- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
- Sabalenka sets up Gauff showdown in Wuhan semis
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Kim Sei-young holds lead with late birdies at LPGA Shanghai
- Toulouse welcome Dupont 'boost' as Olympic star returns to Top 14
- Japanese atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize
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- Bangladesh Islamist chief backs crimes against humanity trial for ex-PM
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- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack
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- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Zelensky meets Pope, Scholz as whirlwind Europe tour ends
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- UK economy rebounds in August in boost to new govt
- Voice of Japan's beloved robot cat 'Doraemon' dies
- Shanghai markets sink ahead of briefing on mixed day for Asia
- Investors, analysts eye bigger China stimulus at Saturday briefing
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack: police
- Blinken condemns China's 'increasingly dangerous' sea moves
- Toyota returns to Formula One as Haas partner
- EU chief says China must 'adapt its behaviour' to solve trade row
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
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- Pogacar hunting 'perfect' season finale with Coppi's Il Lombardia record
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- Kittle at the double as Niners hold off Seahawks
- At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Yankees advance in MLB playoffs as Guardians stay alive
- Asian markets mixed after Wall St drop, Shanghai dips before briefing
- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
- Musk's promised robotaxi unveil delayed
- Kamada says Japan can close in on World Cup place against Australia
- On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument
- Renewables revolt in Sardinia, Italy's coal-fired island
- Argentina held, Brazil leave it late in 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- Obama blasts 'crazy' Trump in first rally for Harris
- 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, a plea in favour of world order?
Van der Poel 'hits peak form' heading into Covid-hit Tour of Flanders
Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel warned his rivals he has hit his peak as he bids for a second win in the 273km Tour of Flanders over the cobbled climbs of the Flemish Ardennes in Belgium on Sunday.
Van der Poel, 27, put his Olympic mountain bike fall and back injury behind him in midweek winning the Round Flanders race.
"I have hit a peak at the right time and I'm going for the win," said the 2020 champion who was beaten to the line in 2021 by Quick Step's Kasper Asgreen.
After a two-year fan ban because of Covid restrictions colossal crowds are expected for what is a major date on the Belgian sports calendar even if Covid has gripped the peloton again with form rider Belgian Wout van Aert the highest profile victim.
"I spent the last two years going to great efforts not to catch Covid," said the exasperated home hope. "But it was lovely to read all my messages from people concerned about me."
The arduous race over narrow cobbled lanes featuring 18 short but steep climbs starts in Antwerp in what is likely to be close to freezing temperatures and will loop through Flanders towards Oudenaarde where even the toughest athletes will be tested.
Belgian one-day specialists Quick-Step are struggling with coronavirus cases and even their main remaining hope Denmark's Asgreen, who insists he's on form, had Covid two weeks ago.
"By the end you can be sure the best riders will be ahead and I think I'm part of that group," said Asgreen who was second in 2019 and won in 2021.
Quick-Step star and world champion Julian Alaphilippe has chosen to miss the Flanders races in favour of the Ardennes classics coming later, depriving proceedings of his swashbuckling approach to racing.
But two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has emerged as the third man to watch here and has won two of the other ultra-long one day races known as Monuments.
Pogacar would become the first Tour de France holder to win the Tour of Flanders since Eddy Merckx in 1975.
The 23-year-old Team UAE leader Pogacar, who is frequently compared to Merckx, said Van Aert's absence din't make the task any easier.
"Either way, with or without him, this race will be tense and tight," said Pogacar.
What seems certain is that the 18 sharp ascents means that the lead group will be easily whittled down leaving only the hardiest of athelets in the final chase.
Atheletes who can draw from a deep well of endurance such as recent Milan-San Remo winner Matej Mohoric, or the 2019 world champion Mads Pedersen who emerged from a Yorkshire Dales deluge as winner, may however spring a surprise.
H.E.Young--AMWN