Athletic Body Type Are Tailor Made for One in the World.” Gulf Times 6 Monday, October 17, 2016 SPORT
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CCRICKETRICKET | Page 3 TENNIS | Page 4 Pandya, Kohli Shanghai knight lead India to Murray gallops To Advertise here six-wicket win towards top Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 over Kiwis ranking Monday, October 17, 2016 MOTOGP Muharram 16, 1438 AH Marquez wins title GULF TIMES as Rossi, Lorenzo crash in Japan SPORT Page 9 UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DOHA 2016 Sagan retains rainbow with sprint masterclass ‘I was the last rider in the lead group... I went from a little while back. Unbelievable... I’ve the biggest group of fans here’ By Yash Mudgal Doha lovakian Peter Sagan delivered a masterful fi nish sprint to fi nd rainbow stripes in Doha desert yesterday. SAt the end of a 257.3km race start- ing from Aspire Zone, which featured a display of extraordinary power and persistence, Sagan emerged from the swirling, straining throng of the world’s best sprinters — the 2011 winner Mark Cavendish and 2005 World Champion Tom Boonen – to retain the title he won last year in Richmond, Virginia. Sagan was clearly delighted to take his second consecutive world title in front of a group of his fans waving the Slovakian fl ag at The Pearl, the fi nish line. “I don’t believe it, I’m still in shock,” said Sagan after the fi nish. Sagan took advantage of the Bel- gians, who tore the race into pieces at a long cross wind stretch in the desert on the way back to Doha. The Slovak was one of the last riders to make it in the fi rst echelon in the decisive battle after about 75km into the race. On the fi nish circuits around the Pearl, only Niki Terpstra and his team- mate Tom Leezer of the Netherlands made late attacks before Belgium once more controlled the race with a sprint set to decide the champion. At the fi nish line, Sagan went from the opposite side of Cavendish, who just got slightly congested behind Michael Matthews as he went left for the line, and picking a clearer line through a small gap left by Giacomo Slovakia’s Peter Sagan (third from left) celebrates as he crosses the finish line ahead of Britain’s Mark Cavendish (right) and Belgium’s Tom Boonen (second from left) to win the UCI Road World Championships 2016 Nizzolo of Italy. men’s road race title at The Pearl yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram Cavendish just got slightly congested behind Matthews as he went left for the line, with Sagan going to his right and getting clear to edge home. You can’t really fault Cavendish’s ride, given the odds he was up against it following the problems his team en- countered early in the race, but Sagan proved his class. “I am very, very happy because in the crosswinds I was the last rider in the lead group. I felt like the fi nal sprint was in a headwind, so I felt like I went from a little while back. It’s unbelievable. “I have the biggest group of fans here and I have to thank all of Slovakia be- cause I feel they give me a lot of energy here.” Sagan now is one of six riders to have won back-to-back world titles after Belgians Georges Ronsse (1928-1929), Rik Van Steenbergen (1956-1957), Rik Slovakia’s Peter Sagan (centre) poses with his gold medal on the podium alongside Van Looy (1960-1961) and Italians Gi- second-placed Mark Cavendish (left) and Belgium’s Tom Boonen. anni Bugno (1991-1992) and Paolo Bet- tini (2006-2007). Cavendish admitted he made a tacti- cal mistake after fi nishing second. He started his sprint to the fi nish line di- rectly behind Sagan, who in turn was behind Boonen and Nizzolo. “I wanted to be on Sagan’s wheel, and ultimately I was and then all of a sudden the road was blocked. I tried to find a way through and with less than 100m to go, I had to stop pedal- Qatar Olympic Committee president HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani and Qatar Cycling Federation president Sheikh ling. I got back on Boonen, but it was Khalid bin Ali al-Thani (left) watch the proceedings of the day yesterday. too late to come back on Sagan,” The Manxman said. the only one since Tom Simpson’s fa- with a podium fi nish. ELITE MEN’S ROAD RACE RESULTS “I’m a little bit disappointed. I feel mous eff ort in a storm-swept San Se- “We took responsibility. We did 1. Peter Sagan (Slovakia) 5:40:43 like I lost gold rather winning silver, but bastian in 1965. what we planned, to make the race 2. Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) that’s how it is. We did all we can. It was Cavendish, Luke Rowe and Adam hard from 75 kilometres to 125, and 3. Tom Boonen (Belgum) my own fault. It wasn’t my legs. I made Blythe were the only British riders who then the lock went on the race for 4. Michael Matthews (Australia) a mistake. It’s not really nice to do that made it into the front group, and their hundred kilometres. The race was too 5. Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy) at a World Championships,” Cavendish ranks were later reduced to two when long, for spectators and everyone. But 6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) said. Rowe punctured and couldn’t catch I was happy with the result in the end. 7. Alexander Kristoff (Norway) Cavendish is already one of only two back up. We actually came one guy short. The 8. William Bonnet (France) British men ever to win the world road The 35-year-old Etixx-QuickStep way the sprint went, I think we did 9. Niki Terpstra (Netherlands) UCI president Brian Cookson (left) and Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx look on race, his 2011 victory in Copenhagen ace Boonen almost rolled back the years maximum,” Boonen said. 10. Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium) during the podium ceremony yesterday. Gulf Times 2 Monday, October 17, 2016 SPORT Sights from fi nal day at the UCI Road World Championships SPOTLIGHT Brazil sports minister visits Aspire Academy Riders begin the men’s road race at the UCI Road World Championships 2016 from Aspire Zone yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram Brazilian Minister of Sport Leonardo Picciani (left) receives a memento from Qatar Olympic Committee secretary general Dr Thani al-Kuwari. By Sports Reporter is one of the best sports academies I Doha have ever seen in the world and Qatar will be served well by the work and initiatives underway at Aspire.” esterday afternoon, the Over the last two years, Brazil has Brazilian Minister of Sport played host to the two biggest sport- Leonardo Picciani visited ing events in the world: the FIFA World Aspire Academy with a del- Cup and the Summer Olympics. With Yegation including Brazil’s ambassa- Qatar set to host the 2022 FIFA World dor Roberto Abdalla, and the Nation- Cup, Picciani shared some of the expe- al secretary in Brazil’s Ministry of riences his country learnt from these Sport, Leandro Cruz Froes da Silva. two mega events, saying: “Our expe- Aspire Academy deputy director rience with 2014 World Cup taught general Ali Salem Afi fa welcomed the us that you galvanise a nation and get delegation and took them on a guided everyone behind a common goal when tour of the Academy. you integrate and involve people in Commenting on the occasion, Pic- the event. From what I have seen go- ciani said: “It is a fantastic experience ing round Aspire Academy, Qatar is to visit Aspire Academy’s superb fa- on track and right path in terms of in- cilities. The philosophy here, which volving the nation and the people in focuses on preparing kids for life and the 2022 FIFA World Cup project. As a equipping them with sports skills result, I am sure Qatar will host an ex- and a good education, is superb. This cellent World Cup in 2022.” FOCUS QFA holds draw for School League 2016-17 By Sports Reporter hard at nurturing the talents of the Doha students who fall under this age group to instil a passion for football. The promotion of positive values of n collaboration with the Ministry football have the greatest impact on of Education and Higher Educa- the students and society as a whole.” tion, and Qatar School Sports With QFA referees offi ciating the Association (QSSA), the Qatar matches, the students are expected to IFootball Association (QFA) organised learn more about the positive values the draw for the 4th School League at that football brings such as fair play, its headquarters yesterday. team eff orts, and good sportsman- Matches this season will be played ship. on the training sites of Al Sadd Sta- The sponsors of this year’s edi- BOTTOMLINE dium, Al Kharaitiyat, Messaimeer, Al tion include the Supreme Commit- Arabi Stadium and Umm Salal. All tee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) who matches will be played at 9am and are the Offi cial Strategic Sponsor of will be offi ciated by QFA referees. the School League, Nike, Al Kass, and Qatar Airways cricket tourney winners honoured The School League highlights QNB. QFA’s objective in promoting football among secondary schools in Qatar, SCHOOL LEAGUE 2016-17 DRAW By Sports Reporter Shahid thanked Qatar Airways and thus playing a major role in the dis- Group A Doha its CEO Akbar al-Baker, and said, “The covery of new talented players for 1. Ahmed Bin Mohamed High School QCA is proud with the way the game is Qatari football.