Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by de

MONTPELLIER, France -- The mountain battle between Nairo Quintana and defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome in the grueling climb to the top of Mont Ventoux might not happen after all.Forecasts of more than 100 kph (62 mph) winds and temperatures as low as 4 degrees Celsius (39 F) at the top of the Giant of Provence have forced organizers to move the finish line of Thursdays stage six kilometers (3.7 miles) down the road to the Chalet Reynard.Ventoux is one of the most famed climbs in the Tours history. Britains Tom Simpson collapsed and died on it during the 1967 Tour after he used a lethal cocktail of amphetamines and alcohol.Froome was the stage winner when the Tour last scaled the 1,909-meter (6,263-foot) peak in 2013, gaining 29 seconds on Quintana that day.Tomorrow I would have liked the stage to go to the top because its an ideal climb for me, Quintana said. But anyway, there are still lots of days and mountains for me.With the climb now reduced by half its length, the stage should have less importance in the fight for the yellow jersey, although Tour director Christian Prudhomme promised a big battle in the rarefied air of the high peak.Its still a superb climb, on its steepest ramps, Prudhomme said. The Ventoux is a myth and a legend of the Tour de France, but we cant gamble with the riders safety.Froome, who has a 35-second lead over fourth-place Quintana overall, welcomed the decision that will shorten the ascent to 15.5 kilometers on roads well enough protected from the wind by trees.Its better for the riders safety, Froome said Wednesday after gaining 12 seconds on all of his direct rivals following a great tactical move in the finale in Montpellier. I dont think it really changes too much, the climb to Chalet Reynard is extremely hard already. I think its going to be an even more intense race once we hit the climb because its shorter.Froome has been seizing every opportunity to gain distance on his rivals this year, even attacking downhill for the first time of his career in the Pyrenees last week. Quintana, on the other hand, has been very conservative so far and was expected to make his first big move at the Ventoux.Id love to win on Ventoux, where some of the legendary riders in cycling have won, said Quintana, who finished runner-up to Froome at the Tour in 2013 and 2015. But Froome is also strong. We have to see how the other rivals are. We dont want to lose our heads, and use up our strength, and then let others take advantage.French climbing specialists Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot have also circled this stage for special attention. Besides containing one of the races most famous climbs, the stage will be held on Bastille Day, which celebrates the storming of the Bastille prison by Parisians during the French Revolution. Vans Shoes Clearance Sale . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. Cheap Vans SK8 . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.vanssalestore.com/vans-sk8-clearance.html . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Vans Sk8 Hi Clearance . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Vans Store Near Me . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Its the surprises -- the upsets, the unexpected conference champions, the dark horse Heisman Trophy contenders -- that enliven each college football season.Each week, this column will attempt to identify those surprising results before they happen.Alabama heads into a Week 7 matchup at Tennessee sporting the nations longest win streak (18 games) as well as a nine-game win streak against the Volunteers. Combine this with Tennessee coach Butch Jones saying this Alabama team is the best Crimson Tide club the Volunteers have faced since he joined thee program, and its easy to see why Alabama is a 13-point favorite in this contest.ddddddddddddTheres no way Tennessee can pull off an upset here, right?Actually, there is a path to victory the Volunteers can follow, and its a much wider path than generally thought.(Note: Unless otherwise specified, all the metrics detailed below are from Power 5 contests, and the associated rankings are among qualifying Power 5 teams.) ' ' '