Sports briefs 4/25/05

Cycling

Lance Armstrong is ready to pass the peloton to a new group of American cyclists.

After the Tour de France, of course.

Armstrong was a team player Sunday, helping fellow American Tom Danielson win the Tour de Georgia for the biggest victory of his fledgling career.

As for Armstrong, his focus is firmly on France, where he hopes to add to his already unprecedented streak of six straight wins on the Champs-Elysees before fading into retirement.

Armstrong, wearing No. 1 on the back of his jersey, settled for 22nd place on the day and fifth overall. He was 1 minute, 41 seconds behind Danielson, his Discovery Channel teammate.

Motorsports

In a duel between Formula One's new and old leaders, Fernando Alonso went wheel to wheel with Michael Schumacher on Sunday and held on to win the San Marino Grand Prix for his third straight victory.

Alonso edged the seven-time world champion by 0.2 seconds to give Renault its fourth win in a row, a result that could signal a shift of power after years of Ferrari dominance. Renault has won every race this season, the other victory by Giancarlo Fisichella in the opening Australian Grand Prix.

Tennis

The United States reached the Fed Cup semifinals when top-ranked Lindsay Davenport defeated Els Callens 6-4, 6-0 Sunday, giving the American women an unbeatable lead against Belgium.

Davenport topped an opponent ranked No. 175 to put the U.S. ahead 3-0 in the best-of-five quarterfinal, with a singles match and doubles to follow.

The U.S. advanced to the semifinals July 9-10 at defending champion Russia, a 4-1 winner at Italy. France will face Spain in the other semifinal. The French beat Austria 4-1 and Spain eliminated Argentina 3-2 in the other quarterfinals.

* Rafael Nadal beat Spanish countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3 Sunday to win the Open Seat Godo for his second clay-court title in two weeks.

Without losing a set, 18-year-old Nadal won his fifth career title, a week after winning the Monte Carlo Masters.

* Andy Roddick didn't take long to get back into winning form.

After missing three weeks with a wrist injury, Roddick easily handled weak-serving Sebastien Grosjean on Sunday, taking a quick 6-2, 6-2 victory for his 17th career title and third U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in five years.

Roddick, playing his first tournament since a wrist injury forced him out of the ATP tournament at Key Biscayne, needed just 70 minutes to complete a run through the tournament field without losing a set.