Cavendish wins Tour's 11th stage

Mark Cavendish won a rainy 11th stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint Wednesday, beating Andre Greipel of Germany at the line and seizing the leading sprinter's green jersey.

French rider Thomas Voeckler kept the race leader's yellow jersey after the 104.1-mile trek from Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur. Voeckler finished 75th in the stage but with the same time as the winner.

Cavendish made the most of the last stage designed for sprinters before the race reaches the Pyrenees to claim his 18th stage win at the Tour, his third in this year's race. He won in 3 hours, 46 minutes, 7 seconds.

QBs give backing for latest offerCalling the players' offer "fair for both sides," star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- plaintiffs in an antitrust suit against the NFL -- said Wednesday "it is time" to wrap up negotiations and end the lockout.

Brady, Manning and Brees spoke as a group publicly for the first time. Players and owners met Wednesday morning at a Manhattan law office. Talks continued until 9 p.m., and a person briefed on the talks told the New York Times that no progress was made.

Retirees tell judge their concerns

NFL retirees say they have fresh complaints against the league and players they accuse of negotiating a new labor deal without them. Attorneys asked a judge in Minneapolis for permission to update a complaint signaling their intent to sue both sides. A hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 8 in Minneapolis.

NCAA still aimed at AuburnAn NCAA official told Auburn coach Gene Chizik that it is not done investigating the Tigers football program and the recruitment of Cam Newton, the New York Times reported.

Chizik asked NCAA vice president for enforcement Julie Roe Lach why the NCAA had not announced that the Newton investigation was finished at the SEC meetings last month.

"You'll know when we're finished," Roe Lach said. "And we're not finished."

Two Minnesotans snag ESPYsSkier Lindsey Vonn, a Burnsville native, and Mallory Weggemann of Prior Lake won ESPYs at ESPN's annual awards event.

Vonn's award was for Best Female Athlete and recognized her as the reigning Olympic downhill champion and a three-time overall World Cup champion.

Weggemann was honored as Best Female Athlete with a Disability. She won eight gold medals in the 2010 world championships for Paralympic athletes.

Junior Boys' golf event begins

Karter Smith of Ironman Golf Course in Detroit Lakes shot an even-par 70 at Rochester Golf & Country Club and holds a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship. The final round is Thursday.

WNBA: Katie Douglas scored 20 points, and Indiana defeated Connecticut 90-78 in Indianapolis, stretching its win streak to seven games.

NHL: The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a three-year, $6.2 million contract with center Brandon Sutter.

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