SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC, France: Tour de France overall leader Jonas Vingegaard is calling on fans to behave better at cycling’s biggest race after another mass crash marred the 15th stage on Sunday.
“I’d like to tell the spectators to enjoy the race and be there to cheer for us without standing on the road or pouring beers on us,” Vingegaard said. “Please, just enjoy the race.”
The Danish rider leads Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia by only 10 seconds with the race about to enter its final week.
The incident, which involved around two dozen riders, led to appeals from several teams at the Tour.
“Please be careful. So that the party remains a party for the riders, but also for you. You don’t need a cell phone to create mind-blowing memories,” the Cofidis team said amid unverified reports that the spectator who caused the crash was taking a selfie.
The Ineos Grenadiers team said “please give the riders room to race.”
A day after a big pileup forced several riders to abandon, the latest accident occurred after 52 kilometers (32 miles) when a spectator on the side of the road inadvertently touched American rider Sepp Kuss — a key teammate of Vingegaard — and sent him to the ground.
Fans gathering on the sides of roads and in villages as riders pass by is part of the tradition — and charm — of the Tour, but many spectators can take too many risks, including when they run alongside riders in mountain ascents.
Jumbo-Visma said Dylan van Baarle and Nathan van Hooydonck were among those who hit the tarmac on Sunday. Vingegaard was riding close to his teammates but escaped unscathed.
“The team felt pretty good today, although we of course had this crash that affected some of my teammates,” Vingegaard said.
Organizers also asked fans to “pay attention to the riders” after the incident which did not lead to any withdrawals.
Two years ago, a spectator brandishing a large cardboard sign while leaning into the path of oncoming riders led to a massive pileup during the opening stage.
Dutch veteran Wout Poels soloed to victory Sunday after the tough trek in the Alps.
Tour de France teams ask fans to behave better after mass pileup in 15th stage
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Tour de France teams ask fans to behave better after mass pileup in 15th stage
- The Danish rider leads Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia by only 10 seconds with the race about to enter its final week
Beterbiev and Bivol arrive for Riyadh Season’s ‘IV Crown Showdown’
- Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol fight for all 4 light-heavy belts
- Both unbeaten, but Beterbiev has boxing’s only 100% KO record
RIYADH: Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol have arrived here for one of the most anticipated fights of the year, which will see the winner take home all four light-heavyweight belts.
The event on Oct. 12, a part of Riyadh Season 2024, is an intriguing matchup between two unbeaten fighters. Bivol is 23-0, 12 knockouts, while Beterbiev is 20-0, but boasts boxing’s only 100 percent knockout ratio.
Fans and boxing enthusiasts gathered to witness the champions face-off here for their bout at Kingdom Arena, which is expected to garner millions of viewers worldwide.
The night will feature several compelling fights on the undercard.
In the middleweight division, Britain’s Chris Eubank Jr. will challenge Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta, and in the heavyweight category British boxer Fabio Wardley will face fellow countryman Fraser Clarke.
In the cruiserweight division, Australia’s Jai Opetaia will meet Britain’s Jack Massey. And in the light-heavyweight division Britain’s Ben Whittaker and fellow Brit Liam Cameron will square off.
The event will also feature a women’s bout between Australia’s Skye Nicolson and Britain’s Raven Chapman.
Additionally, fans will be treated to Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al-Aqel facing Mexico’s Jesus Gonzalez in the welterweight division.
Padres edge Dodgers in a roller-coaster playoff game, Mets on the brink
- Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani once again struggled to make an impression on the Padres pitching
- Pete Alonso led an offensive onslaught and Sean Manaea produced a gem as the New York Mets took a 2-1 series lead against the Philadelphia Phillies
LOS ANGELES: The San Diego Padres sent the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink of postseason elimination with a 6-5 victory in a roller-coaster Major League Baseball playoff clash on Tuesday.
A wild game at an electric Petco Park saw Los Angeles take a first-inning lead through a Mookie Betts solo home run before the Padres punished multiple Dodgers fielding blunders to erupt for six runs in the second inning.
The Dodgers recovered from that second inning disaster to get within one run after Teoscar Hernandez blasted a towering grand slam off Padres starter Michael King to make it 6-5 in the top of the third.
But after that early frenzy of scoring, the Padres pitching unit took over and closed out a win, which gives them the chance to seal victory in the best-of-five National League Division Series in Game 4 on Wednesday.
The Padres, who blitzed the Dodgers 10-2 in an ill-tempered game two on Sunday, once again turned on the offensive power early on.
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s two-run home run off Walker Buehler completed a second inning catastrophe for the Dodgers, who squandered the opportunity to take early outs through fielding mistakes from Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas.
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani — the home run hero of his team’s Game 1 victory — once again struggled to make an impression on the Padres pitching, finishing with just one hit from four at bats.
“Just amazing. What can I say? It’s a beautiful time to be here,” an elated Tatis said after the win.
“We’ve still got a lot of work to do, so it’s one step at a time. We’re showing up — we’re going hard from the first pitch, and that’s the energy that we need.”
In Tuesday’s other playoff game, Pete Alonso led an offensive onslaught and Sean Manaea produced a gem as the New York Mets took a 2-1 series lead against the Philadelphia Phillies with a 7-2 win at Citi Field.
Alonso blasted a second-inning home run to open the scoring while Manaea shut down the Phillies bats through seven scoreless innings.
The result means New York, who finished in third place behind Philadelphia and Atlanta in the regular season, can book an improbable trip to the National League Championship Series with victory in Game 4 on Wednesday.
Philadelphia had yanked back the series momentum with a thrilling win in Game 2 on Sunday after being stunned in Game 1 a day earlier.
But the Mets reclaimed the initiative in clinical fashion on Tuesday thanks to the first playoff victory of Manaea’s career.
The win was especially sweet for Manaea, who had been battered for five runs in less than two innings by the Phillies during a nightmare playoff performance in 2022.
With Manaea dominant, the Mets batting jumped on Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola.
Alonso got things going with a 385-foot blast to right field in the second before Jesse Winker doubled the lead with the second homer of the game to make it 2-0 in the fourth.
Nola was hooked after giving up two walks to help the Mets load the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Reliever Orion Kerkering came in to staunch the bleeding but shipped a two-out single to Starling Marte which allowed Alonso and Brandon Nimmo to cross home plate for a 4-0 lead.
The Mets tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh after Jose Iglesias singled to score Harrison Baden and Nimmo, making the score 6-0.
Philadelphia finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning after singles from Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos, but the Mets extended their lead in the eighth before closer Ryne Stanek wrapped up the win.
Europe skipper Donald in talks with Garcia over Ryder Cup return
- Garcia, the all-time leading Ryder Cup scorer with 28.5 points in 10 appearances, missed last year’s tournament in Rome after opting to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit
- Donald said existing regulations meant other LIV players could also be available as captain’s picks
- US officials have already given the green light for LIV players to play on the American team, as they did in 2023
NEW YORK: Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald revealed on Tuesday he has been in talks with LIV Golf player Sergio Garcia about making a possible return to the team for next year’s clash with the USA.
Speaking at an event in New York to mark the countdown to next year’s Europe-USA Ryder Cup showdown at Bethpage, Donald confirmed he had spoken to Garcia about his availability.
Garcia, the all-time leading Ryder Cup scorer with 28.5 points in 10 appearances, missed last year’s tournament in Rome after opting to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.
However, Donald said on Tuesday that Garcia was now considering applying to rejoin the DP World Tour in a push to be eligible for selection.
“Obviously he resigned his membership a couple years ago,” Donald said of Garcia.
“But we have had some chats. He’s considering rejoining. He’d have to follow all the rules and regulations like everyone else, and if he does that, again, he will be eligible to partake in the Ryder Cup.
“We chatted on phone a couple weeks ago. He’s certainly very interested in doing that. He understands everything that’s involved, and again, the decision has to go to him, whether he’s prepared to do all that.
“But certainly, we’ve had that discussion, yes.”
Donald said existing regulations meant other LIV players could also be available as captain’s picks.
“The DP World Tour’s policies have been very consistent. There’s been a lot of clarity around that,” Donald said.
“It’s really the same as it was in Rome. You have to be a Member of The European Tour and born in Europe. If you fulfill the regulations and the rules that the DP World Tour set, then you’re eligible. There’s a bunch of LIV guys that play on LIV that they are eligible now; so I can pick them at will.”
US officials have already given the green light for LIV players to play on the American team, as they did in 2023 when Brooks Koepka was given a captain’s pick to join the team.
US captain Keegan Bradley said Tuesday he planned to select “the 12 best players.”
“So if we feel like there’s a few guys there, one guy, two guys, whatever it is, then we’re going to do that,” Bradley said.
“But we’re too far out to figure out how this is all going to play out. But we’re definitely going to take the 12 best players however that shakes out.”
The 2025 Ryder Cup takes place at Bethpage Black in New York from Sept. 26-28. Defending champions Europe are chasing their first victory in the tournament on US soil since the famous “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012.
Former US coach Gregg Berhalter hired as coach of the Chicago Fire
- Berhalter was dismissed as US coach in July, shortly after the team was eliminated in the group stage of the Copa America
- He replaces current Fire coach Frank Klopas, who will step down after the team’s final regular-season game on Oct. 19
CHICAGO: The Chicago Fire have hired former US national team coach Gregg Berhalter to be the club’s new head coach and director of football.
Berhalter was dismissed as US coach in July, shortly after the team was eliminated in the group stage of the Copa America. It was his second stint with the national team.
He replaces current Fire coach Frank Klopas, who will step down after the team’s final regular-season game on Oct. 19 to assume a new role as the team’s vice president of football.
Berhalter becomes the 10th head coach in the Fire’s history. He will oversee Chicago’s sporting operations, including the senior team, Fire FC II, and the Chicago Fire Academy.
“Chicago is an incredible city, built on communities of hard-working and passionate people who truly love soccer. I look forward to working alongside our staff and players to transform the Fire into a world-class organization that all our fans and the city can be proud of and will support,” he said in a statement.
Berhalter, 51, was the first American to coach the national team after playing for the team at a World Cup. He was originally hired to coach the US in December 2018 after stints with Sweden’s Hammarby (2011-13) and the Columbus Crew (2013-18).
“I’m confident that under his guidance, we will build on the foundation that has been laid over the past five years and be an organization that Chicago will be proud of and reflects the values of our city. I expect that Gregg will create a competitive culture and return our club to its winning ways,” Fire owner Joe Mansueto said in a statement.
Berhalter led the US to a 44-17-13 record during his tenure, taking the team to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His contract expired following the World Cup but he was rehired in June 2023.
Earlier that year, US Soccer investigated a decades-old domestic violence allegation that was brought to the USSF’s attention by the Reyna family, upset that Berhalter limited Gio Reyna’s playing time at the World Cup. A law firm retained by the USSF said there was no legal obstacle to bringing Berhalter back.
With the Crew from 2013-18, Berhalter led the club to the playoffs in four of his five seasons, including an appearance in the 2015 MLS Cup final.
As a player, Berhalter appeared in a pair of World Cups for the US. When he made his international debut against Saudi Arabia on Oct. 15, 1994, Klopas scored on the young center back.
Berhalter, a New Jersey native who lives in the Chicago area, played professionally for 18 season with stops in Europe and a stint with the LA Galaxy.
The Fire (7-9-17) have already been eliminated from postseason play with one game remaining in the regular season. Chicago have not been to the playoffs since 2017.
It is the seventh coaching change so far this season in MLS. Austin FC’s Josh Wolff was fired on Sunday, joining Nashville’s Gary Smith (May 16), Atlanta’s Gonzalo Pineda (June 3), Dallas’ Nico Estévez (June 9), San Jose’s Luchi Gonzalez (June 24) and St. Louis’ Bradley Carnell (July 1).
Australia post dominant 60-run win over New Zealand in Women’s T20 World Cup
- Australia scored the tournament’s second-highest total — 148-8 in 20 overs — thanks to Beth Mooney’s 40 off 32 balls
- It was New Zealand’s third-highest margin of defeat in women’s T20s
SHARJAH, UAE: Megan Schutt took three wickets for just three runs off 20 deliveries as Australia secured a rampant 60-run win over New Zealand in their Group A clash at the Women’s T20 World Cup.
Schutt’s return was the most economical three-wicket spell in tournament history, surpassing England’s Danielle Hazell’s 3-4 against Bangladesh in 2014.
This was after Australia scored the tournament’s second-highest total — 148-8 in 20 overs — thanks to Beth Mooney’s 40 off 32 balls.
In reply, New Zealand was bowled out for 88 runs in 19.2 overs with medium pace pairing Schutt and Annabel Sutherland sharing six wickets.
Sutherland took 3-21 in four overs, as Australia moved to the top of Group A with two wins in as many games.
Australia opted to bat after winning the toss as Mooney put on 41 runs with Alyssa Healy, who scored 26 runs.
Mooney added another 45 off 48 balls with Ellyze Perry, who scored 30 off 24 balls, hitting three fours and a six.
Perry’s knock provided momentum for Australia, despite Mooney being caught by all-rounder Amelia Kerr.
Kerr finished with 4-26 in four overs, picking up a couple late wickets, but couldn’t prevent Australia from putting up a challenging total.
Chasing 149, New Zealand lost Georgia Plimmer early — bowled off Schutt for four.
Kerr contributed 29 off 31 balls, hitting three fours, and put on 47 runs for the second wicket. It raised visions of a Kiwi fightback, before left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux made a double breakthrough.
Molineux broke the partnership in the 11th over and New Zealand crashed to defeat within 42 deliveries, losing nine wickets for 27 runs.
Only Lea Tahuhu (11) managed to reach double figures thereafter, as Australia registered their 13th consecutive win in Women’s T20 World Cups.
It was also New Zealand’s third-highest margin of defeat in women’s T20s.
