Unknown Brit Joe Blackmore keeping pace with Tour de France leaders
Take a look at the general classification after three stages. Blackmore, a 22-year-old in his first Tour, sits in seventh place, 41 seconds behind race leader Mathieu van der Poel. From Sidcup in southeast London, Blackmore learnt to ride on the track at Herne Hill and became a reasonably accomplished mountain biker and gravel racer. He also did a bit of road racing. A decent rider for sure but not seen by anyone, except perhaps himself, as a future star.
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BBC News
39 minutes ago
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Palace European fate at stake as Lyon hearing starts
Crystal Palace will move a step closer towards discovering whether they can play in next season's Europa League with Lyon's appeal against their relegation from Ligue 1 set to start on French club's hearing, which will be crucial towards Uefa's decision as to whether Palace can compete in the Europa League, has been brought forward after initially being due to take place at the end of this week, multiple sources have told BBC Sport. French football authorities have demoted Lyon into Ligue 2 due to their poor financial the club have appealed against the decision, with French football's watchdog now set to rule over whether to uphold the relegation or hand Lyon a Lyon maintain their Ligue 1 status, the French side would likely keep their place in the Europa League, potentially at Palace's their relegation is upheld, Lyon have agreed with Uefa to be excluded from the competition - clearing the way for Palace to play in the uncertainty over Palace's European spot next season stems from a perceived breach of Uefa's multi-club ownership Football Holdings - owned by American businessman John Textor - is at the centre of the case. The company currently owns stakes in Palace and Lyon, with Uefa rules stating that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European argue that Textor does not hold any decisive influence, but Uefa are yet to rule over whether they accept the Premier League side's football's governing body delayed its ruling on the case until the French authorities has made a decision on Lyon's league status.
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Sarina Wiegman: England are not thinking about consequences of Netherlands clash
The Lionesses' 2-1 opening loss to France has left their title defence hanging by a thread and it does not get any easier with the 2017 champions up next in Zurich. England will become the first holders to crash out at the group stage if they lose and France avoid defeat to Wales. 'We don't talk about consequences,' Wiegman said. 'We talk about our game plan again, about what we have to do to be at our best and how we can exploit spaces that the Netherlands leave behind.' Full squad out on the pitch today ahead of the Netherlands 👊 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 8, 2025 Saturday's defeat was also a first for Wiegman in the group stage of a major tournament, having led the Netherlands to the trophy in a flawless campaign, then doing the same with England four years later. This is a different kind of jeopardy but not one that has changed Wiegman's perspective. She said: 'It's a game. It's a football game and the outcome, of course, has consequences, but that was the same in the final in the Euros and the final in the World Cup. 'So we bring it back to 'what do we have to do?' And the focus is what actions do we have to take to play our best. That's the conversation we have with the players. That's what we train and how we can stick together? 'In good moments that's easier. When it's harder moments, how do we come together and get back to what we have to do.' Arsenal striker Alessia Russo, who had a would-be opening goal chalked off against France, agreed England can rely on their good track record of responding to unfavourable results. She said: 'Ultimately we don't like losing but when a result like that happens you have to reflect, you have to come together as a team. 'We have bounced back before, which will give us confidence. But also we know we weren't up to it against France. Looking ahead 👊 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 7, 2025 'Obviously they were a great team as well but we know within our standards that we want to be better. 'So I think that sets the bar for us in training and tomorrow night. We're our own biggest critics as players, so we're all ready to get back out and have another game.' In the weeks leading up to this tournament, Wiegman and the Lionesses have branded themselves a 'new England', but on Monday midfielder Georgia Stanway said the side were determined to play a 'traditional style' of football. However traditional and new ultimately intersect on Wednesday night, the match cannot come soon enough for Russo and her team-mates. She added: 'When you have a disappointing result in football, all you want to do is get back out on the pitch and play again. 'Luckily with tournaments it comes around a bit quicker than normal. Four days is plenty for us to want to be back out on that pitch. I think everyone is ready and looking forward to tomorrow.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Dutch star Vivianne Miedema sends warning to girlfriend Beth Mead as long-term partners prepare to face each other in England's crunch Euros clash with the Netherlands
The Sarina Wiegman derby takes centre stage this evening and the stakes are sky high. The Dutch coach is in unfamiliar territory after defeat to France on Saturday cost her the first group-stage defeat in her major tournament career and the Lionesses' first in 10 years, with England now on the precipice of a shock exit after back-to-back finals under Wiegman – Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup. The permutations are complicated but ultimately anything less than a win takes it out of England's hands. A defeat would be disastrous, and this could statistically end up becoming the worst title defence in women's Euros history. It's difficult to overstate the fallout if England fail to beat the Netherlands. The Lionesses have been front and centre of this tournament. Turn on any television in Switzerland and England's stars are advertising mobile phones or soft drinks while Alessia Russo peers down from Zurich billboards alongside Spain's mega-star Aitana Bonmati. And Wiegman was on expert damage control yesterday. Transitioning seamlessly between her native Dutch and English, the 55-year-old coach from The Hague reminded the world that France are a world-class team and England are in the toughest of groups. 'It's a football game, and the outcome, of course, has consequences, but that was the same at the Euros final and the World Cup final,' she said. 'So then we bring it back to what do we have to do? And the focus is on what actions do we have to take to play our best, and that's the conversations that we have with the players. That's what we train.' Wiegman, who won this tournament as head coach of tonight's opponents in 2017, has plenty of insider knowledge of the threat that the Dutch can bring, with many of the current squad integral to that triumph eight years ago. None more so than Vivianne Miedema, the all-time WSL record goal scorer and girlfriend of Lioness star Beth Mead. Mead has clarified that the two have not been trading insider knowledge ahead of their match - 'We keep in contact but when it gets closer to our games, we don't talk about football whatsoever,' the Arsenal winger has previously said – but is well aware of the threat her long-term partner poses to her dreams of retaining the Euros title. Miedema has struggled for consistency since moving to Manchester City this season but was back to her best against Wales in the opening group stage game with a stunning effort from 18 yards out – her 100th goal in her 126 appearances for her national team. Not one of them has come from the penalty spot. The Dutch forward came out firing, insisting that the pair will 'not be friends tomorrow,' adding: 'I will do everything I can to win tomorrow. If I have to do something that is not good for Beth, then I will do it.' The 28-year-old is not only the only player on this Dutch side who can cause the Lionesses problems, with there being other hugely influential WSL stars within their ranks. Amongst them are Arsenal's Champions League winning goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who was rushed back from injury for the final such is her importance to that team, as well as Gunners midfielder Victoria Pelova and City's departing No 10 Jill Roord. But Wiegman and England striker Alessia Russo towed the party line that their preparations for the upcoming game have been focused purely on themselves – and not on their familiar opponents. 'We're aware that they have lots of talented players but we've more been looking at ourselves and how we can best prepare,' Arsenal's Golden Boot winner said. England have been able to bounce back from situations like this before, such has been their inconsistent form coming into this tournament. Disappointing performances against sub-par sides have been met by dazzling displays against the likes of Spain and United States. 'It's a big part of what we are as a team,' Russo added. 'We have players that can create something out of nothing. 'I think making sure that everyone's in a good headspace going into that game tomorrow is important, and that's what we've been doing as a team. Ultimately, we have a game plan, but we've got individuals who can create a bit of magic as well.' Here there is no margin for error, and tonight we can really see what this 'new England' is all about.
