CYCLING:Paul Griffin finished 41st on the fifth stage of the Tour of Thailand, a 176.1-kilometre race from Uttaradit to Phayao, reports Shane Stokes.

The stage was won by Malaya van Ruitenbeek (Kuota Senges), who beat Muhammad Fauzan Ahmad Lufti (Malaysia) and Phuchong Sai-Udomsin (Thailand) in a three-man sprint to the line.

Griffin was in the main bunch going for fourth, 46 seconds later. He is now 10th overall.

Ahad Sarai Kazemi (Tabriz Petrochem) continues to lead Tonton Susanto (Faeso Denmark) by four seconds in the overall classification.

The Irish Giant Asia rider is three minutes and 41 seconds off Kazemi's yellow jersey heading into the final stage, a 164.4-kilometre leg to Chiang Mai.

TOUR OF THAILAND: Stage 5 - December 20th: Uttaradit - Phayao: 1, Malaya van Ruitenbeek (Kuota Senges) 176.1 kilometres in 5 hours 29 mins 40 secs (32.032 km/h); 2, M Fauzan Ahmad Lufti (Malaysia); 3, P Sai-Udomsin (Thailand); 4, M Kovac (Dukla Trencin) at 46 secs; 5, M Mifune (Matrix Powetag); 6, K Uchima (Japan) both same time. Irish: 41, P Griffin (Giant Asia Racing) same time.

General Classification: 1, Ahad Sarai Kazemi (Tabriz Petrochem) 24 hours 54 mins 54 secs; 2, T. Susanto (Faeso Denmark) at 4 secs; 3, J Hossein (Tabriz Petrochem) at 6 secs; 4, P Mahawong (Thailand) at 3 mins 13 secs; 5, I Valenzuela (Philippines) at 3 mins 17 secs; 6, O Bualoi (Thailand) at 3 mins 40 secs. Irish: 10, P Griffin (Giant Asia Racing) at 3 mins 41 secs.

OLYMPICS: The former International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch left hospital yesterday to rest at home in Barcelona, medical staff told Spanish media.

The 87-year-old, who was head of the IOC between 1980 and 2001, was taken to a Madrid hospital after collapsing at a promotional event in the Spanish capital on Wednesday. He was kept in and treated for high blood pressure.

Now an honorary life president of the IOC, Samaranch remains active in Spanish and international sports administration.

BOXING: Amir Khan will aim to continue his rapid rise up the world lightweight rankings when he takes on Denmark's Martin Kristjansen at the ExCel Arena in London on February 2nd.

The 21-year-old Briton is eager to return to the ring after taking just 72 seconds to dispose of the former British champion Graham Earl in his home town of Bolton earlier this month.

Kristjansen holds a 19-1-3 professional record but boasts only five wins by way of stoppage.

The fight will be made for the nominal WBO intercontinental lightweight crown.

The World Boxing Council heavyweight title fight between Oleg Maskaev of Russia and Samuel Peter of Nigeria will be held in the Mexican resort of Cancun on March 8th, the WBC president, Jose Sulaiman, said on Thursday.

The bout will be the first world heavyweight championship fight staged in Mexico.

Maskaev was to defend the title against Peter in New York's Madison Square Garden last October, but he had to pull out with a back injury and Peter was declared interim champion.

The fight was originally rescheduled for February 2nd.