SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2016 SPORTS Fifita double gets ’Canes out of trouble WELLINGTON: A double strike by Vaea The Blues set the early pace and by the Waikato Chiefs. After an early exchange of penalties As both sides tightened their Fifita kept the Wellington Hurricanes in early in the second half they were up 27- For the Blues, however, their season is by Barrett and Piers Frances, Japanese defences there was no scoring for the touch with the Super Rugby top table 17 before the Hurricanes bounced back all but over with captain James Parsons international Male Sa’u set the game remaining 17 minutes of the half but when they beat the Auckland Blues 37- with Fifita’s tries and a faultless kicking blaming a rash of penalties for allowing alight when he broke through the after a Francis penalty extended the 27 in Wellington yesterday. display by Beauden Barrett who finished Barrett to spark the Hurricanes revival. Hurricanes defensive wall to put Kara Blues lead to 27-17 early in the second Fifita scored the only tries in the sec- with 17 points. “A little ill-discipline probably cost us in Pryor in for the opening try. spell the Hurricanes began to claw their ond half as the Hurricanes produced a “We were guilty in that first half of the end and they got up on top of us Reggie Goodes levelled for the way back into the contest. 20-point burst to come from behind to just playing attack and no defence and and then obviously some moments of Hurricanes only for the Blues to immedi- Two Barrett penalties narrowed the snatch a crucial win. in that second half we turned our magic by Vaea Fifita put us on the back ately regain the lead with the first of gap to 24-23 before TJ Perenara put Fifita Canes captain and All Blacks hooker defence around and got some intent,” foot,” Parsons said. Jerome Kaino’s two tries. over for his first try to put the Hurricanes Dane Coles, returning to Super Rugby Coles said. The Hurricanes remain third The game opened up during a rollick- Coles replied for the ‘Canes only for in front. The big lock sealed the outcome after the June internationals against in the New Zealand conference but ing 13 minutes in the first half which Kaino to again break the deadlock when with his second try running on to a long Wales, described the Titanic battle as move to within one point of the produced five tries, three to the Blues he burst from a ruck to gallop 40 metres pass from Willis Halaholo with nine min- “like another Test match”. Canterbury Crusaders and two behind and two to the Hurricanes. to the line. utes remaining. —AFP Sprinters to shine at start of ‘climber’s Tour’ LE MONT-SAINT-MICHEL: Reigning cham- take no chances in reeling them before set- pion Chris Froome says this year’s Tour de ting up a fast, furious and perhaps manic France is made for the specialist climbers, bunch finish. but it begins on Saturday with a flat stage Two years ago, Cavendish crashed in just favouring sprinters. such a mass sprint, breaking his collarbone Saturday’s ‘Grand Depart’ takes place at and being forced out of the Tour. the picturesque tourist resort of Mont It will take a week for the first true test of Saint-Michel, before finishing 188km later the overall contenders to arrive on the sev- at Utah Beach, made famous as one of the enth stage from l’Isle-Jourdain to Lac de main sites of the Normandy Landings dur- Payolle. ing World War II. From there on there will be four summit One of the big favourites for the open- finishes, seven hors category climbs and 14 ing stage is German sprint king Marcel first category ones. “The route this year is Kittel, back at the Tour after a one-year very much a climber-based route in terms injury and illness induced hiatus. of even the two time-trials we have: one is Having won the opening stage in 2013 straight uphill and the other one has two and 2014, Kittel is gunning for a hat-trick, long climbs on it,” reflected Froome. but he knows it will be tough. “Even though we have time-trials, “The last kilometres will be nervous and they’re time-trials where a climber will do fast: downhill, straight forward and with no well.” He added: “It’s very much a climber’s corners. You need a good position, but also Tour de France this year.” to be lucky,” he said. Many people believe the overall battle The other main favourite is his country- will turn out to be a two-way struggle man Andre Greipel, who won four stages between Froome and Colombian Nairo last year in Kittel’s absence. Quintana, who finished second to the Neither Englishman Mark Cavendish, Briton in both 2013 and last year. who is third on the all-time list of Tour But Quintana is wary of other threats. stage wins with 26, nor world champion “I have to keep focused not only on the Peter Sagan of Slovakia can be discounted. big favourites like Froome and (Alberto) OMAHA: Ryan Lochte, left, and Michael Phelps, right, hold up their flowers during the men’s 200-meter backstroke medal ceremonyat the US A breakaway group will likely animate Contador but also dangerous riders such as Olympic swimming trials, Friday, in Omaha, Neb. Phelps won the gold medal ahead of Lochte, who came in second. — AP the first stage, but the sprinters’ teams will (Thibaut) Pinot and (Fabio) Aru, who’ve never let them far off the leash and will already proved to be tough rivals.” —AFP Phelps, Lochte add chapter Evergreen Contador to rivalry, Clary closes book keen to race on OMAHA: Michael Phelps outdueled Ryan COUTANCES: Alberto Contador believes the opening uphill time-trial. He then fell Lochte to win the 200 metres individual medley the stage is set for him to finally add to his away and finished fifth. “It was a difficult at the US Olympic trials on Friday while Katie two Tour de France victories. The most suc- race where I lacked speed, but since then Ledecky suffered her first setback on the road to cessful rider of his generation, Contador I’ve had almost three weeks to recover,” said the Rio Games. has won seven Grand Tours-and been ‘El Pistolero’ (the pistol). But what cannot While Phelps and Lochte’s breathtaking stripped of two more after failing a doping be questioned is Contador’s desire and showdown added another thrilling chapter to test-but his last official success in the Tour motivation. He may be more decorated their great rivalry, Tyler Clary closed the book on was in 2009. than any of his rivals, but he hasn’t finished his career after a third place in 200 backstroke Since then he’s been forced to watch on yet, despite previous talk that he is close to ended his hopes of defending the gold medal he as British Sky riders have dominated with retirement. The Tinkoff rider keeps putting won at the 2012 London Games. Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome winning that back. “I’ve decided, no. I’m going to “I don’t see any reason to continue,” said three of the last four editions. continue,” he said when asked about calling Clary. “I’m looking forward to turning the page Contador won the Tour in 2010 but was it a day. He may be leaving Tinkoff at the and starting a new chapter.” Ledecky, 19, had stripped of it for doping. He missed the end of the year but he plans on continuing dominated the women’s freestyle events but fin- 2012 race due to his ban, crashed out on to compete “probably for two more years”. ished seventh in the 100, which was won by the 10th stage in 2014 and paid for his Giro Abbey Weitzeil in 53.28 seconds. d’Italia efforts in both 2011 and last year. ‘BETTER, FRESHER’ Having already collected wins in the 200 and Yet even in 2013, when not hampered by This year’s Tour route suits him while the 400, Ledecky’s transformation from distance any such external circumstances, he failed decision to skip the Giro, which he’s won diva to speed queen hit a bump, denting her to impress and faded to fourth. twice, has proved wise. “I feel better, fresher hopes of landing a spot on one of the US relay Yet in the meantime, he has won the (than last year), more confident.” Contador teams. The top six finishers are all placed in the Vuelta a Espana twice (2012 and 2014), will continue to attack and ride in his all or US relay pool. beating Froome in both, and triumphed at nothing style. Including those where his “Got seventh, that’s what happened,” the Giro d’Italia last year. results have been annulled, Contador has shrugged Ledecky. “Kelsi (Worrell) was eighth finished first at the end of nine of his 14 and we’re both already on the team so if they OMAHA: (L-R) Abbey Weitzeil of the United States celebrates with Simone Manuel of the United ‘GOOD TOUR’ Grand Tours. want us in the relay, they can put us in if some- States after finishing first in the final heat for the Women’s 100 Meter Freestyle during Day Six Even at 33, he remains one of the best But he has never come second or even body get sick, we’ll be there.” of the 2016 U.S.