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BELFAST, Northern Ireland - Canadian Svein Tuft powered Orica Green-Edge to victory in the team time trial in Belfast in the opening stage of the Giro dItalia on Friday, taking the overall leaders pink jersey on his 37th birthday. Orica, which was the overwhelming stage favourite, clocked a time of 24 minutes, 42 seconds along the 21.7-kilometre course, which was lined by more than 140,000 fans. The Australian team benefited from starting second and avoiding most of the rain that fell later. "What an amazing day, I never in my life would have imagined something like this," said Tuft, a native of Langley, B.C. "Im so proud of my team and I just cant thank them enough for that. They gave me the gift, it was really a birthday present. This team is really selfless that way. I feel really fortunate to be given that gift on my birthday." Omega Pharma-QuickStep finished second, five seconds behind Orica, beating third-place BMC by just two seconds. Cadel Evans looked strong for BMC and is one of the favourites after last years third-place finish. With defending champion Vincenzo Nibali not competing, Tour de France runner-up Nairo Quintana is another of the race favourites and his Movistar team finished eighth, 55 seconds behind Orica. One of his rivals, Joaquim Rodriguez, had a poor start as his Katusha team struggled throughout and only finished 19th. Rodriguez is 1 minute, 33 seconds behind Tuft and 38 seconds behind Quintana. While it has become a tradition for the first Giro stage to be held outside Italy, this is the first time that the Grande Partenza — or the Big Start — took place outside mainland Europe. Despite the wind and rain, it was a festive atmosphere in the Northern Irish city, with large crowds lining the route and cheering the riders on. However, Irish rider Dan Martin crashed after just 15 minutes, leaving him with a suspected broken collarbone. Martin caused the crash when he caught his wheel on a drain cover and went down strongly on his right arm, bringing down several of his Garmin-Sharp teammates. The four cyclists who were able to continue had to wait for teammate Fabian Wegmann — who had been dropped early on — to catch up with them, as rules stipulate a team has to finish with at least five riders for its time to count. Garmin eventually finished last, 3:26 behind Orica. That means Ryder Hesjedals chances of repeating his 2012 Giro success are all but over. "Obviously there was a crash, and there was only four of us that stayed ahead," said Victoria native Hesjedal. "It was right before a corner and you hear something had happened, we were already through the corner, looked back and there was nobody there. "Obviously it was pretty scary because you dont know what the hell is going on. I dont know what happened, it was basically a nightmare." Belfast is also the start and finish point for Saturdays 218-kilometre leg, which takes in picturesque rock formation, the Giants Causeway along its coastal route. The Giro ends in Trieste on June 1. Harry Giles Jersey . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. Cheap NBA Jerseys .The team had a meeting prior to facing Russia at the world junior hockey championship and got the effort theyve been looking for by defeating the Russians 4-1 to advance to the quarter-finals. http://www.cheapsacramentokingsjerseys.c...richmond-jersey. -- A 25-year-old freelance journalist from British Columbia was formally charged on Thursday with a felony, five days after she was arrested in the United States over allegations she threatened to kill her hockey player boyfriend. Iman Shumpert Jersey .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center. Chris Webber Jersey . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Colby Rasmus drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Saturday.TORONTO - Manager Greg Vanney says injured striker Jermain Defoe is anxious to get back to Toronto FC this season.Vanney talked to Defoe by phone this week. The 31-year-old star is expected back Monday from England where he has been nursing a groin injury.The discussion was about him being back on Monday and well sit down and chat a little bit more (then), Vanney said after practice Saturday. Clearly we talked about (the fact) theres been change here which hes well aware of. I know hes been in communication with some of the guys.But he seems anxious to get back and get to work. Were happy to get him back in the team. Clearly he brings a lot of quality to the group, so were all happy to get him back here as quickly as possible.There is no firm date for his return to game action, although the Oct. 4 contest in Los Angeles against the Galaxy has been mentioned as a possible comeback.Theres really no way of knowing until he gets on the training field and sees what the response is to all the treatment hes had, said Vanney.Questions remain on how committed Defoe is to the club after this season, however. The next transfer window opens in January.Defoes future has been up in the air in the wake of the Aug. 31 firing of manager Ryan Nelsen and five assistant coaches. The club has also acknowledged turning down a franchise-record transfer offer for the English striker at the closing of the summer transfer window.And MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke, who brought Defoe to Toronto this season, told a group of Ryerson MBA studentts last week that he did not expected Defoe to be back next year.ddddddddddddanney, however, was far more positive, dismissing the suggestion that Defoe wanted to follow Nelsen out the door a€” at least this season. No, not at all, the new manager said. Especially speaking to the players who speak to (Defoe) a little more regularly, I dont think that was it. I think his frustration was from an injury. I think hes a winner and I think hes going to come back and help us be successful. I think thats his mindset.Whatever happens after that happens, but I think a player whos made it to his level is going to want to push forward to try to get into the playoffs and win a championship. Its a unique league. Its not a league that someone like Jermain is used to. Right now is the most exciting time of the year and then going into the playoffs.You go through the grind of MLS through the summer and the beginning of the year when its not a (standings) table and youre not always watching whos in first place. Right now is that. Were really in our playoffs right now to try to get into it (the post-season). This is the exciting time. And I think when he comes back and he feels that and he starts to understand that right now it is about the table and right now it is about getting to the playoffs. I think it gets all that much more exciting and I think a true competitor will take this on.Defoe is the clubs leading scorer with 11 goals in 16 games despite missing another 11 games through injury or suspension. 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