es in six of his last seven games. ... Detroit also never trailed in its first win this season against Denver.Nuggets: F Darrell Arthur (left knee soreness) and F Will Barton (left ankle sprain) remain sidelined. Arthur and Barton have each m

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:Stage14: Montélimar to Villars les DombesA tilt of the lid to Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) who on Saturday, and in a bunch sprint, won the 14th stage of the Tour de France - 208.5km from Montélimar to Villars des Dombes.That was Cavendishs fourth stage victory in this years Tour, and also the 30th Tour stage win of his career, leaving him four wins short of Eddy Merckxs all-time record of 34.The pursuit of Merckxs record - one of so many - should provide Cavendish with some great motivation for next year, the year after the Rio Olympics in which he will race on the track for Team GB in the omnium event and also as fifth rider for the 4000m teams pursuit.Its great to see what he is doing, and back here winning. It is great for the sport - and him.He is actually a genuinely good fella. And I reckon that despite the plaudits that come his way, he is still under rated for what he has achieved.People forget very quickly when there are dips in a riders career. He is obviously happy with where he is at. His mojo is back. Its always great to see people get the rewards for hard work and drive. Cav is a case in point.That was a tough stage on Saturday too, despite the relatively slow place from the start.It was characterised with hard dead roads of which the first 100km seemed to take forever. But after those first kilometres, the rest of a niggly stage fortunately went by pretty quick.The Tour being the Tour, the last six to four kilometres of the day were also pretty stressful. So what made them so hard, you ask? In conditions like what we got where there was a stiff head wind, the bunch was so spread out. When it is a head wind like it was, everyone wants to sit on the wheel to be protected. This make the peloton a couple of hundred metres long. When it is like that there are also surges which make it better that you are at the front. Todays route was also up and down ... not anything like how the official road book read.There was no time for real chat, even though the peloton appeared to take it slow. It was all head down. There was simply no easy way to get through the stage. But these days, I expect the worst and hope for the best ... and thankful to get through without incident.I dont think television would have done today justice, to be honest; with how hard it was; especially the day after the time trial and everything. It was a good stage to tick off. As for Sundays 160km 15th stage from Bourg-en-Bresse to Culoz in the Jura mountains? That is a stage that could exert plenty of punishment on the peloton, from first to last.The stage features six solid climbs and a descent to the finish. We havent done any actual reconnaissance of this stage route, but Ive ridden the Grand Colombier, so I know it.That its a stage that will suit climbers, counts for plenty - for myself especially, and others. That includes another who is earning praise right now, Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) who is second overall to Chris Froome (Sky). Mollema has finished in the Tours top 10 before. So Ive always known he is strong. But Mollema showed how so on the stage 12 to Mont Ventoux. When Froome and I were away, he was the guy who came across. And then he did a good time trial on Friday. So I would say he is definitely a threat for Froome.As for myself, am I still aiming for the podium? For sure, provided I can stay fit, healthy and problem free. That is not as easy as first thought, as Ive experienced too many times and last did on Friday in the chaotic finale on Mont Ventoux. That crash into the motorbike with Froome and Mollema could have seriously injured me, but it still left me pretty sore.I did not hit my chin on my way down as many thought. It was more like my throat. But it still hurt and I was sore during Friday time trial. But its amazing the difference a day can make. I certainly felt a lot better on the bike on Saturday than I did in Fridays time trial.That was also probably because of the better position I was in than on a time trial bike. But saying that, all in all the Tour is starting to take its toll. It does feel like the 14th stage has passed. To think there are seven more stages to go, and most of them amongst the hardest. Which all means if you are watching, there should still be plenty of great racing to come.Javier Baez Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Andre Dawson Jersey Large . 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The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1.DENVER -- A quick start and timely baskets down the stretch ended Detroits early season woes on the road.Tobias Harris scored 19 points, Marcus Morris had 17 and the Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 106-95 on Saturday night for their first win of the season away from home.Without a doubt, everyone in this locker room was really focused out there to get this `W today and we came out and accomplished it, Harris said. Its not the road trip we wanted, but we learned a lot from this road trip.Detroit, unbeaten in four home games, had lost five straight on the road before fashioning the wire-to-wire win in Denver, the final stop on a four-game road trip.Thats why this was huge because we have to know how to win on the road, guard Ish Smith said. Its a new year, and were 5-5 and feel good about it.Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 14 points apiece for the Pistons, who also snapped a seven-game losing streak in Denver a week after beating the Nuggets in their first meeting in Detroit.Emmanuel Mudiay scored 19 points for Denver, which was done in by another slow start after being outscored 36-21 in the first quarter. The Pistons never trailed in the contest and also benefited from 16 Denver turnovers leading to 17 points.It is the same old story, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. We outscored them 74-70 in quarters two, three and four. But when you spot them a 15-point lead in the first quarter. And we threw the ball over. Our turnovers are an epidemic.Danilo Gallinari added 18 points for the Nuggets, who remained winless in three games at home this season.Gallinaris mid-range jumper pulled Denver to 97-93 with 3:02 left but Drummond came right back to sink a hook shot for Detroit. Harris jumper with 1:07 left stretched Detroits lead to eight points.dddddddddddd.Denver fell behind by as many as 17 points early on but used an 18-6 run late in the second quarter to get back in the game, pulling to 57-49 at halftime.TIP-INSPistons: Drummond added 12 rebounds to complete his seventh double-double of the season. ... Caldwell-Pope has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games. ... Detroit also never trailed in its first win this season against Denver.Nuggets: F Darrell Arthur (left knee soreness) and F Will Barton (left ankle sprain) remain sidelined. Arthur and Barton have each missed the past six games. ... F Wilson Chandler was back in action after missing the previous two games with a sore left hamstring. ... Gallinari has scored 10 or more points in each of the first nine games.SECOND THOUGHTSMalone conceded an experimental switch to power forward from his natural position of center has not been working out well for second-year pro Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets coach said he plans to give Jokic more time at the 5 spot going forward. He had an unbelievable rookie year playing the 5, Malone said. I told him I feel like Ive done him a disservice almost, exploring playing big. There are some good things with that, but I took a kid who had a great year last year, changed his position on him and it hasnt been easy for him. So my hope is to try to get him more minutes at 5. He will play some 4 at times but we need to get Nikola back.UP NEXTPistons: Return home from a four-game road trip to play Oklahoma City on Monday night.Nuggets: Travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. ' ' '