PARIS — Vincenzo Nibali put his lungs and legs to work one last time, marching up to the winner's podium of the Tour de France and sighing deeply before the Italian anthem echoed over the Champs-Elysees.

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 cycling's 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.

MINNEAPOLIS — Kyle Rudolph hasn't put up the biggest numbers over the first three years of his career, which is due as much to the Minnesota Vikings' revolving door at quarterback as anything else.The Vikings have known all along what they have in Rudolph, a big, field-stretching tight end who can be a difference-maker in the right offense with the right quarterback. So now they're paying him like one.Rudolph signed a five-year contract extension with the Vikings on Sunday night, a sign that the team has big plans for Rudolph in new offensive coordinator Norv Turner's offense. The deal, which was first reported by Fox Sports, is worth $36.5 million with $19.4 million guaranteed.

BRIDGEND, Wales — Bernhard Langer ran away with the Senior British Open for his fourth senior major title, finishing a Champions Tour-record 13 strokes ahead of Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.The 56-year-old German closed with a 4-under 67 at sunny Royal Porthcawl to finish at 18-under 266. He opened with rounds of 65, 66 and 68.Langer broke the Champions Tour record for margin of victory of 12 set by Hale Irwin in the 1997 Senior PGA, and matched the tournament record for relation to par set by Tom Watson at Turnberry in 2003.Carnoustie.Montgomerie, the winner of the previous two senior majors, finished with a 69.