Cycling

Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James and Kevin Byard are competitors on the football field, but they have joined forces for a business venture away from the gridiron.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the trio of NFL stars were announced as part of a group of investors in the National Cycling League.

According to NCLRacing.com, the league's inaugural season is scheduled to begin in 2023.

It is described as the "first professional sports league that is majority-minority and female owned and values men’s and women’s athletic achievements and contributions equally."

The series is going to feature a closed circuit race around a city center, with events scheduled in Miami, Atlanta, Denver and Chicago.

Races will feature a scoring system that awards points to competitors after each lap to ensure "nonstop lead changes, high-stakes drama, and that NCL races will be the most exciting bike races in the world."

Per Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald, Miami will host the inaugural race in March. Teams will be comprised of 16 riders—divided evenly with eight men and eight women.

"The men and women will compete separately in criterium-style races on a one-kilometer closed-circuit course (.62 miles), earn points for each lap, and their scores will be added together," Kaufman wrote.

Fans with stationary bikes will also be allowed to take part in events virtually by logging in to races and ride along with the athletes.

David Mulugheta, who is ranked as the top player agent in the NFL by Forbes, is a co-founder of the NCL. Ramsey, James and Byard are all represented by the 39-year-old.

Jonas Vingegaard is the 2022 Tour de France champion after topping defending champion Tadej Pogacar in the three-week cycling competition.

It's the first career title for Vingegaard, who also became the first person from Denmark to win the event since 1996.

The 25-year-old had wrapped up the championship after placing second in Saturday's time trial, extending his overall lead to three minutes and 34 seconds heading into Sunday's final stage.

"It's hard for me to put words on it," he said Saturday. "It’s both a relief, and I’m just so happy and proud."

Sunday's ride through Paris to the Champs-Elysees served as a coronation for the eventual champion:

Pogacar was the man to beat heading into the competition after winning the Tour de France in both 2020 and 2021. He remained on pace in 2022 with wins in Stages 6 and 7 to lead the field.

Vingegaard eventually took over in the mountain stages, excelling up the Col du Granon with a win in Stage 11. He earned the yellow jersey and never gave it back, expanding his advantage with another victory in Stage 18.

By the end of the 21st stage, Vingegaard was the Tour de France champion after spending 79 hours, 33 minutes and 20 seconds on his bicycle. Pogacar finished two minutes and 43 seconds back in second place, while 2018 champion Geraint Thomas ended in third place as the only other person within 10 minutes of the lead.

Stage 10 at the Tour de France was halted Tuesday after protesters blocked the course mid-race, sitting across the road, per David Close and Matt Foster of CNN.com.

"The race is neutralized," the Tour de France race center said in a statement. "The race will resume with the same time gaps once the road will be cleared."

The protesters, from the French climate group Derniere Renovation, said they were trying "to force legislation to drastically reduce France's emissions, starting with energy reform, the area most likely to bring together social and climate justice today."

While there was some level of irony to protesting emissions during a pedal-bike race, the protestors added that they were trying to end "deadly heat, extreme weather events, famines, mass migrations, [and] armed conflicts."

The race, which was stopped about 22 miles short of Tuesday's finish line, resumed after a 15-minute delay.

Once the race continued, Denmark's Magnus Cort won the stage, narrowly edging Australia's Nick Schultz.

Tadej Pogacar continues to hold the yellow jersey as the overall leader, though Lennard Kamna cut into his lead Tuesday and trails by just 11 seconds.

New Zealand's George Bennett, one of Pogacar's teammates, had to withdraw before Tuesday's stage after testing positive for COVID-19. Another member of that team, Rafal Majka, also tested positive but was allowed to race after being deemed to be asymptomatic with "a very low risk of infectivity" by the International Cycling Union medical team.

An arrest warrant has been issued by police for a woman in Texas in connection to the fatal shooting of professional gravel cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson, who was killed on May 11.

According to the Boston Globe, 34-year-old Kaitlin Marie Armstrong of Austin is being charged with murder. Wilson was shot "multiple times" a little over a week before Friday's Gravel Locos, a 150-mile race in Hico, Texas, that she was the favorite to win.

Per Ryan Autullo and Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman, Armstrong was questioned by police, who had video surveillance of a vehicle matching the one she drives arriving at Wilson's residence. Wilson had just returned home from going swimming with professional off-road cyclist Colin Strickland, who is Armstrong's boyfriend.

A police affidavit states that Strickland and Wilson became involved back in October during a "brief break" in his relationship with Armstrong. The two later got back together, but police say Armstrong learned of Strickland's relationship with Wilson in January. A tipster told detectives that Armstrong "became furious and was shaking in anger" and threatened Wilson's life.

Strickland was questioned in the investigation, but he has not been charged with any crime. He told police that he bought two 9 mm firearms in December/January, one for him and one for Armstrong. Investigators searched the home of Strickland and Armstrong and seized her handgun, noting that there was "significant" potential that the shell cases from that firearm match the ones found in the home where Wilson was killed.

Strickland released a statement saying, in part, "There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable situation."

For the second straight year, Tadej Pogacar is the Tour de France champion.

Pogacar rode to a breezy final stage Sunday, earning the 2021 Tour de France title by 5:20 over Jonas Vingegaard. Richard Carapaz, Ben O'Connor and Wilco Kelderman rounded out the top five. 

Wout van Aert rode to victory in the 21st stage in a thrilling sprint to the finish line. He barely edged out Jasper Philipsen and Mark Cavendish for the final stage win of the race.

Already one of the youngest Tour winners in the race's history, Pogacar is well on his way to becoming the defining rider of his generation. He already has two victories in the sport's biggest race at age 22 with no signs of stopping in sight.

"I don't know which one was more difficult; it's hard to compare," Pogacar told reporters Saturday. "Last year was less stressful. This year, there was the [yellow] jersey for two weeks and the podium and press conference every day, so it was harder off the bike, but I think they were the same to win: super hard. It was more or less the same."

Pogacar spent the last two stages simply taking his time and ensuring a safe ride to clinch the victory. Along with the yellow jersey for the general classification, Pogacar also won the polka-dot jersey for top climber and white jersey for best young cyclist. 

While last year many saw Pogacar's triumph as a surprise—he was only the leader for one stage—this time around he was far more dominant. He has already established himself as Slovenia's greatest cyclist, becoming he country's first Tour de France winner last year.

"I don't consider this the 'Pogacar era,'" Pogacar said after Stage 18. "That's just stupid in my opinion, but for sure a new era is coming.

"We see so many youngsters stepping up to the highest level and we will see a lot of battles between everybody, so many young names. The next few years will be really tough."

Tadej Pogacar won his second straight Tour de France title Sunday in Paris to take home the winner's €500,000 ($590,269) in prize money.

Pogacar, who came from behind in the Tour's penultimate stage to take the top spot last year, was more dominant in 2021. He took over the yellow jersey after the eighth stage and never relinquished it en route to Sunday's famed trip on the Champs-Elysees in France's capital.

Here's a look at the winnings for the top 10 finishers from the €2.3 million ($2.7 million) race purse:

1. Tadej Pogacar: €500,000 ($590,269)

2. Jonas Vingegaard: €200,000 ($236,107)

3. Richard Carapaz: €100,000 ($118,053)

4. Ben O'Connor: €70,000 ($82,637)

5. Wilco Kelderman: €50,000 ($59,026)

6. Enric Mas: €23,000 ($27,152)

7. Alexey Lutsenko: €11,750 ($13,871)

8. Guillaume Martin: €7,600 ($8,972)

9. Pello Bilbao: €4,500 ($5,312)

10. Rigoberto Uran: €3,800 ($4,486)

Prize money was also awarded throughout the Tour for stage wins and minor classifications.

Pogacar eliminated virtually all doubt he'd capture his second consecutive Tour title with back-to-back wins in Stages 17 and 18 this week. He also finished a respectable eighth in Saturday's final time trial to eliminate any hope of a miracle comeback and carried a lead of five minutes, 20 seconds into the celebratory finale.

It allowed the 22-year-old Slovenian to enjoy a leisurely ride into Paris on Sunday, a welcome break from the three weeks of grueling competition, especially when you consider he'll be right back in action Saturday representing his home country in the Tokyo Olympics' cycling road race.

"I can't compare both Tour de France victories. I can't say which one is more beautiful," Pogacar told reporters. "This time, I took the yellow jersey quite earlier. It has been totally different."

The Tour began with several crashes in the early stages, which led to a riders protest early in Stage 4 to urge increased safety measures, but there were far fewer issues as the competition went on.

Besides Pogacar, the other main story of the 2021 Tour was Mark Cavendish, who tied Eddy Merckx for the most stage wins in race history with 34. The 36-year-old Brit took first place in four stages this year.

Wout van Aert won both of the event's final two stages.

The 2022 Tour de France is scheduled to get underway July 1 next year, and there's the planned addition of a women's race, "Tour de France Femmes," beginning July 24.

The Tour de France makes its traditional trip down the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday to close out the 2021 edition of the race.

Tadej Pogacar secured the yellow jersey through Saturday's time trial. The overall classification unofficially ends on the penultimate day of the event, barring a close margin between the first- and second-place riders.

Pogacar has held the leader's kit since Stage 8, and his lead blossomed through the mountain stages in the Alps and Pyrenees and in Saturday's individual time trial.

With the yellow jersey wrapped up, Sunday's focus turns to Mark Cavendish, who will try to break the all-time stage wins record. The Brit has captured four stages in this year's edition of the Tour de France to move level with Eddy Merckx on 34 stage wins.

Tour de France Stage 21 Info

Start Time: 10:15 a.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

Route: Chatou to Paris (108.4 km)

Preview

The final stage of the Tour de France is typically reserved for the sprinters to win.

There will be eight laps around the Champs-Elysees once the stage reaches the French capital. The early parts of the final stage are used as ceremonial kilometers to toast the overall winner.

Pogacar and his teammates will parade through the early part of the route to celebrate his victory before the business end of the leg starts.

After the yellow jersey winner is done basking in his victory, the attention will turn to the wearer of the green jersey for the best overall sprinter.

Cavendish has been in possession of the green jersey for the majority of the race, gaining the shirt after his Stage 4 victory. Michael Matthews is the only rider who can take the green jersey from Cavendish in Paris. Matthews needs to make up a 35-point deficit to do so.

For that to happen, Cavendish needs to finish outside of the top 10 at both sprint points of the stage. There is an intermediate sprint point in the middle of the stage where Matthews could make up some of the difference.

With the green jersey and the all-time stage wins crown on the line, Cavendish has plenty of motivation to fend off his closest competitor and the rest of the sprinters left in the field. Some sprinters departed the field because of injuries, time cuts or to focus on the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

The other disciplines within the race have already been determined. Pogacar will go home with the King of the Mountains polka dot jersey and the white kit that denotes the best young rider in the competition. Team Bahrain Victorious will claim the best overall team time.

Wout van Aert won Stage 20 of the 2021 Tour de France, an individual time trial from Libourne to Saint-Emilion, but Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey and remains in position to win the world's most famous cycling race for the second straight year Sunday in Paris.

Van Aert posted a time of 35 minutes, 53 seconds to win the Tour's penultimate stage. Kasper Asgreen (36:14) finished second, while Jonas Vingegaard (36:25) rounded out Saturday's podium.

The 26-year-old Belgian also won Stage 11.

Pogacar (36:50) finished eighth, a result more than good enough to maintain the top spot.

Here's a look at the top five in the general classification ahead of Sunday's finale:

• 1. Tadej Pogacar
• 2. Jonas Vingegaard, +5:20
• 3. Richard Carapaz, +7:03
• 4. Ben O'Connor, +10:02
• 5. Wilco Kelderman, +10:13

In September, Pogacar entered Stage 20 of the 2020 Tour facing a 57-second deficit behind Slovenian countryman Primoz Roglic. He outpaced the field by one minute, 21 seconds in a remarkable time-trial performance to take over the yellow jersey and put the finishing touches on his title the next day.

He didn't need an incredible comeback this year. He took over the top spot in the standings after the eighth stage and built his lead to a virtually insurmountable five minutes, 45 seconds entering Saturday's time trial, which was the Tour's final competitive stage before Sunday's ceremonial journey to Paris.

The 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider had eliminated most of the remaining drama in the Tour by winning Stages 17 and 18.

Pogacar, who will represent Slovenia in the men's road race at the Tokyo Olympics next Saturday, pushed back Friday against a question about whether there were illegal materials on his bike after fellow riders described a "strange noise" coming from the back wheels of four teams' equipment, per Barry Ryan of Cycling News.

"I don't know. We don't hear any noise," Pogacar said. "We don't use anything illegal. It's all Campagnolo materials, Bora. I don't know what to say."

He'll enjoy a celebratory arrival to the Champs-Elysees on Sunday before hopping on a plane to Tokyo the next day.

"We will go on Monday, with the plane, because I checked Google maps and you cannot go by car," Pogacar said, per Ryan. "It doesn't find the route, so we'll go in the plane, yes."

He's a strong bet to win the Tour de France and an Olympic gold medal in the span of six days. Van Aert and Roglic will headline his competition in Tokyo.

Tadej Pogacar has one more opportunity to reinforce his lead on top of the Tour de France overall classification during Saturday's Stage 20 individual time trial. 

The reigning Tour de France champion and current yellow jersey holder built up a five-minute and 45-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard in the previous 19 stages. 

Pogacar has had an answer for every threat tossed at him, and he did not show any weaknesses during the mountain stages in the Alps and Pyrenees. 

Saturday's 30.8-kilometer individual time trial from Libourne to Saint-Emilion should be a coronation of Pogacar's second Tour de France title more than anything. 

Someone else may win the stage itself, but unless Pogacar delivers the worst ride of his life, he will enter Paris on Sunday with the maillot jaune.

Tour de France Stage 20 Info

Distance: 30.8 kilometers

Route: Libourne to Saint-Emilion

TV: NBCSN

Live Stream: NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com.

Individual Time Trial Order

Preview

Pogacar will exit the starting gate in Libourne, France, at 5:19 p.m. local time (11:19 a.m. ET). 

Based on what we have seen from the Slovenian over the last two weeks, he should create more separation between himself and his biggest rivals. 

The 22-year-old has three stage victories at the 2021 Tour de France. The first of the three came during an individual time trial on Stage 5. He won back-to-back mountain days on Stages 17 and 18.

Only one rider came within 20 seconds of Pogacar on Stage 5. None of the top general classification contenders finished within 25 seconds of the leader. 

That is yet another promising sign for Pogacar's title defense. If he is in yellow after Stage 20, he will be unofficially confirmed as the race winner. Stage 21's run into Paris is used to celebrate the victor of the competition before the sprinters take over for the stage victory once the race reaches the French capital. 

Saturday's bigger story will be who wins the battle for second place between Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz.

Vingegaard holds a six-second advantage over Carapaz entering Stage 20. He was the better finisher in the Stage 5 time trial. Vingegaard was third and Carapaz landed in 23rd position.

If Carapaz is unable to better Vingegaard's time in Stage 20, he will have to settle for third place and the bottom spot on the podium in Paris. 

There could be a fight for fourth place between Ben O'Connor and Wilco Kelderman if the latter makes up most of his 32-second deficit on the course. Kelderman finished seven seconds faster than O'Connor in Stage 5. 

Most of the other top 10 riders are spread out by over a minute, so it would take a significant ride by some competitors, or a brutal day on course, to change the order beneath the top five. 

As for the stage win, Pogacar and Vingegaard are the two favorites from the riders at the top of the overall standings. 

However, there are a few time trial specialists who could finish the Tour on a high note with a stage victory. 

Wout Van Aert and Kasper Asgreen both placed inside the top six in Stage 5 within 37 seconds of Pogacar. 

Stefan Kung, who took second in Stage 5, is another rider to look out for who has not made waves in the general classification.

No other classifications will be decided by Saturday's stage results. Pogacar leads the young rider competition, Bahrain Victorious has a 23-minute lead in the team race and there are no significant climbs or sprints to affect those two disciplines. 

The 30-year-old Frenchwoman who was accused of causing the crash involving Tony Martin and 20 other riders during the first stage of the 2021 Tour de France will face trial as a result of the incident. 

Per Reuters (h/t ESPN), the Brittany prosecutor's office announced Friday the woman is being sued for "involuntarily causing injury and putting the life of others at risk."

The trial date is set for Oct. 14. 

The crash took place on June 26 when the woman held out a sign that extended onto the road where the bikers were riding. 

German rider Tony Martin clipped the sign and a part of the woman's arm, leading to a crash and pileup of riders. 

"It was stressful," former Tour champion Geraint Thomas told reporters after the first stage, which featured a second crash involving multiple riders near the finish, was completed. "I was just concentrating on staying on my bike basically. Happy to get through it."

The Tour de France urged fans to not "risk everything for a photo or to get on television" on Twitter after the crash involving the woman. 

After fleeing the scene, she turned herself in Brittany. Pierre-Yves Thouault, deputy director of the Tour de France, said the organization was planning a lawsuit. 

Reuters reported on Thursday that the Tour has withdrawn its lawsuit against the woman. 

The 2021 Tour de France runs through July 18, when it will culminate with a 67.4-mile ride into Paris.