MMOTORCYOTORCYCCLINGLING | Page 5 CRICKET | Page 6 Marquez gets Azhar Ali ton To Advertise here fi rst shot at puts Pakistan Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 MotoGP title in command in in Japan day-night Test Friday, October 14, 2016 TENNIS Muharram 13, 1438 AH Murray, Djokovic GULF TIMES cruise in Shanghai; Wawrinka exits SPORT Page 3 UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DOHA 2016 Halvorsen pips Ackermann in a thrilling U23 road race ‘My teammates were so good, they’ve been working hard, I’m incredibly happy... this was my biggest goal for this season’ Norwegian lived up to the expectations. Halvorsen followed the footsteps of fellow countrymen Kurt Asle Arvesen and Sven Erik Bystrøm, who captured the Under-23 title in 1997 and 2014. Norway has now collected three Men’s Under-23 titles to equal France in sec- ond place of the all-time ranking. Italy still leads with four gold medals. Ackermann was piloted very well by his German teammates and looked on a world title course entering the fi nal straight, only to be pipped on the line by Halvorsen. “The race was tough and fast. The fi nal sprint was a little too long for me. But I’m happy with how I did,” said the German. The Italian team were nowhere to be seen in most parts of the exciting race, but Mareczko managed to place him- Norway’s Kristoff er Halvorsen (right) crosses the finish line ahead of Pascal Ackermann (centre) of Germany and Jakub Mareczko of Italy to win the men’s Under-23 road self well for the fi nal sprint and rolled race at the UCI Road World Cycling Championships yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram to bronze. Later on, he explained the Ital- By Yash Mudgal “The course was perfect for me and While the fi ve leaders were fi ghting to and the fast pace took their toll at the ians’ strategy: “The team helped me Doha this was my biggest goal for this sea- sustain their lead, Bico slipped, crashed back of the bunch. Costa Rica’s Gabriel throughout the race. In the fi nal kilo- son.” in a sharp turn and lost contact. He Marin was the fi rst to step off his bike in Norway’s Kristoff er Halvorsen metres my teammate suff ered a fall. I Talking about his plans for next sea- stood right up, remounted and man- after the fi rst full lap and many were to could sprint well only in the last 150m, orway’s Kristoff er Halvorsen son the 20-year-old champions, said, aged to get back into the lead group. At follow. In total only 149 of the 188 start- by the hunting peloton. Bryan Gomez bit it was too late. I’m still happy with pipped Pascal Ackermann “Next year I will ride for Team Joker, the the same time Iran’s Mahdi Rajabika- ers completed the full 165.7 kilometres was the second to drop from the break- the bronze.” of Germany in a high-speed same team I rode for this year.” boodcheshmeh, Michael O’Loughlin in The Pearl. away and in the penultimate lap Nuno The 2016 Road World Champion- bunch sprint to win the Un- The fl at course was tailor-made for from Ireland, Gregory Daniel from the With about 50 kilometres to go, Bico attacked. He didn’t get space, ships continue today with the junior Nder-23 men’s road race at the UCI Road a sprint fi nish, although there was a USA and Rwandan Jean-Claude Uwiz- mutual trust seemed to fade in the however, and heading into the fi nal lap men’s and junior women’s road races. World Cycling Championships yester- breakaway that stayed off the front eye joined to a form breakaway, that breakaway group. In the peloton, Nor- the seven frontrunners still held on to The elite women’s road race takes place day. until the fi nal 10 kilometres. The race would make last until the fi nal lap. way came to the front row, working for a 22-second lead. The Norwegian army tomorrow and the 2016 Worlds draw to The Norwegian fi nished off a great started with two crashes at rounda- Russian Pavel Silakov and Irish Daire pre-race favourite Halvorsen, who had was chasing them in full blown fashion. a close with the elite men’s road race on team-eff ort, when he beat Ackermann bouts within the fi rst fi ve kilometres. Feeley made an eff ort to escape from dominated the sprints in this year’s In the fi nal lap, Rajabikaboodchesh- Sunday. and Jakub Mareczko of Italy for a total Many riders tried to escape from the the peloton, but they did not manage. Tour de l’Avenir. meh and Eenkhoorn surrendered just of 165.7km in The Pearl with a time of peloton and after about ten kilometres The nine leaders worked together to Together with British, Spanish and seconds before their companions were MEN’S U-23 ROAD RACE RESULTS 3:40.53. Dutchman Pascal Eenkhoorn, Amanuel increase their lead to about three min- Kazakh help, the Norwegians slowly caught with ten kilometres to go. Nor- 1. Kristoff er Halvorsen (Norway) 3:40:53 The race included ten 15.2km laps Gebrezgabihier from Eritrea and Portu- utes, with the chasing peloton not yet drew the peloton nearer and nearer to way were still in the driver’s seat, with 2. Pascal Ackermann (Germany) s.t. around The Pearl and so was more like gal’s Nuno Bico were the fi rst to main- fully organised. Many riders still tried the leaders. At three laps from the fi n- France, Denmark and Germany eyeing 3. Jakub Mareczko (Italy) a criterium with constant changes of tain a real gap. The three had 44 sec- to escape, but did not succeed in bridg- ish, the gap was 2.20 minutes and with their chances in second row. France and 4. Phil Bauhaus (Germany) line, sweeping curves, roundabouts and onds at the fi rst crossing of the fi nish ing the gap. two laps to go it was 1.36 minutes. Germany made pace in the fi nal fi ve 5. Amund Grondahl Jansen (Norway) tight corners. line. With the escapees still in striking Spain and Kazakhstan joined forces Gebrezgabihier was the fi rst of the kilometres, but the Norwegian train 6. Jason Lowndes (Australia) “My teammates were so good, distance several riders tried to make a in front of the bunch halfway the race. leaders to give way. The Eritrean rider rushed to the front again after clear- 7. Ivan Garcia (Spain) they’ve been working so hard, I’m in- jump. Swiss Patrick Muller and Colom- The battlefi eld went into a status quo, suff ered from heavy cramps and had to ing the red fl ag for the fi nal kilometres. 8. Aksel Nommela (Estonia) credibly happy,” a joyful Halvorsen said bian Bryan Gomez were the fi rst to join with the breakaway holding on to their let his eighth fellow escapees go in the The fi nal sprint was a close call between 9. Jonathan Dibben (Great Britain) just minutes after crossing the line. the escapees. three-minute gap. Meanwhile the heat eighth lap. He was quickly swallowed Ackermann and Halvorsen, but the 10. Alan Banaszek (Poland) Two unpredictable road races for an exciting Friday By Sports Reporter be held in Bergen, Norway, but also as gold – and rainbow. Doha potential stars for the future. Later on it will be the junior men, who The Women’s Road race version will will have to complete a 135.5 kilometre start at 8:30 and comprise almost 5 course to try and snap a landmark he UCI Road World Champion- laps of the 15.2-kilometre circuit to victory. ships Doha 2016 are definitely in sum up a total of 74.5. The size of Conditions will be very similar to those Tfull swing. Every day the action the team is limited to just five riders, the women will face, with small teams is getting more exciting, with the Road rendering almost impossible for any of up to 6 riders and few chances of a Races giving a new dimension to the country to control the race in order to calm, controlled race. show thanks to their intricate tactics force a sprint. This will produce a re- Powerhouses such as current UCI and intriguing developments. With its ally nervous competition, with lots of Road World Champion Felix Gall, flat and curvy nature, The Pearl circuit attacks and riders seeking to establish from Austria, will try to succeed by produces competitions where it’s re- the ideal group and break away from launching long-range attacks, ac- ally hard to call who is going to win. the bunch for good. companied by other good rouleurs Today, it will be all about Juniors – that In order to get the victory, female like France’s Alexey Brunel and Aus- is, riders aged 17 and 18 years old. The cyclists need to be both strong, savvy tralia’s Harry Sweeny. On the other younger prospects of professional and fast towards the finish line. hand, fast cyclists like Belgium’s cycling will seek a rainbow jersey to The list of potential winners is re- Gerben Thijssen and Netherland’s distinguish themselves not only as ally long, with Netherland’s Karlijn Nils Eekhoff will save the best for last UCI Road World Champions from now Swinkels and USA’s Skylar Schneider in order to play their chances in an until the next edition of this event, to looking like two solid candidates for eventual mass sprint.