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PLA DADET, France -- On the last of four Pyrenees ascents, Rafal Majka winked at a French TV camera and tugged playfully at a motorcycles antenna. Even this late in the Tour de France, the Polish rider made winning look easy as he took Stage 17 on Wednesday. For Vincenzo Nibali, the second ride in the mountains on Frances border with Spain was more serious. "The Shark" nibbled yet more seconds away from several of his closest challengers, and the yellow jersey that he has worn for all but two days of the race seemed to fit just a little more tightly ahead of the finish Sunday in Paris. Nibali was even businesslike with his own prime minister, imploring him not to get too ahead of himself in celebration. "Its true that I received a text message from Matteo Renzi, who invited me to Chigi Palace to celebrate my victory," the cautious Sicilian said about the premiers official residence. "I replied that only after winning -- if I do so -- Ill be able to say that Ill be present." The 124.5-kilometre (77-mile) trek Wednesday was the shortest stage in this years Tour. It covered three hard Category 1 ascents from Saint-Gaudens and a final push up to Pla dAdet ski station above the town of Saint-Lary-Soulan. Majka, who also won Stage 14 in the Alps, again showed hes the best climber in this Tour and tightened his grip on the polka dot jersey awarded to the races King of the Mountains. Giovanni Visconti got the action going on the last climb with a solo breakaway with about nine kilometres (5 1/2 miles) left, but could not hold off Majka. Visconti, who also is Sicilian, was second, 29 seconds back, and Nibali was third, 46 seconds behind. With a last Pyrenean day ahead Thursday, Majka could ensure that he takes the red-dot jersey home. His closest rival for it when the stage started was Spains Joaquim Rodriguez, who swatted the air in frustration at Majka when the Pole broke away on the last climb. Majka said he felt "comfort" in the last five kilometres in part because hed been saving up energy a day earlier by riding easier. He finished in a bunch 24 1/2 minutes behind Australian teammate Michael Rogers, who won Stage 16. By Wednesday, "I felt really, really good in the last climb," Majka said, after tapping his chest, thrusting his arms skyward and shouting in joy at the victory. "For me, when there are a lot of climbs, its the best." There was a time when seemingly effortless victories smacked of something more sinister at the Tour: the use of performance-enhancers. Few know the scars of cyclings doping past more than Majkas own manager at the Tinkoff-Saxo Bank team, Bjarne Riis. Once a national hero in Denmark after winning the 1996 Tour, he admitted to using blood-booster EPO more than a decade later -- and was vilified for it. He laid low for a while, but then returned to the pro cycling world. "I promised Bjarne today that I would win the stage," said Majka. The echoes of doping resonated Wednesday on the grassy Pyrenean mountainside: The last times that Saint-Lary-Soulan hosted Tour stage finishes were in 2001 and 2005 -- won by Lance Armstrong and teammate George Hincapie. Those wins were later stripped because of doping. Their names have been crossed out in the official Tour history book. Cycling has made great strides in fighting doping with enhanced blood and urine testing, along with the biological passport program, but few experts would claim that the peloton today is entirely clean. Nibali, who has called himself a "flag-bearer of anti-doping", made his latest case to become the first Italian to win cyclings showcase race in 16 years -- since Marco Pantani, who was once convicted for doping. Nibali gained just under a minute on four of his closest rivals. Second-placed Alejandro Valverde of Spain, who made a valiant recovery on the last ascent to avoid even more damage, now trails by 5 minute, 26 seconds. The exception was Jean-Christophe Peraud of France, who hugged closely on the leaders back wheel and finished fourth. With his performance, the 37-year-old Frenchman made it an even closer race for the podium spots. He is fourth overall, 6:08 behind Nibali, but just eight seconds slower than fellow Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, in third. American Tejay van Garderen, in sixth, also lost about a minute to Nibali and trails by 10:19. It came a day after his hopes for a podium spot were dealt a big blow when he lost several minutes to the other aspirants for a top-three finish in Paris. "Yesterday was a pity, it was an off day," the BMC leader said. A podium spot is still possible, he added, "but it will be hard." Stage 18s finale in the Pyrenees takes the pack on a 145.5-kilometre (90-mile) loop from Pau to Hautacam, featuring two ascents that are so hard that they defy cyclings ranking system -- one of them an uphill finish. Then its a flat stage heading northward Friday before an individual time-trial a day later, and then whats likely to be the largely ceremonial ride for the yellow jersey in Stage 21 on Sunday to the Champs-Elysees in Paris for the finish of the races 101st edition. While well-positioned to be in yellow then, Nibali was still attacking Wednesday. "I preferred to go and gain a few more seconds and to be even more serene, just in case something could happen," he said. Cheap Nike SB Uk . -- Phil Mickelson came to the St. Nike SB Uk Sale . 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Instead, do feel free to complain if the roof is closed for any reason other than to allow a game to be played.Sitting atop their perch in the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals will take their swings at the visiting Philadelphia Eagles Sunday in one of the most anticipated games of Week 8. You can watch the game live on TSN2 at 4:25pm et/1:25pm pt. The Cardinals and Eagles are two of the four remaining one-loss teams. Many believed either the defending champion Seattle Seahawks or San Francisco 49ers would be the current NFC West leaders at this juncture. But au contraire. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has his team at 5-1, with the 49ers 4-3 and the disappointing Seahawks 3-3. The Cardinals have won back-to-back games since Denver destroyed them back on Oct. 5, posting wins over Washington and Oakland. In Sundays 24-13 victory at the lowly Raiders, the Cardinals held the hosts to 220 yards and Carson Palmer threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns with an interception against his former team. Arizona, which is 5-1 for the first time since 1976 and 12-3 dating back to last season, is first in rushing yards allowed (72.5) and limited Oakland to 56 yards on the ground. Arizona is the only team in the NFL that has yet to allow an opponent to rush for 100 yards in a game this season. It has allowed 20 points or fewer in five of six games this season. Every Sunday gets bigger and bigger, Cardinals tackle Jared Veldheer said. Its nothing but a good start. We need to keep the mindset of We need to win every week. The Cardinals are 3-0 at home this season and 7-1 in the past eight as the host dating back to 2013. They are 9-2 at home with Arians as head coach and 7-0 in the desert against non-division opponents. After hosting the Eagles, the Cardinals have another challenge with a trip to Dallas on the schedule. Arizona will face last years NFL rushing leader in LeSean McCoy, but hes been bottled up most of the season with defenses stacking the box and forcing teams to throw. McCoy, though, ran for a season- high 149 yards on 22 carries in a win over the rival New York Giants. McCoy (5,895) trails former Eagle Brian Westbrook (5,995) by 100 yards for second on the franchises all-time rushing list. He could get that Sunday. Perhaps the stingy run defense is why the Cardinals are third in interceptions with eight and rated 31st in defending the pass. They are allowing almost 300 yards (284.8) per game through the air and the Eagles look to expose that with their No. 7 pass attack (262.3 ypg). The Eagles are also 5-1 and enter University of Phoenix Stadium fresh off the bye week. They welcomed some familiar faces back at practice in injured offensive linemen Jaason Kelce and Evan Mathis, along with all-purpose running back Darren Sproles.ddddddddddddNeither is expected to play Sunday, but Sproles said his MCL sprain felt good after practice this week. If I feel the way I did today, then yeah, but that decision is up to the coach, Sproles said of the possibility of playing Sunday. Quarterback Nick Foles will be under center and hopes to light up Arizonas secondary. Foles entered the bye with an average showing in a 27-0 beatdown of the Giants on Oct. 12, as he threw for 248 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Foles has four TD passes and five interceptions in his last three games. In his last 10 road games (8 starts), Foles has thrown for 2,774 yards with 24 TD passes and four INTs. The Eagles, who are trying to remain steady with the 6-1 Cowboys in the NFC East, are averaging an NFC-best 30.5 points this season (3rd in NFL) and are ninth overall in total yards with 378.3. They are only one of three teams in the NFL to average at least 260 yards passing per game and 115 yards rushing. Eagles head coach Chip Kelly can only hope his players remain focused after having a week off. You hope it doesnt (affect the team), Kelly said of the bye. You obviously had some time off, but I think ... you would hope theyd have a little bit of bounce in their step because theyve had some time off, so well see. There were a lot of guys in here (Monday) on their day off, getting treatment, checking film out on their own, so I dont anticipate these guys not being ready to go. Its a pretty good group that way. The Eagles defeated the Cardinals last Dec. 1 in a 24-21 victory at Lincoln Financial Field and almost blew a 24-7 lead. Foles passed for 237 yards with three TDs, McCoy ran for 79 yards on 19 carries and Palmer had 302 passing yards with three scores and two picks. Cardinals wide receivers Michael Floyd (99 yards) and Larry Fitzgerald (72 yards) both reached the end zone. Fitzgerald is tied with Don Maynard for 12th on the all-time touchdown receptions list with 88 and has owned the Eagles in his career, catching 40 passes for 642 yards and 10 TDs in six games, including the 2008 NFC Championship. Fitzgerald has more TDs against the Eagles in the regular season than he does against any team outside the NFC West. It will be a long afternoon for Eagles corners Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher if Fitz has his way. The Cardinals lead the all-time series with the Eagles, 57-55-5, and have won the last three matchups as the host. Arizona is 12-3 against teams outside the NFC West under Arians. ' ' '