- British racing attendances falling behind, says Qatar Racing's manager
- Rain forces cancellation of opening practice for Australian MotoGP
- Dupont 'beyond surprise' for Toulouse's Kinghorn
- Drought forces Big Tech to rethink thirsty LatAm data centers
- Countries under pressure to fork out for nature at UN conference
- Biden, allies in Berlin to renew Gaza truce call after Hamas leader killed
- Guardians rally to fry Yankees in 10 innings in MLB playoff thriller
- World Bank president focused on job creation ahead of annual meetings
- World Bank chief says lender's climate goals likely safe under Trump
- Japan's core inflation rate slows in September
- Israel PM says killing of Hamas chief 'beginning of the end' of Gaza war
- King Charles set to arrive in Australia for landmark tour
- Nadal defeated by 'animal' Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia as career nears end
- US Supreme Court denies stay of execution to Texas man in 'shaken baby' case
- US charges Indian agent over alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist
- Musk stumps for Trump in key US swing state
- TikTok, Facebook approve ads with US election disinformation, study says
- Purdy and 49ers face Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch
- Kenya deputy president ousted in historic impeachment
- Israel military says Sinwar killed in firefight while tracked by drone
- One Direction members 'devastated' by Liam Payne's death
- Norris shrugs off Red Bull 'trick' of the trade at US Grand Prix
- Global stocks climb as ECB cuts rates and tech rebounds
- Chelsea, Lyon ease to wins in Women's Champions League
- China expected to post slowing growth as economic woes drag
- Yamasaki brings keirin world title home as Japan takes two track golds
- Netflix adds millions of subscribers but growth slows
- 'Deeply misguided' to wall US off with tariffs: Yellen
- Biden farewell visit to Berlin focused on Ukraine, Mideast wars
- EU leaders urge new laws to speed up migrant returns
- Sinwar killing a blow to Hamas but impact on war uncertain
- Mitzi Gaynor, star of 'South Pacific,' dies aged 93
- Trump says Zelensky 'should never have let' Ukraine war start
- Harris woos undecided voters as Trump riles critics over Ukraine
- Hayes turns focus to US women's World Cup goal
- Zelensky seeks EU, NATO backing for 'victory plan'
- Bosch stuns Australia as South Africa reach Women's T20 World Cup final
- What we know about One Direction star Liam Payne's death
- Nicotine pouches rise in popularity as US youth tobacco use hits 25-year-low
- Mendis clinches Sri Lanka series win over West Indies
- Israel says killed Hamas chief Sinwar in Gaza
- Panel urges Secret Service shake-up after Trump assassination bid
- Trump, Harris back on friendly ground after tough interrogations
- Pressure on Ten Hag is 'too much': Brentford boss Frank
- Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar: Israel's most wanted man
- ECB bans transgender women from women's professional cricket
- Monaco aiming to last in Ligue 1 title fight with PSG
- Kenya deputy president impeachment trial in chaos after he falls ill
- English coaches 'capable' of managing national team, says Southampton boss
- Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies retires from international rugby
CMSD | -0.52% | 25.02 | $ | |
SCS | 0.53% | 13.21 | $ | |
NGG | -1.41% | 67.19 | $ | |
BCC | -3.38% | 142.2 | $ | |
RBGPF | 1.67% | 60.5 | $ | |
GSK | -0.64% | 38.96 | $ | |
BTI | -1.22% | 35.37 | $ | |
RIO | -1.32% | 65.09 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.52% | 24.79 | $ | |
AZN | -0.37% | 78.02 | $ | |
RYCEF | 0.68% | 7.35 | $ | |
BCE | 0.03% | 33.49 | $ | |
JRI | -0.15% | 13.15 | $ | |
RELX | 0.91% | 48.59 | $ | |
BP | 1.25% | 31.32 | $ | |
VOD | -1.23% | 9.73 | $ |
Tour de France: Three things to watch out for in week two
A pulsating first week at the Tour de France reignited the infernal struggle for the title between old foes Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar with a fresh-faced Remco Evenepoel muddying the waters.
Landmarks were set by Mark Cavendish and Biniam Girmay and new terrain was visited with the Florence Grand Depart and the white gravel roads through the champagne vineyards.
AFP Sport takes a look at what may be in store for week two:
- The Pyrenees and Pogacar -
Race leader Tadej Pogacar "can't wait to get to the real mountains". So he for one cannot complain about Sunday's stage 15 slog, with a summit finish after a 15km climb at eight percent gradient to the magnificent panorama at Plateau de Beille. Marco Pantani won there in his double-winning year of 1998, which would be poetic given the Slovenian showman is openly targeting a Giro-Tour double and would be the first to do so since the late Italian.
- Cavendish echelon -
The greatest of Mark Cavendish's 35 stage wins may have been his crossing of a brutal echelon in a crosswind in mid-stage in 2013. Behind him champion Chris Froome tried and failed to cross and join an escape, leaving the burly sprinter with a dozen contenders for the top 10 to dash the remaining 40km to the finish line. There Cavendish went uncontested for the sprint win. The Tour returns to the same terrain Tuesday when stage 10 finishes in Saint-Amand-Montrond. Stage 13 should be a sprint finish too where the 39-year-old Cavendish can win a 36th stage or Girmay can claim a third one.
- Olympic prelude -
Defending Olympic champion Richard Carapaz, Tom Pidcock or Ireland's Ben Healy would do well to take a look at stage 11 in the awful-looking grind in the massif Central on Wednesday. Nowhere nearly as long as the Paris route, it will attract the same clients due to its constantly arduous rolling nature. It has all the attributes of a classic, which means Remco Evenepoel and Pogacar may also conspire in their bid to bury Jonas Vingegaard's hopes before the Alps.
Denmark's Mads Pedersen is one man who will not be there after he pulled out of he Tour on Friday to concentrate on the Olympics after a bruising fall.
Another notable absentee is Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, who declined the Tour altogether to make the cut for the French team in Paris.
L.Mason--AMWN