MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 SPORTS Kristoff makes history, grabs Tour of

BELGIUM: became the while yet another vehicle from the same first ever Norwegian to win the prestigious company caused a car crash that resulted in yesterday as he beat Frenchman , twice previ- Dutchman in a sprint finish. ously second in the this race, knocked off Belgian took third his bike. The next obstacle around 60km ahead of of Slovakia in fourth. from home was an inflatable arch over the But it was a breakaway led by last year’s road that had started to deflate and col- Paris-Roubaix winner Terpstra 30km from lapse-a loan spectator seemed to be help- home that made the difference with only ing hold it up as the riders passed under- 2014 Milan-San Remo winner Kristoff able neath with barley an inch of clear air to to follow, winning his second ‘Monument’ spare. The fight really started to kick into race. “I raced here a lot as a young rider, I gear with the passage of the tough watched this race a long time before I got Koppenberg climb-with one section boast- the chance to participate,” said Kristoff, 27. ing a 22 percent gradient — 45km from the “The dream was just to participate, not to finish, with Thomas showing his strength at win it. Now I have also won it’s a great feel- that moment as he briefly opened a gap on ing. I can’t describe it. some of his main rivals. “It was my main goal for this part of the Van Avermaet was next to have a dig on season and to achieve it is a great feeling.” It the following climb before Jurgen Relandts was that break on the climb, the accelerated on a flat section as splits formed third last of 19 on a brutal day that covered amongst the leaders, gradually reducing 264km, that made the decisive split. Terpstra the group of possible winners. knew that Kristoff was the better sprinter by One of the big losers was Sep Vanmarcke far, although both had shown great form in who faced a forlorn chase to regain contact the last month with the Norwegian finishing on the Kruisberg climb while Olympic time- second to in the defence of trial champion had long his Milan-San Remo title before winning been in difficulty and languishing near the Three Days of De Panne last week, having back. triumphed in three of the four stages. The Kruisberg was where Terpstra Terpstra had also been in good form having attacked and took Kristoff with him, quickly finished second at Gent-Wevelgem a week opening up a gap of 30sec with 20km left. ago but although he forced Kristoff into Thomas attacked on the final of three leading for much of the last 10km and lead- ascensions of the Kwaremont-the penulti- ing out the sprint, when he finally made his mate climb-and only Zdenek Stybar initially attack, there was no contest. Pre-race could hold his wheel. They couldn’t make it favorite was unable to stick, though, and it was Van Avermaet fol- shine, hamstrung by close marking and lowed by Sagan who got a gap on the rolled over the line outside the top 10. If the chasers on the final climb, the . NEW YORK: In a photo provided by the New York Racing Association, Frosted (left) with Joel Rosario, captures the $1 million Wood Memorial horse race first 220km were tepid, bordering on dull, But although they never gave up their at Aqueduct. — AP from a racing point of view, it was still pretty chase, the front two had the strength to hot on the road for certain riders. prevent them from bridging, leaving Frosted win Wood Memorial New Zealand’s Jesse Sergent was Kristoff to demonstrate his power in the knocked down by a Shimano service car sprint finish. — AFP NEW YORK: It’s been 12 years since a horse who ranks fourth with 113. El Kabeir is seventh with leading up to the Wood was a big concern for ran in the Wood Memorial went on to win the 95 points after earning 20 for third, while McLaughlin. He ran second in the Remsen and Kentucky Derby. The last time a Wood winner did Tencendur grabbed 40 for second and is 15th the Holy Bull and fourth in the Fountain of Youth. it was 15 years ago. with 41 points. Daredevil (20) and Tiz Shea D (20) “We know he has a ton of ability,” McLaughlin That could change in four weeks. Frosted won still have outside chances. The Derby field has a said. “And the last race really made us scratch our the $1 million Wood at Aqueduct Racetrack on maximum of 20 starters. heads, asking why? We did everything we could Saturday, and tops a possible five-horse In two other major prep races Saturday, to change everything. It all worked out, and it’s entourage heading from New York to Louisville Dortmund remained undefeated with a 4 1 /4- just a special win.” Among the changes were opt- on May 2. Frosted took the lead from 21-1 long length romp in the Santa Anita Derby, and Carpe ing to bring the colt to New York rather than run shot Tencendur in midstretch and won New Diem won the Blue Grass at Keeneland by three in last week’s Florida Derby and calling on York’s major prep for the Derby by two lengths lengths. Frosted, ridden by Joel Rosario, won in Rosario to replace Irad Ortiz Jr. Frosted now two on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. 1:50.31. The gray colt owned by Godolphin wins in seven starts - both at Aqueduct. Both 3-year-olds are on their way to the Racing returned $6.40, $4.50 and $3. Tencendur Twelve years ago, Funny Cide ran second in Derby, as well as third-place finisher El Kabeir, paid $15.40 and $5.60. El Kabeir was third and the Wood and went on to win the Derby and the based on Derby qualifying points. Fourth- and paid $2.70. “I’m from Louisville and I’d love to run Preakness; 15 years ago Fusaichi Pegasus won fifth-place finishers Daredevil and Tiz Shea D are in the Derby,” Tencendur’s trainer George Weaver the Wood and then the Derby. In other races at on the bubble. Winning trainer Kiaran said. “As long as the horse is in good shape, I’d be the Big A, favorite Condo Commando ($3.30) McLaughlin says Frosted will have no trouble inclined to go.” The seven-horse field broke well pulled away in the stretch and won the $300,000 with the 1 1/4-mile Derby distance after his per- on a sunny but breezy day at the Big A, with Gazelle for 3-year-old fillies by 2 1/2 lengths over formance in the 1 1/8-mile Wood. Toasting Master and Daredevil setting the pace. Puca, March ($21.20) held off the charge of Lord “No problem after the way he rolled up and Tencendur ran just off the leaders most of the Nelson for a half-length victory in the $300,000 passed them all,” McLaughlin said. “I don’t think way before taking over turning for home. An BayShore for 3-year-olds, and Dads Caps ($13.40) another eighth-of-a-mile will be any problem.” upset loomed by the New York-bred until a was a repeat winner in the $400,000 Carter for 4- BELGIUM: Norvegian Alexander Kristoff of Team Katusha celebrates after winning Frosted earned 100 Derby qualifying points determined Frosted made his run from sixth to year-olds and up, beating Green Gratto by 1 1/2 the 99th Tour of Flanders’ one day 264.2 kms cycling race. — AFP with his first win in more than five months and victory. A three-race losing streak by Frosted lengths. — AP England end Sevens series title drought in wet Tokyo

TOKYO: England picked up their first title on 2013. “I am unbelievably proud of this team. It’s South Africa still lead the way after collect- the Sevens World Series this season after beat- a huge effort and we are so grateful to deliver ing 19 for the runners-up spot to move onto ing championship leaders South Africa 21-14 in this title,” skipper Mitchell said after victory at a 129, four clear of Fiji with only two rounds left the final of the Tokyo tournament yesterday. wet Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground. in the series in Glasgow and London next Phil Burgess, Charlie Hayter and Tom The 22 points moved them onto 100 and month. The Fijians, winners of the last two tour- Mitchell scored the tries in the final for the ahead of Australia into the fourth and final naments in Las Vegas and Hong Kong, picked English, who bounced back from a thumping Olympic qualifying position availablefrom the up 17 points in Tokyo after edging Canada 21- group stage defeat to Fiji on Saturday to win a series. Further spots are available for next year’s 19 to finish third. first title since the Wellington Sevens in Feb. Rio de Janeiro Games via regional qualifiers. The Fijian’s hat-trick bid was ended by the South Africans in a nervy, error-strewn semi- final that the Blitzbokke took 7-5. New Zealand, winners of 12 of the 15 Sevens World Series titles and reigning World Cup sevens champi- ons, endured a disappointing week in the Japanese capital, suffering a first ever loss to Canada in the quarter-finals. The 19-15 defeat sent them into the second tier Plate tournament, which they won after MIAMI: The Andretti Formula E driven by Jean-Eric Vergne/Scott Speed takes a turn during beating France in the last four and then practice for the Formula E Miami ePrix auto race. The race features a field of 10 teams of two Scotland in the final after Dylan Collier’s try in drivers racing electric powered open-wheel Formula cars. — AP the last play of the game. The 13 points keep- ing them third on 120. Trans-Tasman rivals Australia dropped to fifth after a weekend to Getting a Frostbuster win forget in Tokyo. After losing to Portugal and Scotland in group play on Saturday, they then suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the United takes more than speed States in the lung-busting final of the third tier Bowl event. Perry Baker scoring the match end- MARSHALLTOWN: Within today’s auto racing land- did everything I wanted to do in the feature.” ing try in extra time as the ever-improving scape, any time 207 cars and drivers converge on a Shute beat Ankeny’s Adam Larson to the line by Americans prevailed 17-12. Portugal won the racetrack, it’s a boon for fans, the track and the racers about a half straightaway. Larson, who finished 13th Shield after edging Argentina 12-7 but last- alike. But when among those 207 are a former on Night 1 in Oskaloosa and did not race in Vinton, placed Japan closed the gap on the Iberians to NASCAR driver, national champions, multi-time track echoed much of what Shute said about wading eight points in the battle to avoid relegation champions and winners of hundreds of races, it gets through such a vast field of cars. TOKYO: England’s team members celebrate with the trophy after winning Tokyo Sevens after picking up 10 for making a first Cup quar- downright brutal to navigate. Such was the case What he added, though, was something that gets rugby tournament. — AP ter-final. — Reuters Friday night for Night 3 of the IMCA Frostbuster at handed down to young racers all the time: laps. Marshalltown Speedway. Having time at a particular track gives an advantage There were 71 IMCA Modifieds on hand, racing for ahead of those who have limited or no time in a car a spot in the 24-car A-main and the $1,000 check to wherever an event is held. Bosch sees Saracens past Racing the winner. And for the third night in a row, Des That showed through clearly Friday, as the top Moines’ Todd Shute was in contention. He finished three were all central Iowa drivers who have spent PARIS: Argentina centre Marcelo Bosch kicked Racing’s Welsh centre Jamie Roberts was and Hodgson then missed two kickable penal- third at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa on years tuning their setup for Marshalltown. a last-gasp penalty to hand Saracens a dra- left heartbroken. “It’s heartbreaking,” he told ties as the kickers struggled with a downfield Night 1 and was beat by a bumper in a three-wide fin- “Running here weekly helps so much,” Larson said. matic 12-11 victory over Racing-Metro in BT Sports. “To lose a match of that magnitude wind at the Yves-du-Manoir stadium. ish at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Night 2. “Every single time I’ve been here, the fast line in 3 and Sunday’s European Champions Cup quarter- like that is devastating. “I thought we had Racing’s hard-hitting midfield defence He broke through in Marshalltown with the dominant 4 has been the same. Even if it’s slick, and the top line final and set up a semi-final showdown with them when Max (Machenaud) put the penalty and set-piece superiority threatened to over- car. Getting a win among that stout competition moves farther and farther up, there’s still moisture Clermont. over (in the 71st minute).” whelm Saracens, but the London club were wasn’t as simple as tuning the car along the way. To there and still fast. Knowing how to race this track is Clermont, who put Northampton to the Charlie Hodgson opened the scoring for aided by the Parisians’ lack of discipline and get a win against those drivers requires a series of key. And yeah, having a good draw helps. No one’s sword 37-5 on Saturday, will host the last-four last season’s beaten finalists Saracens with a a number of turnovers. Saracens then had steps. “First of all, you’ve got to be prepared; races are going to come off the back of a heat here, there’s too won in the shop,” Shute said. “Second of all, we’ve ben- many good cars.” To that end, and even with the clash in St Etienne’s 39,000-capacity Geoffroy sixth-minute penalty, with very little differ- their first real try-scoring chance, winger efited from good draws the last three nights. Draw is supreme desire to win, the racers know what they’ve Guichard stadium on the weekend of April 18- ence between two sides well drilled in Chris Ashton threading through a cross-field big, but you’ve got to put yourself in a position to win done if they’re in tech inspection after the race - they 19. Clermont-losing finalists in 2013 — will be defence in the opening exchanges. Home grubber that Chris Wyles just failed to latch these things, too.” Shute started on pole in Vinton and know exactly who they’ve beaten, even if they didn’t seeking revenge after being on the wrong end worries were eased when Saracens’ Scotland onto with the whitewash beckoning. again at Marshalltown, and before the A-main on take home the big check. Being in the conversation of of a 46-6 hammering by Saracens in last year’s international Jim Hamilton, deputising for Hodgson nailed a second penalty on the Friday night, there was a bit of frustration setting in racers to beat brings with it pride and confidence semi-final. The second semi-final will feature injured captain Alistair Hargreaves in the sec- stroke of half-time after Antonie Claassen’s over the course of the first two nights of the that’s invaluable going forward. three-time champions Leinster, who beat Bath ond row, was yellow-carded for cynically fail- indiscretion at a ruck to leave it 6-5 to the Frostbuster, because - as racers often say - sometimes “It’s what you hope for. You want to be among the 18-15, against either defending champions ing to release the ball close to the line. visitors at the interval. just finishing well isn’t enough. A team wants to have elite,” Shute said. “I’m not saying we (always) are, but Toulon or Wasps, playing later. Racing’s Irish fly-half Jonathan Sexton, who Alex Goode took over the kicking duties their car in a position to handle well and have the tonight we were. That’s the ultimate goal when you Bosch revealed that Saracens kicking coach had never lost an European knockout match from Hodgson and made no mistake with his speed it takes to beat a field like the one at come to these things is to run up front. My goal is to adopted a rather different approach to how having guided Leinster to the title three times, first effort. Machenaud then kicked two Marshalltown. Shute and his team finally found it. make all these shows, then the goal is to run top three the Argentinian should address his kicks. kicked for the corner. From the resulting line- penalties to put Racing into a one-point lead, “The frustrating part was I didn’t feel like the car and the last goal is to win. We just kept at it, kept dig- “He tells me to think I am on the beach,” he out the powerful Racing pack rolled into mid- but a careless ruck infringement would prove was right the first two nights,” Shute said. “We had a ging and kept trying stuff, and we finally found it.” told BT Sport. “I think it worked. I knew I had field, scrum-half Maxime Machenaud peeling costly, Bosch stepping up and booting a 43- great finish, but we didn’t have the car where it need- In other competition, Boyden’s Randy Brands won the wind in my face and I would not force the off to crash over for a try from short range. metre penalty with aplomb to put Saracens ed to be. “We got the car freed up finally in the feature. in IMCA Stock Cars, Lake City’s Doug Smith won IMCA kick and just kept as relaxed as possible.” Sexton’s conversion came back off the post into the last four. — AFP We found some stuff component-wise we needed to SportMod and Minburn’s Austin Luellen won IMCA change and that was the difference, really. The thing Hobby Stock. —AP