42 Friday Sports Friday, July 20, 2018 Gallopin pulls out, adding to Bardet’s Tour de France woes Groenewegen joins Alps’ list of casualties on Tour de France L’ALPE D’HUEZ: The Tour de France hopes of eling Alpine stages of the Tour de France after Frenchman Romain Bardet suffered another set- pulling out on stage 12 yesterday. “A two-time stage back on Friday after AG2R teammate Tony Gallopin winner in the opening week, Groenewegen has just pulled out during the grueling 12th stage to Alpe abandoned,” said a brief statement by race organ- d’Huez. Bardet, who finished runner-up to Chris izers. The Lotto-Jumbo rider, who claimed his Froome in 2016 and in third place last year when maiden stage win last year with a famous victory the Briton took his fourth crown, saw his yellow jer- on the Champs Elysees, was competing in his third sey ambitions dented when teammate Alexis Tour de France. Vuillermoz pulled out due to injury on Sunday and The 25-year-old from Amsterdam began his Axel Domont abandoned last week. A short state- campaign in style, winning stages seven and eight. ment by Tour organizers said: “Tony Gallopin is the But a struggling Groenewegen was forced to call it third AG2R-La Mondiale rider to pull out of the a day before the halfway stage of the torturous Tour de France after Axel Domont (stage 4) and 175.5 km stage between Bourg Saint Maurice and Alexis Vuillermoz (stage 9).” Alpe d’Huez. On Wednesday, British sprint star With teams restricted to eight riders on this Mark Cavendish and his Australian teammate at Di- 105th edition of the race, AG2R are now down to mension Data, Mark Renshaw, as well as Katusha five riders-leaving Bardet with comparatively scant star Marcel Kittel-all sprinters-were eliminated support for the remaining mountain stages in the after failing to make the time cut. Pyrenees next week. At the start of yesterday’s Kittel, a 14-time stage winner, and Renshaw 175.5 km 12th stage from Bourg Saint Maurice to both finished just under 45 minutes behind stage 11 Alpe d’Huez, Bardet sat in eighth overall at 2min winner Geraint Thomas of Team Sky. Cavendish, a 58sec behind overnight leader Geraint Thomas of 30-time stage winner who had been chasing Eddy Team Sky. Sky leader Froome, who is aiming for a Merckx’s record tally of 34 wins, crossed the line fourth consecutive Grand Tour win having won the 1hr 05min 33sec behind compatriot Thomas. Earlier, Tour of Spain in 2017 and the 2018 Giro d’Italia, is yesterday Tony Gallopin, a key helper for podium- second overall at 1:25. chasing teammate Romain Bardet, pulled out to LíALPE DíHUEZ: The pack, with Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas (Front left), wearing the overall leave his AG2R team with just five riders. Last year’s leader’s yellow jersey, ascends the Montvernier bends during the twelfth stage of the 105th Alps’ list of casualties runner-up Rigoberto Uran, of EF-Drapac, also edition of the Tour de France cycling race, between Bourg-Saint-Maurice - Les Arcs and líAlpe Meanwhile, Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen be- abandoned as he continued to suffer from injuries d’Huez yesterday. — AFP came the latest sprint star to fall victim to the gru- suffered in a crash in the opening week.—Agencies when Philippine player Roger Pogoy knocked Philippines, Australia’s Chris Goulding to the ground and tional League West division fight with the Aussie Daniel Kickert retaliated by flattening Dodgers acquire campaign to resume Friday for most clubs Pogoy with a flying elbow. after a break for the 89th MLB All-Star Game. Australia fined; In yesterday’s ruling, Ten Gilas Pilipinas play- The Dodgers, who lost to Houston in last ers were suspended, including a five-game All-Star year’s World Series in a seventh-game win- stretch for Pogoy and two of his teammates over ner-take-all showdown for the crown, lost 15 suspended the violence hashtagged #basketbrawl as shortstop Corey Seager just a month into the footage and condemnation went viral. Switzer- shortstop Manny 2018 campaign to elbow reconstruction sur- over ‘basketbrawl’ land-based FIBA hit the Philippines basketball gery, ending his season after only 26 games. federation SBP with a fine of 250,000 Swiss Machado While Los Angeles has battled to the top Francs ($250,000) and another 10,000 Francs of the division with fill-ins at shortstop, going MANILA: Basketball’s governing body FIBA against head coach Vincent Reyes, who was ac- 17-9 in June and 10-4 to start July, landing a yesterday handed down hefty fines and suspen- cused of urging his players to fight. LOS ANGELES: All-Star shortstop Manny superstar shortstop in Machado would be just sions over an ugly on-court melee in Manila be- “In a way I think FIBA has been quite fair in Machado was traded to the Los Angeles what the Dodgers need. Machado, an Ameri- tween the Philippine and Australian national the process,” SBP head Al Panlilio told journal- Dodgers from the Baltimore Orioles on can of Dominican heritage, was considered teams during a World Cup qualifier. Thirteen ists in Manila. “Honestly, it (the punishment) Wednesday, filling a key need as the reigning the top impact player on a struggling team players and two coaches were suspended for could have been much worse.” The violence in National League champions seek their first that would be available for a move. The 26- unsportsmanlike behavior and a total of Manila, which made international headlines, left Major League Baseball title since 1988. “The year-old is a four-time All-Star who boasts a $360,000 in fines issued, with most of the sanc- the Australian team fearing for their safety, and Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired four- .283 batting average with 977 hits and 162 tions against the Philippine hosts of the July 2 they sought embassy help to fast-track their time All-Star shortstop Manny Machado from home runs with 471 runs batted in over a match. The crew officiating the game, which de- departure from the Philippines. Only three the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Rylan seven-season career, all with the Orioles. He generated into wild punches and flying kicks players from the Boomers side were suspended, Bannon, Yusniel Diaz, Dean Kremer, Zach Pop entered the All-Star break with a .315 batting before stunned spectators, were also suspended with the heaviest sanction of five games out and Breyvic Valera,” the Dodgers said in a average for the season, 24 home runs and a from competition. handed to Kickert. Basketball Australia, the na- statement posted on Twitter - confirming a .963 on-base-plus-slugging percentage - Shocking footage showed chaotic scenes, in- tional federation, got a 100,000 Swiss Franc deal that had been reported to be in the works ranking among the American League’s top six cluding a white-shirted attacker who appeared ($99,800) fine. for days. The Orioles, with the second-worst in each category. to slam a chair onto an Australian player as he Basketball Australia Chief Executive Officer record in the major leagues, received five Machado had said at the All-Star Game was set upon by up to a dozen people. “FIBA Anthony Moore welcomed “FIBA’s finding in its prospects in a deal hammered out two weeks that he looked forward to knowing where he wishes to emphasize that it condemns any form report that no discriminatory or racist language before the trade deadline, one which helps would go after weeks of speculation about his of violence, both on and off the court,” it said in was used by Australian Boomers players, nor did Baltimore to rebuild for the future and the fate with half a dozen clubs involved. The a statement. “Respect, sportsmanship and pro- it incite the incident as has been alleged.” He Dodgers to chase a championship now. Dodgers sent to Baltimore in exchange out- fessionalism are expected from players, told journalists in Melbourne the federation was At 53-43, the Dodgers are only one-half fielder Yusniel Diaz, pitchers Dean Kremer coaches, officials.” What was already a bad- unlikely to appeal the sanctions but would con- game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Zach Pop, second baseman Breyvic Valera tempered game erupted in the third quarter sider it at their meeting today. —AFP and two games atop Colorado in a tense Na- and third baseman Rylan Bannon.—AFP .