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West Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Michael Storer takes out combative award after teammates celebration blunder
Australian star Michael Storer has bagged the much coveted daily combativity prize for being the most aggressive rider after his constant attacks enlivened a thrilling afternoon on the 15th stage of the Tour de France . But the Perth rider's illustrious Tudor Pro teammate Julian Alaphilippe will want to forget the embarrassment of celebrating a stage win in the ancient city of Carcassonne on Sunday which he later discovered was actually only a third-place finish. At the end of the 169km route from Muret, the race had actually already been won by UAE Team Emirates' veteran Tim Wellens, wearing the Belgian champion's jersey, with compatriot Victor Campenaerts (Visma Lease-A-Bike) second in a fitting one-two on the eve of Monday's rest day, which is Belgium's National Day. The pair had both been in the breakaway with the buzzing Storer but the Australian was eventually swallowed up amid the sprint for third, won by Alaphilippe, who celebrated as though he had won the stage. Alas, the former double world champion had been without a working radio due to an early crash, during which he had also dislocated his shoulder, so hadn't realised the two Belgians were ahead. 'I tried to put in the best sprint possible and thought about the stage win. Like an idiot, I raised my hands, but there were a few guys ahead of me,' the 33-year-old later told French television while also revealing he had put his dislocated shoulder back himself. 'I remembered what they did to me in the hospital previously and managed to pop it back in,' Alaphilippe said. 'The day could have gone better -- but I could also have had to go home, so it's okay.' While Raphael Meyer, CEO of the ambitious Swiss-based Tudor team, pointed out they would have been very happy with third if offered that before the stage, he also paid tribute to Storer's 'amazing' ride after the 28-year-old had come home among the pack of sprinters behind Alaphilippe in 22nd place. Further back, there was no change at the top of the general classification, with the main favourites finishing some six minutes after Wellens following a few exhausting days in the high mountains. Tadej Pogacar remains four minutes 13 seconds clear of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease-A-Bike) with Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull?Bora?Hansgrohe) third, just shy of eight minutes off yellow. Ben O'Connor remains the top Australian in the standings in 12th place, 25:44 behind Pogacar. The day's breakaway had formed after the crash had split the peloton. With Vingegaard and Lipowitz delayed, UAE and Pogacar tried to slow the peloton to enable them to catch up - mirroring a similar sporting response by his rivals when he crashed a few days ago. The breakaway was gradually whittled down to four with Storer attempting to go solo at that point only to be reeled back in. With a little over 40km to go, the leading group was eight-strong, at which point Wellens, who had been sitting on the others' wheels, launched his break which quickly became decisive as the rest dithered over how to respond. 'It was a very special victory,' said Wellens, after his maiden Tour win. 'Everybody knows the Tour de France, everybody wants to ride the Tour de France but not many get to win at the Tour de France, so it's very beautiful.'
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Tadej Pogacar wins Tour de France Stage 12, takes yellow jersey
UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar celebrates winning Stage 12 of the Tour de France from Auch to Hautacam on July 17, 2025. – Tadej Pogacar reclaimed the leader's yellow jersey at the Tour de France with an imperious Stage 12 triumph on the Hautacam mountain in the Pyrenees on July 17. Pogacar skipped away on an 11km solo ascent of the fabled climb to finish 2min 10sec ahead of key rival Jonas Vingegaard while overnight leader Ben Healy wilted to a 13min deficit on the day. French president Emmanuel Macron was on hand at the mountaintop finish to congratulate the Slovenian UAE Team Emirates rider. Said Pogacar: 'I knew first time I rode Hautacam, for recon, it's a super nice climb. Then it came in 2022. I was trying with my 'head through the wall to get back the yellow jersey, but Visma were too strong back then. 'I forgot about this, I was just looking forward to today, but then all the people were saying (before this stage): 'It is revenge time, blah blah blah.'' Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel dug deep after being dropped on the first of three climbs to claw back level, before eventually losing 3min 35sec on the day's 180.6km ride from Auch, finishing seventh. In the overall standings, Pogacar now leads the Tour de France by 3min 31sec over Denmark's Vingegaard while Evenepoel is third a daunting 4min 45sec adrift. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Asia Air India probe into Boeing 787 fuel control switches finds no issues Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Worse for any pretenders hoping to stop the defending champion is that Stage 13 on July 18 comes in the shape of an uphill individual time-trial that the Slovenian said this week he was looking forward to. Overnight leader Healy took a beating on his second day defending the yellow jersey as the EF rider slipped off the pace on the first climb, while doggedly trying to limit his losses. He is now eleventh, over 13 minutes behind Pogacar. Meanwhile, Norwegian cyclist Tobias Johannessen said he was 'terrified' by the online abuse he received after admitting fault over Pogacar's crash near the end of Stage 11 on July 16. Pogacar hit the tarmac late in the 156.8km stage around Toulouse after striking the rear wheel of Johannessen. Pogacar said after Stage 12 on July 17: 'You don't know how the body reacts after the crash. It was not too bad. I feel my hip but only when I do acrobatics. But here I am just riding the bike. I sweat a bit more, but maybe it's good.' Johannessen quickly apologised for the incident but expressed his horror at the 'very scary' messages of hatred directed his way. 'I am terribly sorry for what happened to (Pogacar),' Johannessen wrote on X. 'I was trying to follow a move and I can see that I was to close. I thought everyone would move to the right, but I made a mistake and would like to say sorry again. I hope he is as good as he can be after a crash like that. 'I would of course like to do it again and do it differently, but I can't. 'But I would not wish anyone the amount of threats I get in my inbox. I am terribly sorry but also terrified of the hate from all the people. This feels very scary.' Frenchman Bryan Coquard came in for similar treatment after he was involved in the crash that knocked Belgium's Jasper Philipsen out of the race on Stage 3. Philipsen, who won the opening stage in Lille, was forced to withdraw after suffering a broken collarbone and two fractured ribs, but said he did not blame Coquard. AFP
Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Tadej Pogacar pounces to retake Tour de France lead after Stage 7
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar en route to winning Stage 7 of the Tour de France on July 11. – Tadej Pogacar won Stage 7 of the Tour de France on July 11 to retake the overall lead with a trademark swoop up the short, steep slope of the Mur de Bretagne. Visma-Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard was second, right on Pogacar's wheel at the line with Briton Oscar Onley of Team Picnic-PostNL third after a late nine-rider pile-up marred the finale. 'It was perfect but unfortunate that Joao crashed. If he is OK, it is a perfect day, if he is not, then this victory is for him. Right now, I just wish he is OK,' said Pogacar, in reference to teammate Joao Almeida. 'Me and Mathieu (van der Poel) both know this finish very well with nice memories. I guess we both wanted to win on this iconic climb but maybe he left too much on the road yesterday, so we couldn't have this rematch, but for me the day went as planned so it's amazing.' Pogacar, the defending champion from UAE Team Emirates, gained four seconds on Vingegaard with 10 bonus seconds to the Dane's six. In the overall standings, Remco Evenepoel is second overall, 54 seconds off first as he finished sixth on the day, two seconds adrift. French starlet Kevin Vauquelin continues his bright run in third at 1min 11sec, while two-time champion Vingegaard is fourth at 1min 17sec. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore ST will have Govt's 'full confidence and support' in its mission: PM Wong Singapore ST will aim to become an indispensable partner to S'pore's communities: Editor Jaime Ho Singapore Wishes for ST beyond 180: Odes to its enduring role in the Singapore story Singapore Heartbeats & Headlines: ST's 180-year legacy comes to life in immersive exhibition Singapore Trusted news, smarter experience with new Straits Times website and app Singapore Community space Stranger Conversations blossoms as 'library of human stories' and life experiences Singapore Man who killed 5-year-old daughter gets life sentence after he appeals against 35-year jail term Singapore Judge declines to void alleged sham marriage in S'pore, says it is for Parliament to decide Overnight leader van der Poel rounded out the top five at 1min 29sec after wilting on the final climb, the scene of his 2021 win and his first yellow jersey. 'I was quite sure I would lose the jersey today so I tried to enjoy it as much as possible,' said the 30-year-old Dutchman. 'Coming back here to Mur-de-Bretagne is quite special wearing the yellow jersey after four years.' The day's action revolved around two ascents of the Mur de Bretagne, a 2km climb at an average of 6 per cent, that has been written into Tour de France folklore. With the Tour returning to Brittany after a four-year gap, huge festive crowds packed the villages and pretty country lanes as the temperature hit 30 deg C. The 179 remaining riders left Saint Malo on the north-west coast passing the magnificent Sillon beach with its granite seawall and chic seafront buildings. Fewer of them will be at the start line for the mostly flat 171.4km run from Saint-Meen-le-Grand to Laval on July 12, with doubts over Pogacar's key teammate Almeida and the Colombian Santiago Buitrago of Team Bahrain Victorious. AFP, REUTERS
Straits Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Tadej Pogacar wins first Criterium du Dauphine ahead of Tour de France title defence
UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar celebrates as he crosses the finish line on April 27. PHOTO: AFP – Reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar wrapped up the Criterium du Dauphine on June 15 with a podium finish in the eighth and final stage, which was won by France's Lenny Martinez. A winner of three stages in total, the Slovenian dominated the 77th edition of the Dauphine to top the overall classification by 59sec ahead of Dane Jonas Vingegaard – three weeks before the start of the Tour de France. 'It's been a really amazing week,' Pogacar said. 'Once again today, the team (UAE Team Emirates) did a great job. We managed to defend the (yellow) jersey and we can go home happy and prepare for the Tour.' German Florian Lipowitz completed the podium, 2min 38sec behind Pogacar, while Belgium's Remco Evenepoel came fourth at 4:21. The June 15 final stage was a 133.3km mountainous trek from Val-d'Arc to Val-Cenis, with an uphill finish at the Plateau du Mont-Cenis. The 21-year-old Martinez caught Spaniard Enric Mas with 8km to go to give France its first victory in this Dauphine, finishing 34sec ahead of Vingegaard and Pogacar. Vingegaard tried to catch Martinez but was unable to shake off Pogacar. The Dane and the Slovenian then stopped attacking and rolled in together. Pogacar now has 99 victories – a record for an active rider at just 26 years of age. 'There's a lot of positives from this week and we turned all the negatives into positives, so it's all good,' said Pogacar, who bounced back from a poor time-trial performance in stage 4 to lay down the gauntlet to his principal Tour rivals. 'There's not much to do ahead of the Tour. I rest a bit, maybe some extra work for the time trial, and then I'm ready,' the three-time Tour winner added. The 2025 Tour de France runs from July 5 to 27, with Pogacar the firm favourite following his first Dauphine crown. Vingegaard, who won the Tour in 2022 and 2023, admitted as much, saying 'Tadej is the biggest favourite'. When asked if he saw any chinks in his rival's armour, the 28-year-old added: 'Tadej looks very, very strong, so it's hard to see anything. We also focus more on ourselves, to be honest. And even if I did see something, I wouldn't say it here... 'Of course there's more pressure on him, but I think he's also in a place that he can really handle it. So I don't think that will change anything at all. I think the both of us have been able to handle the pressure in the last few years very well.' Elsewhere, French rider Romain Gregoire clinched the opening stage of the eight-day Tour of Switzerland on June 15, thanks to a late solo breakaway. He was ahead of second-placed countryman Kevin Vauquelin by 20sec, with Dutch rider Bart Lemmen in third. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
North Wales Chronicle
31-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Simon Yates conquers Finestre demons to take Giro d'Italia glory
On the mountain where his dreams of Giro victory were shattered by Chris Froome's famous solo breakaway in 2018, Yates turned the tables with a masterclass of his own as his rivals were left to question their own tactics. The 32-year-old Lancastrian rode away from Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz on the brutal gradients and the gravel to turn an 81-second deficit and third place into pink and a three minute, 56-second lead over Del Toro, and can now celebrate his second Grand Tour crown in Rome on Sunday. That it happened on the Finestre made it all the more special for Yates. 'I think when the route of the parcours was released, I always had in the back of my mind to try and do something here and close the chapter, let's say,' he said. 'I'm just still a bit speechless that I was able to do it. 'I felt good, the whole race I did, but I never had the right moment to show what I could do and I found the opportunity today. I was trying to get away from Richard and Isaac because I knew when I could race at my own pace, I'd be really strong – and that's what I managed to do. 'The whole team have been fantastic the entire race, and without Wout (Van Aert) in the valley and the rest of the team the entire day, it wouldn't have been possible. 'Maybe I was looking relaxed this morning, but I had doubts I could do it. The guys encouraged me and believed in me, so thanks to them. A post shared by Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) 'It's unbelievable, I'm trying to find the words now, but words are failing me – sorry.' Australian Chris Harper took the stage 20 win from a breakaway in Sestriere but all eyes were further down the road as Yates blew the race apart with surely his finest day on a bike, shedding tears after the finish line. Carapaz and his EF Education-EasyPost team had been lining up an attack at the foot of the feared Finestre – the 18km climb which averages 9.2 per cent, with the final third ridden on gravel – and duly launched it almost as soon as the road went up. As UAE Team Emirates' Del Toro followed, Yates was initially distanced but was merely biding his time as he soon set off in pursuit, catching the pair and then launching his own attacks, opening up a gap with the fourth and riding clear, still with more than 40km of the 205km stage remaining. Carapaz tried to respond but could not, while the 21-year-old Del Toro, spending an 11th day in the pink jersey, simply stuck the Ecuadorian's wheel, refusing to take a turn until it proved to be too late. Yates crossed the summit of the climb, above the snow line and in the clouds, more than 90 seconds ahead of them, already the virtual leader of the race. That gap only grew on the descent as he hooked up with Visma-Lease a Bike team-mate Wout Van Aert and the pair behind accepted defeat, allowing the gap to balloon on the approach to the final climb into Sestriere. With Sunday's final stage in Rome one for the sprinters, Yates stands ready to celebrate his second Grand Tour victory following his win in the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. He will be the third Briton to win the Giro after Froome in 2018 and Tao Geohegan Hart in 2020.
