Vincenzo Nibali put his lungs and legs to work one last time, marching up to the winners podium of the Tour de France and sighing deeply before the Italian anthem echoed over the Champs-Elysees. Anthony Averett Jersey . Chants of "Vin-cen-zo!" rang across the famed avenue for the Sicilian, who dominated the race nearly from the start three weeks ago and on Sunday became the first Italian to win cyclings greatest race since Marco Pantani in 1998. Marcel Kittel of Germany won Stage 21 in a sprint, his fourth victory this year. Nibali cruised in 24 seconds later, easily retaining a lead of more than seven minutes on his closest rival. He received pats on the back, kissed his wife and infant daughter and was mobbed by cameras. "Now that I find myself on the highest step on the Champs-Elysees podium, its more beautiful than I ever imagined," Nibali, the Arc de Triomphe behind him, told the crowd. "Ive never been this moved in all my life." Nibali, likened by some as the emperor of the pack, conquered where others did not: notably Chris Froome of Britain, the 2013 Tour winner, and two-time champion Alberto Contador of Spain. Both crashed out with injuries before the halfway mark. As if mountain climbs, bone-jarring cobblestones, crashes and rain-splattered rides werent enough, Nibali faced the scrutiny that comes with the yellow jersey in a sport long damaged by drugs. Nibali, who calls himself "a flag-bearer of anti-doping," noted that his success came through pinpoint focus on this race as the season began and opportunistic attacks in which he was able to nibble seconds on his rivals. There were no eye-popping performances, as was the case when doping was so prevalent. The Astana team leader is only the sixth rider to win all three Grand Tours -- France, Italy and Spain. His win comes 10 years after Pantani, a flamboyant rider, died from a drug overdose. Nibali won four stages -- a feat not equaled by a Tour winner since Lance Armstrong won five a decade ago. The Italian wore the yellow jersey for all but two stages since Stage 1. His 7-minute, 37-second margin over runner-up Jean-Christophe Peraud equals that of Armstrong over Swiss rider Alex Zulle in 1999 -- a result nullified because of doping. Before that, the biggest margin was that of Germanys Jan Ullrich: He beat Richard Virenque by just more than nine minutes in 1997. In one of the subplots of this race, Peraud and third-placed Thibaut Pinot became the first Frenchmen to reach the Tour podium since Virenque in that year -- a fact not lost on many homegrown fans. Pinot was 8:15 behind. Armstrong, Ullrich and Virenque were caught in nearly a generation of doping scandals. Armstrong, in cyclings biggest scandal, admitted to doping and was stripped of his record seven Tour titles. Nibali and many others in the peloton say that era is past. But his own victories in the 2010 Vuelta and the Italian Giro last year were tarnished by doping involving other riders. Cyclings governing body has made great efforts to halt drug use, but few cycling experts believe the pack is fully clean. Authorities in Italy and France have been among the most aggressive in cracking down on doping, and the victory of an Italian, followed by two Frenchmen, could be a sign the peloton is getting cleaner. Some suggested that Nibali was just the best among the riders still in this Tour. Colombias Nairo Quintana, who won the Giro dItalia in May, didnt ride. Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 Tour winner, was passed over so his Sky Team could focus on Froome. Then Froome and Contador pulled out. But even before they left, Nibali had a two-second lead on them by winning Stage 2. Then, in Stage 5 after Froome crashed out, the Italian excelled on cobblestone patches that slowed Contador, who lost more than 2 1/2 minutes to Nibali. The Spaniard felt compelled to attack. On a downhill in Stage 10, Contador fractured his shin. But Nibali -- known as "The Shark of the Strait" in a nod to the waterway near his hometown of Messina, Sicily, and his attacking style -- didnt stop there. He went on to win that stage, up to the super steep La Planche des Belles Filles. It was the first of three stages with uphill finishes that he won, adding one in the Alps and another in the Pyrenees -- each time dealing small but cumulatively significant blows to contenders. This 101st Tour began in Yorkshire, England, and guided riders over 3,664 kilometres (2,277 miles), with high-mountain rides in the Vosges, Alps and Pyrenees. Tejay van Garderen, the top U.S. rider, said on Twitter this was the hardest of his four Tours. He finished fifth overall, 11:24 behind Nibali, after climbing a spot in Saturdays time trial. Nibali said the Tour layout was "almost made to measure for me." He also noted that crashes are part of the race, and hes been such a victim in the past. As he stepped down from the podium, Nibali hurled the winners bouquet into the crowd, and a fan handed him an inflatable shark. Many waved French and Italian flags. "I think its very important for cycling in Italy because at the moment there isnt a lot of trust," said spectator Massimo Solaroli, a 47-year-old physical education teacher from the Italian town of Imola. "We dont believe an Italian champion can win an important race without doping." But Nibali, he added, gives reason for hope. "I think he can be a good champion for all the people, not only for Italian people, because hes very humble," he said. Anthony Averett Ravens Jersey . Louis Cardinals, the team will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the SkyDome. Jays legends Jimmy Key and Ernie Whitt, members of playoff and World Series-winning teams of the past, will be on hand for the festivities to look back at what was the beginning of the Jays halcyon years. Willie Snead IV Ravens Jersey . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival. SAN FRANCISCO -- As hard-hitting safety Donte Whitner headed out of the Bay Area for his hometown of Cleveland, the San Francisco 49ers wasted little time finding someone to fill his position. Safety Antoine Bethea agreed to a $23 million, four-year contract with the Niners on Tuesday as the NFLs free agency period began, and then the 49ers acquired offensive tackle Jonathan Martin from the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday night to reunite him with former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh. Bethea announced on Twitter he had joined the 49ers, saying: "Glad to be a Niner!! Going to the Bay!!!" A person with knowledge of Betheas contract provided details of the financial terms, speaking on condition of anonymity because they werent announced and the 49ers had yet to acknowledge the signing. Also Tuesday, veteran place kicker Phil Dawson received a new two-year contract after a sensational first season in San Francisco. Dawson announced on his Twitter page that he had re-signed, then the team made it formal. The sides had discussions over the past two weeks. "My experience being on the inside did nothing but confirm what I already knew to be true, that San Francisco is a super attractive place to play and my experience last season only furthered that notion in my mind," Dawson said. "Coming into free agency, my No. 1 goal was to remain a 49er. Fortunately that was able to work out." Whitner, meanwhile, announced on Twitter he would join the Browns: "To all my former teammates and coaches. I love you all! I will always cherish you guys!" he wrote. And linebacker Patrick Willis wrote on Twitter, "Man (at)DonteWhitner u will be missed G." For the second straight March, San Francisco watched a top safety leave for a big contract elsewhere. Last year, Dashon Goldson departed for Tampa Bay and 2013 top draft pick Eric Reid replaced him. The 29-year-old Bethea had 110 tackles, two interceptions and a sack last season, his sixth straight year starting every game for the Indianapolis Colts. "The thing I love about the 49ers is when they lose someone they pick someone up, which we certainly did that with Antoine," Dawson said. "Im excited to get to know him and certainly Ive followed him through the years. Were going to try to keep on plugging forward and keep on getting better." The 49ers secondary also lost cornerback Carlos Rogers after three seasons Tuesday, an expected cost-cutting move by the team. Cornerback Eric Wright posted a photo on his Instagram account via Twitter of a new 49ers contract, but the team didnt confirm he had received a new deal. Hayden Hurst Ravens Jersey. San Francisco also acquired quarterback Blaine Gabbert from Jacksonville for a sixth-round draft pick this year and a conditional pick next season, apparently finding a capable backup for Colin Kaepernick. The deal was pending a physical. Gabbert started the first three games for Jacksonville last season before being benched in favour of Chad Henne, re-signed Friday to a two-year contract worth $8 million. The 24-year-old Gabbert was the 10th overall draft pick in 2011 out of Missouri. He has thrown for 22 touchdowns in three NFL seasons, completing 414 of 777 passes for 4,357 yards in 28 games and 27 starts. "We thought highly of Blaine as an early entry into the 2011 NFL draft," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said. "He is a high-character individual that will be given every opportunity to develop within our system and we are looking forward to working with him." Bringing back Dawson has been a top priority for both sides for months -- with Harbaugh saying, "pay the man" -- and it got done quickly. The 39-year-old Dawson was a big reason the 49ers returned to the NFC championship game. In his first year with the 49ers following 14 seasons in Cleveland, Dawson converted 32 of 36 field goals and set a franchise record with 27 successful field goals in a row. "Phil has been a consummate pro and clutch performer his entire career and we are pleased that he has chosen to continue on with the 49ers," Baalke said. "It was important to this organization to have a veteran kicker like Phil as we enter our first season in a new stadium." The 49ers move into the new $1.2 billion Levis Stadium at team headquarters this year. Soon, Dawson will return from his family home in Austin, Texas, to start practicing at the new stadium, where the NFLs first automatic collapsible goal posts were installed last week. Dawson plans to keep playing as long as he can maintain his high level. "I want to be a difference-maker for my team," he said. "Signing this contract I fully expect to live up to those standards and then some." With Rogers departure, San Francisco cleared $5.1 million in salary-cap room. The 32-year-old Rogers, who missed time late in the season with a strained right hamstring, had 47 tackles and two interceptions last season. Rogers received a $31.3 million, four-year contract in March 2012 and was due to earn $6.6 million in 2014. The 49ers announced they tendered one-year contracts to restricted free-agent tight end and defensive tackle Demarcus Dobbs and exclusive rights free-agent linebacker Michael Wilhoite. 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