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Throughout the Tour de France, Australian professional cyclist Richie Porte will be checking in. Here is his latest entry, as told to ESPN contributor Rupert Guinness:Stage 9: Viola DAron to Andorra Arcalis - 184.5km By Richie PorteWeather was a massive talking point lot after the final Pyrenees stage of the Tour de France on Sunday. It was not hard to understand why. Lets face it. That was some pretty extreme weather to race in -- or rather, a pretty extreme change of weather to race in.It says something for cycling that the race continues in that weather. It also says something for the fans who remained to watch the race. Although, I reckon they were rewarded with some pretty good racing, from Dutchman Tom Dumoulin winning the stage like he did in a solo attack, to the race that unfolded between us for the overall classification, to those who fought to finish in conditions that punished big time.Riders handle conditions in different ways. You get riders who like the heat, or race well in the wet and cold; or even some who adapt or dont to when the weather suddenly shifts like it did in Sundays ninth stage that took us 184.5km from Viola DAron in Spain to Andorra Arcalis over a route that included five major mountains, the last to the finish.I was okay with the conditions that struck. Ive raced and trained in them before several times and found it was not too bad. To be honest, you just get on with it.As for how the stage unfolded, I was very happy with it. I felt great and enjoyed attacking there on the last climb. It gives me confidence going forward into the Tour to know that on what I always thought would be one of the hardest stages that I can climb with the big favourites in this years Tour. Okay, I didnt get time off Chris Froome (Sky) or Nairo Quintana (Movistar), but taking the front foot and finishing as I did showed that I should be ready to produce my best in the mountains to come -- from Mont Ventoux on Thursday to the Alps.It was also handy to gain some time on some other riders and move up a few places overall.As Ive said all week since losing time to a flat on stage two, the thinking behind my moves is not rocket science. I need to get time back, and Im determined to give it a shake, even if I know its going to be hard to get away as I would like to. Non one is going to let me go just like that. Still, with the first racing block in this Tour done, theres still much more in it to unfold.But I know I am not alone in saying that Im glad the rest day has arrived. The first nine days of this Tour have been hard days - and long days with 1766.5 kilometres now covered.However, Im good physically and mentally. 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Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week.METAIRIE, La. -- First-round draft pick Sheldon Rankins will miss at least seven games after the New Orleans Saints placed the defensive tackle on injured reserve with a broken fibula Monday.Rankins was expected to miss six to eight weeks when he suffered the injury during practice three weeks ago. This will add at least a few weeks to that timetable.Teams are allowed to activate one player off of their injured reserve list per season -- but that player cannot return to practice for at least six weeks and cannot play in a game for at least eight weeks.As part of a new NFL rule this year, teams dont have to designate which player will return from the IR list until he is ready to be activated.dddddddddddd.Rankins injury dealt a big blow to a New Orleans defense that ranked among the worst in NFL history in some categories last year. The 12th overall pick out of Louisville, Rankins had 14 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss over the past two years.Fortunately, New Orleans has a ready-made replacement in veteran Nick Fairley, another pass-rushing DT whom they signed in free agency this year.The Saints also waived DT Ashaad Mabry on Monday and re-signed RB Travaris Cadet and DE Darryl Tapp. ' ' '