Lance Armstrong is set to race in the Leadville Trail 100 on Saturday, a grueling 100-mile race in the Rockies of 1,000 mountain bike riders that left Floyd Landis battered and bleeding last year.

Armstrong’s appearance in the 15th annual Race Across the Sky is the “’hugest’ thing that’s happened to Leadville since we discovered gold,” proclaimed Ken Chlouber, the race’s co-founder. “The whole town is buzzing and we are way beyond excited.”

The favorite, he said, has to be Dave Wiens, who beat Landis by two minutes last year to win his fifth straight title in a record time of 6 hours, 58 minutes, 47 seconds.



Pacman ready for debut

OXNARD, Calif.—When it comes to Adam “Pacman” Jones’ status, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is treading lightly.

The still-suspended cornerback can play in the preseason for the Dallas Cowboys, who open Saturday night at San Diego. But the team still doesn’t know when it will find out if he will be fully reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the regular season.

“That’s at (Goodell’s) discretion, and I don’t want to do or say anything that would imply that I’m getting anxious or pushy about it,” Jerry Jones said Wednesday.

Jones hasn’t played in a game since the Tennessee Titans’ season finale on Dec. 31, 2006.

“I’m anxious to see him play,” Jerry Jones said.



Self signs huge contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Bill Self, the Kansas basketball coach who guided the Jayhawks to their first NCAA championship in 20 years, signed a 10-year, $30 million contract Wednesday.

The deal had been in the works since April, when Self’s Jayhawks came from nine points down in the final minutes to beat Memphis in a thrilling title game and he subsequently turned down an offer to return to Oklahoma State, his alma mater.