15 FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2019 sports UK MMA Pioneers excited Yates wins Pyrenees Tour stage about Brave’s London event TDT | Manama Simon Yates sprints • RAVE Combat Federa- to fine stage 12 victory as Btion’s first-trip to London, Tour reaches Pyrenees in which the promotion will host an exclusive, invite-only British rider outwits event on July 25th, has a few fellow• escapees on more VIP guests confirmed. Aaron chalmers The British combat sports first Pyrenean stage community will be gathered at the Copper Box Arena, inside Alaphilippe still in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic yellow,• with leaders Park, as more big names have finishing together been confirmed to attend. Both Pickett and Daley have been recognized for the role Brad pickett AFP | Bagneres-de-Bigorre, they have played as ambassa- France dors for the sport in the United Kingdom and as true pioneers ritain’s Simon Yates won of MMA in Europe. Both men stage 12 of the Tour de are big names that have had a BFrance yesterday, beating huge early impact in the mixed two other survivors of a mass martial arts scene in England breakaway in the Pyrenees. and beyond. Paul Daley Defending champion Geraint Great Britain’s Simon Yates celebrates as he wins on the finish line Meanwhile, Aaron Chalm- Thomas and overall leader Ju- ers, a reality show star turned to take MMA to a new level of lian Alaphilippe finished the outwitting his rivals to add this ual time-trial around Pau. MMA fighter has been praised empowerment and influence. slog over two tough climbs Tour de France stage to victories “Everyone was thinking about for turning more eyes to the In the main event of the together as a top 10 shake-up in the Vuelta and Giro. the time-trial today,” said Pinot. sport, elevating mixed martial evening, Featherweight cham- failed to materialise. Yates came over the final I’m here to help “You make major gains or losses arts to a set of new viewers pion Bubba Jenkins will make Simon, twin brother of Mitch- climb with Bora’s Gregor Mue- Adam, he’s doing against the clock.” from his previous endeavours.. the first defence of his world ti- elton Scott captain Adam Yates, hlberger and Astana man Pel- The 83-year-old Raymond They are some of the VIP tle against former Lightweight is the Vuelta a Espana champion. lo Bilbao, but launched a long well and is ready. Poulidor, who finished on the guests that will be in attend- titleholder Lucas Martins. Also He also led the Giro d’Italia ear- range sprint for the line to win But I’m really happy Tour podium eight times with- ance for BRAVE 24: London, a on deck for the exclusive fight lier in 2018 before a meltdown by a clear bike length. with this win, I got out winning and is beloved by show that will look to leave a night are the returns of Cian under pressure from eventual Cameras on the distant pelo- the green light to go the French, thought Thomas lasting legacy for MMA, as the Cowley, who takes on Maciej champion Chris Froome. ton showed Adam Yates, con- from the team and would do well. promotion will connect the Gierszewski, and rising star “I’m here to help Adam, he’s nected by radio to his team car, timed it well. But “Geraint will put time into all highest level of businessmen, Aidan James, from Wales, who doing well and is ready,” he said smiling. now it’s back to the his key rivals on the time trial,” politicians, influencers, and meets promotional newcomer of his twin who is seventh in Overall leader Alaphilippe Poulidor told AFP. celebrities to the sport in order Cameron Else. the overall and a potential Tour led the peloton south from the day job Alaphilippe has again vowed winner. pink-bricked city of Toulouse SIMON YATES to defend his overall lead at Pau. “But I’m really happy with yesterday morning vowing to “I have a lead of 1min 12sec, this win, I got the green light hold on to the yellow jersey, but and I’m really looking forwards to go from the team and timed faced little pressure on the day. capped Pyrenean peaks had to pushing myself to a new lim- Second-ranked comedian it well. been flooded with enthusiasts, it,” said the 27-year-old soldier, “But now it’s back to the day ‘Darling of France’ who packed the final 3km of who Thomas has described as Youtuber to attend Brave 24 job,” he smiled. Brother Adam The two major obstacles on the route making for a raucous ‘the darling of France’. TDT | Manama is just 31sec adrift of Thomas in the road to the rural outpost finale. Third placed Egan Bernal ap- the overall standings. of Bagneres-de-Bigorre were Thomas, a double Olympic pears to be the darling of Co- ouTuber and comedian “I’m here to help Adam get Tour classic: the 13.2km ascent and triple world champion on lombia as increasing numbers of YWhindersson Nunes will the best result.” of the Col de Peyresourde at an the track, traditionally does well reporters from the South Amer- attend the historic BRAVE 24: The brothers come from Bury average of 7 percent followed by in the time-trial, the next major ican nation arrive in anticipa- London event, on July 25th, in Lancashire, where ex-Eng- a steeper climb to Hourquette test on Friday. tion of the 22-year-old pulling as he will take his millions land football internationals d’Ancizan. The day finished Another French hope Thibaut off something special. of followers on a behind the Gary and Phil Neville grew up. with a downhill charge to the Pinot has promised to attack “Time-trials aren’t my thing,” scenes tour of the luxurious Simon Yates is over an hour finish line. on Saturday’s next mountain said the Ineos co-captain. “I see event. Nunes is the fourth-larg- Whindersson Nunes adrift in the overall standings, The small, sleepy finish-line stage, but is for now thinking Geraint taking some time off the est YouTuber in the world and but punched the air in joy after town surrounded by mist- about Friday’s 27.2km individ- other guys, but I’ll lose a bit.” has sold out comedy shows pire worth millions of dollars, throughout Brazil and Europe. based on his YouTube ram - He is getting ready to pro- blings and videos, that have mote his Netflix special, but almost three billion views, and will pause the promotion tour 36 million subscribers, which to attend BRAVE Combat Fed- makes him one of the top influ- Ighalo on target to earn Nigeria third place eration’s first London event, encers in the platform. He has and will support his personal also sky-rocketed the career of Odion Ighalo boosts Golden Boot hopes as Nigeria clinch third spot with Tunisia win friend, fellow Brazilian Lucas his wife, singer Luiza Sonza, “Mineiro” Martins, who chal- one of the biggest names in off in Friday’s final at the Cairo lenges for the Featherweight popular Brazilian music. Early goal from International Stadium. world title against current Whindersson will be joined • Ighalo, who was the leading champion Bubba Jenkins in by his friend Henrique Fogaça, former Watford striker scorer in the 2019 qualifying the main event of the evening, a MasterChef Brazil judge and sinks Tunisia 1-0 in Cairo competition with seven goals, and applaud the efforts of owner of a few of the best res- left the field just before half- BRAVE CF, the Kingdom of Bah- taurants in South America. The AFP | Cairo time with a pulled hamstring. rain and HH Shaikh Khalid bin restauranter and the YouTuber Tunisia had little to offer in Hamad Al Khalifa to develop are just two of the VVIP names attack and it took 57 minutes MMA, his favourite sport. confirmed for the ground - dion Ighalo boosted his before they had a goal attempt Whindersson has an em - breaking event. Ochances of winning the on target. Golden Boot at the Africa Cup Nigeria maintained their per- of Nations on Wednesday after fect record in third place play- he netted Nigeria’s winner to offs at the Cup of Nations having ensure his side third place in the won six other matches between Froome wins 2011 Vuelta tournament with a 1-0 victory the beaten semi-finalists. over Tunisia. The first of those successes after eight-year wait The 30-year-old Shanghai came in 1978 against Tunisia Shenhua forward struck the Nigeria’s forward Odion Ighalo (2nd-R) dribbles past Tunisia’s defender Nassim in a match abandoned just be- AFP | Paris Froome, unable to take part only goal of the match just 130 Hnid fore half-time when the north in this year’s Tour de France seconds after the kick-off before Africans stormed off to protest hris Froome was upgrad- because of a crash last month, a small crowd at the Al Salam Cherifia and defender Yassine Bakambu and Sadio Mane, who a disputed Nigerian equaliser. Ced from second place gains his second Vuelta title Stadium in Cairo. Meriah. have three goals each. Nigeria were awarded a 2-0 and officially declared win- after victory in 2017 and his Ighalo pounced from close It was his fifth goal at the Algerians Mahrez and Ounas victory in Ghana and have now ner of the 2011 Vuelta a Es - seventh career Grand Tour win range when Jamilu Collins’ tournament and pu5s him two and Senegal’s Mane have a won six other playoffs, includ- pana after champion Juan following four Tour de France cross led to a mix-up between ahead of closest rivals Riyad chance to increase their totals ing three in a row between 2002 Jose Cobo’s doping ban was victories and his 2018 Tour of Tunisia goalkeeper Moez Ben Mahrez, Adam Ounas, Cedric when the two countries face and 2006.