15 FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019 sports

BOC concludes Level two course Alaphilippe holds on to Tour lead TDT | Manama Level 2 course, part of stays in yellow as wins stage 18 of Tour de Athe National Coaching Programme, came to an and with 26 coaches from Alaphilippe stays Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in• yellow with two in the fray. The programme is con- mountain stages to go ducted by the Bahrain When Bernal Olympic Committee’s (BOC) Colombia’s Quintana attacked I just hung Olympic Academy in coop- beats• Romain Bardet on however I could eration with the Coaching to take stage and then let it rip on Association of Canada, and the descent. I took aims to qualify national a lot of risks and competencies within dif- Colombian Egan ferent national sports or- Bernal• emerged as really took great ganisations. the strongest of the pleasure in that Abdulla Al Dakheel, fight back. I was top contenders Adel Al Asfoor, Mohsin Al running on instinct, Ghanem and Ali Al Anzo- I have trained or presented sessions on AFP | Valloire, France this descent many different topics during this times but I couldn’t two-week course. ulian Alaphilippe kept the Training section head lead yester- remember a thing Mahmood Yateem said all Jday as Colombians domi- coming down. I was the participants had theo- nated the Alpine ascents with at the very limit retical tests that were man- Nairo Quintana storming to the on most of those datory to pass level 2 of the stage victory and corners progrmame. All those who climbing from fifth to second passed the course are eli- JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE overall. gible to enter level 3 after The 22-year-old Bernal, two years. Colombia’s Nairo Quintana leads the race during the eighteenth stage of Tour de France the youngest man in the race, launched an attack three kilo- reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 losses before the crest, and then mechanic said he had been at Even though he was dropped metres from the summit of the Fahrenheit). catching all his rivals, except the limit of his forces. by Quintana in the battle for the BOC Lab resumes 23-kilometre Col du Galibier. “I’m here, second, and maybe Bernal, with a virtuoso descent, “I was running on instinct, I stage win, Bardet claimed the He overtook Ineos teammate I can win the Tour, but it’s going frequently adopting his ‘super- have trained this descent many polka dot ‘King of the moun - physical tests , the defend- to be really very hard to achieve tuck’ aerodynamic downhill times but I couldn’t remember tains’ jersey as well his smile, TDT | Manama ing champion, in the stand - that, for now I’m second,” said a crouch to stunning effect. a thing coming down. I was at after spending two weeks look- ings to become Alaphilippe’s serene looking Bernal. Alaphilippe looked like a man the very limit on most of those ing like a broken man. he Physical Perfor- main challenger in the next “There are five other guys still on fire after the race. corners.” Friday’s stage from Saint- Tmance Laboratory, two daunting mountainous in there,” he said. “I knew how hard it was going The other fancied Frenchman Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes which is under the Bahrain stages. For Quintana the stage win to be, they all wanted to attack Pinot said after the race it had also features two dreadful Olympic Committee (BOC), Bernal is second at 1min 30 sec saved the 29-year-old’s Tour de me and they did,” he said laugh- been a bad day for him. mountain climbs with the first is continuing its pursuit to from Alaphilippe with Welsh- France. The Movistar captain ing. “We couldn’t follow Bernal one topping out at 2800 me - offer a group of health ser- man Thomas a further five blew his lines in the Pyrenees, “Look, I’m still in yellow,” he and you have to be able to keep tres while the race ends with a vices for national clubs and seconds back in third. Steven but gained almost six minutes said pointing to the overall lead- up with the best. Thomas also summit finish at the Alpine ski teams athletes to conduct Kruijswijk is fourth at 1min 47 on the main contenders to fin- er’s jersey he will don for a 14th launched a big attack and we resort. various physical tests. and fifth at 1min ish the first full day in the Alps time on Friday. got him back so I suppose it was There is no descent at Tignes Al Ahli Club players were 50sec. seventh overall. “When Bernal attacked I just not so bad in the end,” said the for Alaphilippe to catch up if he among those conducting the After 18 stages Bernal, who hung on however I could and emotional Pinot. gets dropped again and when tests using the high-tech has been kept largely under ‘I’m still in yellow’ then let it rip on the descent.” It was also a day of redemp- reminded of this fact the man equipment available at the wraps by Ineos, unfurled his Alaphilippe seems unstop- “I took a lot of risks and really tion, of sorts, for French climb- who has worn the yellow jersey laboratory, which provides wings and set off to put 31 sec- pable. After he was dropped took great pleasure in that fight er Romain Bardet, who had with style and bravery answered precise detailed statistics onds into the four men ahead on the climb, the Frenchman back,” said Alaphilppe. dropped to more than 25 min- simply, “I know” and smiled on the players’ physical con- of him in searing heat which galvanised himself, limiting his The former soldier and bike utes off the overall pace. again. ditions, including cardiac and respiratory capacities and functionality, including lungs, heart, circulatory sys- tem and muscle cells. Sane’s future out of City’s hands: Guardiola Maradona undergoes These tests are being con- Reuters | Hong Kong the game,” Guardiola said after owned by the club’s parent ducted by Cuban physician Sane scored twice in City’s 6-1 company City Football Group. successful knee surgery Vladimir Felipe, and man- anager Pep Guardiola win over Hong Kong side Kit- Guardiola’s team started the aged by the BOC projects Madmitted Leroy Sane’s chee late on Wednesday. tour in China last week, but ar- AFP | Buenos Aires department, led by director future as a Manchester City “I think I said two times or rived two days later than sched- Lounes Madene. player is beyond his control as three times, we want to keep uled before defeating West ormer Argentina World speculation linking the Germa- him. We want him to stay, that’s Ham United 4-1 in the semi-fi- FCup winning captain ny international with a return the reason why for more than nals of the Premier League Asia Diego Maradona underwent to his homeland continues one year he has an offer Trophy. a successful knee operation Combat Sports to build. waiting to talk with City subsequently lost on at a clinic in Buenos Aires on Sane, who joined City his agent to extend penalties to Wolverhampton Wednesday, his lawyer re - Council officials from Schalke in 2016, the contract. Wanderers in the final of the vealed. attend workshop has been a transfer “It’s not in our biennial event and have had The former coach of the Ar- target for Bayern Mu- hands or in my hands. to endure hot and humid con- gentine national team quit his TDT | Manama nich throughout the He has to decide if he ditions as they fine tune their job at Mexican second division summer, and Guardiola wants to stay and if preparations for the coming outfit Dorados last month for Diego Maradona reacts during a fficials from Bahrain’s remains determined our agreement is good. season. health reasons after just nine training session (file photo) Onine sports federations to keep the If he’s going to leave Despite significant challeng- months in charge. too amongst skeptics as Dora- that make up the Bahrain 23-year-old we will be sad, es with the schedule and cli- His lawyer, Matias Morla dos are based in the western Combat Sports Council at- at the Etihad but what can we mate, Guardiola claimed his revealed then that Maradona state of Sinaloa, which is best tended a dedicated work- Stadium. do? Hopefully he players have been focused on needed to undergo surgery on known for its powerful drug shop to explain the admin- “I like stays.” their preparations rather than his knee and shoulder. cartel that used to be run by istrative, financial and legal him a The game against on the energy-sapping condi- “Everything went perfect- notorious kingpin Joaquin “El regulations. lot, I the Hong Kong Pre- tions. ly,” said Morla on his Twitter Chapo” Guzman, who was ear- The function was or - think mier League side was “When I was a football player account, in reference to the lier this month jailed for life in ganized and hosted by the he has Leroy City’s third in just I complained a bit more but operation on Maradona’s right the United States. Bahrain Olympic Commit- an in- Sane over a week since ar- when I became a manager I knee. Maradona, 58, has had his tee (BOC) at its premises cred- riving in Asia. changed my mind about the Maradona’s appointment problems in the past with in Seef, where represent- ible They will con- situations I cannot control, I at Dorados in September had substance abuse, including atives of jiu jitsu, karate, chance to clude their tour in adapt,” he said. been a surprise, despite his in- cocaine. kick boxing, judo, taek - be better, Japan on Saturday “So we know we have to be glorious coaching history since He came tantalizingly close wondo, mixed martial arts, incredible in when they take on here, we do the training ses - leaving the national team post to taking Dorados up to the boxing, sambo and wres- terms of being Yokohama F Mari- sions we can do and play as best following the 2010 World Cup. Mexican top flight before re- tling federations, where connected in nos, an outfit part as possible. It caused much amusement signing. present.