Fragen zum Forum » to be accepting that Nibali may win

CONCORD, N.C. -- Jimmie Johnson is hoping hes on the verge of turning around a disappointing season. The six-time Sprint Cup champion won the pole Thursday night for the Coca-Cola 600, turning a lap at 194.911 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the third round of NASCARs knockout qualifying format. It was the first pole of the year for Johnson, who has yet to win a race this season. "It certainly shows that were going to be strong this weekend," Johnson said. "I dont know that it sends the same message that winning two or three races will send. But I would love to rattle off two or three wins and have people fear the No. 48 as they have in the past. I dont think a pole position does that to the garage area, but you have to start somewhere." Brad Keselowski qualified second and will start on the front row for the seventh time this season. Kasey Kahne was third, followed by Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer. Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Gordons struggles in practice runs carried over to qualifying. He didnt make it out of the first round of qualifying and will start 27th -- one spot behind last weeks All-Star race winner, Jamie McMurray. Johnson has won six Sprint Cup races at the Charlotte, twice from the pole. He said he isnt concerned that he hasnt won a race this season, which would secure a spot in the Chase for the Cup. What has bothered him is the lack of consistency. "We have been close to some wins and been pathetic at other tracks," Johnson said. Johnson was asked if he agrees with the notion that some detractors have enjoyed the fact that he hasnt won yet. "I think there are some people getting satisfaction out of it," Johnson said. "But if I win, I win too much. If I dont win, they say you arent winning enough. So it doesnt matter what I do, I cant win." Johnson was a non-factor in the All-Star race last week at the track in his bid for a three-peat. He said his crew changed the setup in his car this past week, borrowing some advice from teammate Kasey Kahne. "We learned some things from last week," Johnson said. Keselowski said he was bummed he got beat out for the pole -- again. It was the sixth time this season he has qualified second. "Its like kissing your sister," Keselowski said. Patrick will start in the top 10 for the third straight week. She was fast throughout the qualifying session with the top lap in the second round of 194.595. But her lap in third round was more than one second slower. Joey Logano, who is off to the best start of his young career with two wins this season, will start eighth and will be considered one of the favourites on Sunday. Logano has already won twice this season and has historically run well at Charlotte with three top-five and six top-10 finishes in 10 career Cup starts at Charlotte. Track temperatures reached 106 degrees at the start of qualifying, but cooled significantly as the sun set behind the grandstand and the speeds picked up dramatically. Drivers had problems in the first two turns early in qualifying complaining their cars were tight, and had to adjust on the clock. Under the new format all cars are allowed 25 minutes to qualify with the top 24 based advancing to 10-minute session in round two. From that group, the top 12 advanced to the final, five-minute round. "The great thing about the new qualifying sessions is there are multiple opportunities to get it right and that is a good thing," Keselowski said. "That is why it is so much fun." Nike Air Max 270 Womens Sale . With newly minted president of hockey operations Trevor Linden looking on from above one day after being handed the keys to the franchise, it was more of the same on Thursday night. Nike Air Max 270 Flyknit China . 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Niese pitched seven steady innings on a rainy Tuesday night and Daniel Murphy had three hits to lead New York to a 6-1 victory over the Phillies.CHAMROUSSE, France -- If Vincenzo Nibali was looking happier Friday after the Tour de France rode into the Alps, heres why: His top rival fell out of contention, he gained nearly a minute on his next-biggest challenger and oh, he won Stage 13 to boot. On a sunbaked and melting Alpine road, the 29-year-old Italian, cemented his control of cyclings greatest race with a solo-finish victory that was an afterthought to gaining time on other title contenders. Team Skys Richie Porte, who began the day in second, saw his title hopes all but vanish after he lost about 9 minutes to Nibali on the last climb along the grueling 197.5-kilometre (122-mile) trek from Saint-Etienne to Chamrousse ski station. Ever cautious, calm and understated after his stage win, Nibali noted that three big Alpine climbs still await Saturday and other punishing ascents are on tap in the Pyrenees next week. "For the coming days, I only know that I have to remain quiet," he said. But in the winners circle, where he collected the yellow jersey for the 11th time this year, Nibali perhaps let slip a bit more happy emotion -- knowing that a first Tour victory for an Italian since Marco Pantani in 1998 just got a little closer. "I expect more attacks tomorrow in another very hard stage and next week," Nibali said. "My advantage over Porte is good now. Hes the rider I feared the most in the closing time trial." If Nibalis mountain dominance keeps up -- on Monday, he won the only other high-mountain stage so far -- the 54-kilometre (33-mile) time-trial in Stage 20 from Bergerac to Perigueux is the only real challenge left in his way. The unexpected has gone Nibalis way. He surprised himself by winning an up-and-down Stage 2 stage in the hills and dales of Yorkshire and capturing his first Tour yellow jersey. He mastered cobblestone treachery in Stage 5, when 2012 Tour champ Chris Froome crashed out. And then, two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador went out five stages later after a fast downhill crash fractured his tibia. In a sport where many dominant riders in past years later turned out to be drugs cheats, Nibali confronted the issue of doping a day earlier, saying he expected questions about it. "This theme belongs to the past," he said, crediting recent efforts like enhanced testing and the biological passport to clean it up. This 101st Tour could become the third straight in which the winner locked up victory from before the halfway point. Last year, Froome was in yellow from the eighth stage onward. In 2012, Bradley Wiggins had the shirt for good after Stage 7. Nibali tookk it in Stage 2, lost it in Stage 9, and regained it a day later.ddddddddddddHes hoping to take it home after a largely ceremonial ride on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on July 27. A comeback by a rival would be exceptional by recent standards. After the 13th stage last year, Froome had three other riders within minutes. In 2012, Wiggins had only two. After Fridays ride, no one is within three minutes of Nibali. The first of two days in the snow-capped Alps lived up to its billing as the daunting final climb of 18 kilometres (12 miles) with an average 7.3 per cent gradient shook up the overall standings. The ride was hot: black tar on the recently resurfaced road to Chamrousse melted. Big crowds lined the route, including fans dressed as superheroes and one as a scantily clad Borat -- the Sacha Baron Cohen film character. As riders embarked on the final climb, the pack was mostly together and Valverdes Movistar team was pushing the pace. But when it hit the steepest part, Porte struggled and dropped off the back and Nibali briefly turned his head to look. Valverde attacked a short while later, but Nibali and the others reeled him in. Nibali said he felt "better and better" as he climbed, despite the heat of more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 F). When the Italian saw "Richie Porte in trouble," he turned his attention to gaining time on Valverde, he said. After two riders raced ahead, the Italian leader struck -- jumping out of his saddle, and pedaling while standing in the upright riding position known in French as "la danseuse" or the dancer. He overtook them, and went on to win. Portes troubles also meant others climbed in the standings: Frances Romain Bardet moved up to third, countryman Thibaut Pinot was fourth, and American Tejay van Garderen fifth. Nibali appeared to be taking a risk that his effort to distance his rivals could come back to haunt him. By his own admission a day earlier, he said that he feared the second Alpine day more. Saturdays 177-kilometre (110-mile) stage takes riders over three tough climbs from Grenoble to Risoul -- including the Izoard pass that is one of the hardest under cyclings ranking system. Some of his rivals seem to be accepting that Nibali may win. "Vincenzo is the strongest rider in the race, but after him, there is a place to take," Bardet said, referring to the final podium. Nibali "played it well", said FDJ.FR team manager Marc Madiot. "Now he can say Ive got all the cards, I can do what I want, when I want and if you try to slap me, I give two slaps in return." ' ' '