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For a minute Tadej Pogacar thought his Tour de France challenge would be effectively over on Thursday as threatening skies gathered on top of the Col du Tourmalet and Jonas Vingegaard was gearing up to go on the attack again.On Wednesday, the Slovenian lost more than a minute to the defending champion in the first mountain stage and departed from Laruns worried about what might come next after his preparation for the race was hampered by a wrist fracture last April.After resisting Vingegaard’s attack in the Tourmalet, Pogacar went solo in the last climb to win the sixth stage and halve his deficit in the overall standings as the Dane claimed the yellow jersey but ended up being the more concerned rider at the end of a vintage day.“I was worried, who would not be after Jonas’ incredible display yesterday,” the 24-year-old Pogacar said.“When they (Vingegaard’s Jumbo Visma team) started pulling in the Tourmalet, I thought, this is going to happen like yesterday then we can pack our bags and go home.“But luckily, I had good legs today and could follow on the Tourmalet quite comfortably and when I felt it was the right moment I attacked.” The attack was brutal, and Vingegaard was immediately dropped as the roles were reversed with the defending champion digging deep to cut his losses.“I would not say it was revenge but it’s sweet to win today and take time back,” UAE Emirates rider Pogacar said.“I feel relieved, much better now.”Vingegaard’s disappointment barely showed after he crossed the finish line and was greeted by his rival.“First off, I’m happy to be in yellow again,” he said.“Pogacar was in a better day. We tried in the Tourmalet as everyone saw but we could not drop him.“We had (team mate) Wout van Aert to then set the pace in the valley (ahead).“It would have been perfect but he (Pogacar) had better legs. I’m just going to enjoy being in yellow and fight to keep the jersey.”His team mate Sepp Kuss, who set a high pace in the Tourmalet, believes Jumbo Visma will have other chances.“It didn’t go as planned but it is what it is, these are little details and we will have other opportunities in the coming days.”Overall, Vingegaard leads second-placed Pogacar by 25 seconds with the next mountain test coming on Sunday with the much-feared ascent of the Puy de Dome, a 13.3km climb at 7.7%.

The 2023-2024 Away Kit of French giants PSG has made its way to Doha after being debuted at the inaugural WE RUN PARIS -10K Race on July 2. The kit was proudly worn by celebrities and athletes such Caster Semenya, Ladji Doucouré and Zoumana Camara.The bold white shirt echoes the club’s traditional colours, for a unique strip that will be worn when the team plays away from home.The traditional red and blue Parisian colours blend in a prism effect on the colourful band across the chest, creating a sharp contrast with the bright white of the rest of the strip, which is a superb way to highlight the players’ prowess on the pitch in France and across Europe.The emblematic Paris Saint-Germain badge features the club’s colours as well as the French capital’s timeless symbols: the Eiffel Tower and the lily flower. The shirt features Nike Dri-FIT technology, which is innovative in both its fit and its fabric, to help keep the players dry for over 90 minutes. The breathable FIT ADV weave wicks away sweat, keeping the players cool and comfortable until well after the final whistle.The new away kit for the 2023-2024 season is now available in PSG Store Villagio Mall.For more information contact 33226159 or visit PSG Store Qatar on Instagram.

The DP World Tour would look “foolish” if European players from the LIV Golf circuit are not considered for this year’s Ryder Cup as their American counterparts remain eligible, former US Open champion Graeme McDowell said.Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, who have played 28 Ryder Cups between them and are now with the LIV Series, are ineligible for this year’s edition of the biennial competition after resigning from the DP World Tour in May.However, American players who joined the LIV circuit can still qualify for the US team given they are members of the PGA of America.“To ignore LIV because of politics when the US have those players in their side doesn’t make any sense,” former Europe vice-captain McDowell, who plays for the Saudi-backed circuit, told the BBC. “It makes Europe’s tour look foolish.“I hope that if one of the European players at LIV puts in a summer deserving of a spot on the Ryder Cup side that the landscape would be available for that to happen.”The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and rival LIV circuit, which had been involved in a bitter fight that split the sport, announced an agreement in early June to merge and form a unified commercial entity.Northern Ireland’s McDowell, who was on the winning team in three of his four Ryder Cup appearances, also called for Europe’s all-time record points scorer Garcia to be reinstated.“I think Sergio Garcia is probably the lead guy right now and the European team room would be better with a Sergio Garcia in it,” McDowell said.“I read the stuff with him and Rory McIlroy (resolving their differences) and I’m super happy that those guys have moved on from stuff that shouldn’t have come between them – politics and business.“I’d love to see them walking down a fairway in Rome, winning a foursomes match together. I think that’s what every European Ryder Cup fan wants.”The Ryder Cup runs from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome.

A calm and focussed Max Verstappen on Thursday expressed some relief that his Red Bull team have maintained a very healthy lead over all their rivals despite introducing fewer upgrades this season.Speaking at Silverstone on the eve of opening practice at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, the defending double world champion and series leader oozed confidence. “We’ve had a great start to the year and we are understanding our car better and better with each race - what we want and what we need,” the 25-year-old Dutchman said.“But we are not standing still. It is true that, maybe, other teams speak a bit more about updates and bigger upgrades from one race to the next, but we bring stuff as well because it’s necessary to stay ahead.“So it is definitely a good sign, I think that we’ve done less than some of our competitors - that I think is quite clear and we still have a good margin.“Of course, it’s a bit bigger at some tracks than others, but overall we have a strong base package and it is just for us to make sure that we get all the potential out of it every weekend.”McLaren record in sightVerstappen arrives at Silverstone with an 81-point lead in the drivers’ title race as he heads, seemingly inevitably, to a third successive world title, having won the last five races.“I think our car is not so great on street circuits,” he added. “Places with a lot of bumpy tracks, then our car is not so fantastic and that’s why our winning margin was a bit smaller in Monaco. “It wasn’t fantastic either in Montreal, for example, and we know there are still a few street circuits coming up where potentially it will be, again, a little harder for us.”That admission suggested he may be fretting, but his demeanour and record on form this year suggests there is little his rivals can do other than hope for Red Bull to suffer a reliability problem. Verstappen missed out on victories at Silverstone last year and in 2021 due to debris on the track and a crash respectively and is highly motivated to win at the circuit closest to the team’s headquarters in Milton Keynes.“Yeah, sometimes you get a bit of bad luck?” he conceded. “But we know our car is better probably and more competitive than last year. So I’m just looking forward to the weekend and hopefully a good result.” Having won the last 10 races, Red Bull could draw level with McLaren on a record 11 wins - set by the British team in 1988 - if they triumph at Silverstone on Sunday.Hamilton positive on new contractLewis Hamilton confirmed oyesterday that talks about a new contract with Mercedes had proceeded beyond salary and duration and were now focused on fine details.Speaking at Silverstone ahead of his home British Grand Prix, a race he has won a record eight times, the seven-time world champion reiterated his confidence in the ‘Silver Arrows’ and his belief that they can catch and overhaul Red Bull. He also felt thrilled to see filming begin of the Hollywood movie about Formula One during the weekend at the circuit. Asked during a mandatory pre-event news conference if recent positive comments about their talks by Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff were true, Hamilton said: “Yes, that’s correct.”He added that a terse radio exchange between them, when Hamilton grumbled about his car’s lack of performance during last Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix, was typical of the open and honest nature of their relationship. “The best thing about our partnership is that we can be direct with each other,” he said. “Toto is just an out-and-out racer so he was trying to encourage me and that was his way of doing it.“We always learn from our last races, plus - on my side - I’ve reviewed my comments and where I was at mentally and we’ll make sure I adjust that for the future and I feel supported.”Hamilton added that he had been involved in meetings this week to improve this year’s car and a more competitive one next year. “I’m thinking that before the end of this season, we’ll already be well into the contract,” he said, indicating his confidence in the team for the future.“I still have 100 percent faith in this team. It has taken longer for all of us to get to where we want to be and it’s definitely not easy, but I believe that we will get there.“We’ve just got to continue to work and chip away at it and that’s what we’re trying to do. So that’s why we’ve got the upgrade here for the front wing this weekend.”Hamilton also expressed his enthusiasm about an as yet untitled F1 movie, being produced by Apple Original Films, which begins filming at Silverstone this weekend during the British Grand Prix.“It’s massively exciting to see it all coming together,” said Hamilton. “To know that we’re finally starting to film this weekend! There’s nerves, naturally, because it’s something we’ve been working on for so long.”Images of an additional, fictional 11th team, APXGP, and their car have been offered to fans. “We want everyone to love it and to really feel that we encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about - that’s our goal and I hope we can do you proud.”Hamilton’s Dawn Apollo Films is involved in the production which includes Hollywood star Brad Pitt playing one of the APXGP drivers.“The fact that we’ll have all the original characters that are actually on the grid and then Brad is pretty cool,” said Hamilton. “Brad is such an iconic actor and he’s always done an incredible job. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have him in the movie.”A garage and pit-wall area have been prepared and dedicated to the APXGP team for the weekend.

France’s star footballer Kylian Mbappe arrived in Cameroon to an ecstatic welcome from fans on Thursday for a visit that includes charity work with deaf children and a trip to his father’s village.Many among the hundreds who greeted the 24-year-old forward were dressed in his Paris Saint-Germain team’s football jersey for the occasion.They excitedly screamed his name as he emerged from the airport in the capital Yaounde, according to an AFP journalist.A group of about a hundred traditional dancers performed in his honour. Smiling widely, the footballer waved to the crowd who were kept at a distance by police, before being whisked away in an SUV with tinted windows.“We are proud to see our Cameroonian brother. We want to offer him a very warm welcome,” high-school student Vannel Kunde, 16, enthused.Mbappe, who is also captain of France’s national team, will stay during his visit lasting several days at a hotel complex belonging to the family of French former tennis champion Yannick Noah, who lives in Yaounde.Today, he is due to visit a school for youngsters who are deaf and hard of hearing in the capital’s suburbs, according to his itinerary seen by AFP.He is also set to take part in a basketball game, with expectations it will involve retired NBA player Joakim Noah, the son of Yannick. Later on, he takes part in a football match against second division Cameroon club FC Vent d’Etoudi.Saturday sees him head to the economic capital, Douala, to visit a school and then go to Djebale, his father Wilfried Mbappe’s village. His father left Cameroon at a young age for France where he became a football trainer.The trip is an opportunity for Mbappe to visit in Yaounde and Douala two schools supported by his own charitable foundation, Inspired by KM, his team in Paris said in a statement.It’s also a chance to “follow in the footsteps of his ancestors in Djebale, to spend time with young Cameroonians”, it added.Arsene Pinlap, 37, one of those waiting to catch a glimpse of Mbappe at the airport, spoke of “a pride” as a Cameroonian in welcoming the star to the west African country.“But it’s also an honour to be able to see the best player in the world,” said the president of the PSG fan club in Yaounde.Another fan, 18-year-old schoolgirl Armelle Ntsama said: “It’s a great joy for us, the children who love football.”The French footballer is also due to meet some of the country’s officials, including Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, his team said in the statement, adding he would discuss projects he would like to set up in Cameroon.The visit comes amid ongoing questions about Mbappe’s future at Paris Saint-Germain.Mbappe declared last month that he would not extend his contract, which expires next year, but has indicated he wants to remain for a final season.The club must therefore sell the player in the current transfer window, otherwise they will likely lose him for nothing when his deal ends.On Wednesday, PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi insisted that Mbappe “must sign a new contract” if he wants to remain at the club next season.He joined PSG from Monaco in August 2017 in a 180-million-euro ($196-million) deal and has gone on to establish himself as one of the world’s most prominent players.

Slovakia captain Milan Skriniar became Paris Saint Germain’s first signing of the summer on Thursday, joining on a free transfer a year after the French champions declined to pay Inter Milan €70mn ($76mn).The 28-year-old defender joins a day after former Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique was unveiled as the club’s new coach.He is the latest manager to be handed the task of delivering the Champions League trophy that has eluded the Qatari owners since they bought the club in 2011.Skriniar, who has signed a five-year contract, had been a top target of Luis Enrique’s predecessor Christophe Galtier.“I am delighted to become a part of this wonderful club,” Skriniar said in a statement.His defensive abilities will be welcome for a PSG defence that conceded 40 goals on their way to a record 11th Ligue 1 crown last term.It was the worst defensive record for a French champion club since Lyon conceded 41 in 2003.Skriniar enjoyed a successful six-year spell at Inter.The 60-times capped player won the 2021 Serie A title, two Italian Cups and two Italian Super Cups.

Former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique has been appointed as the new coach of Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal, the French champions announced yesterday.The 53-year-old, who had been a free agent since being sacked as Spain coach last December, replaces Christophe Galtier after his departure from the club was confirmed earlier in the day. Luis Enrique was unveiled by PSG at a press conference alongside the Qatar-backed club’s president Nasser al-Khelaifi at their brand new training complex in Poissy, to the north-west of the French capital.“I’m delighted to be joining Paris in order to enjoy a new experience,” Luis Enrique said in a club statement.“It’s so exciting to meet new people, to live in this city, to learn a new language and, above all, to manage PSG.”The new coach, whose full name is Luis Enrique Martinez Garcia, is the eighth man to lead the club since the transformative Qatari takeover of 2011 and, like those before him, will be charged with bringing them the success in the Champions League that has so far proved elusive.PSG have never won Europe’s most prestigious club competition, coming closest when they lost in the final to Bayern Munich in 2020. They have gone out in the last 16 in five of the last seven seasons, losing to Bayern at that stage in the campaign just finished. That defeat proved costly for Galtier. Luis Enrique arrives with pedigree in the Champions League, having won it as coach of Barcelona in 2015 when a brilliant team led by an attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez beat Juventus in the final.He now joins a club beginning their latest rebuild following the departure of Messi at the end of his two-year stay.Mbappe future in doubtThere are doubts surrounding the future of superstar forward Kylian Mbappe after he told the club he would not renew a contract that expires next year.Several high-profile new signings are expected to be confirmed as the club prepares to start pre-season training in the coming days, with a tour to Japan scheduled for later this month.Luis Enrique brought to an end a three-year stay at Barca in 2017 and then became Spain coach in 2018.However, he quit in June 2019 and announced the death of his nine-year-old daughter from bone cancer two months later.He returned to the Spain post in November of that year, retaking the reins from Robert Moreno, and took La Roja to the Euro 2020 semi-finals and the 2021 UEFA Nations League final before being fired after their elimination from last year’s World Cup in the last 16 in a penalty shoot-out against Morocco.Galtier had only been in charge for one season and still had a year to run on his contract, but his departure had been expected ever since the end of the last Ligue 1 season a month ago.“Paris Saint-Germain and Christophe Galtier have decided to terminate his contract as coach of the first team,” the club said in a statement.“Everyone at Paris Saint-Germain thanks Christophe Galtier, as well as his assistants Thierry Oleksiak and Joao Sacramento, for their professionalism and commitment over the course of the season, and wishes them the best in their future careers.”Galtier led PSG to a French record 11th title but that success was also overshadowed by their disappointing exit from the Champions League and a French Cup last-16 loss to Marseille.The final weeks of Galtier’s reign were also marred by accusations that he made racist remarks about players during his previous job at Nice.He has vehemently denied the accusations but will stand trial in December on charges of “moral harassment and discrimination on the grounds of actual or supposed membership or non-membership of a particular ethnic group, nation, alleged race or religion”, according to prosecutors in Nice.The offences are punishable by three years’ imprisonment and a €45,000 ($49,000) fine.

Canada and Guatemala moved into the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with goal-filled wins in group D on Tuesday, causing agony for Guadeloupe who crashed out.There were a total of 25 goals in the last four games of the group stage and while Canada took care of business with a 4-2 win over Cuba in Houston, the drama was in New Jersey where Guatemala came from 2-1 down to beat Guadeloupe 3-2 with two goals in the last 20 minutes.Panama, already qualified after two wins, topped group C with seven points after a 2-2 draw with El Salvador, while Costa Rica joined them in the last eight after beating Martinique 6-4, after leading 5-1.The results mean that Canada will face the United States in the quarters while Guatemala will play Jamaica – with both games to take place on Sunday in Cincinnati.On Saturday in Dallas, Mexico take on Costa Rica while Panama are up against guest team Qatar. Guadeloupe, who have played some of the most entertaining football of the tournament, were top of the group with 20 minutes to go and would have still qualified with a draw if Matthias Phaeton had not had his 88th minute penalty saved. Red Bull Arena was packed with loud and passionate Guatemala fans, but their hearts sank when Andreaw Gravillon headed Guadeloupe into a 27th minute lead. Guatemala fought back though, drawing level 12 minutes later with a superb glancing header from striker Rubio Rubin.Then came a bizarre incident where Jordan Leborgne scored for Guadeloupe, but the effort was ruled out for handball.The VAR review of the incident, however, spotted handling by a defender in the same move and a penalty was awarded. After a fan delayed the spot kick by running on the field, Ange-Freddy Plumain kept his composure to convert and make it 2-1 for the Caribbean side.Plumain celebrated his goal in front of the Guatemala fans, resulting in a shower of debris being thrown onto the field.But the anger of the Central Americans soon turned to hope when Rubio levelled in the 70th minute, tapping in a low cross from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing after a defence-splitting pass from Pedro Altan. The winner came in the 75th minute when a poor clearance was pounced on by Carlos Mejia on the edge of the box and he twisted and turned to create space before unleashing a superb drive.That goal saw Guadeloupe sink from first to third in the group, but then a handball by Marlon Sequen handed a lifeline. However, Phaeton’s penalty was saved by Nicholas Hagen, securing a place in the last eight for Guatemala.Having drawn their opening two games, Canada needed a win against already-eliminated Cuba and they did so with little trouble. A 21st minute penalty from Junior Hoilett put John Herdman’s team on their way and Jonathan Osorio doubled the lead five minutes later, tapping in a low cross to the back post from Lucas Cavallini.Cuba pulled a goal back with a Luis Paradela penalty just before the break, but straight after the interval Jayden Nelson restored Canada’s two goal advantage tapping in after a fumble from Cuba keeper Sandy Sanchez.

Another day, another milestone reached for Novak Djokovic as he racked up Grand Slam victory number 350 by dispatching Australia’s Jordan Thompson at Wimbledon yesterday. The defending champion was given a thorough workout by Thompson but always looked in control at the crucial moments as he won 6-3 7-6(4) 7-5 to move into the third round. He joins Roger Federer and Serena Williams as the only players to have reached 350 wins at the Slams, but the 36-year-old has his eyes firmly fixed on higher goals. Playing with his usual clinical accuracy he eventually subdued Thompson who offered up some thing rare at Wimbledon these days -- some serve and volley tennis. It certainly kept Djokovic honest but the second seeded Serb, bidding to win a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon and fifth in a row, always looked in control. Thompson, ranked 70, was within two points of levelling the match at the sharp end of the second set but once Djokovic came through the tiebreak with a couple of timely aces thrown in, there was only really likely to be one outcome. That said, Thompson, given loud backing by the Centre Court crowd desperate to see a contest, refused to slink away. But serving at 5-6 in the third set the Australian could not keep Djokovic at bay and he netted a volley to end the contest. Djokovic extended his winning streak on grass to 30 matches, with his last defeat coming against Marin Cilic in the 2018 Queen’s Club final, but admitted he was pushed hard. “He was a bit unlucky in the second set. He had some chances but yeah, he played a great match and deserves a big round of applause for sure,” Djokovic said. While Djokovic certainly does not need any help as he aims for a 24th Grand Slam title to match the all-time record of Margaret Court, things are certainly falling his way. He has avoided being snagged by the rain delays and the draw looks inviting. Up next is either Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, who he famously lost to in the French Open final eight years ago, or Argentina’s 29th seed Tomas Etcheverry. Wawrinka and Etcheverry will play their delayed second-round match today after it was one of several matches cancelled because of rain delays yesterday. Meanwhile Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas survived a thrilling five-set battle against Dominic Thiem yesterday to book a blockbuster second-round clash against two-time champion Andy Murray. While Tsitsipas was pushed to the brink in a gruelling first-round tie lasting almost four hours, former world number one Murray is well rested after crushing Ryan Peniston in his tournament opener on Tuesday. Tsitsipas held his nerve in a final set tie-break to secure a 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (10/8) victory. “For a second I thought we were doing the repeat of Isner versus Mahut,” Tsitsipas said in reference to the longest match in history, played at Wimbledon in 2010. “It felt forever. Obviously I’m super happy to win against someone who has brought the best out of me every time we have played.” Beaten by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final earlier this year before a last-eight exit at the French Open, Tsitsipas is aiming to make his first deep run at Wimbledon. Tsitsipas reached the French Open final two years ago, making him the only Greek man to appear in a Grand Slam title match. Earlier Daniil Medvedev quelled the challenge of wildcard Arthur Fery and Marta Kostyuk fought back to upset Maria Sakkari and storm into the Wimbledon second round when two matches were disrupted by protesters. Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek outclassed Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2 6-0 and Daria Kasatkina thumped Jodie Burrage 6-0 6-2 to reach the third round before organisers worked to clear the backlog of first-round matches. The British crowd was far kinder to Medvedev who returned to Wimbledon after the lifting of last year’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players, saying after his 7-5 6-4 6-3 victory over Briton Fery that he did not expect the warm reception. “I was pretty nervous, I didn’t get to play yesterday so I’m really happy to be back,” Medvedev said. “Thank you for the nice welcome, especially against Arthur, a British guy. It was amazing as I didn’t know what reception I would get and it was unbelievable. Earlier, Kostyuk battled from a set down and overcame three rain interruptions to beat eighth seed Sakkari 0-6 7-5 6-2. She became only the third women’s player to beat a top-10 seed at Wimbledon in the Open Era after losing the first set 6-0. American world number 10 Frances Tiafoe saw off China’s Wimbledon debutant Wu Yibing 7-6(4) 6-3 6-4 before compatriot Taylor Fritz completed a 6-4 2-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 win over Yannick Hanfmann.

Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard laid down an early marker on the Tour de France with a brutal attack that left his main rival Tadej Pogacar gasping for air in the first mountain stage yesterday, and wondering what might come next. Denmark’s Vingegaard accelerated some two kilometres from the top of the last climb, the lung-busting ascent to the Col de Marie Blanque (7.7km at 8.6%), to take one minute and four seconds off the twice Tour winner. Australian Jai Hindley won the fifth stage, a 162.7km ride from Pau, to take the yellow jersey with Vingegaard finishing fifth, crossing the line 34 seconds behind the 2022 Giro d’Italia champion. Overall, Hindley leads second-placed Vingegaard by 47 seconds and sixth-placed Pogacar by one minute 40 seconds. After shadowing Pogacar in the first two stages, Vingegaard stamped his authority in the steepest part of the Col de Marie Blanque. “The plan was to have several guys in the breakaway. When they started to ride on the last climb, I felt I had good legs. I told Sepp Kuss to go to the front, he did and I decided to attack,” said Vingegaard. “We had talked about a (plan B), but we thought it would be a complicated one. Yes, I’m surprised he didn’t follow me, I wanted to test him a bit. My legs were good. I’m really happy to have taken a minute off him. I don’t know if I’m the favourite, but we’re going to do our best until Paris.” Pogacar, whose preparations for the Tour were hampered after he suffered a fractured wrist in April, conceded there was not much he could do. “He was just too fast on the climb. I tried to hold on until the top but he was really, really strong. What an attack,” said Pogacar, who had grabbed a few bonus seconds in the first two stages but lost big on Wednesday. “There’s nothing you can do when someone is stronger than you like that.” The stage got off to a fast start and a group of 36 broke away before the Col du Soudet (15.2km at 7.2%) and Hindley, one of the podium contenders, managed to sneak into it with his Bora-Hansgrohe teammate Emanuel Buchmann. It proved to be a smart move as the Australian is now in yellow and gained time on some of the other riders gunning for the podium in Paris with 2019 champion Egan Bernal, France’s David Gaudu, Spain’s Mikel Landa and Britain’s Tom Pidcock all losing more than a minute. “I was improvising out there and found myself in that group and I enjoyed it,” said Tour debutant Hindley. “It’s really incredible and I’ve no words. The guys in the radio were screaming. I just wanted to get as much time as possible and get the win. I didn’t really know what to expect it’s my first tour it’s hard to come here with such massive ambition (to win it) already but I wanna be competitive and have some form of success and yeah I just won a stage of the Tour de France.” Today’s sixth stage is an another mountain ride over 144.9km between Tarbes and Cauterets featuring punishing climbs up the Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet, where Vingegaard could try to put the hammer down. “Will Tadej seek revenge? We’ve seen how Vingegaard was today. You need to have the legs for that,” Pogacar’s UAE Emirates team manager Mauro Gianetti said.

England captain Ben Stokes insisted yesterday it was time “everyone moved on” from Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.Australia won the match by 43 runs to go 2-0 up in the five-match series despite Stokes’s stunning 155.But his on-field heroics were overshadowed by the extraordinary fall-out from Bairstow’s unusual exit.British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have even traded verbal bouncers over the issue, which started when Bairstow was given out stumped by opposing wicketkeeper Alex Carey during what the England batsman thought was a break in play.Bairstow’s dismissal sparked a chorus of boos at a normally sedate Lord’s and led to three MCC members being suspended for allegedly abusing visiting players in the pavilion.Stokes indicated he would have withdrawn the appeal had he been the fielding captain at the time, while England coach Brendon McCullum suggested the incident could galvanise his side as they look to become just the second team in Test history to win a series from 2-0 down.But Stokes, speaking to reporters at Headingley, where the third Test starts today, said: “I don’t think we can galvanise as a group any more than we are to be honest.“There’s been obviously a lot of noise around the incident last week at Lord’s but, from me as a captain and from the England team, I think the best thing that everyone needs to do is just move on from it.”There have been attempts to link Bairstow’s dismissal with Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.Australia ‘did nothing wrong’ But unrepentant Australia captain Pat Cummins, asked if he was concerned his integrity had been questioned following the Lord’s incident, replied: “It doesn’t really bother me. I think the way our team have conducted themselves over the last couple of years has been flawless.“There’s issues that come up every Ashes series where you have the same opinions – English fans think one thing, Australian fans think the opposite.”The fast bowler added: “I 100 percent think the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ is a real thing. At times there’s nuance to it, and everyone might see it a little bit differently. Which is fine, that’s part of it. But absolutely I think it’s one of the beauties of our sport. I think our players were outstanding in that regard. We’ve all moved on. The team did nothing wrong so we’re all comfortable.”Cummins briefly replied “yep” when asked if he would act the same way if a similar situation unfolded after McCullum suggested Australia would eventually regret their actions.McCullum’s words were put to Cummins, who responded by saying: “You’ll have to ask me in the future. At the moment I’m really comfortable with it. Maybe down the track.”There have been reports that Australia star batsman Steve Smith’s mother, who is English, left Lord’s early amid the hostile atmosphere, and Yorkshire have taken additional security measures at Headingley due to escalating fears over the safety of the touring party.“We’re in our partner period here so we’ve got loads of family and kids around,” said Cummins yesterday.“I think there might be an extra eye on them, where they are in the crowd, just to make sure everything’s fine.”Reaction to the incident in England and Australia has split largely on patriotic lines. But former England captain Mike Atherton said rather than world Test champions Australia abusing the ‘Spirit of Cricket’, Bairstow had been guilty of “dozy cricket”.England rest Anderson, Tongue for third Ashes Test, Moeen and Wood includedEngland have made three changes for the third Ashes Test against Australia which begins in Headingley today with Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood named in the side as the hosts look to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the series.Fast bowlers James Anderson and Josh Tongue have been rested while vice-captain Ollie Pope has been ruled out of the rest of the series after dislocating his shoulder, which requires surgery. With Pope not in the squad, Harry Brook will be promoted to number three. Moeen came out of retirement for the first Test but the spinner injured his finger, sitting out the second encounter at Lord’s.Wood was not picked for the first two Tests and England will welcome his fiery pace while Woakes’s all-round ability will give the hosts depth in their batting lineup. Anderson is England’s leading wicket-taker in Tests (688) but the 40-year-old struggled to make an impact in the series with just three wickets in the first two matches. Tongue made his Test debut against Ireland last month where he impressed with a five-wicket haul in the second innings and made his Ashes bow at Lord’s, where he took five in two innings.England squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad.

'Save the Dream', a global initiative operated by the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) to empower youth through safe access to sport and its educational and social values, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Logan Ragouramin, French football freestyler professional athlete, as its newest ambassador.Logan's appointment will see the 25-year-old European Champion of Football Freestyle join the team of Save the Dream's internationally renowned champions in promoting the mission and values of Save the Dream initiative to empower youth through safe access to sport and its educational and social values.Logan is best known internationally as the top 8 world's freestyle footballer and one the most stylish freestyler in the world.Accepting his new role, Logan said: " I feel highly honored to team up with Save the Dream and support its work to inspire children and young people learn transferable skills and lead positive and active lifestyle. As an art which combines creatively and self-expression with various types of football tricks, dance, and aerobatics, freestyle football is an amazing means to apply skills in every aspect of life, increase self-confidence, and promote social inclusion which is at the heart of sport."Commenting on the appointment, Save the Dream Executive Director Massimiliano Montanari, said: "Welcoming Logan to the Save the Dream team of Ambassadors means welcoming all those youth who pursue their goals with their own personal methods and skills, and use sport to express themselves in freedom."Save the Dream is a global initiative established by the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) to empower youth through safe access to sport and its educational and social values. Save the Dream serves as a global movement of organizations, people, and athletes who believe in the power of sport to build more fair and inclusive societies and are therefore committed to promoting and protecting its core values for the good of youth and future generations.

Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the Arab Games Algeria 2023 Sayed Ahmed Salmi stressed that the qualitative Qatari participation in the 15th edition of the Arab Games that will officially open on Wednesday and continues until July 15 is a continuation for its support for Algeria in all fields, especially spots.He pointed out that Algeria plans to present a sporting event based on firm principles that have been carefully studied to come up with an integrated image of performance and capabilities that can be exchanged and benefited from in every competition on any Arab land.In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Salmi said that the Qatari delegation participating in the Arab Games exceeds 100 athletes representing 15 sporting federations and participate in 17 different competitions held in five different cities, namely: Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba, and Tipaza.He added that the great turnout for participation in the competitions of the Arab Games from 22 countries, including Qatar, encourages Algeria to present the best organizational performance, especially since the State of Qatar organized a model edition of the Arab Games in 2011. At the same time, he considered the great turnout a victory for the nation and the sport alike, making it a big Arab festival, especially since the Arab Games returned after a break of 12 years.He indicated that Algeria aims to present a distinguished edition of the Arab Games, in which the Algerian identity is reflected as a cornerstone that reflects its nobility and principles, which will appear during the opening ceremony On Wednesday as a basic part, as well as working to reflect Arab culture.He noted that Algeria's success in organizing the last Mediterranean Games put pressure on the organizing committee and push it to work hard and try to provide the best and make sure every detail is done to come up with a qualitative organization that reflects the positive image of Algeria with its generosity, hospitality, and distinguished audience.

Secretary General of Qatar Taekwondo, Judo and Karate Federation Eid Al Muraikhi stressed that the federation aims to win medals in all weights and present a distinguished and effective participation within the Qatar delegation participating in the Arab Games Algeria 2023 that will officially open on Wednesday and continues until July 15.In a special interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Muraikhi said that the Taekwondo, Judo and Karate Federation aims to present effective participation by winning at least a medal in each discipline, despite the difficulty and strength of competition in light of the presence of North African, Egyptian and Sham athletes.He added that the federation participates in the Arab Games competitions with five athletes, three weights in karate and two weights in judo, and seeks to win medals in all the weights in which it participates.Al Muraikhi expressed his hope that the judo and karate competitions in the Arab Games will rise to a high level, especially as they are considered a preparatory competition before the Olympic Games (Paris 2024), wishing success to all players in appearing at their best levels.Regarding his assessment of the Arab sport of judo and karate, he said that there is strong Arab competition and that the last Arab Games hosted by the State of Qatar witnessed high and strong competition, expecting that the various weights in the tournament would witness strong competition and that the most attended team would be the host country, as well as the excellence of its athletes.Al Muraikhi noted the importance of regular Arab Games, especially since these competitions are important for Arab male and female athletes to determine the level, contact, evaluation, and gain experience, expressing his hope that the Arab Games will continue to be held every four years as planned, without interruption because it is an opportunity for Arab reunification.He praised the good reception, hospitality, and the provision of all facilities to the delegations participating in the event from the Organizing Committee for the Arab Games, pointing out that Algeria can present a distinguished edition of the Arab Games, especially after the many experiences in hosting more than one major sporting event, in addition to that Algeria has prepared to organize the Arab Games less than three months period.

Qatar players expressed delight after the team stunned Mexico to reach the quarter-finals of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday. Hazem Shehata, who scored the only and winning goal against Mexico, said that Al Annabi well deserved to be in the last eight following the team’s good show in the three matches of the group stage. “I feel very happy that we qualified for the next stage of the championship. We played a great match and succeeded in achieving the desired goal which was a win and qualification,” Shehata said.“We had no choice but to beat Mexico and await for the result of the Haiti-Honduras match in order to qualify. I think we deserved to go into the quarter-finals after our performance during the first round.” Shehata, who produced a fine snap-header against Mexico, also appreciated the presence of a large crowd at the game. “It is nice to score a goal at this big stadium and in front of this crowd of fans.” He, however, stressed that the road ahead would be all the more difficult. “The next confrontation in the quarter-finals will be difficult given injuries to some of our top players but we will do our best to continue the journey.” Meanwhile, midfielder Mohamed Waad said that everyone did well during the three group stage matches pointing out that the victory over Mexico was a result of the great determination shown by all players. “We achieved our goal. Our group (Group B) was a difficult one and the evidence is the results of all the matches and close finishes. We are very happy because we succeeded in making our fans happy and our ambition is to compete for the championship title. We will do everything in our power to achieve our goal.” Qatar striker Tamim Mansour Moftah praised the high spirit of the team which enabled them achieve a feisty win over Mexico. “We achieved a very important victory against a formidable Mexico, which has a long history in world football,” Moftah said. “We proved that nothing is impossible in football, after most of the expectations indicated that we would be knocked out in the group stage after the first two matches,” he added. Indicating the crucial decisions that went against the team, Moftah said: “We will not talk about the arbitration injustice that we were subjected to in the first two matches, but praise be to God, we achieved what we wanted, and we were able to qualify for the next round. “I think that the last stage was more difficult and the next one will be easier for us. We hope to continue to make our fans happy.” Qatar finished Group B as second with 4 points on a better goal difference against Honduras, third in the standings, while Mexico topped the standings with 6 points while Haiti ended up as fourth with 3 points. Qatar will meet the toppers of Group C in the quarter-finals. Currently Panama with 6 points lead Group C, followed by Martinique with three points, and El Salvador and then Costa Rica with a point each. The quarter-finals will be played on July 8 and 9, while the semi-finals are scheduled for July 12 and the final for July 16. Qatar, the reigning Asian champions, reached the semi-finals of the Gold Cup in their previous guest appearance in 2021.

Qatar has added another victory to its numerous accomplishments in the field of Arabian horse shows, as Al Shaqab horses won the gold and silver medals at the Menton Mediterranean & Arab Countries Arabian Horse Championship in France recently.The filly ‘Shahalel Al Shaqab,’ daughter of the champion mare ‘Siwar Al Shaqab,’ won the gold medal in the yearling fillies category, securing the first place. Meanwhile, Ajiana OS won the silver medal in the senior mares category. Al Shaqab horses dazzled the audience with their beauty and exceptional presence.Al Shaqab, the leading equestrian centre, had a remarkable presence in the championship, and its victory reflects the successful breeding programme that adheres to the latest international standards. Prominent figures such as His Highness Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Personal Representative of His Highness the Amir, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, Chairman of Al Shaqab, and HE Sheikh al-Qaqa bin Hamad al-Thani attended the championship, demonstrating great support.Khaled al-Jehani, the Director of Production and Arabian Horse Beauty Department, expressed his happiness with the victory, saying, “We extend our sincere congratulations to Qatar and HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani on this exceptional and wonderful achievement. This victory reflects his Excellency’s sound vision and the tremendous efforts made by the entire team. We are extremely proud of the achievements of Shahalel Al Shaqab and Ajiana OS. In the 2023 Menton Mediterranean & Arab Countries Arabian Horse Championship in France. The victory of Al Shaqab horses embodies the dedication of the Al Shaqab team and the quality of their production.”This championship is considered one of the most important tournaments in Europe and the world, especially due to the diversity of participating stud farms and large establishments. It also sets the stage for the competition in the World Arabian Horse Beauty Championship, which is held annually in Paris and marks the end of the championship season of this kind.Qatar’s victory in this prestigious championship highlights its constant pursuit of excellence in equestrian sports and various sporting fields.

Jasper Philipsen won a second consecutive stage of the Tour de France yesterday as a series of high-speed falls at the Nogaro motorbike racetrack stole the headlines.The Alpecin rider Philipsen finished at a speed over 67kph and took the overall lead in the sprint points battle after pipping Caleb Ewan and Phil Bauhaus.The Belgian expressed shock at the falls.“I’ve never experienced a finish like that before, those curves are tight and I’m so happy not to have fallen,” said the 25-year-old.His teammate and lead out man Mathieu van der Poel also spoke out about the choice of placing the finale on a racetrack.“A circuit is not safer than a road. I’m just happy I managed to stay upright and managed to find a gap for Jasper,” he said.Philipsen agreed.“Maybe because it was so boring and slow today the riders were more nervous. The corners were also much more technical than I had expected.“Sadly it’s a dangerous sport and it’s not always possible to maintain safety,” he said.Fabio Jakobsen was one of the victims of the sprint and was alongside Philipsen when he hit the tarmac.“It’s not my aim to make anyone fall,” Philipsen said.“My take is that he tried to get into a space that was too small.”British veteran Mark Cavendish came fifth as he continued to face frustration in his quest for a 35th Tour de France win to break the all-time record he shares with Eddy Merckx.The 38-year-old, who finished sixth in yesterday’s sprint, said he picked the wrong wheel to follow.In the shockingly accident-filled finish, the peloton sped around a motorbike racetrack where there was a string of crashes on the rounded chicanes.Tour medics have confirmed two riders broke collarbones.‘Jasper the master’Philipsen had attracted ridicule at the Tour last year for celebrating what he believed to be a stage win when in fact Wout Van Aert had already crossed the line on a solo escape.A Netflix series about the 2022 Tour then nicknamed him ‘Jasper the disaster’.But this is his fourth consecutive triumph on a Tour de France stage that culminated with a mass bunch sprint.He is the first rider since Cavendish in 2008 to win successive sprint stages in the race.Adam Yates retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.He is six seconds ahead of his teammate Tadej Pogacar and seven ahead of his brother Simon Yates.“Today went well, nobody wanted to break away and the sprinters were delighted,” Yates said of the slow pace set by the peloton on a flat stage.Looking ahead to the Tour’s first big mountain stage today, with around 30km of climbing at an average gradient of over 7 percent, Yates predicted more action.“It’s a big opportunity for the breakaway, there will be some serious competition to get in there and get away. It’ll be interesting.”First up today is the hors category 15km ascent of the Col de Soudet at 7.2 percent average gradient. The next hill is the Col d’Ichere with 4km at 7 percent before an 8km slog up the Col de Marie Blanc at 8.6 percent gradient.

Nasser al-Mudahka, Head of the Qatari delegation participating in the 15th edition of the Arab Games held from 5-15 July in Algeria, praised the great effort of the organizing committee to make Arab sporting festival a success.The event will see the participation of around 3,500 athletes representing 22 countries.In a statement yesterday, al-Mudahka said that the Qatari delegation received a warm welcome from the Algerians, and they have never felt away from home since the first moment they arrived in Algeria.In addition, the organising committee provided all means of comfort and capabilities to ensure the proper atmosphere for all participating delegations, making this edition of the Arab Games a success even before its kickoff.Regarding team Qatar’s participation in this edition of the Arab Games, al-Mudahka affirmed that the State of Qatar is participating with 104 players representing 15 sporting federations and participating in 17 disciplines.He pointed out that the teams have begun to arrive successively in Algeria according to the schedule of participation for each game. So far, the delegations of special needs and athletics have arrived, while the handball delegation is expected to arrive today, and the remaining delegations will arrive during the coming days.He noted that all matters related to the reception at the airport and accommodation at the residence of the participating delegations had been prepared.Regarding the aspirations of Qatar teams during this edition of the Arab Games, the Head of the Qatari delegation stressed that the ambitions are high to achieve the largest number of medals, saying that Qatar trusts the capabilities of its athletes to represent it in the best manner and show the big development that Qatari sport has reached on both international and continental levels thanks to the support of the wise leadership and the great interest of HE the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani.For her part, member of the Qatari administrative delegation participating in the Arab Games in Algeria, Huda Nasser al-Yafei affirmed that there are facilities and services provided for the Qatari teams in coordination with the organising committee.She said that all logistic matters, such as transportation and housing, had been already prepared, and there is continuous follow-up for the comfort of all athletes.

The 2023 Association of National Olympic Committees World Beach Games have been cancelled after the Indonesian island of Bali pulled out as host a month before the event’s scheduled start, organisers said yesterday.The withdrawal at such short notice left no time to find a suitable host replacement, ANOC said in a statement posted on the event’s official Instagram account.“There is no option but to cancel this year’s edition of the Games in Bali in August as well as the ANOC General Assembly,” it said.“A decision will be taken in the coming weeks regarding a new location and dates” for the general assembly, ANOC added.Bali’s local organising committee (LOC) said it decided to withdraw as host after its budget for the Games “was not released” by the Indonesian government, according to ANOC.More than 100 Olympic member countries were due to take part in the second edition of the games, which includes beach and watersports like volleyball, surfing and aquathlon.“ANOC is very disappointed by the LOC’s actions which will deny athletes from 100 qualified NOCs (national Olympic committees) from fulfilling their ambitions of competing at the Games,” ANOC said.The Games’ status was already cast in doubt after local media reports said Bali Governor Wayan Koster would refuse to support Israel’s presence if it was confirmed to take part.The ANOC cancellation statement made no mention of Bali’s stance on Israeli participation.The statement read: “It is with great surprise and extreme disappointment that ANOC has learnt that the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) has withdrawn from its commitment to host the ANOC World Beach Games and the ANOC General Assembly in August 2023.“With the Games scheduled to take place in one month, the decision at such late notice prevents ANOC from being able to find an alternative host and so there is no option but to cancel this year’s edition of the Games in Bali in August as well as the ANOC General Assembly. Regarding the ANOC General Assembly, a decision will be taken in the coming weeks regarding a new location and dates.“The KOI stated the decision was taken after the budget was not released by the Government of the country and there is now not time to deliver the Games. ANOC is very disappointed by the KOI’s actions which will deny athletes from 100 qualified NOCs from fulfilling their ambitions of competing at the Games.“ANOC offers its sincere apologies to these NOCs, athletes and the International Federations (IFs) who have been committed partners of the event, and to the fans around the world.”

World number one Carlos Alcaraz and defending women’s champion Elena Rybakina got their Wimbledon bids off to winning starts yesterday as torrential rain brought havoc to the All England Club schedule.Only an hour’s play was possible on the outside courts, which meant 69 of the planned 75 matches were unable to be completed.Just six matches took place on the covered Court One and Centre Court, where the retired Roger Federer was the main attraction.Tennis’s new golden boy Alcaraz raced through the first set against French veteran Jeremy Chardy in just 22 minutes before breaking twice in the second set.Chardy, who had previously announced that Wimbledon would be the final tournament of his career, drew first blood in the third set to lead 4-2 but Alcaraz hit back strongly, sealing a 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 win with an ace.“I like to play battles and I am really happy to have played a great level, both of us, in the third set,” said the Spaniard.“I am really happy to get through this first round.”The US Open champion is seen as one of the few credible threats to Novak Djokovic, who is targeting an eighth Wimbledon crown to equal Federer’s men’s record.The Kazakh third seed Rybakina was caught cold in the opening set, double-faulting on her first point on the way to losing her first service game to unseeded American Shelby Rogers but she rallied strongly to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.“It was really tough for me today,” said Rybakina. “I was pretty nervous, and I can’t even hide it.“The double fault said it all at the beginning of the match. I’m really pleased to get to another round.”Two-time champion Andy Murray eased past fellow Briton Ryan Peniston in straight sets. Former world number one Murray, who won his first Wimbledon title in 2013 before adding a second three years later, came through 6-3, 6-0, 6-1.Now ranked at 40, and playing with a metal hip, the 36-year-old had too much power and finesse for wildcard Peniston, the world number 268. “It’s amazing to be back on Centre Court again,” said Murray.“I started off quite nervously, I was a little bit tentative but once I got a break I played some good stuff. There were good signs.”Ons Jabeur, the 2022 runner-up, cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Poland’s Magdalena Frech.Wimbledon chiefs, meanwhile, downplayed concerns over dampness on Centre Court despite a long delay during Djokovic’s first round match against Pedro Cachin on Monday. Operations director Michelle Dite said there was more moisture in the grass than expected but organisers were not planning to do anything different yesterday.“There was nothing strange,” she said.“It was a set of circumstances with the environmental control in the bowl. There is nothing that’s broken. There is nothing that means we’re not confident in playing today.”World number two and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka powered into the second round with a 6-3, 6-1win over Panna Udvardy of Hungary.The 25-year-old will face Varvara Gracheva of France or Italy’s Camila Giorgi for a place in the last 32.