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sports Dialuna 12 September 2022

Evenepoel clinches Vuelta title to become Grand Tour winner

(AP) — Remco Evene- fending champion Primoz
poel put some tough times Roglic, who had to retire be-
behind him with the big- cause of injuries sustained in
gest win of his career on a crash near the end of the
Sunday. Two years ago, he 16th stage. Also not contend-
was flying off a bridge in ing at the end was 2018 Vuel-
a horrific crash that left ta winner Simon Yates, who
him hospitalized for sev- was one of the many riders
eral days. A year ago, his who had to withdraw during
loyalty to teammates was the race because of positive
being questioned by a cy- coronavirus tests.
cling great.
For Evenepoel, it was about
It was all forgotten as the using his pedals to answer
22-year-old Evenepoel from his doubters and critics, in-
team Quick-Step Alpha Vi- cluding Eddy Merckx, the
nyl won the Spanish Vuelta Belgian great who had said
for his first Grand Tour vic- last year that the youngster
tory. “It’s history for team, was unwilling to ride for his
for my country, for myself,” team.
Evenepoel said. “I think we Also last year, Evenepoel was
can be really proud of what flung into the barriers in the
we did the last three weeks.” 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia,
and the year before he sur-
It was a statement win for vived a nasty crash in which
Evenepoel, who became the final stage through the streets ally enjoy.” the rest of his challengers in he fell several meters (yards)
first Belgian to win a major of the Spanish capital, then Colombian Juan Sebastian the last competitive stage on off the side of a bridge and
three-week event since Johan got a hug and a kiss from his Molano of UAE Team Emir- Saturday. was hospitalized with a bro-
De Muynck won the Giro partner before raising his bi- ates won the closing 21st ken pelvis.
d’Italia in 1978. It was also cycle overhead in front of his stage in Madrid, ahead of Evenepoel ended 2 min-
sweet redemption for his fa- teammates. Mads Pedersen and Pascal utes, 2 seconds ahead of Mas This year’s Vuelta marked an
ther, Patrick Evenepoel, who “Now it really sinks in, it’s re- Akermann. of team Movistar. Another emotional farewell for vet-
finished 113th of 114 riders ally official,” he said. “Already Spaniard was third, with Juan eran Spaniard Alejandro Val-
in the Vuelta in 1993. yesterday the emotions were Evenepoel, who held the red Ayuso finishing nearly five verde, the 2009 champion,
quite high. We were actually jersey since taking the lead in minutes off the lead with and Italian rider Vincenzo
Evenepoel crossed the fin- there but we still had to fin- the sixth stage and overcame UAE Team Emirates. Nibali, the 2010 Vuelta win-
ish line one last time while ish the race safe and in a good a hard crash in the 12th stage, ner. Both are set to retire and
wearing the leader’s red jer- way. We enjoyed as much as had secured the victory by Evenepoel didn’t have to were greeted with a guard of
sey in Sunday’s celebratory possible and now we can re- holding off Enric Mas and worry about three-time de- honor by the other cyclists.

Verstappen wins Italian GP for 1st time to close in on title

(AP) — Having won in then picked off George Rus-
front of his own fans last sell in a Mercedes at the start
weekend, Max Verstappen of Lap 5 setting up the hunt
did it on enemy turf on for polesitter Leclerc in his
Sunday to leave the Red Ferrari.
Bull driver within touch- “The start was very good,”
ing distance of a second Verstappen said. “It was en-
straight F1 title. joyable to drive today even
though it was quite hot out
Boos rang out from the pas- there. Great day for us.”
sionate red-clad tifosi fans
when Verstappen stepped The Virtual Safety Car (VSC)
onto the iconic Monza po- gave Verstappen an opportu-
dium for the first time in his nity as it came out on Lap 12
career, after winning the Ital- after Sebastian Vettel’s final
ian Grand Prix on Sunday. race at Monza came to an
ignominious end, with the strategy decisions and bizarre had started 13th but, despite
Verstappen now has a four-time world champion incidents, but Leclerc be- However, a final battle never an eventful race that also fea-
116-point lead over Charles pulling up at the side of the lieves it was just unfortunate materialized when the race tured a brake fire, he man-
Leclerc, who finished second track after complaining about timing at Monza. finished behind the safety aged to finish sixth and also
after another questionable a power issue. car with Verstappen securing pick up the extra point for
strategy decision from Fer- Leclerc moved past Russell his fifth straight victory and fastest lap.
rari on its home track. With Ferrari decided to bring and then briefly regained the his 11th of the season — one
just six races remaining, the Leclerc in to change to me- lead when Verstappen pitted more than last year. Lando Norris was seventh,
Dutch driver could clinch dium tires, allowing Verstap- on the 26th lap but the pair Russell was third, ahead of after a poor start from third,
the title in Singapore next pen to take the lead. Leclerc swapped places again seven Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lewis with Pierre Gasly just behind
month. rejoined the race in third. laps later when the Ferrari Hamilton, who had both him.
“I think we all had a doubt, I driver pitted for new tires for fought through the field after Williams reserve driver Nyck
Verstappen started seventh think if I wouldn’t have done a second time. starting at the back of the grid de Vries finished his first-
after he was among a number it Max would have done it,” The safety car came out again following penalties. ever F1 race in ninth. The
of drivers hit by grid penalties Leclerc said. shortly after last year’s win- 27-year-old was a late re-
but made his way up to third ner, Daniel Ricciardo, pulled Verstappen’s Red Bull team- placement for Alex Albon af-
by the first corner of the sec- It has been a strange season up on Lap 47 prompting most mate Sergio Pérez had also ter the Thai driver was diag-
ond lap. The Red Bull driver for Ferrari, full of botched drivers to pit for soft tires. been hit by grid penalties and nosed with appendicitis.