited because of doping scandals it faced in the past two years. Floyd Landis was stripped of his 2006 title after testing positive for synthetic testosterone.

Other big names out are Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov, who was removed from the Tour last year for a positive test for a blood transfusion, and Astana rider Levi Leipheimer.

· PRO BASKETBALL: Michael Beasley slightly cracked his sternum in a collision with a teammate on Wednesday, but he still could be with the Miami Heat when the team opens summer league play Monday. But Miami announced that Daequan Cook separated his left, non-shooting shoulder Thursday night and will be sidelined two to four weeks.

· HOCKEY: Jaromir Jagr signed with a Russian team a day after his split with the New York Rangers, leaving the NHL after nearly two decades and returning to the club he joined during the 2004-05 lockout.

The Russian League team Avangard Omsk announced the signing of the winger on its Web site.

"It was the toughest decision in my life, hockey-wise. No question about it. I hate making changes," Jagr said. . . .