Panthers, prompting the organization to invest millions and spend top draft pick

NICE, France -- At the Tour de France, it really isnt a cliche to say that every second counts. As a former winner, Cadel Evans knows that better than most. The 2011 champion was one of the losers Tuesday in the team time trial. Even riding bikes that cost as much as a good second-hand family saloon car, with sharp edges to slice through the air and fancy electric gears, Evans and his teammates still couldnt keep up with two of his main rivals -- Chris Froome and Alberto Contador. Evans surrendered 23 seconds to Froome and 17 to Contador. So early in the Tour -- the team race against the clock was only the fourth of 21 stages -- such small losses are by no means fatal to Evans hopes of finishing on the podium in Paris on July 21. Riders who have bad days in the Pyrenees, in the second week, or on Mont Ventoux and in the Alps, in the third week, could lose far more than that on just one steep climb. Still, Evans was the first to acknowledge that handing this early edge to the big favourites for the overall victory was far from ideal. Somewhere, somehow, Evans now has to make up that lost time if he can. Depending on how the race unfolds, the deficit could force the Australian to try to attack Froome and Contador in the mountains. That will be risky because both are better climbers than Evans. Contador, 30, and Froome, 28, are also a good bit younger than the 36-year-old Australian. "You look to gain every second at this point in the Tour and losing a lot of seconds certainly isnt what I hoped for today and it isnt what I expected," he said. "Weve been put on the back foot and well have to see what opportunities come our way. "The simple analysis is we werent fast enough." That wasnt true of Orica-GreenEdge. The team of six Australians, a Swiss rider, a South African and time-trial specialist Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., made itself at home on the Promenade des Anglais -- "the promenade of the English" -- with the quickest ever team time trial on the 15.5-mile route that went out and back along the famous beachside avenue in the Mediterranean city of Nice. Racing past the palm trees Orica beat Omega Pharma-Quick Step by less than 1 second and Froomes Team Sky by 3 seconds. Oricas average speed of 35.9 mph was the fastest ever for a team time trial at the 110-year-old Tour. According to the race organizers history guide, the previous fastest team time trial was by Discovery Channel, with Lance Armstrong. It averaged 35.6 mph on a course nearly three times as long in 2005. This 100th Tour is the first since Armstrong was last year stripped of his wins from 1999-2005 for serial doping. Setting aside that tainted result, Garmin-Cervelo rode an average speed of 34.5 mph on a 14.3-mile course in 2011. The team event is as much about rhythm and the nine riders working smoothly together as it is about raw speed. In their aerodynamic tear-drop shaped helmets that wouldnt look out of place in Star Trek, the teams set off one after another at four-minute intervals. The riders take turns at the front, pedalling as hard as they can, while their teammates follow in a line, catching their breath in the slipstream before they go back to the front again. Mastering the choreography is an art. The strongest riders must make sure not to leave teammates behind. "It was just smooth. When youre going really high speed, its all about keeping it smooth. You know, no champion efforts, no big individual efforts, it is about riding to the strength of the team," Orica rider Stuart OGrady said. Another Orica rider, Simon Gerrans, took over the race lead and the yellow jersey that goes with it. Orica has so far been the standout team at this Tour -- mostly for good reasons but also for bad. Its bus got stuck at the finish line of Stage 1, causing momentary mayhem and making the team the butt of jokes. But it wiped the smile off rivals faces with Gerrans winning Stage 3 and now in yellow thanks to the time trial victory that gave him and two teammates the top three spots in the overall standings. Gerrans took up cycling to help rehabilitate knee injuries he got racing motorbikes. He was introduced to the sport and coached by Phil Anderson, the first Australian to wear the yellow jersey, back in 1981. One of Oricas directors is Matt White -- a former teammate of Armstrong. White last year admitted to involvement in doping when he rode with Armstrongs U.S. Postal Service team. White was banned for six months. The punishment was reduced from two years because White is helping the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigate cycling. White wouldnt get into detail on this Tuesday. "I think everythings been said," he said. "So obviously with ongoing investigations theres nothing more to say about that." After four stages, the Tour has now had three different proud bearers of the yellow jersey. Marcel Kittel and Jan Bakelants wore it before Gerrans. In 2012, the Tour had just two leaders -- Fabian Cancellara and then eventual winner Bradley Wiggins, who took the jersey on Stage 7 and never gave it back. Victorias Ryder Hesjedal was the top Canadian in the overall classification after four stages in 16th place, 17 seconds behind Gerrans. Quebec Citys David Veilleux, riding with Team Europcar, was in 117th place, 15:20 off the pace. Tuft was in 152nd, 26 minutes back. Froome, Wiggins lieutenant last year on Team Sky but now its leader, was buoyant after the time trial. He is starting to sound more comfortable with the mantle of race favourite. "Im feeling like Im really coming into some good form now ahead of the mountains," the Briton said. His aim, of course, is to get the yellow jersey eventually, but not quite yet. The Tour swings westward through Provence to Marseille and then Montpellier on Wednesday and Thursday. Those predominantly flat stages are for sprinters or riders who will be allowed to breakaway because they arent a threat for overall victory. Froome, Contador, Evans and other main contenders will probably be happy to sit safely in the pack before they do battle in the more decisive mountain climbs and two individual time trials later in the race. "It gives us a few more days to be in the peloton and wait until the mountains come, where I feel the team will really excel," Froome said. Aaron Ramsey Wales Jersey . 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According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs have trade offers on the table for the 26-year-old, but none have been deemed acceptable by the team. Aaron Ramsey Jersey .com) - Jahlil Okafor had 21 points, Tyus Jones scored 16 with 10 assists and No.Pending free agency and a racially charged bullying scandal could add up to a completely overhauled Miami Dolphins offensive line -- and some players looking for a job. Several Miami linemen are at the centre of the NFL-ordered report detailing harassment in the Dolphins locker room, including Richie Incognito, Jonathan Martin, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey. The report released last Friday said Jerry and Pouncey followed Incognitos lead in harassing Martin about not being black enough, threatening to rape his sister and calling him a long list of slurs. Incognito and Jerry, the teams starting guards, are free agents. Pouncey and Martin, the starting centre and left tackle, are under contract although their future with the team is unclear. Even Miami offensive line coach Jim Turners future may be in doubt after the report said he took part in some of the bullying. Whether Turner or any of the three starters embroiled in the scandal will face punishment from the NFL remains unclear. Spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press in an email Monday the league will comment on the report "at the appropriate time." Steve Beuerlein, a former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback and TV analyst for CBS, said if the Dolphins have to make wholesale changes to the offensive line it would be "a huge adjustment." "How quickly they develop would depend on what type of guys they go after and how much money theyre willing to spend," Beuerlein said. "To have a good offensive line in todays NFL, you need two standout linemen and then you have to have three smart versatile guys tthat can move from position to position.dddddddddddd "If they do that they can adjust pretty quick. But theyll have to find the right type of guys." Beuerlein knows about playing behind poor offensive lines. He was sacked a league-high 62 times in 2000 while playing for the Carolina Panthers, prompting the organization to invest millions and spend top draft picks on that position in the years that followed. Dolphins spokesman Harvey Green said new general manager Dennis Hickey was unavailable for comment, but is expected to address the media Thursday at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. The Dolphins have already said they arent likely to re-sign Incognito following the public relations nightmare. Meanwhile, Martins agent, Kenneth Zuckerman, said his client "definitely" plans to play football again and "he will play for any team." Whether that will be with the Dolphins remains to be seen. The Dolphins also have to make decisions on two other offensive linemen not named in the report -- starting right tackle Ryan Clabo and Bryant McKinnie, who replaced Martin at left tackle after Martin left the Dolphins last October for emotional reasons. Both Claybo and McKinnie are also free agents. Miamis offensive line collectively ranked last in the league a year ago, allowing an NFL-high 58 sacks. They allowed the quarterback to be knocked down 100 times last season. The Dolphins were 27th in the league in total offence in 2013 and 26th in rushing, averaging 90 yards per game on the ground. Miami finished the season 8-8 and did not qualify for the playoffs. ' ' '