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PETERDEJONG—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS The pack with Colombia's Nairo Quintana, center, rides during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling over 129.9miles with a start in Moirans-en-Montagne. BySamuelPetrequin TheAssociatedPress BERN, SWITZERLAND As the Tour de France heads toward the Alps, Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde have only a few opportunities left to try and derail Chris Froome's bid for a third title in four years. The remaining three high- mountain stages and uphill time trial should be the ideal play- ground for the Movistar team- mates, who need to abandon their conservative approach and take all risks to make up for the big chunk of time they have lost. Quintana, runner-up to Froome in 2013 and 2015, is in fourth place overall, 2 minutes, 59 seconds behind. Valverde is 18 more seconds behind his teammate. The gaps are significant, but Quintana, a pure climber from Colombia, managed to gain time on Froome in the Alps last year. His subdued performance at the Mont Ventoux and his un- impressive time trial last week have, however, raised doubts about his ability to make a comeback. Even his team manager, Euse- bio Unzue, admits Quintana is not at his best. "We did not see the Nairo we know at the Mont Ventoux. Hope- fully, things will return to normal in the Alps," he said. TOUR DE FRANCE It'snoworneverforQuintana "Attacking all the time would be good for the show. But it's unrealistic and not a guarantee for success. We need to wait for the right time, for the moment that will allow us to be efficient when we make a move." – Eusebio Unzue, Quintana's team manager By Andrew Baggarly Bay Area News Group BOSTON What a pleasant mo- ment itwouldbefor theGiantsto gothroughawinninghandshake line at Fenway Park, something they haven't done in 101 years. But novelties are not at the forefront of their thoughts. They made a rare visit to the quaint ballpark at Yawkey Way and played the kind of game that has become all too ordinary in a 4-0 loss Tuesday night. Jake Peavy paid for two home run pitches, including a three- run shot that David Ortiz belted 451 feet into the New England night. And the Giants offense re- mained out of sync as the club remained winless in four games since the All-Star break. Giants starters have a 6.86 ERA in four starts in San Di- ego and Boston, and have given up eight home runs (two apiece) in 22 innings. They haven't re- corded an out past the sixth. They are not getting bailed out because the offense has been no better. Of particular note, All-Star Brandon Belt is 0 for 16 with a walk and eight strikeouts since the break. The team is 3 for 27 (.111) with runners in scor- ing position over the four losses. They are not pitching well enough to win 2-1 games and not hittingenoughtocoverastubbed- toe march through the rotation. NATIONAL LEAGUE GIANTS FLOUNDER AT FENWAY PARK Ortiz hits big homer as Sox shut out SF San Francisco Giants watch play during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Tuesday in Boston. PHOTOS BY CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jake Peavy delivers during the first inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Tuesday in Boston. REDSOX4,GIANTS0 Up next: Giants at Red Sox, today at 4:10p.m. THESCORE By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press The Big 12 presidents have directed Commissioner Bob Bowlsby to evaluate schools that are interested in joining the conference, stopping just short of announcing it planned to ex- pand. After a meeting of the Big 12 university presidents and chan- cellors on Tuesday, Oklahoma President David Boren says the conference leaders voted unan- imously to take another step to- ward adding to the 10-member conference. "I think it's a statement that we want to move forward," Boren said. "Yes, it's a positive step. Not a decision yet." The Big 12 has been the small- est of the Power Five leagues since 2012. The conference has already announced it would bring back its football champi- onship game in 2017 and likely break into divisions. Numerous schools have been pitching the Big 12 behind the scenes for months, including American Athletic Conference members Cincinnati Connecti- cut, Memphis, Houston and Cen- tral Florida, along with BYU, Colorado State and others. "We've been contacted by a number of institutions, and I would imagine after this news breaks we'll be contacted again," Bowlsby said. The last big wave of realign- ment in the early 2010s nearly killed the Big 12. Colorado left for the Pac-12, Nebraska went to the Big Ten and Texas A&M and Missouri jumped to the South- eastern Conference. COLLEGES Big 12 commissioner to evaluate expansion candidates By Stephen Wilson The Associated Press LONDON With just over two weeks until the opening cere- mony, Russia still doesn't know whether its athletes — all or even some — will be competing in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It may all come down to the lawyers. While the IOC decided Tues- day to ban from the Rio Games all Russian Sports Ministry officials and other administrators impli- cated in allegations of a state-run doping program, it delayed a rul- ing on whether to take the un- precedented step of barring the entire Russian Olympic team. The International Olympic Committee said it "will explore the legal options with regard to a collective ban of all Russian ath- letes for the Olympic Games 2016 versus the rights to individual jus- tice." The IOC has also said it could let individual interna- tional sports federations de- cide on whether to ban Russians from their events in Rio, just as the IAAF has done by ruling track and field athletes from the games. The 28 international fed- erations that govern the individ- ual sports at the summer games have made clear that they do not support a blanket ban. The IOC's legal options may become clearer after Thursday, when the highest court in sports will rule on an appeal by 68 Rus- sian track and field athletes seek- ing to overturn their ban from the games. Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva was among those arguing the Russian track and field team's case Tues- day in Geneva at the Court of Ar- bitration for Sport. Should the court rule Thursday in their fa- vor, it would seemingly rule out the chance of the IOC imposing a blanket ban. If the court upholds the IAAF's exclusion of the track athletes, however, that would keep the possibility of a total ban in play. Further appeals are also possible, meaning that the final word on the Russians may go down to the wire before Aug. 5, when the Rio games open. Still, it will take a major leap for the IOC to impose the ulti- mate sanction of kicking out Russia entirely. IOC President Thomas Bach has repeatedly called for a balance between "individual justice and collec- tive punishment." OLYMPICS IOC explores banning all Russians from Rio PAVEL GOLOVKIN — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A mannequin dressed in a Russian Olympic National team uniform is on a display, with a reflection of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Conference is the smallest of the Power Five leagues Sports federations do not support blanket ban BIG 12 PAGE 3 TOUR PAGE 3 GIANTS PAGE 3 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, July 20, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1