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After nine days and 1,513.5 kilometres in the saddle, almost all of it nursing a broken rib, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal defied logic by getting back on his bike Monday during a Tour de France rest day. The 32-year-old from Victoria went for a "beautiful" 90-minute spin with a local who showed off the roads ahead. This after a gruelling 168.5-kilometre Stage 9 Sunday that included five climbs, four of which were Category 1. "Definitely one of the more explosive days of racing in a long time," Hesjedal said from Nantes. Coming off a team stage win helped ease the pain. As did an off-day massage and relaxed lunch. Hesjedals Garmin-Sharp teammate Dan Martin crossed the finish line first Sunday and stands eighth overall. Overall race leader Chris Froome of Britain finished 14th, crossing the line in a group 20 second behind the Irishman. After taking part in an attack at the front, Hesjedal finished 59th on the stage and stands 41st overall, 26:08 behind the leader. Garmin Sharp teammate Andrew Talansky of the U.S. is 22nd overall. Hesjedals preparations for his sixth Tour de France were not ideal. A virus prematurely ended his bid to defend his Giro dItalia title and he crashed out of his comeback Tour de Suisse race in the early stages. He was proud just to make it to the Tour de France, although he admits the lack of race days in advance has meant his legs are not in top condition. "Not to be unexpected with the buildup I had to the race," he said. "I worked as hard as I could," he added. "I was optimistic I could ride into the race and be at the level that Im used to being at. But it just wasnt there in time for Stage 8." Thats when Froome, leaving challengers in his wake, attacked the first tough mountain stage en route to the yellow jersey and a dominant stage win. Hesjedal fell to 35th from 14th overall, losing 8:07 on the leader. It didnt help that on Day 1 of the Tour, he got caught up in another crash. Hesjedal was doing his best to avoid a group of riders who had crashed after clipping the barrier ahead of him. It seemed to be working until someone hit him from behind and sent him flying into the crash. "I landed on bikes and people," he said. The impact broke his sixth rib in the front, in the chest area -- right where the lung expands. The injury also affects the muscles around the rib. "It is what it is," he said stoically of the injury. "Its been sometimes good, sometimes bad. Were so used to blocking things out mentally when youre riding." He has the injury taped up for stability. The good news is hes able to sleep a little better these days. But it hasnt made racing any easier. "I mean Im trying to stay with the best guys at the Tour de France," he said. "I try not to think about it and just focus on what I need to do. I think I showed (Sunday) that I still had plenty of ability to do something in the race." "Even if Im not 100 per cent, my 90 or 80 per cents not too bad," he added. "So I can always contribute to the team and be part of the equation for getting result somehow." Stage 10 Tuesday is a flat 197-kilometre run from Saint-Gildas-des-Bois to Saint-Malo in Brittany. A 33-kilometre individual time trial follows Wednesday. With Hesjedal out of the general classification hunt, he expects to conserve energy during the time trial to save energy for later stages. Despite the toll on his body, Hesjedal says hes having fun. "I am," he said. "I love riding my bike, I love racing. "To be at the Tour de France -- I mean we won the stage (Sunday) by working together and everyone putting it out on the line. It doesnt get any better than that so Im definitely having a good time." Canadian David Veilleux of Cap-Rouge, Que., riding for Team Europcar, is 132nd overall while Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., part of the Orica GreenEdge team, is 173rd. Hesjedal offers no predictions on who will stand atop the podium when the peloton arrives in Paris on July 21, saying too much could happen between now and then. NMD R2 Sale Canada . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. NMD XR1 Triple Black Canada . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. http://www.nmdshoescanada.com/nmd-cs2-cheap-canada.html . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. Adidas Superstar Canada Sale .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. y-3 Shoes Canada .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Azalea Stakes (Race 4) Purse: $100,000 7 Furlongs 3-Year-Old Fillies StakesDearest, the days best, undefeated from six to seven furlongs and hard to look past once again if able to secure similar stalking trip off speedy Ballet Diva as she did in the Royal Palm. Curlins Approval a very impressive debut winner and well drawn outside. Worked well, galloped out strong on 6/26 with Jaramillo aboard but no surprise hell remain loyal to preferred choice today. Twirl Girl a dangerous looking shipper from Ky. who comes off arguably her best yet although will have to improve quite a bit on the Beyer scale to catch up to the favorite.1. Dearest 2. Curlins Approval 3. Twirl GirlMiesques Approval Stakes (Race 6) Purse: $75,000 1-1/16 Miles 3-Year-Olds & Up StakesAire Bueno steadied a couple of times in traffic, did well to come on to finish second behind Grand Isle when pair met, this distance, on 6/16 and eligible to reverse the decision if getting first run on that rival today as he figures to do in a field lacking much in the way of any real speed other than longshot Star Contender. Grand Isle, like preferred one, in peak form at the present time, can surely take another with the right trip. Hammers Terror another who didnt get the cleanest of trips when outfinished by Xaverian as even money choice in the Raymond Earl with both key contenders as well in this very evenly matched bunch.1. Aire Bueno 2. Grand Isle 3. Hammers TerrorBirdonthewire Stakes (Race 7) Purse: $75,000 5-1/2 Furlongs 2-Year-Olds StaakesThree Rules may be the most talented 2yo weve seen here thus far this spring/summer, cruised to easy win in the slop in debut, gets Lasix for stakes bow.dddddddddddd May have Francesco Appeal as his toughest rival, the latter super impressive himself at first asking and working well since that outing. Lures Castellano. Lots to like. Cinderela El Crome another who impressed on graduation day albeit over a wet track. Worked swift half for this last weekend.1. Three Rules 2. Francesco Appeal 3. Cinderela El CromeCarry Back Stakes (Race 8) Purse: $150,000 7 Furlongs 3-Year-Olds Grade 3 StakesAwesome Banner came back home running when turning back to 6 1/2 furlongs in the Big Cypress and still relatively untested at distances up to seven-eighths. Barn in a bit of a drought right now but should right the ship if away cleanly from the fence. Discreet Angel an intriguing sort. Was a Group 1 winner prior to coming to U.S., had a rough trip while also catching wet track in Maryland, showed big speed in the a.m. upon shipping here from N.Y. Could be a sleeper if top one not up to his best. Rated R Superstar comes off arguably his best effort yet and would surely benefit if the top two hook up in some sort of early duel while also in receipt of 6 lbs. from both those rivals. Figures to be coming best of all at the end1. Awesome Banner 2. Discreet Angel 3. Rated R Superstar ' ' '