CYCLING

New Chinese team hits the road

A new China-registered road-racing team was launched on Thursday in Shanghai.

Mitchelton-SCOTT, a product of GreenEDGE Cycling, the Chinese Cycling Association and Cycling Australia, will compete on the UCI Continental Circuits.

The team, managed by Orica-Scott, will comprise seven Chinese and six Australian riders, who will compete in races in China during May, October and November. Next year, Mitchelton-SCOTT will target more events in Europe.

Some Chinese riders will travel to Australia for training.

Team general manager Shayne Bannan, who has had a long-standing relationship with Chinese head coach Shen Jingkan since the late 1980s, said the partnership had been a long-term vision.

GOLF

Woods confirms Bay Hill withdrawal

Tiger Woods will not play in next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational and still doesn't know when he can compete again.

Woods announced on his website on Thursday that ongoing rehabilitation on his back, which has curtailed his comeback from surgery this year, will keep him away from the Florida tournament.

The former world No 1 said he was particularly disappointed to miss the Bay Hill event because of the close relationship he enjoyed with the late golfing legend the tournament is named after.

"I'm especially disappointed because I wanted to be at Bay Hill to help honor Arnold," said Woods of Palmer, who died last September, aged 87. "This is one event I didn't want to skip."

The last of Woods' eight Bay Hill wins came in 2013.

NFL

Jones' joy over Dolphins deal

Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones signed a $60 million, five-year contract extension on Thursday, watched the team's flurry of moves at the start of free agency and said he's glad to be staying around.

"I think our ceiling is very high," Jones said. "We're building something special here."

The Dolphins made other moves to keep their core, placing tenders on linebacker Kiko Alonso and safety Michael Thomas. They finalized two trades, acquiring tight end Julius Thomas from Jacksonville and re-acquiring Anthony Fasano as a backup tight end.

SOCCER

Spurs lock down their Welsh wonder

Tottenham defender Ben Davies has signed a new contract that ties him to the team until 2021, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

Wales international Davies, who arrived at White Hart Lane from Swansea City in 2014, has made 78 appearances in all competitions for Spurs and scored his first goal for the club in January's FA Cup win over Aston Villa.

"It's a fantastic club to be a part of at the moment and the way we're working on the training pitch and the way we're playing the games you can only see it getting better," said the leftback, 23, who was a key player in Wales' excellent Euro 2016 run.

Tottenham is second in the league standings, 10 points behind leader Chelsea.

China Daily-Agencies