Wednesday's sports briefs

Chicago a finalist for 2016 Chicago was among four cities picked as finalists Wednesday for the 2016 Summer Olympics, setting the stage for a high-profile bidding contest between candidates from the United States, Europe, Asia and South America.

Also making the IOC shortlist were Madrid, Spain; Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Eliminated from the race were Doha, Qatar; Prague, Czech Republic, and Baku, Azerbaijan.

The final field was selected by the International Olympic Committee executive board.

• Cyclists riding in the Tour de France will not risk being barred from the Beijing Olympics, despite a feud between race organizers and the sport's governing body. "It's in our capacity but it's not in our heart to sanction athletes that have prepared for four years for an Olympic Games," International Cycling Union President Pat McQuaid said.

The UCI is in conflict with Tour organizer ASO, which confirmed it will stage the July 5-27 race under French national federation authority, ignoring the governing body's rules and doping controls.

• Several new high-tech swimsuits were approved to compete with Speedo's record-breaking LZR Racer at Beijing. New bodysuits from Arena, Adidas and Mizuno were all given the go-ahead by swimming governing body FINA. Since the Speedo LZR Racer was introduced in mid-February, swimmers wearing the suit have set 37 world records and rekindled the debate over whether technology has too much influence over the sport.

Spain tops U.S. in exhibition The United States ended a two-game European trip with its second consecutive loss, giving up a late goal to Xavi Hernandez in a 1-0 defeat against Spain on Wednesday night.

The Americans lost the opener of the trip 2-0 at England last week. They will play Argentina, the world's top-ranked nation, at East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday night before starting World Cup qualifying against Barbados on June 15 at Carson, Calif.

• Argentina extended its lead over Brazil at the top of the FIFA monthly rankings, with England entering the top 10. Argentina has 1,559 points and Brazil 1,513. The United States remained at No. 21.

• The D.C. United and Houston Dynamo match in Washington was postponed because of rain and lightning after a one-hour, 23-minute delay in the 16th minute.

Smith's 33 leads Shock Katie Smith will have several reasons to fondly remember her 34th birthday. The Detroit Shock All-Star was presented with her U.S. Olympic team jersey before the game, then scored a season-high 33 points in a 77-67 victory over the Seattle Storm in Auburn Hills, Mich.

"I didn't want to go home with a loss on my birthday," said Smith, who hadn't scored more than 28 points since joining the Shock in 2005. "I just didn't hit enough shots to get 34 points on my 34th birthday."

Iditarod: Mushers wanting to run the world's best-known sled dog race will have to pay a lot more for a shot at a smaller guaranteed purse. The entry fee for the 2009 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be $4,000, a nearly $1,000 increase from this year's event and more than double the $1,860 fee from the previous year.

ASSOCIATED PRESS