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A22 SPORTS
Saturday 22 July 2017

Ahead of last Tour fight, Boasson Hagen’s homework pays off

By JOHN LEICESTER “That’s when it struck me: in the Alps offered no real
AP Sports Writer We should have taken opportunity for Froome’s
SALON-DE-PROVENCE, right,” Keukeleire said. rivals to claw back time. In-
France (AP) — Edvald Boas- “He’s one of those riders, stead, they and Froome let
son Hagen showed that give him 10 meters and the 20 breakaway riders do
brawn and speed don’t he’s gone.” the hard graft.
guarantee victory at the It was Boasson Hagen’s “We could just sit on the
Tour de France. Winners do third career stage win at wheels and recover a little
their homework, too. the Tour, after his first two in bit,” Froome said. “Every-
Going right around a 2011. He said he’d studied one was quite happy to sit
roundabout while others the finish and identified the back.”
took the left and longer short cut. The breakaway group split
route proved to be the key “I was hunting for opportu- again with 20 kilometers
that enabled the Norwe- nities, and then the round- (12 miles) left. Boasson Ha-
gian to finally win a stage about arrived,” he said. “I gen was among nine rid-
at this Tour on Friday after understood that going right ers who ditched the others
two second-place finishes. would be quicker.” Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen celebrates as he crosses the with a furious burst, leav-
Only Boasson Hagen and Riding at a leisurely pace finish line to win the nineteenth stage of the Tour de France cy- ing him in the right group
Nikias Arndt took the shorter far behind them, race cling race over 222.5 kilometers (138.3 miles) with start in Em- to contest the stage vic-
route. The Norwegian then leader Chris Froome and brun and finish in Salon-de-Provence, France, Friday, July 21, tory. But among that lead-
eliminated the German rid- other top contenders for 2017. ing nine, everyone but
er with a burst of accelera- the yellow jersey were hap- Associated Press Arndt and Boasson Hagen
tion and sped to the line in py to let others contest the then went left around the
Salon-de Provence. victory on the Tour’s lon- had their sights set instead stage win for the Dimension roundabout, essentially
Arndt placed second, five gest stage. on the time trial on Satur- Data team at this tour. eliminating themselves
seconds back. Boasson Hagen was part day in Marseille that will The overall standings re- from the running. On Stage
Third-placed Jens Keu- of a 20-man group that determine the podium or- mained unchanged at the 7, Boasson Hagen lost to
keleire was among those Froome and Team Sky der before the race ends in top, with Froome leading Marcel Kittel by mere mil-
who went left around the gave freedom to escape Paris on Sunday. French rider Romain Bardet limeters in a photo finish
roundabout in the last from the peloton because Froome’s group was still rid- by 23 seconds and Rigo- at Nuits-Saint-Georges. He
three kilometers (under two none of them presented a ing as Boasson Hagen cele- berto Uran of Colombia by was also second on Stage
miles) and immediately threat to his overall lead. brated his win. The peloton 29 seconds. 16 and third on Stages 11
realized their mistake, as After two energy-sapping eventually rolled in more With no major difficulties, and 14. “I didn’t have to
Boasson Hagen motored days of climbs in the high than 12 minutes after Boas- the 222.5-kilometer (138- do a photo finish this time,”
away. Alps, Froome and his rivals son Hagen claimed the first mile) stage from Embrun he said. q

Ussain Bolt
Continued from Page 17

and is confident he can the Olympics last year. Roehler of Germany won
challenge in London, Isaac Makwala was sec- the javelin.
where he will run in the 200. ond and Botswana coun- In the men’s 800, not part
“I was so close to Bolt at tryman Baboloki Thebe of the Diamond League
the end of his great ca- third. Hellen Obiri of Kenya schedule in this race, Em-
reer. Couple of days ago also set a world-leading manuel Korir of Kenya set
I was told I will run the 200 8:23.14 in the women’s a world-leading time of
in London, so this sub 10 is 3,000. Countrywoman Bea- 1:43.10, shaving .63 sec-
great preparation for that,” trice Chepkoech was five onds off his personal best.
he said. “I need to execute seconds behind. Nijel Amos of Botswana set
well and then I can attack Olympic silver medal- the previous best time two
a medal in that event.” ist Evan Jager also got a weeks ago in London.
Wayde van Niekerk of year’s best time, easily win- Competing as an autho-
South Africa won the 400 in ning the men’s 3,000 stee- rized neutral athlete in the
43.73, and countrywoman plechase in 8:01.29, less wake of Russia’s doping
Caster Semenya pulled than one second behind scandal, Mariya Lasitskene
clear in the last 50 meters his personal best. Still, the won the women’s high
to win the 800 in a world- American was six seconds jump at 2.05.
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt poses with a trophy during the podium cer- leading time this year of 1 clear of Kenyan runner In the women’s 4x100 relay,
emony at the IAAF Diamond League Athletics meeting at the
Louis II Stadium in Monaco, Friday, July 21, 2017. minute, 55.27 seconds. Jairus Kipchoge Birech. a non-Diamond League
Associated Press “It was a fantastic race, a “We are keeping our op- event, U.S. sprinter English
very fast pace,” Semenya tions open for the best pos- Gardner fell when passing
He was given a rousing ways, happy for my career, said. “It was one of the sible tactical plan for the the baton and appeared
ovation and expects to sad that it is ending,” he hardest races I’ve had.” worlds,” Jager said. “But to twist her ankle. Gard-
sorely miss that close bond said. “I’m planning to chill She set a personal best. one thing is clear: I’m going ner, a member of the gold
with the crowd when his after London with my fam- Francine Niyonsaba of Bu- for gold.” medal-winning relay team
running days are over. ily, but I’m not sure what will rundi was second followed Piotr Lisek of Poland won that beat Jamaica at the
“I’m always here for the be my next plan after this by Ajee Wilson of the U.S. the men’s pole vault with Olympic Games in Rio de
fans, and of course I will season.” Van Niekerk was some way multiple world and Olympic Janeiro, was taken off on
miss the vibe around the Young was happy enough short of the world-record medalist Renaud Lavillenie a stretcher and could be a
track. Mixed emotions al- to have pushed Bolt hard 43.03 he set when winning down in fifth, while Thomas doubt for the worlds.q