SPORTS Thursday, February 15, 2018 23 Tour of :

Nathan Haas Elias to face JakubManama a Bonne Ecole based in Montpellier, LFrance will make the milestone of wins stage 2 become the first European Gym to represent a champion who will defend his championship in Jordan. The gym based in trains the current and defending featherweight champion of Brave Combat Federation, Elias Boudegzdame. Elias Boudegzdame will face Jakub Kowalewicz from Poland, who is trained by WCA Fight Team based in Poland. While Elias had captured the championship title after defeating two former UFC fighters in Brave Combat Federation, Jakub is on a three fight undefeated streak and have defeated the veteran, Alex da Silva Coelho in Brave. The bout is set to take place in Amman, Jordan at Brave 10: The Elias Boudegzdame (R) at an open workout representing La Bonne Ecole, France Kingdom Rises. Froome defends his decision to race celebrates (Pic courtesy: Cyclingnews) London as he is not suspended. hris Froome will ride in the “I hope it doesn’t get that Results CGiro d‘Italia this year and far but I‘m still allowed to two: Sultan Qaboos University to Al Bustan, 167.5km try to defend his now and I don’t see why not,” 1. Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin, in 4 hrs 22 min 15 secs title even if an investigation Froome told BBC Sport. 2. (Bel) BMC Racing Team into his adverse doping test is International Cycling 3. (Kaz) Astana ongoing, the Briton said as he Union (UCI) president David 4. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors prepared to launch his season Lappartient said last month that 5. (Eri) Dimension Data on Wednesday. Team Sky should voluntarily 6. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors Four-times Tour champion suspend Froome until the 7. (Esp) Bahrain-Merida Froome is battling to clear his investigation is complete. 8. Jesus Herrada (Esp) name after an increased dosage Froome disagrees, saying 9. (Ita) Trek-Segafredo of asthma medication at last other riders continue to 10. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana, all same time year’s Vuelta a Espana resulted compete under similar General classification in an ‘adverse analytical circumstances. 1. Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin, in 8 hrs 20 min 46 secs finding” from a urine sample. “This is a process that a lot of 2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team, at 4 secs Team Sky rider Froome, other riders have gone through, 3. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana, at 6 secs whose sample showed double I don’t see why I should have 4. Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data, at 10 secs the permissible limit of different treatment to all of 5. (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 10 secs (Cyclingweekly) Salbutamol, has denied any them,” the 32-year-old said. wrongdoing and is free to race (Reuters) (file pic)

Muscat Haas unveil new car for 2018 F1 season athan Haas (Katusha- Bahrain- NAlpecin) won stage 2 of the , letting out Merida’s London minimise the visual impact of the “We’ve focused on what it’s going to a long scream in celebration merican outfit Haas are the first controversial ‘halo’ head-protection take to get our car to be consistent. after making sure he was part leader team to release images of their 2018 device, the biggest technical change this “It’s less about reinvention and more of the series of attacks on the AFormula 1 car. year. about refinement. You see elements we hilly finale of the 167km stage Vincenzo Haas, who finished eighth last season, Boss Gunther Steiner said the car was had from last year on the car this year. to Al Bustan. have published digital images of the an “evolution” of last year’s model. “Our 2017 car was actually pretty The Australian had not Nibali is fifth VF-18, which they hope will enable “We eliminated a lot of the variables good but we didn’t always get the best won a race since the 2016 them to “close the gap to the top teams”. where we knew we were weak,” Steiner out of it, and that’s what we aimed to Vuelta a Burgos but rode at 10 seconds The colour scheme attempts to said. change in 2018.” (BBC) the finale perfectly and then dominated the sprint, giving Katusha-Alpecin its first win Haas is the new leader of of 2018. the Tour of Oman and pulled Haas responded to an on the red leader’s jersey. He aggressive Astana team on leads Van Avermaet by four the final Al Bustan climb seconds, with Lutsenko third before winning the sprint at six seconds. ahead of the Belgian. Alexey Bahrain-Merida’s leader Lutsenko (Astana) finished Vincenzo Nibali is fifth at 10 third. seconds after finishing in the (UAE front group with Haas. Team Emirates) led home “I just wanted to give the peloton, 38 seconds back myself a nice Valentine’s on the select group of 16 present today,” Haas said of riders that emerged in the his loud victory celebrations. rollercoaster finale. (Cyclingnews) Haas’ car for the 2018 season (Pic courtesy: haasf1team)