Vorstellung » the NLCS at Wrigley Field, eliminating the Dodgers, and

Lea Davison, Team USAs best hope for an Olympic medal in mountain biking, loves to see girls on the trails. So much so that she has made it a bit of a mission in life.Davison and her sister, Sabra, started the nonprofit Little Bellas program in 2007 as a way to mentor young cyclists. The goal, according to the groups mission statement, is to help young women realize their potential through cycling by having fun in a constructive environment.When Davison wasnt racing overseas this spring and summer, she was home spending time training and with the program .Its inspiring the next generation, Davison said, but were not necessarily ... competition-focused.Davison will be all about competition in a matter of days, and there may be no better inspiration for aspiring cyclists than a woman who has bounced back from two hip surgeries to qualify for two Olympic Games.I know that this Olympics in Rio is a big goal for her and a big reason she was able to stay motivated through her two injuries, said Marc Gullickson, national mountain bike program director for USA Cycling.The 33-year-old Davison finished 11th four years ago in London while U.S. cyclist Georgia Gould took bronze. Gould isnt going to Rio this year, with USA Cycling selecting the two highest-ranked riders in Chloe Woodruff, who is 27th, and Davison.Shes peaking at just the right time.Ranked 15th in the world, Davison won silver in early July at the World Championships in the Czech Republic. Her career-best finish at worlds came a week after she was named to the Olympic team for a second time.Davison had a quiet spring, though that was in large part by design with the Olympics in mind.Lea had such a strong performance over the last two, three years, Gullickson said. Although not an automatic pick for the team, she was pretty close to that. ... She had the luxury of laying off of that a little bit.Davison, born in Syracuse, New York, and a resident of Vermont, has a history of coming back strong from layoffs.She had surgery to repair torn cartilage in her right hip in January 2014, about four years after a similar injury on her left hip that required a similar procedure. These are not typical problems for cyclists, Gullickson said, but are more often found in running or jumping sports.Just a conversation with Davison offers a glimpse of an optimistic outlook that helped power her through recoveries. The long-term goal of the Olympics was always in focus.Came back, and stronger in order to get to the next level, said Davison. Seems like the next injury is an opportunity for something.She got on the bike each time, the kind of lesson that Davison might instill to girls aspiring to be future Olympians.Because of her hip surgeries, Davison has adjusted her training to include more of a focus on prevention and strength training. Cross-country mountain biking can be a bumpy ride.Youre navigating these extreme obstacles, your heart rate is through roof, youre cross-eyed, she said. Now in that state, you have to navigate these technical descents for many laps ... and its scary.But she ends up getting right back on the bike.---Online:AP Rio site: http://summergames.ap.org/ Basketbalové Boty Adidas .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Adidas Nmd Levne Cz . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. http://www.botynmdlevne.com/ ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Adidas Nmd Panske Cerne . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Adidas Nmd Pánská . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. It all started with a dubious decision that drew heavy criticism: Baltimore manager Buck Showalter left stud closer Zach Britton in the bullpen and lost the AL wild-card game at Toronto.The next night, Giants ace Madison Bumgarner authored another October masterpiece to knock out the Mets -- and the 2016 playoffs were off and running.Seems so long ago, but it was only a month on the calendar.One captivating month.Baseballs storybook postseason offered almost everything: unlikely stars, 4-hour games, even a rain delay in extra innings during the dramatic World Series finale.And when it was over, the Chicago Cubs -- yes, finally, the Cubs -- had their first championship since 1908 after outlasting Cleveland 8-7 early Thursday in a Game 7 that took 10 innings.Here are some other highlights, themes and takeaways from an October/November to remember:---RELIEF ROLES REDEFINEDSome wonder whether we just saw the beginning of a baseball revolution. Lights-out relievers like Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen werent necessarily saved for the eighth or ninth inning of critical games. Miller entered as early as the fifth, Chapman in the seventh, as managers summoned their best bullpen arms for longer outings and asked them to face top hitters or pitch out of potential jams earlier than usual.Almost as if nobody wanted to make the same mistake Showalter did.Its a strategy long supported by the sabermetrics crowd, but would it work during the regular season when there arent as many days off to rest and recover?Of course, its possible. You just have to have the right guy. I mean, its not as easy as it looks, what theyve been doing, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said during the World Series. The point of diminishing returns, I think, would set in if you try to push it from Day One.So right now, its really being glamorized a bit, he added. This isnt Fantasy Baseball. These guys are human. They only have so many abilities to throw a baseball within the year.KEEP ON CHASINGWhile the Cubs at last ended baseballs longest championship drought, several other teams are still trying to get over the hump.The Nationals are 0 for 3 in playoff series since moving to Washington, and Texas has never won the World Series despite five postseason appearances in seven years.dddddddddddd. The big-budget Dodgers havent even reached the Series since Orel Hershiser, Kirk Gibson & Co. won in 1988. Toronto came up short again, losing the AL Championship Series for the second consecutive year. And the Indians, of course, came oh-so close to their first title since 1948.BREAKOUT TALENTSSome of the most exciting performances came from players in their early 20s. Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor, Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (NLCS co-MVP) and Washington rookie Trea Turner were among those who turned heads. The future looks bright for all three.UNSUNG STARSBig names such as Kris Bryant, Jose Bautista and Adrian Gonzalez had their moments. But the postseason also belonged to near-unknowns like Ezequiel Carrera (Toronto), Conor Gillaspie (San Francisco) and Ryan Merritt (Cleveland).THE ARTFUL DODGEROnce again, Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw entered October looking to put a history of playoff failures behind him. The three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched on short rest whenever needed and went 2-1 with a huge save, but was far from overwhelming. He lost 5-0 in Game 6 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field, eliminating the Dodgers, and is 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in the postseason. Hardly numbers befitting the best pitcher in baseball.FAREWELL, FELLASRather than a World Series coronation, David Ortiz got an early exit. His illustrious career came to a sudden conclusion when Boston was swept by Cleveland in their AL Division Series. Planning to retire, Big Papi walked back out to the mound, waved his cap and soaked up a standing ovation from the Fenway Park faithful.Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully took a curtain call at Dodger Stadium during the NLCS. The 88-year-old announcer, weeks after ending his 67-year career behind the microphone, attended as a spectator and proclaimed, Its time for Dodger baseball! from an upstairs suite.And 39-year-old catcher David Ross homered in his big league finale to help Chicago win Game 7 of the World Series. In a rare and heartwarming scene, the wildly popular Grandpa Rossy was carried off the field on the shoulders of his teammates.What a way to say goodbye. ' ' '