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sports Monday 9 noveMber 2020
Roglic seals 2nd consecutive Spanish Vuelta victory

By TALES AZZONI final race before moving
AP Sports Writer from team Ineos to Israel
MADRID (AP) — It was a Start-Up Nation next sea-
vastly different finish for Pri- son.
moz Roglic at the Spanish "Obviously it's been an
Vuelta compared to two emotional day," said the
months ago at the Tour de 35-year-old British rider, who
France. ended 98th in the overall
This time, Roglic was cel- standings. "My last with the
ebrating a Grand Tour vic- team after 11 years."
tory instead of dwelling on The Vuelta finished without
a late collapse that cost major disruptions despite a
him the victory. surge of coronavirus cases
Roglic clinched his second in Spain. Tight health restric-
consecutive Vuelta vic- tions were in place for the
tory with an uneventful final race that was originally
ride into Madrid in Sunday's scheduled for late August
largely ceremonial stage, and early September but
solidifying his status as a top was postponed because
rider. of the pandemic.
"We were just enjoying," he This Vuelta had only 18
said. "It's beautiful to finish stages instead of the usual
the season like this. It was a 21. The sixth stage had to
special year." Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic from Jumbo-Visma, centre, celebrates after winning the 75th edition be altered to avoid going
The 31-year-old Slovenian of Spanish La Vuelta cycling race in Madrid Spain, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, INEOS Grenadiers team into French territory, and or-
from team Jumbo-Visma rider Richard Carapaz from Ecuador, second place, and British rider Hugh Carthy from education ganizers had already can-
virtually sealed the victory first team, third place. celed plans to hold the first
in Stage 17 on Saturday af- Associated Press three stages in the Neth-
ter escaping another col- one stage victory. Vuelta. "I wasn't sure, I was ask- erlands and to have two
lapse in the last competi- Roglic has become the Hugh Carthy finished third ing Sam who won," Ack- stages enter neighboring
tive stage, when his overall first rider to win the Vuelta's at the three-week race ermann said. "I was really Portugal.
lead over Richard Carapaz overall standings and the across Spain, with Dan Mar- unsure and we had to wait A facial-recognition phone
was cut from 45 to 24 sec- points classification two tin fourth and Enric Mas after the finish and we got app replaced the tradi-
onds. years in a row. fifth. the message in the radio." tional signature of riders at
It was the second Grand "It's really beautiful to win Pascal Ackermann defeat- Veteran Alejandro Val- the start of each stage to
Tour win for Roglic, who the red jersey and the ed Sam Bennett in a photo verde finished 10th for his reduce contact with pens
had been in contention green jersey to finish this finish at the deciding sprint 20th top 10 in a Grand Tour and surfaces, and fans
at the Tour de France until year," he said. of the final stage, which event at age 40. Two-time were asked not to gather
the last competitive day. Carapaz, the 2019 Giro lacked the huge crowds champion Chris Froome at finish lines. Riders, team
He won four stages at the d'Italia winner, became the of previous editions in the was out of contention from members and race staff
Vuelta this year, including first Ecuadorean rider to fin- Spanish capital because of the start after struggling in were constantly tested for
the first. Last year he had ish on the podium at the the coronavirus pandemic. the early stages. It was his COVID-19. q

Ortiz holds off Johnson, Matsuyama for 1st PGA Tour victory

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Or- playing partners to putt. Mexican-born player to win
tiz held off Dustin Johnson The victory sends him to the was Victor Regelado, who
and Hideki Matsuyama by Masters next April. He was captured the Quad Cities
closing with a 5-under 65 to there a year ago to watch Open in 1978.
win the Houston Open on his brother, Alvaro, who Johnson was making his first
Sunday, becoming the first qualified by winning the start since the U.S. Open
Mexican to win on the PGA Latin American Amateur. after a positive coronavirus
Tour in 42 years. "It feels awesome," said Or- test knocked him out of the
He earned every bit of it, tiz, who grew up in Guada- CJ Cup at Shadow Creek
caught in a tight battle lajara and played at North and the Zozo Champion-
on the back nine with the Texas with Sebastian Mu- ship at Sherwood.
world's No. 1 player and noz of Colombia, the most After opening with a 72,
Japan's biggest star. Ortiz recent Latin American win- Johnson rallied with two
delivered the winner with a ner on tour. "This is like my rounds of 66 and a closing
6-iron to 8 feet on the par-5 second home. There was a 65. His one regret would be
16th. He had to settle for a bunch of people cheering the 16th hole. Tied for the Carlos Ortiz, left, kisses wife, Haley Ortiz, after winning the Hous-
two-putt birdie, and it held for me, Latinos and Texans. lead, Johnson fanned a ton Open golf tournament, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Houston.
up when Johnson and Mat- I'm thankful for all of them." 7-iron for his second shot on Associated Press
suyama narrowly missed It was the loudest cheer the par 5, leaving a tough the lead with birdies on leader, had a 72 and Jason
birdie chances coming in. for a winner since March. chip to 18 feet and a birdie the 16th and 17th, mak- Day closed with a 71. Nei-
Ortiz finished in style. Need- The Houston Open was putt that grazed the left ing a 15-footer on the 17th ther was a factor for much
ing two putts to win, the the first domestic PGA Tour edge of the cup. just moments before Ortiz of the day. This was about
29-year-old holed a 20-foot event that allowed specta- Johnson had another bird- made his birdie on the 16th. Ortiz holding off two players
birdie putt for a two-shot tors, with 2,000 tickets sold ie putt catch the lip on the Ortiz finished at 13-under with plenty of experience
victory. Ortiz held back daily. They were treated next hole. 267. winning and tasting it for
tears as he waited for his to a good show. The last Matsuyama briefly tied for Sam Burns, the 54-hole the first time.q