Phelps, Lochte India keen set to to keep compete Cook down in Georgia WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 201417 18 Dutch Queen ‘divided’ by Netherlands v Argentina clash Page 19 LILLE:Froome Germany’s Marcel Kittel (center) crosses the finish linesuffers ahead of Slovakia’s Peter Sagan wearing the best sprinter’sscare green jersey at the end of the 163.5as km fourth stageKittel of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cyclingrules race. — AFP LILLE: Defending champion Chris Froome suf- merely a precaution. reserved for the prestigious Paris-Roubaix one- Maybe there will be difficult conditions but we’ll hard, there was a constant high speed. It wasn’t fered a scare in an early crash as Marcel Kittel con- “He fell, it’s clear to see, but his injuries are day Classic, has been on riders’ minds for days. be ready.” On the flat sprint stages Kittel has no easy to stay together as a team,” said Kittel. tinued his domination of the Tour de France yes- quite superficial,” said Braislford. “He felt well at Nibali said: “First of all you just have to try to peers. His victory in yesterday’s fourth stage was “We had our plan but it didn’t really work so terday. the end but we’ll still take him for an X-ray to get through the day. I’m hoping for good weather his third already on this Tour. Although Giant we had to improvise a bit. “We just made it in Froome injured his wrist and will be taken for ensure he’s not got anything. I hope he’s fine.” and no rain. “We’ve already ridden the course, failed to control the run-in to the finish as they time and I sat in Mark Renshaw’s wheel. “It wasn’t an X-ray later Tuesday after hitting the deck just a One of Froome’s main rivals for overall victory, (team-mate) Jakob Fuglsang will help me. These had done so expertly for his victories in England easy to make my sprint because Kristoff had a few kilometres into the 163.5km stage four from Vincenzo Nibali, the current race leader, said he cobbles are new for me but I’m confident I’ll deal on Saturday and Monday, he still proved too gap. But I was asking myself if it was smart (of Le Touquet to Lille. had spoken to the 29-year-old Kenyan-born well with them, I’m a good bike handler so I’ll be strong for the rest. him) to start that early.” With three wins already His Sky team were initially worried but after a Briton but didn’t know how bad his injuries were. OK.” Kittel is not expecting to challenge for Norwegian Alexander Kristoff had led the on this Tour and 17 stages to come, Kittel is well trip back to the Tour medical car, Froome contin- “We knew almost straightaway about his fall. Wednesday’s stage but he believes his Giant- sprint until the final 50 metres but thumped his placed to beat his four victories from 12 months ued with a splint on his left wrist and strapping When he got back to the group I went up to him Shimano teammate John Degenkolb, who fin- handlebars in frustration as Kittel pipped him to ago. “Before the race I said my goal was to win on his right hand and left thigh. and asked how he was; he wasn’t in great spirits,” ished second at Paris-Roubaix back in April, has a the line. Young French sprint star Arnaud Demare one stage,” said Kittel. He was also sporting grazes to his elbow and said the Italian. “It’s not great for tomorrow, I don’t good chance. finally managed to get his kick for the line work- “I said last year it was unique to win four his shorts had been shredded. But Sky team man- know if it will effect his day, you’d have to ask him “There’s no question that with second from ing as he came third, with green jersey wearer stages and wear the yellow jersey. Yet again it’s a ager Dave Brailsford said he was fine to continue to understand the seriousness of the fall today.” Paris-Roubaix this year in John we’ve got one of Peter Sagan fourth. Even out-of-sorts German little similar this year. “It’s very unique and not for Wednesday’s cobbled stage from Ypres in Today’s 155.5km stage that takes in nine cob- the favorites in our team,” he said. sprinter Andre Greipel managed to finish sixth in something you can expect every time. I’m very Belgium to Arenberg, and that the X-ray was bled sections totalling 15.4km that are usually “I’m personally looking forward to that race. an incredibly close finish. “Today was really, really happy it’s working so well.”— AFP History hangs heavy as Dutch, Argentina clash SAO PAULO: Fuelled by decades of hurt, Lionel 1978 and 2010. “The semi-finals are fantastic, but we Messi’s Argentina and Arjen Robben’s Holland will know what it feels like to lose a World Cup, and we carry competing motivations into today’s tantalising would love to win,” Dutch utility man Dirk Kuyt told World Cup semi-final showdown at Sao Paulo’s FIFA.com. “Argentina are a world-class team and Corinthians Arena. they deserve to be in the last four. But we want to Argentina, who last reached the final in 1990, will measure ourselves against the best, and not only be determined to pay appropriate homage to for- measure, but win. That’s why we’re here.” The second mer great Alfredo Di Stefano, who died on Monday of Holland’s final losses came at the hands of aged 88, while arch rivals Brazil could by then be Argentina, who won 3-1 as hosts at a Monumental awaiting in the final. The Netherlands, meanwhile, Stadium in Buenos Aires broiling with the menace of are eager to rediscover their group-stage swagger the country’s military dictatorship. It is, however, the and prove they are finally ready to claim football’s only time in eight encounters that they have bet- greatest prize after agonising final defeats in 1974, tered Holland, who memorably won a 1998 World SAO PAULO: Netherlands’ Arjen Robben attends an official training session before their World Cup semifinals soccer match againstrgentina. A — AP Cup quarter-final in Marseille thanks to a majestic crush Spain 5-1 in their opening game begins to Belgium 1-0 in the quarter-finals, is without influen- last-minute goal by Dennis Bergkamp. Di Stefano ebb, it is their coach who has taken centre-stage. tial midfielder Angel Di Maria due to injury, but left- never graced a World Cup, either for Argentina or his Louis van Gaal was heralded for a decisive tacti- back Marcos Rojo is available again after suspension. adopted Spain, but on Wednesday another cal switch against Mexico and then pulled off a mas- Gonzalo Higuain’s goal against Belgium showed that Argentine great embraced by the Spanish can tight- terstroke against Costa Rica by sending on reserve Argentina are not entirely dependent on Messi, but en his grip on this year’s tournament. Messi met goalkeeper Tim Krul, who saved two penalties in the midfielder Javier Mascherano has warned his side with quarter-final heartbreak at his first two World shootout. The future Manchester United manager that they face an evening of knife-edge tension on Cups, but in Brazil the Barcelona superstar has has played with a three-man defence in three of Wednesday. played with a decisiveness that suggests he may be Holland’s five games to date and his innovations “We know that we are going to play against a about to definitively make his mark on the game’s mean that his team-sheet will be awaited with great team that is at its best when playing on the counter- biggest stage. Dutch dangerman Robben is in simi- anticipation. One name unlikely to feature, however, attack, because of the pace they have in attack,” said larly scintillating form, but for all the stars on show, is centre-back Ron Vlaar, who is a serious doubt due the Barcelona player. “We need to make sure we the game in Brazil’s sprawling financial capital will to a knee injury. Joel Veltman is in line to come into don’t lose the ball unnecessarily. Concentration will BELO HORIZONTE: A Brazilian fan cheers for her team before the semi-final football match yester- also be a painstakingly prepared tactical battle. central defence alongside Bruno Martins Indi and be key, along with the way we set our stall out in the day between Brazil and Germany at The Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte during the 2014 FIFA Holland needed penalties to see off Costa Rica in Stefan de Vrij, unless Van Gaal opts for a back four. match, and we will need to be patient when it World Cup. — AFP the last eight and as the panache that saw them Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, whose side beat comes to making decisions.” — AFP.