NADAL more interested in majors than Grand Slams, Rosberg quickest in Monaco F1 practice, rain delays second Test and snow hits the Giro d'Italia. Cycling - Shocking winter weather and the positive doping test of a previous winner has rocked the Giro d'Italia. Despite the white-out, it proved something of a black day for organisers who woke to the news that 2007 race winner Danilo Di Luca was out of the race after reportedly testing positive for the banned blood booster EPO (erythrpoietin). Amid unseasonably cold conditions and fears for rider security, organisers announced an alternative route for the stage from Ponte di Legno to Val Martello but in the end had to cancel. Italian Danilo Di Luca rides during the 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia. He tested positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test before the race and is no longer in the competition. It means Italian Vincenzo Nibali, who stretched his race lead over closest rival, Aussie Cadel Evans, to 4min 02sec after winning Friday's uphill time trial, had one less day to worry about potential challengers. Di Luca, meanwhile, is the second rider from this year's field to leave the race for being implicated in a doping affair. He now faces a lifetime ban from the sport. F1 - Finishing fastest in both of today's practice sessions for the Monaco Grand Prix isn't enough to get Nico Rosberg too excited. He knows Mercedes has yet to prove it can last the pace on race day. The German driver clocked a time of 1 minute, 14.759 seconds to finish .318 in front of teammate Lewis Hamilton and .437 ahead of Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso in the second session. The times were generally faster than in the first session. But having taken pole position in the past two races and failed to finish in the top five, Rosberg is wary about reading too much into qualifying and practice speeds. Hamilton topped the grid at the Chinese GP three races ago, and Mercedes secured a 1-2 in qualifying two weeks ago in Spain - but neither driver has won a race yet. Nico Rosberg cuts up the track in Monaco during practice. Picture: Bryn Lennon. "It seems that we are quick again on one lap, but we have been working hard again to make improvements to our race pace," said Rosberg. It will be interesting to see where we are compared to the others over the weekend, as it's not really representative today. Monaco is the hardest track for overtaking, and a repeat front-row performance in Saturday's qualifying will set up Mercedes to end that barren run - but only if the car improves its durability. Hamilton, the 2008 F1 champion, said the car is almost perfect. "The car is almost there and the pace looks good," the Briton said. ``We'll look at the data tonight and work on those areas which can still be improved." Tennis - Rafael Nadal is soon to make his long-awaited return to Grand Slam tennis, poised to become the first man to win eight French Opens, but has insisted he'd rather win a string of tour events than rack up the majors. The Spaniard, who goes into Roland Garros having already surpassed Bjorn Borg's mark of six titles in 2012, and having lost just once in 53 matches on the Paris red dirt, was keen to play down talk that the 2013 trophy was his for the taking. Spain's Rafael Nadal takes questions during a press conference. "The Grand Slams are not the only tournaments on the tour," said Nadal, who has won six titles in eight finals since his return to the tour following a seven-month lay-off to rest his injured knee. Tricky draws fro Hewitt and Stosur When I go on court playing in a Grand Slam or playing in a Masters 1000 or playing in a 500 or 250, my feeling is try my best and try to play with the same passion in every tournament. So if you can ask me if I win one Grand Slam during the whole year or win six tournaments like I already did, I will choose win six tournaments. The French Open will be Nadal's first Grand Slam event since his shock second-round exit to Czech outsider Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon last year, a defeat which sparked a lengthy absence because of a knee problem. Cricket - England and New Zealand can go head-to-head all they want but there's just no point fighting the rain. Heavy overnight and early morning rain meant there was no play on the first day of the second and final cricket Test between England and New Zealand at Headingley overnight. A shadow of an aircraft is seen as the ground staff work on the rain soaked pitch, ahead of the start of the second Test match between England and New Zealand at Headingley. Picture: Scott Heppell. Batsman Martin Guptill replaced wicket keeper BJ Watling (knee) and seamer Doug Bracewell came in for spinner Bruce Martin (calf) after both suffered injuries during the first Test. Cricketer Darren Sammy has hands as soft as pillows. How's this for a catch.