FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021 12 Bahraini cyclist Madan makes historic debut Talented young rider competes for Team Bahrain Victorious for first time in opening stage of Tour de Hongrie, won by teammate Phil Bauhaus

Madan makes Team Bahrain• Victorious debut in 2021 UCI Europe Tour event KNOW WHAT • Bauhaus takes 173km first stage with Team Bahrain Victo- impressive final sprint rious was founded by His Majesty the King’s TDT | Manama Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs ahraini cyclist Ahmed representative and Madan made his Supreme Council for Bmuch-anticipated debut Youth and Sports with Team Bahrain Victorious chairman His Highness on Wednesday in the Tour de Shaikh Nasser bin Hongrie’s opening stage, which was won by teammate Phil Bau- Ahmed Madan competes in the opening stage of the Tour de Hongrie Phil Bauhaus celebrates as he crosses the first leg’s finish line in first place Hamad Al Khalifa haus. The event in Hungary is a was founded by His Majesty the and I was moving well with the The peloton always managed the race, and everyone expected the five-leg road race that started King’s Humanitarian Work and team. I pulled back when the gap with several teams looking bunch sprint,” he said. “We were in the town of Siofok and ends Youth Affairs representative and pace picked up for the sprint, for the bunch sprint. really good together, and we ex- in Budapest. Over the five days, Supreme Council for Youth and It was a perfect first but the guys did a perfect job and With around seven km to go, ecuted our goals well. the riders will take on a total of Sports chairman His Highness day of racing with the took the win.” the race was all back together. “In the last corner, with 1.2km 792 kilometres, ascending over Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al team. All the guys Bauhaus sprinted to a fine vic- The teams were then fighting to go, I needed to be in front, 7,954 metres. Khalifa. were really welcoming tory in the 173km stage, which for position in the lead out to and I made my way up to the It is a part of the 2021 UCI Eu- Madan commented after the and helpful with my featured a relatively flat terrain the sprint. Bauhaus was able front, and I could fight for the rope Tour, and Team Bahrain opening stage: “It was a per - first race. The team with only one category three to launch his charge and take good wheels. I felt really good, Victorious are one of eight UCI fect first day of racing with the all stayed together, climb. the victory. With the win, Bau- and I still had a lot of pow - WorldTeams taking part. team. All the guys were really An early breakaway formed haus goes into the leader and the er for the sprint to go for the Madan was pleased to be welcoming and helpful with my and I was moving well from about 20km into the race points jersey. win.” making his first competitive ap- first race. with the team and eventually a gap of around Bauhaus was delighted with The Tour de Hongrie contin- pearance with the team, which “The team all stayed together, AHMED MADAN three minutes ensued on a climb. the win. “It was a controlled ues until Sunday.

Bahrain team step up training for Arab Cup Maeder wins rain-lashed stage six of Giro d’Italia AFP | Milan with us losing Mikel Landa,” Bahrainis have been said Maeder, whose teammate, • wiss rider Gino Maeder won and one of the race favourites, gearing up intensively Sa rain-lashed sixth stage of crashed out of the race and fac- under Brazilian head the Giro d’Italia yesterday as es surgery. coach Lino Gomes at the Hungarian Attila Valter took Basque rider Landa, 31, who Shaikh Khalifa Sports the overall race lead. finished third in the 2015 Giro, Maeder of the Bahrain Victo- broke his collarbone in a fall on City arena in Isa Town rious team climbed to victory in Wednesday. Ascoli Piceno, 12 seconds ahead “We decided to ride in his TDT | Manama of Colombian Egan Bernal of honour today. I managed to do Ineos after the 160km run from this only because Matej Mo - ahrain’s national futsal Grotte di Frasassi. horic was so strong,” added Bteam have stepped up their Ireland’s Daniel Martin of Is- Gino Maeder crosses the finish line Maeder. local training camp in prepa- rael Start-Up Nation and Rem- time as Bernal, the 2019 Tour de “In the finale I was scared to ration for the fifth Arab Futsal co Evenepoel of Deceuninck France winner. be caught like in Paris-Nice but Cup 2021, which is scheduled were just behind with the same “Yesterday was such a sad day it’s a beautiful win in the end.” to kick off in next week. Bahrain national futsal team players in action during training The competition is sched- hosts Egypt, Kuwait and Mau- Egyptian counterparts and uled to be held from May 20 ritania for the opening stage. Mauritania take on Kuwait. to 30, and the Bahrainis have Group B consists of Morocco, The top two teams from each Top seed Barty to meet Gauff in quarters been gearing up intensively un- the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Co- group at the end of this opening AFP | Rome der Brazilian head coach Lino moros. phase move on to the last four, Gomes. The Bahrainis kick off their which are scheduled for May orld number one Ash- The final squad list for the campaign on opening night 27. The final will then be held Wleigh Barty eased into It will be great to see tournament has yet to be deter- against their Kuwaiti counter- on May 29. the quarter-finals of the Italian where my level is. I mined, the Bahrain Football As- parts. Egypt and Mauritania The Arab Futsal Cup was Open yesterday with a straight mean, she’s the No. 1 sociation confirmed last night, face off in the group’s other last held in 2008, also in Egypt, sets win over Russian Veronika player in the world. I but should be confirmed in the game that night. when Libya were crowned Kudermetova. have no pressure on coming days. All four teams are back on the back-to-back champions, after The top-seeded Australian The team’s training is be - playing court on May 22, when having also won in 2007. won through 6-3, 6-3 to set up me. I’m just going to ing held at the Shaikh Khalifa Bahrain play Mauritania and Egypt won the tournament’s a clash with US teenager Coco go out there and see Sports City arena in Isa Town. Egypt go against Kuwait. first two editions, held in 1998 Gauff who earlier ousted Ma- what I can do and try Bahrain have been drawn The final Group A games are and 2005. They also were the drid winner . my best in Group A for the cup. The then scheduled for May 24, runners-up the two previous Barty, 25, lost to Sabalenka in nationals are in Group A with when the Bahrainis play their times. last weekend’s Madrid final and Ashleigh Barty hits a return is warming-up for the French try my best.” reach her second semi-final this Open which she won in 2019. Six of the WTA’s top ten play- year after Adelaide as she builds Belarus’ Sabalenka, the world ers have already exited the Foro to the French Open. Champions League final moved from Istanbul to Porto number four and seventh seed, Italico including second-seed “Obviously I want to keep go- fell 7-5, 6-3 to the 17-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan, four- ing and keep going further. I’m AFP | Porto tors to attend as travel between place Turkey on the red list Gauff, ranked 35, who reached time Rome winner Serena Wil- not going to be satisfied until the UK and Turkey is suspend- for travel was taken in good her fourth quarter-final of the liams, Sofia Kenin and Petra I reach my goal,” added Gauff EFA announced yesterday ed because of the coronavirus faith and in the best interests of year. Kvitova. who won her first WTA singles Uthat the Champions League pandemic. protecting its citizens from the “It will be great to see where Defending champion Simo- title at the 2019 . final between Manchester City Earlier, European football’s spread of the virus but it also my level is,” said Gauff of play- na Halep, the third seed, was “Especially during that time and Chelsea had been moved governing body announced up presented us with a major chal- ing Barty. forced out with a calf injury in people were saying, It’s a fluke, from Istanbul to Porto. to 6,000 supporters from each lenge in staging a final featuring “I mean, she’s the No. 1 player her second round match. it will never happen again. The match on May 29 has club will be able to attend. two English teams,” UEFA presi- in the world. I have no pressure “Hopefully I can continue “I think I’ve proved all those been switched to the Estadio do “We accept that the decision dent Aleksander Ceferin said in on me. I’m just going to go out that momentum into Paris,” people wrong. I’m going to con- Dragao to allow English specta- of the British Government to a statement. there and see what I can do and continued Gauff of her bid to tinue to prove them wrong.”

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