has told the press his injury problem isnt likely to affect his ability to play in Englands Euro 2016 opener against Russia on June 10. However, the manager also stopped short of backing Sturridge

RIO DE JANEIRO - What is not to like about Sir Bradley Wiggins? Five Olympic gold medals to his name and three of other colours -- hes just a good, old fashioned ordinary superhero.His British teammates speak of an aura, but also of him being one of the guys, mucking around and joking at least as much as the rest. As he talked to the media after his latest stunning achievement, it was like he was addressing his mates in a pub. ?Wiggins and his British team had just won the team pursuit final for the third successive time, and yet again in a world record time. They had beaten their long-time rivals Australia in a pulsating race that was agonisingly close until the final few hundred metres, and he couldnt have been more relaxed. ?The way he stuck his tongue out on the podium on Friday night might not be to everybodys taste, but that was for his children, Ben and Bella, watching on the TV. To fans in the UK and so many others who like their sports stars grounded and accessible, he is really hard to beat. ?I wanted to go out with this, said 36-year-old Wiggins, who confirmed he was retiring from professional cycling shortly and the track immediately. I wanted it to end like this, not some crappy little race in the north of France in the rain. ? ?It was never about that [becoming Britains greatest, most decorated Olympian] for me. The first people I bumped into when I came off the track were Steve Redgrave and Chris Hoy. Theyre my heroes in Olympic sport. Just to be in the same breath as those guys is an honour. ?It [the race and victory] was more about personally what it meant to me. I take myself [back] to Sydney in 2000 and what that meant to me as a 20-year-old kid wandering around there, watching Steve win his fifth gold and thinking how incredible it was. ?Id come away with a bronze medal and thought thats it. If I have to go to the job centre on Monday morning, I can always say Ive got Olympic bronze. To be here 16 years on, with five gold medals myself, I never imagined that for one minute. Its just something to tell the kids about when theyre older. ?Thank f--- for that, was Wiggins overwhelming feeling at the end of the race, when the rest of the team were celebrating. He was relieved his decision to leave the road and his big Team Sky salary to return to the track two years ago, to tackle his doubters and just be a number again, had worked out so brilliantly. It had become a burden, and it was clear just looking at him that it had lifted. ? ?As a result, Wiggins will enjoy riding the Tour of Britain and the Six-Days race in Ghent. The latter will be his very last competition, a nostalgic ride full of childhood memories of watching his dad race there.Itll be a nice end to my career, back where I was born, back where it started, he said. ? ?But will he take part in those races thinking he is Britains greatest Olympian? Definitely not, he insisted, because Hoy has one more gold. Who counts bronzes and a silver, joked the rider, who has eight Games medals to Hoys seven. ?Wiggins could afford to be generous to his teammates but his tributes to the underrated Ed Clancy and Steven Burke, and the cool approach of Owain Doull, were genuine. ? ?He sat back from them at times as they talked to media in the Velodrome, let them get their fair share of glory, and the friendly, and relaxed demeanour he adopted was no great surprise. Wiggins has been tetchy with reporters and disagreed with them forcefully over the years, but much of the time it has been part of an honest exchange. ?There have been tensions with other riders, too, notably Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish, although they have seemed like par for the course for stars at the top of their sport.Wiggins wife Cath, to whom he is devoted, has said there is a selfish streak that sometimes surfaces. But in cycling terms, Wiggins has something of a genius about him, and there is often a flipside to brilliant or creative people at the top of their professions. Achieving all he has, after all, has required great dedication and brought great strain before he succeeded in his latest bid for glory. ?Regardless, what people seem to like about him is that he is very much his own man, different to so many platitude-peddling sports stars who take refuge in the sanitised public relations arena that the most popular professional games are played out in. ? ?When the Britons fame at home peaked in 2012, having become the first man to win the Tour and Olympic gold in the same year, he memorably celebrated at the Games in London by sitting on a throne at Hampton Court. That colourful character has seldom been far from view and it has fuelled his popularity, made him stand out. ?The media, in the UK at least, have loved his funny soundbites, the smiles as he delivered a risqué comment -- witness his colourful language in the Rio Velodrome on Friday night -- and the manner which makes people feel like they have been friends with him for years. ?The son of an Australian rider, he has earned the respect of the British teams greatest rivals, the guys who been pushing them so close, and occasionally beating them, over the last few years. ?When youre that confident and you throw it out there and you pull it off, well, congratulations, said Jack Bobridge.?We got beaten tonight by a better country, a better team on the track.?We could go back over and over it but theres nothing else we could have done. We left it all out there. ? ?The respect is mutual, with Wiggins saying: They [the Australians] are the reason we got out of bed in the morning, they motivated us.?They are the reason we have trained so hard over the last two years. ?We never underestimated them for one minute. I said it would take a world record to win an Olympic gold -- they were not going to go out and take silver and it was one of the best finals weve been in. ?Two world-class times in the final after putting in an hour and a half before - I have to congratulate them and thank them. They didnt make it easy for us and every session weve done in Manchester or wherever has been because the Aussies were out there doing the same thing. ? ?Australias team pursuit squad, however highly they regard Wiggins, will probably not be sad to see the back of him after he helped inflict so many Olympic disappointments. ?But the British sporting landscape and the cycling world will be a little less fun without him in the saddle.Richard Dent Bears Jersey .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Walter Payton Jersey . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. https://www.bearssportsgoods.com/Womens-William-Perry-Inverted-Jersey/ . JOHNS, N. Mitchell Trubisky Womens Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Mike Ditka Womens Jersey . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5.Roy Hodgson has until midnight on Tuesday 31 May to trim his 26-man squad to the 23 players hell take to Euro 2016. But who will miss out?Hodgson is expected to issue his final squad list this afternoon, after a training session in Watford, a delayed announcement after the injury to Danny Welbeck forced a late change of plans.Back-to-back 2-1 friendly wins over Turkey and Australia will have left the England manager with plenty to think about - especially after 18-year-old wildcard Marcus Rashford scored on his international debut on Friday night. Hodgson coy on final selection Roy Hodgson on his selection dilemmas ahead of Euro 2016 Here, we look at seven players whose inclusion is far from certain and consider their chances of making Hodgsons final squad…Jack Wilshere Jack Wilshere appears to have proved his fitness to Hodgson After playing 66 minutes against Turkey and the first-half of Englands win over Australia, it seems Jack Wilshere remains a key figure for Roy Hodgson. The inclusion of the Arsenal midfielder in the initial squad despite an injury-ravaged season in which he made just three first-team appearances highlighted Hodgsons faith in Wilshere and he now seems set for a ticket to Euro 2016.Both of them [Wilshere and Jordan Henderson] are a little bit short of match fitness but certainly for Jack Wilshere the last couple of games shows that his lack of match fitness isnt very evident. I thought he was very good in the first half he played [against Australia], said Hodgson.Former England caretaker boss Peter Taylor is also adamant Wilshere should go to France. Speaking after the win over Turkey, he told Sky Sports News HQ: Wilshere is so different, such a clever player, he could play for Barcelona. Hes such a talented player. You want that type of different midfield player for your options, whether you start him or bring him on as sub. Id be wrapping him up in cotton wool.Marcus Rashford Marcus Rashford was congratulated by Hodgson on Friday Marcus Rashford was 3/1 to make Englands final 23 when the provisional squad was first named. Only Fabian Delph was more likely to be axed. But after a stunning introduction to international football - combined with injury concerns for Daniel Sturridge - the Manchester United teenager could be on his way to Euro 2016.It took the 18-year-old just three minutes to find the net against Australia and Hodgson was full of praise for the youngster after the game. What a debut. Im pleased for him, said the England boss.But I wasnt surprised with the way he played. He was always one of the players who was seriously competing for a place in the 23 and hes done his chances of travelling with us no harm. He wouldnt be out of place in anyones 23.Ross Barkley Ross Barkley was a second-half sub against Australia Ross Barkley enjoyed his most productive season with Everton in the Premier League in 2015/16, scoring eight times and registering the same number of assists. However, a drop-off in form towards the end of the campaign appears to have damaged his chances of a key role for England this summer and he was overlooked for a starting spot in either friendly.A raw talent, Barkley is likely to be an important figure for England in years to come and remaiins a likely traveller to France - if only as a squad member.dddddddddddd. Andros Townsend Andros Townsend hopes to have made an impression Andros Townsend was out of the England reckoning in March but forced his way back into Hodgsons plans with an impressive run of form for Newcastle. However, after playing just 14 minutes across the two friendlies this month, his position in the camp is once again in doubt.Everyones desperate to go to a major tournament, he said after his run-out against Australia. What a huge honour it would be if I did, but Ive done what I can and now well see what the manager decides.Townsend is one of few genuine wingers in Hodgsons provisional squad and has enjoyed a number of fine performances in an England shirt under the manager. But he is likely to be one of the names debated by Hodgson and his coaching staff.Danny Drinkwater Danny Drinkwater played 90 minutes against Australia He may have been an integral part of Leicester Citys Premier League title win but Danny Drinkwater is among the three favourites to be cut from Hodgsons group of 26. The central midfielder was subbed on for the final 17 minutes against Turkey but played the full 90 against Australia.With Eric Dier, Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson vying for a similar role in the team, he could be the unfortunate one to miss out. Dier seems set for a starting spot, while Wilshere has been praised by Hodgson, who also dismissed concerns over Hendersons fitness problems.Daniel Sturridge Daniel Sturridge has missed both friendlies with injury Daniel Sturridge was Englands first-choice striker at the World Cup but injuries have limited the Liverpool mans playing time over the past two seasons and, despite returning for the Reds run-in, a calf problem kept him out of both international friendlies this month.The forward is due to return to training on Sunday and Hodgson has told the press his injury problem isnt likely to affect his ability to play in Englands Euro 2016 opener against Russia on June 10. However, the manager also stopped short of backing Sturridge for a place in the squad. It seems the 26-year-olds tournament chances remain up for discussion.Fabian Delph Fabian Delph is all but out of contention for a place in the final squad Manchester Citys Fabian Delph was a surprise inclusion in Hodgsons provisional squad of 26, given his injury problems and struggles to break into Manuel Pellegrinis plans this season. Now, a groin injury has effectively ruled him out of contention for a place on the plane.The midfielder was unable to travel to Sunderland for Fridays friendly with Australia and Hodgson said: That means probably he wont be with us either in the final 23, unless, of course, we have injuries. Ive put him on a standby list and he understands and accepts that. Get Euro 2016 alerts Breaking news from Euro 2016, direct to your mobileAlso See:Hodgson coy on final selectionRashford a serious contender ' ' '