Schleck to compete in Tour of Italy

PARIS — Frank Schleck will spearhead the RadioShack challenge in next month's Tour of Italy, replacing the injured Jakob Fuglsang, his team announced on Saturday.

Schleck, who was third in last year's Tour de France, but was not originally slated for Italy, leads a nine-man team in the May 5-27 Giro after Fuglsang was ruled out with a left knee injury.

"My season was directed at peaking in the Tour," said Schleck on Saturday.

"But when you think about it, this situation creates opportunities. For sure, I will come to the start with a different preparation than the other riders, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

"My condition is not so bad and it can only grow in the coming weeks. The Tour of Italy is one of the big monuments of cycling as well, so it is at least a big challenge for me."

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Whistle-blower to train with Italy

ROME — Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is planning to reward the Italian match-fixing whistle-blower by letting the previously little-known Gubbio defender train with the national team.

"It's a way to thank him and underline what he represents," Prandelli told Italian daily La Repubblica on Friday. "He didn't just show courage, he also showed extraordinary inner strength."

Last month, Simone Farina was approached and offered ?200,000 ($260,000) to influence the outcome of an Italian Cup match between Cesena and Gubbio on Nov. 30. The player refused and reported the incident to the police, and when the news broke alongside the arrests of 17 people across Italy on Monday, Farina was hailed as a hero.

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