17 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 sports

Geniez wins 12th stage Froome, Thomas to miss championship Herrada takes Tour of Spain lead AFP | Madrid

rance’s Alexandre Geniez edged a tight final sprint Fto win stage 12 of the Tour of Spain yesterday as Britain’s Simon Yates surrendered the It’s a relief. The leader’s red jersey to Spaniard pleasure of winning Jesus Herrada. is days like these A dramatic last 10 kilometres when we just ride a reached its climax when Geniez, of the AG2R team, held off a late bike after training push for the line from Team hard and making Sky´s Dylan van Baarle, with sacrifices all year Mark Padun of Bahrain-Merida long coming in third. ALEXANDRE GENIEZ Mitchelton’s Yates, who had worn the red jersey since stage nine, drops to second in the gen- eral classification after Herra- said. “In the end to take the lead and Chris Froome da (Cofidis) formed part of an is a dream, I couldn’t challenge 18-strong breakaway group dur- for the stage because I was ex- AFP | London will finish their seasons here. ing the climb of Alto de Cadeira. hausted but it is reward for the It’s good to finish, on not nec- Together with Movistar pair work we have been doing for a hris Froome and Geraint essarily a form-wise high, but Alejandro Valverde and Nairo long time. CThomas will miss this on a morale and psychological Quintana -- who are also fight- “I don’t think about the po- month’s road world champi- boost for next year,” he was ing for overall honours -- Yates dium now but I’ll take it day onships in Austria after a gru- quoted as saying by Cycling allowed the gap to exceed 11 by day and at least we have elling season in which they Weekly magazine. minutes and when they finally achieved this.” both won events, “I think G originally thought made their move, it was too late. It was Geniez’s third stage Team Sky have confirmed. about it (riding the worlds). I At the end of a twisting route win at the ‘Vuelta’, after previ- Alexandre Geniez Thomas was a surprise win- would have wanted him there between Mondonedo and ous triumphs in 2013 and 2016. ner of the in in the but ob- Manon, Herrada leads Yates by “It’s a relief,” Geniez said. July while defending champi- viously he is burnt out after a three minutes and 22 seconds, “The pleasure of winning is days “We attacked a lot towards The race will continue on Fri- on Froome, who was third in massive season and the stress with Valverde one second fur- like these when we just ride the end of the stage. There was day with the 13th stage, stretch- that race, won the Giro d’Italia they put themselves under ther back in third. a bike after training hard and nothing in it on the line. It was ing 174.8km between the town in May. with training and diet.” “It is hard to believe,” Herrada making sacrifices all year long. a very special sprint.” of Candas and La Camperona. Both are competing in “I think the British and Aus- this week’s Tour of Britain sie mentality is a little bit dif- but they are well down the ferent to others, where they overall standings. Team Sky look after themselves all year sport director Brett Lancaster but we tend to let ourselves go Bairstow to keep wicket in India test finale confirmed the British riders a bit when we can,” the Aus- would not be competing at the tralian added. AFP | London tinuing in his favoured position event in Austria, which starts “So when you are switched of number four. on September 22. on, you’re switched on but onny Bairstow will keep “Froome and G (Thomas) when you’re off, you’re off.” Jwicket for England in the ‘Quality keepers’ fifth and final Test against India But England have retained the at The Oval, the England and same 11 players for what will Wales Cricket Board announced be national record run-scorer Thursday. Alastair Cook’s final Test before Young drivers pose a triple Bairstow broke a finger keep- the 33-year-old former captain ing during India’s 203-run win retires from international crick- headache for Mercedes F1 boss in the third Test at Trent Bridge, et. Reuters | London enough available. with England limited-overs “Jonny’s been the Test keep- Ocon, a 21-year-old rising gloveman Jos Buttler taking er for a long time now and has ormula One world cham- star at Force India, Britain’s over behind the stumps in Not- done a fantastic job,” Root said Fpions Mercedes may have Formula Two championship tingham. at The Oval on Thursday. to rethink their junior pro - leader George Russell and Ger- Buttler was England’s keeper “It’s not a reflection on the gramme if young drivers like many’s Pascal Wehrlein are all again, with Bairstow deployed way Jos went about things in Frenchman Esteban Ocon drivers Mercedes want to see as a specialist batsman, in a se- the last game at all. are unable to find a race seat, in Formula One but who have ries-clinching 60-run win in the “But long-term, you look at according to team boss Toto nothing guaranteed. fourth Test at Southampton. scheduling of all internation- Wolff. “As it stands (we have) three However, England, who are Jonny Bairstow al cricket across the formats, The sport’s annual game of really talented kids with the 3-1 up in this five-match cam- and sharing that workload driver musical chairs is in full lack of opportunity. And this paign, have returned the gloves wicket after recovering from a ond innings at Southampton, could be really key in terms swing but Mercedes have a has come to a point now where to Bairstow for the Oval Test, broken middle finger,” said an all-rounder Moeen Ali is due of keeping everyone fresh problem, with three of their we need to decide what we which starts on Friday. ECB statement. to bat at number three, with and ready at the top of their highly-rated proteges still want to do in the future,” Wolff “Jonny Bairstow will keep As happened in the sec - England captain Joe Root con- game.” looking for a place and not said.

Mudabar CC defeated Raju CC in the final of Eid Lulu Ground Tournament to become this year’s champions. 16 teams had participated in the Tournament.

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