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SPORTS Saturday 28 July 2018
Thomas can taste Tour title with 1 big stage to go

By ANDREW DAMPF the podium.
LARUNS, France (AP) — Primoz Roglic of Slovenia
Having worn the leader's won the 200.5-kilometer
yellow jersey over the Alps (125-mile) 19th leg through
and through the Pyrenees, the Pyrenees with an attack
only one more challenging on the dangerous descent
stage stands in the way of from the Col d'Aubisque.
Geraint Thomas winning his A former ski jumper who
first Tour de France. rides for Team Lotto NL-
Thomas takes an advan- Jumbo, Roglic finished 19
tage of 2 minutes, 5 sec- seconds ahead of Thomas,
onds over Dutch rival Tom while Romain Bardet of
Dumoulin into Saturday's France crossed third with
31-kilometer (19-mile) in- the same time.
dividual time trial in the "I had legs today," Roglic
Basque Country. said. "I really tried a lot of
The pressure of leading times and finally I went
has reminded Thomas of away on the descent."
the time he helped Britain Thomas received a six-
to the gold medal in team second bonus for ending
pursuit on the track at the up second, while Dumoulin
2012 London Olympics. finished sixth and Froome
"It comes down to tomor- eighth, both with the same
row but I can take confi- time as the race leader. Britain's Geraint Thomas, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, grimaces as he sprints with
dence with how I'm riding, Roglic leapfrogged Froome France's Romain Bardet, right, and Ireland's Daniel Martin, left, towards the finish line of the
nineteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 200.5 kilometers (124.6 miles) with start
and what will be will be," he into third spot overall, 2:24 in Lourdes and finish in Laruns, France, Friday July 27, 2018.
said. "There's still one more off the pace, while the de- Associated Press
big day to go." fending champion now
While Dumoulin is the time trails by 2:37. courage on a twisty de- tually I got dropped on a climbs — the Col d'Aspin,
trial world champion, After the hilly time trial, the scent made more difficult straight part just because the Col du Tourmalet and
Thomas is quite capable in race concludes with the by clouds and fog hanging he was on his tube and full the Aubisque — before the
the discipline and acknowl- mostly ceremonial finish on over the Aubisque. in the slipstream of the mo- dive down to the finish.
edged he should be able the Champs-Elysees in Paris When the road allowed, he torbike," Dumoulin said. Mountain classifications
to protect his advantage. on Sunday crouched down on to his Roglic rejected the accu- leader Julian Alaphilippe
"It's going to be a tough Froome initially fell behind bike frame in a risky aero- sation. "I don't think so," he was first over the Aspin and
day tomorrow. I'm really on Friday's climb up the dynamic move known as said. "I don't have influence Tourmalet as part of an ear-
knackered," Thomas said. Aubisque before latching "super tucking." on that. We all have the ly breakaway.
"I'm still trying not to get car- back onto the lead group Dumoulin accused the same possibilities to go the Mikel Landa and Bardet
ried away." on the descent. stage winner of 'drafting' first one down. I didn't no- then attacked from the
He increased his lead after It was Roglic's second Tour behind a motorbike. tice anything unusual." yellow jersey group up
the final mountain stage on victory, having claimed "Roglic was the strongest The route from the pil- the Tourmalet and joined
Friday, while Sky teammate Stage 17 in the Alps last today, and a lot of respect grimage town of Lourdes the leaders before Roglic,
and four-time champion year. Roglic, who also ex- for his victory. But he was to Laruns took the pelo- Thomas and Dumoulin took
Chris Froome lost his spot on cels at time trials, showed flying downhill, and even- ton over three legendary over on the final climb.q

CAS upholds ex-FIFA Valcke's

10-year ban from soccer

LAUSANNE, Switzerland related activity for 10 years ing then-president Blatter's
(AP) — Jerome Valcke's 10- by the FIFA ethics commit- right-hand man the next
year ban from football was tee. year. He was fired a second
upheld by the Court of Ar- His appeal was heard in time in January 2016 after
bitration for Sport on Friday. October, and on Friday it being implicated in irregu-
The secretary general at was dismissed by CAS. lar World Cup ticket and
FIFA for eight years during "The offenses found to have broadcast rights sales, plus
Sepp Blatter's presiden- been committed by Je- expense abuses including
cy was fired in 2016 and rome Valcke were cumu- personal use of private jets.
banned from all football- latively of a serious degree The FIFA ethics commit-
of gravity," CAS said in its tee banned Valcke for 12
statement, adding the ban years, with an additional
and fine of 100,000 Swiss charge of destroying evi-
francs ($100,200) "were dence. FIFA's appeal panel
wholly proportionate." cut the ban by two years
The former TV presenter because it judged the
from France was a FIFA broadcasting deal charge In this Feb. 18, 2014 file Former FIFA Secretary General Jerome
marketing executive — was not proven. Valcke speaks during a news conference for the 2014 World
being fired once before Valcke denied all Cup in Florianopolis, Brazil. Associated Press
in 2006 — before becom- wrongdoing.q