SPORTS DIGEST: CYCLING:The 2009 Giro d'Italia organisers unveiled a testing route on Saturday for the centenary edition that should suit seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong more than his rivals.
The 37-year-old Texan has confirmed he will ride the three-week Giro for the first time in his career when he returns to professional cycling next year after a three-year absence.
"We've worked hard to make the centenary edition of the Giro d'Italia a special race," race director Angelo Zomegnan said during a presentation. "We hope it can be something to remember and set the tone ready for the next 100 years of the Giro. We've created some special stages for some special riders."
The 2009 Giro d'Italia starts in Venice on May 9th with a 20.5km team time trial and ends in Rome on May 31st with a 15.3km individual time trial.
In between the three-week race travels north into Austria for a finish in Innsbruck and then west to the Alps.
O'Connor takes speed final in Geneva
• EQUESTRIAN:Cian O'Connor won yesterday's speed final in Geneva on Dermot O'Rourke's Baloufina, the eight-year-old mare stopping the clock on 53.07 seconds to narrowly beat the Swiss combination of Pius Schwizer and Jamaica VIII, writes Margie McLoone.
It was a good class for the Irish competitors at the five-star show with Jessica Kürten placing fourth on Castle Forbes Cadeau Z and Niall Talbot, who is based in Switzerland, slotting into fifth with Onisha.
O'Connor, riding Castlemartin Stud and Stephen O'Connor's Complete, was just touched off in Friday night's Grand Prix by America's Laura Kraut on Miss Independent.
At the conclusion of the Horse Sport Ireland national winter tour in Cavan on Saturday, the 1.10m final was won by event rider Joseph Murphy and Electric Cruise with the 1.20m class going to Delyth Collins on Creevagh Miss Jones.
Taylor hits maiden Test century
CRICKET:Jerome Taylor scored a magnificent maiden test century on Sunday as the West Indies ensured the rain-affected first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin would almost certainly end in a draw.
Coming to the crease with the West Indies in some trouble at 173 for six, still 189 runs behind the New Zealand first innings total of 365, Taylor bludgeoned 17 fours and three sixes on his way to 106.
His partnership with veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was last man out for 76, took the West Indies to a first innings total of 340.
At the close New Zealand had moved to 44 for two, with Tim McIntosh on 28 and Daniel Flynn not out four.
Taylors previous best in a test match was 31.
Klitschko stops Rahman
BOXING: Wladimir Klitschko stopped Hasim Rahman in the seventh round to retain his IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight titles at the SAP-Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Rahman barely landed a punch as the Ukrainian dominated the encounter from start to finish.
The champion finished the job 44 seconds into the seventh round when he followed up a left jab with a hook over the top to put Rahman in the corner before referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight.
Cycling star Hoy voted top BBC sports personality
SPORTS AWARDS: Cycling superstar Chris Hoy was last night voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2008.
Hoy, triple gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics, won a phone vote by television viewers during the live programme on BBC1.
The Scot beat off the challenge of Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished runner-up for the second year in succession, with double Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington third.
Hoy (32) was presented with his award on stage alongside athletics legends Sebastian Coe and Michael Johnson.
"I really wasn't expecting this, it's such a shock," he said. "After the year I have had this is unbelievable - looking at the other names on this trophy, this is the big one.
"British sport has enjoyed one of the best years in my lifetime and has had so many successful athletes. To be standing here in front of these two, and all 10 nominees, is incredible."
