Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Monday 23 July 2018

Thomas keeps lead before Tour’s decisive week in Pyrenees

By JOSEPH WILSON 25-year-old Cort Nielsen,
Associated Press who gave Astana back-
CARCASSONNE, France to-back wins the day af-
(AP) — With the Pyrenees ter teammate Omar Fraile
looming, Geraint Thomas claimed Stage 14.
had his last calm ride wear- The only sustained attack
ing the yellow jersey at the against Thomas came from
Tour de France on Sunday. Daniel Martin, who is 10th
The Welshman’s rivals for at almost seven minutes
cycling’s most prestigious behind. He tried a getaway
prize, which include team- while going up the Pic de
mate Chris Froome in sec- Nore climb at 40 kilome-
ond place, mostly held ters from the finish but was
back over the hilly Stage 15 reeled in on the way down.
with a decisive final week There was also a half-heart-
of racing ahead. ed and short-lived attempt
Thomas kept the overall by Bardet to slip away on a
lead for a fourth consecu- downhill. “We were always
tive day before the race in control,” Thomas said.
pauses for riders to rest on “We were always in the
Monday. right place, and it’s a good
That break will precede a day to get done.”
stretch in the Pyrenees that Denmark’s Magnus Cort Nielsen celebrates as he crosses the finish line ahead of Spain’s Jon Thomas and Froome lost
will feature three mountain Izaguirre Insausti, second right, and Netherlands’ Bauke Mollema, right, to win the fifteenth stage one of their support riders
stages before an individual of the Tour de France cycling race over 181.5 kilometers (112.8 miles) with start in Millau and finish for the rest of the way af-
time trial on the Tour’s pen- in Carcassonne, France, France, Sunday July 22, 2018. ter Gianni Moscon was ex-
ultimate day. Associated Press pelled by race organizers
“There are three big, big With Froome seeking a fifth shot of winning a first Grand ner Magnus Cort Nielsen of for apparently hitting Elie
days left, and then the time Tour title, Team Sky has yet Tour. Denmark. Gesbert of Team Fortuneo.
trial, so (I) just take each to declare its current top “I think I would have to Cort Nielsen claimed his first A breakaway group of
day as it comes and we will option for the title since have a bad day,” Thomas career win at the Tour after 29 riders— none of which
see what happens,” Thom- Thomas won back-to-back said. “It’s a massive honor staying ahead of Ion Iza- posed a threat to Thomas’
as said. summit finishes in the Alps. just to be wearing (the yel- girre and Bauke Mollema overall lead— got away
Thomas maintained his ad- So far, Thomas and Froome low jersey), but like I have in a sprint over the final 200 early. Cort Nielsen, Izagirre
vantage of 1 minute, 39 have not attacked each said from the very start, meters. He finished the hilly and Mollema dropped the
seconds over defending other, but that uneasy who knows what lies just 181.5-kilometer (112.7-mile) five other remaining escap-
champion Froome. Tom truce could be put to the around the corner?” leg from Millau that ended ees before disputing the
Dumoulin, the world time test as the race enters its Thomas, Froome, and the in a long descent to Car- stage win among them-
trial champion, remained decisive phase. rest of the overall contend- cassonne in 4 hours, 25 min- selves. With all three riders
third at 1:50 back. Primoz Thomas, while not saying he ers slowly rolled across the utes. sizing one another up, Cort
Roglic was fourth at 2:38 will race against Froome, finish line at Carcassonne “I always kept a little back Nielsen stayed in front of
behind and Romain Bardet has made it clear that he and its medieval city walls so I was able to respond the other two when they
3:21 behind in fifth. is not going to relinquish his 13 minutes after stage win- if they attack,” said the broke into a sprint..q

Michael Stich, Helena Sukova

inducted into tennis hall

port’s grass court, the only gold in doubles at the 1992 tant (thing) was playing the
members of the class of Barcelona Olympics. singles,” she said. “I didn’t
2018. “It was always said that really like to practice, so
“I played till I was 18,” Stich we didn’t get along,” Stich doubles was perfect.”
said during a news confer- said. “Obviously, as we The 53-year-old Czech
ence. “There was a little were rivals, we could get reflected on her biggest
bit of a decision between along. I think we benefited singles win, beating Mar-
soccer and tennis, but I a lot from each other be- tina Navratilova at the 1984
preferred tennis because I cause we always wanted Australian Open to end her
didn’t have to deal with 10 to be better than the oth- string of 74 consecutive
Tennis Hall of Fame inductees Helena Sukova, of Czech Republic, other guys messing up on er player,” he said. “We match victories, including
and Michael Stich, of Germany, react as they are introduced by the pitch. It was only up to proved it to ourselves and six straight Slam titles.
Stan Smith, middle, at a news conference at the International me to mess up.” to everyone else that it was “I had like three press con-
Tennis Hall of Fame, Saturday, July 21, 2018, in Newport, R.I. Stich captured his only possible to follow our goal.” ferences every day after
Associated Press Grand Slam singles title in Sukova captured a com- that,” she said. “Before
By KEN POWTAK choice now that he has a 1991, beating countryman bined 14 Slam doubles titles that, I barely had one.”
Associated Press home in the International Boris Becker, also a Hall of — nine in women’s and five Hall of Famer Jim Cou-
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — When Tennis Hall of Fame. Famer, at Wimbledon. He in mixed. She was runner- rier jokingly told the crowd
Michael Stich was a teen- The 49-year-old German was a U.S. Open finalist in up in singles at four majors that he checked his record
ager, he had to choose a and Helena Sukova were 1994 and runner-up at the — twice each at the Aus- against Stich before head-
sport — soccer or tennis. inducted on Saturday dur- 1996 French Open. tralian and U.S. opens. ing from his New York City
It seems he made right ing a ceremony on New- He joined Becker to win “For me, the most impor- home.q