Rallying-Rovanpera wins in the Canary Islands to go second overall
The Finn led a Toyota sweep of the top four places, beating teammate and eight times world champion Sebastien Ogier by 53.5 seconds with championship leader Elfyn Evans completing the podium in third.
Japan's Takamoto Katsuta finished a distant fourth.
The win on the asphalt roads of Gran Canaria was Rovanpera's first since Chile seven months ago and lifted the double world champion from sixth to second overall after four rounds, 43 points behind Evans who has been in the top three in every rally.
Rovanpera won 15 of the 18 stages, including the first 12 in a row, and took a maximum 35 points from the Spanish rally, making its debut on the world championship stage.
"It has not been the best start of the season but... at least in these kinds of conditions we are back now," said the Finn.
Toyota extended their lead over Hyundai to 51 points in the manufacturers' standings.
Hyundai had Adrien Fourmaux finish fifth, two and a half minutes off the lead, with Ott Tanak and reigning world champion Thierry Neuville sixth and seventh.
Neuville dropped to third overall with Tanak fifth and Ogier sandwiched between the two.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
19 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Real edge Juventus to reach last eight as Mbappe starts Club World Cup
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Real Madrid v Juventus - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S. - July 1, 2025 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe in action with Juventus' Alberto Costa REUTERS/Marco Bello MIAMI - Real Madrid hit their stride at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, edging Juventus 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals thanks to a second-half strike from academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia as Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut. Garcia, deputising for Mbappe after the France forward missed the group stage due to gastroenteritis, found the back of the net early in the second half to set up a meeting with either Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey. Mbappe made his much-anticipated appearance as a second-half substitute, delighting the partisan crowd who packed Hard Rock Stadium to near capacity in a demonstration of the Spanish giants' considerable global appeal. Juventus had early chances but gradually faded under the relentless pressing of Xabi Alonso's side and had goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio to thank for sparing them a heavier defeat. After a lacklustre group phase, Real, playing in Alonso's favoured 3-4-3, showed glimpses of what they could be capable of under their new coach. Juve striker Randal Kolo Muani, set up by Kenan Yildiz's incisive pass that split the Real Madrid defence, attempted an audacious chip in the seventh minute but sent the ball narrowly over Thibaut Courtois's crossbar. Moments later, Yildiz tried his luck from long range but saw his effort fly wide. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seniors can claim $800 SG60 vouchers from July 1; adults to get $600 in vouchers from July 22 Singapore NSman, 30, dies in hospital after collapsing outside Maju Camp Asia Thai PM's suspension could spell end of Shinawatra clan's era of political dominance Singapore Judge rejects woman's claim that she owns 99% of Bukit Timah condo mostly paid for by ex-boyfriend Singapore 'He fought till the end': Man who survived acid attack as a baby dies of cancer at 26 Singapore Trial opens for 3 women who allegedly organised procession outside Istana Business Do not overcommit to a single solution in a multi-polar world, says ex-foreign minister George Yeo Singapore 1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank disputes $3.4 billion claim by liquidators in Singapore Real Madrid grew into the match and nearly capitalised on a defensive lapse by Juventus. Jude Bellingham, aiming a sharp angled strike, was denied by Di Gregorio, whose quick reactions kept the Italian side level. Di Gregorio was called into action again shortly before halftime, making an impressive save to parry away a thunderous long-range shot from Federico Valverde. Juventus, under pressure late in the first half, must have been satisfied to reach the interval with the scoreline still goalless. Twice early in the second half Di Gregorio denied Bellingham and Dean Huijsen, but he was helpless when Garcia headed home from Trent Alexander Arnold's pin-point cross in the 54th minute for his third goal in the tournament. The Italian keeper sustained some hope for Juventus, his reaction save preventing Valverde from scoring with a bicycle kick. 'Mbappe, Mbappe!' the crowd chanted as the France forward, after warming up, ran towards the bench to get ready to replace Garcia midway through the second half. The 26-year-old was often in a good position but he was not properly served by his team mates and his start in the 32-team tournament eventually looked like a glorified workout. REUTERS
CNA
6 hours ago
- CNA
Toyota's second-quarter US auto sales rise 7.2%
Toyota Motors' North American unit reported higher second-quarter U.S. vehicle sales on Tuesday, helped by demand for its sedans and SUVs. The Japanese automaker's sales rose 7.2 per cent to 666,469 units, from a year ago.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
PSG rout Messi's Inter Miami 4-0 to reach Club World Cup quarters
ATLANTA, Georgia - Paris Saint-Germain steamrollered Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 4-0 to reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals on June 29 as the European champions proved too strong for a team of ageing stars. Miami hoped the Argentine superstar's magic could help them produce an unlikely result against his former club, but the Major League Soccer side were dismantled in Atlanta by Luis Enrique's rampant team. Messi and his former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba had done well to reach the last 16 but the gulf in quality between the teams was laid bare over the 90 minutes. Joao Neves netted twice for PSG, who benefitted from a Tomas Aviles own goal, while Achraf Hakimi was also on target. After Neves opened the scoring early on Miami resisted until PSG hit three goals in 10 minutes towards the end of the first half. 'We had to play a serious game, the competition is really starting and I think we played well,' PSG winger Ousmane Dembele told reporters on his return from injury. Messi was the main draw, as fans chanted his name and most of the 66,000 crowd were clad in Miami's hot pink interspersed with Argentina shirts. PSG dominated from the start, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia floating into the box and teeing up Bradley Barcola, but Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari thwarted him with an outstretched leg. However shortly afterwards over-run Miami right-back Marcelo Weigandt fouled Desire Doue and it led to PSG's opener. Vitinha whipped a free-kick to the back post where Portuguese midfielder Neves ran in completely unmarked, stooping to nod past Ustari after six minutes. With the Ligue 1 champions pressing high and keeping possession Javier Mascherano's Miami found it hard to get Messi involved. The 38-year-old's intermittent interventions were not enough to hold back the Parisian tide. PSG doubled their lead in the 39th minute when veteran holding midfielder Busquets got his footwork wrong in front of his own box. Spanish compatriot Ruiz rapidly relieved him of the ball and combined with Barcola to set up Neves to tap home his second. Paris Saint-Germain's Portuguese midfielder Joao Pedro Goncalves Neves (centre) celebrates with Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz after scoring their second goal. PHOTO: AFP PSG grabbed their third when Aviles deflected Doue's cross into his own net, and Hakimi netted the fourth before half-time to put PSG out of sight. The Morocco international's first effort was deflected onto the crossbar but he stayed alert at the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium to fire home the rebound. Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi lost his cool with a swipe aimed at Vitinha as the Argentine raged against the midfielder, Miami's impotence and PSG's swagger. Determined Messi Messi produced a brilliant pass for Suarez early in the second half, chipping a ball over the PSG defence, but the Uruguayan could not finish to offer Miami a lifeline. Willian Pacho of Paris Saint-Germain in action against Luis Suarez (right) of Inter Miami. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Despite the impossibility of a comeback – there was to be no 'remontada' like the one Luis Enrique's Barcelona managed in 2017 against PSG from four goals down in which Messi and Suarez scored – the Argentine was determined to bow out with a bang. Messi drew a first save from PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma after the hour mark with a low effort. Luis Enrique sent on Dembele for his first appearance at the tournament after a hamstring injury, but the Frenchman was rusty and imprecise. When Suarez was fouled by Lucas Beraldo on the edge of the box Messi had the chance to repeat his free-kick winner against Porto in the group stage, but his effort hit the wall. It was not to be for Messi or Miami, but their second-half performance was respectable and the defeat was by a lesser margin than the French side's 5-0 Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan. 'I think we were above the expectations people had for us (at the tournament), we were the best team in our group, obviously we were facing the best team in the world playing football right now, so it was difficult,' said Alba. 'Despite that in the first half we competed and above all we did in the second, we had more control of the game, more chances, and created more problems for PSG.' PSG will face Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarter-finals in Atlanta on July 5. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
