22 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 SPORTS Kwiatkowski takes overall victory Tyrrhenian, Italy and the race lead on stage Silva double leads ichal Kwiatkowski four. Nevertheless, the victory (Team Sky) took the stayed within the Sky team. overallM victory in the 2018 Adam Yates (Mitchelton- Tirreno-Adriatico after the Scott) put in a solid time trial Italian race’s final time trial ride to move up from sixth stage yesterday. to fifth place overall, with City past Stoke It is the Pole’s second recent Strade Bianche winner Stoke-on-Trent overall stage race victory of Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) avid Silva struck twice the year, after he also claimed leaping up the standings from as Manchester City the Volta ao Algarve in eighth to fourth. tookD another stride towards February. Rohan Dennis (BMC) their seemingly inevitable Kwiatkowski concluded won the 10km final time trial coronation as Premier League the race 24 seconds ahead of stage around San Benedetto champions with a 2-0 victory second-placed rider overall Del Tronto with a time of 11 at Stoke. Damiano Caruso (BMC), minutes and 14 seconds. The Silva found the net early in with Welshman Geraint Australian was four second each half as Pep Guardiola’s Thomas (Team Sky) securing clear of second-placed Jos men enjoyed a comfortable a podium position in third. van Emden (LottoNL-Jumbo) night at the bet365 Stadium to Thomas will be left and eight seconds ahead of re-establish a 16-point lead at wondering what could have Spanish time trial champion the top of the table. been, after a badly-timed Jonathan Castroviejo (Team The result leaves City mechanical saw him lose time Sky). (Cyclingweekly) needing only a maximum of three wins from eight remaining games to take the Results title, but two would suffice if Stage seven: San Benedetto Del Tronto, 10km ITT one of them comes against 1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing, in 11 hrs 14 min second-placed Manchester 2. Jos van Emden (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 4 secs United. 3. Jonathan Castroviejo (Esp) Team Sky, at 8 secs That means there is a 4. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 8 secs possibility City could complete 5. Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky, at 12 secs the job in the derby against 6. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 13 secs rivals United on April 7, if they 7. Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott, at 13 secs beat Everton in their next game 8. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 17 secs on March 31. 9. Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 18 secs City were without top scorer Manchester City’s David Silva scores their second goal (Pic courtesy: Reuters) 10. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky, at 18 secs Sergio Aguero but his absence the right. Sterling picked out after getting an awkward area. Leroy Sane volleyed wide Final general classification mattered little as they barely Silva in front of goal and the touch under pressure from a De Bruyne cross. 1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, at 25 hrs 32 min 56 secs needed to get out of second Spaniard flicked home. from Jese following a long Stoke managed to reach the 2. Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing, at 24 secs gear against the relegation- Stoke went for long spells clearance from Jack Butland, break without further damage 3. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky, at 32 secs threatened Potters. without touching the ball but Ederson scrambled back but City doubled their lead 4. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 1-06 Stoke did begin aggressively but they created a chance to palm over. within five minutes of the 5. Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott, at 1-10 in the hope of suffocating City out of nothing as Xherdan Aside from that, Stoke were restart. but the visitors soon stretched Shaqiri nutmegged Oleksandr chasing the ball. City went close Silva drove City forward, them by playing a few longer Zinchenko. The Swiss pulled to a second when Kevin De found Jesus on the edge of passes. the ball back for Badou Ndiaye Bruyne whipped in a dangerous the box and then watched the Within 10 minutes City but his shot was deflected wide free kick but Jesus failed to Brazilian’s bouncing return Kwiatkowski had broken through after by Fernandinho. make contact. Fernandinho pass superbly to fire home as celebrates on Gabriel Jesus released the fit- Kyle Walker then almost also forced a good save from Butland rushed out to meet the podium again Raheem Sterling down managed to lob his own keeper Butland from the edge of the him. (PA Sport) Buveur D’Air claims Champion Hurdle Cheltenham fight much harder than last Mick Jazz surprisingly close expected to collect and he has uveur D’Air won his second year on rain-softened ground, in third. The 2015 champion, done,” Henderson said. He will Champion Hurdle as the officially described as heavy. Faugheen, was beaten by the consider running Buveur D’Air firstB day of the Cheltenham Only in the last 25 yards home turn, where he engaged again in the Aintree Hurdle at Festival turned into a fine did the 4-6 shot poke his nose in a shoulder-to-shoulder next month’s Grand National one for favourite-backers. But decisively ahead of his Irish tussle with the eventual winner. meeting, provided there is Nicky Henderson’s star had to rival Melon, with the outsider “That is a big relief, as you are sufficient give underfoot. Willie Mullins said Faugheen “lacks the spark for two miles” and would now be stepped up in distance at the Punchestown Festival, though the trainer will also consider a rematch with Buveur D’Air in the longer race at Aintree. Mullins and his ever-popular jockey, Ruby Walsh, were on the scoresheet in two other races, bagging the Arkle with the well-supported Footpad and the Mares Hurdle with Benie Des Dieux. That race was a setback for those who made Apple’s Jade odds-on but punters fared better in the first of the week’s handicaps, won by Barry Geraghty gets up late on board Buveur D’Air to win the Champion Hurdle Coo Star Sivola under a jubilant Lizzie Kelly. (theguardian).