Guardiola Lusts for Football's Ultimate Dream Team
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TENNIS | Page 6 FOOTBALL | Page 4 Djokovic Record To Advertise here Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 vows to keep unbeaten run fi ghting to beckons for stay ahead leaders PSG Tuesday, February 2, 2016 CRICKET Rabia II 23, 1437 AH South Africa seek GULF TIMES redemption in One-day series SPORT Page 10 CYCLING FOOTBALL Dutch star Wild Guardiola to succeed back in Qatar, has Pellegrini at Worlds in mind Man City ‘It is good to see the course…you can feel a bit what kind of conditions would be here when we have the worlds here in October. We will also know where we have to improve’ By Yash Mudgal as the other girls I race against,” said Doha Hosking, who missed much of the end of last season with a hand injury. Hosking is looking forward to her re- irsten Wild is back in Doha turn to the top level of the peloton. “It’s after a gap of one year to sig- been a long time since I raced with the nal her World Champion- ‘big girls’ so I’m nervous to get back in Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola (L) reacts next to Manchester City man- ships ambitions. the international peloton,” the Aus- ager Manuel Pellegrini during their Champions League Group E soccer match KThe Dutch star Wild has spent the tralian said. in Manchester on November 25, 2014. winter taking part in track competi- “It’s always hard to know if what you tions, but is happy to be back in Doha have done over the winter – or sum- AFP “Out of respect for Manuel Pel- for her fi fth Ladies Tour of title. mer for me – is enough to stay with the London legrini and the players, the club “It is always nice to be in Doha. I re- top girls. Adding the whole comeback wishes to make its decision public to ally like the racing here. It is my type of from injury just makes things doubly remove the unnecessary burden of race...the winds and the course suits uncertain. utgoing Bayern Munich speculation. me,” Wild told the Gulf Times. Stage two is a 120km dash from the coach Pep Guardiola will “Manuel, who is fully supportive The tour begins today with a preview Sheikh Faisal Museum to the Al Khor take over from Manuel of the decision to make this com- of the World Championships course in Corniche. The third stage heads out Pellegrini at Manchester munication, is entirely focused on Doha, with a tricky 97km route that from the Al Zubarah fort to Madinat OCity on a three-year deal from the achieving his targets for the season could shatter the peloton thanks to the Al Shamal, with the fi nal stage a short end of the season, admitting it was ahead and retains the respect and ever-present crosswinds. but intense 73km stage that starts from a “risk” but also an opportunity he commitment of all involved with the “It is good to see the course…you can Aspire Zone and concludes with 12 laps could not turn down. leadership of the club.” feel a bit what kind of conditions would of a six-km circuit on the Doha Cor- “If I were 55 or 60 years old, I’d Guardiola announced in Decem- be here when we have the worlds here niche. stay (at Bayern) until Karl-Heinz ber that he would leave current club in October. We will also know where we THE TEAMS Rummenigge or Matthias Sammer Bayern Munich in May after three have to improve.” Alé Cipollini said ‘enough’,” Guardiola said. years at the helm, with an intention Talking about her absence last year, Kirsten Wild receiving her Aromitalia-Vaiano The Spaniard said he thought to coach in England next season. the Team Hitec Products rider said, winner’s trophy from Sheikh Australia himself “young enough. I need a new The 45-year-old Guardiola “Last year, the tour was quite close to the Khalid bin Ali al-Thani in 2014. Boels-Dolmans challenge”. notched up the treble of Champi- world summer track and I was focusing Canyon-SRAM He added that he couldn’t fi nish his ons League, German Cup and Bun- on it so there was not enough time.” China Chongming-Liv career “without experiencing England”. desliga titles in 2013, but in the last With last year’s winner and the world Cylance Pro Cycling “I love getting to know new res- two seasons, Bayern have exited the champion Lizzie Armitstead opting France taurants, new cities. I want to sam- Champions League at the semi-fi nal to miss the Tour of Qatar, the Dutch- Hitec Products ple the atmosphere, the emotions. I stage. woman, who won in 2009, 2010, 2013 Liv-Plantur know it’s a risk, but it’s exactly what The ex-Spain international previ- and 2014, will be seeking a her fi fth title. Lares-Waowdeals I love.” Manchester City, bankrolled ously coached Barcelona from 2008- “I have won four times but it doesn’t Orica-AIS by the Abu Dhabi United Group 12, leading the Catalan giants to do- mean that I’d win here again. I feel a bit “We have a nice bunch of strong rid- all in the last three editions, said. Rabobank-Liv headed by Sheikh Mansour bin Za- mestic and Champions League glory of pressure as there are a lot of strong ers we did not race much together this “I love the winds, the echelons, the UnitedHealthcare yed al-Nahyan, earlier released a in a remarkable run of success. riders in the tour,” the 33-year-old, year, but we have confi dence to put up battles to make the front. And the La- Wiggle-Honda statement saying they could “con- The much-travelled Pellegrini, 62, who has nine stages to her name, said. a good show. Our team is a mix of expe- dies Tour of Qatar is one of the only THE STAGES fi rm that in recent weeks it has com- signed for City in 2013, becoming the “I don’t know much about my form. rience and young,” the sprint start said. races on the calendar that off ers that, FIRST: 97.5km from Katara Cultural menced and fi nalised contractual fi rst Chilean to coach in the Premier I did not race on the road this season so Wild would up against perennial po- day after day, for four days. Village to Qatar University. negotiations with Pep Guardiola to League as he took over from Roberto far. I get a lot of energy by seeing the dium fi nisher in Qatar Chloe Hosking, “This year’s edition is a big goal for SECOND: 120km from the Sheikh become MCFC head coach for the Mancini. nice road here. I have already started who comes with a reinforced Wiggle me,” the Australian said. Faisal Museum to Al Khor Corniche. 2016/17 EPL season onwards”. During his tenure, City have won the track season and am in the middle High team. “I’ve fi nished on the podium here for THIRD: 112.5km from Al Zubarah fort to “The contract is for three years. 64 of the 99 games played. The only of it,” she said. “It’s not a secret that I love racing in the past three years and I’d like to con- Madinat Al Shamal. These negotiations were a re-com- coach to have won more in his open- But, wild has confi dence in her team, the desert,” Hosking, who has fi nished tinue the trend, although the top step FOURTH: 73km from Aspire Zone to mencement of discussions that were ing 99 Premier League games is Jose which is a mix of experience and youth. in second, third and second place over- would be nice, if only so I look as tall Doha Corniche. curtailed in 2012. Mourinho (73). BOTTOMLINE A chance for riders to sample Worlds course By Yash Mudgal stage for World Championships.” and will give us a chance to think Doha He added: There are top notch through any extra details we might teams taking part in the tour and the need to consider and for the cyclists important aspect of the 97.5km long to have an idea of how they will need first stage is one round in Pearl Qatar. to prepare in the months before the he Ladies Tour of Qatar is We will test the security there and race. the first trial event for the see if we can close sectors and that “On the course, the laps are spe- UCI World Road Champion- residents of Pearl can have access to cial. You can see the riders from ships Doha 2016, and today’s the race. During the men’s tour we three different spots. It’s a very Topening stage – from Katara Cultural will do more laps,” Sheikh Khalid nice course. There’s always wind. It Village to Qatar University -- will said. makes difficult and interesting for give the riders an opportunity to On the participation of Qatar la- the riders. sample the course that will be in of- dies team in the tour, he said, “I don’t The World Championships 2016 fer for the rainbow jersey race during think so. They are not ready yet.” consists of twelve races; a road race, the global contest from October 9 to Qatar is the first country in the a team time trial and a time trial for 16, 2016. Middle East and the Arab world and elite men and women and a road race Addressing a press conference on second in Asia after Japan to host the and a time trial for men under-23, the eve of the start of the tour, yes- World Championships.