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SPORTS Monday 14 SepteMber 2020

Bernal's bad day sets up Slovenian battle in Tour de France

GRAND COLOMBIER, last reserves to sprint for the
France (AP) — The Tour de summit finish, Pogacar tak-
France boiled down to a ing his second stage win by
battle between its two star a bike-length.
Slovenian riders Sunday as Pogacar and Roglic were
last year's winner Egan Ber- given the same time. As the
nal dropped out of realistic stage winner, Pogacar was
contention. awarded 10 bonus sec-
Tadej Pogacar beat yellow onds in the general classi-
jersey-holder Primoz Roglic fication against Roglic's six
in a dramatic mountaintop for second place. Roglic
finish to Stage 15, though leads Pogacar by 40 sec-
Roglic retains a 40-second onds overall.
advantage in the yellow "I was a bit too short at
jersey and formidable sup- the end. I didn't make any
port from teammates who gift to Tadej. We are good
shepherded him up the friends but we both want
Grand Colombier climb. to win. He was just stronger
Bernal plummeted down and I was a bit disappoint-
the standings, all but ensur- ed to lose the stage," Roglic
ing the end of a five-year said, adding that the Tour is
streak of Tour victories by "far from over."
his Ineos Grenadiers team, Monday is a rest day be- Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, crosses the finish line ahead
of Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, wearing the oveall leader's yellow jersey, left, to win stage 15 of the
formerly known as Team fore five competitive stag- Tour de France cycling race over 174.5 kilometers (108.4 miles) from Lyon to Grand Colombier
Sky. es including an individual pass, France, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020.
"At the moment, Roglic time trial on Saturday, then Associated Press
seems unstoppable," Poga- the traditional procession
car said. "But today Bernal into Paris on Sept. 20. lead group on the Grand minutes, 8 seconds off the ent reaching 22% in places.
cracked and maybe one Colombian riders started Colombier climb and ap- lead. Two more Colombian "I was not going well from
day myself or Primoz will the day ranked third to peared to lose any chance riders, Rigoberto Uran and the first climb, to be honest,
crack too. There are still a sixth overall behind the of retaining the title as he Miguel Angel Lopez, man- I was almost dropped there,
lot of opportunities ahead." Slovenian duo, but all of dropped to 13th overall, 8 aged to stay with the lead I was suffering from the first
Pogacar stayed with Ro- them lost time Sunday on minutes 25 seconds off the group and sit third and climb. I told the team I was
glic on the long and brutal the 175-kilometer (108-mile) yellow jersey. Fellow Co- fourth in the overall stand- not good, but then I was
Grand Colombier climb de- stage into the Jura moun- lombian Nairo Quintana ings. Bernal said he had trying to fight until the final
spite Roglic having backing tains, and for two the chal- started the day fifth but also been feeling the effects of and give my best," he said
from four teammates on his lenge seemed over. dropped back on Grand the first of the day's three in a statement from Ineos
ascent. They drew on their Bernal dropped off the Colombier and is ninth, 5 climbs, which had a gradi- Grenadiers.q

D'Antoni tells Rockets he's not coming back to Houston

By TIM REYNOLDS Rockets organization and his remaining in Houston.
AP Basketball Writer the Houston community," "We've got a great or-
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Fertitta said. "Mike is a true ganization, great city,
(AP) — Mike D'Antoni has professional and an amaz- great fans, team's great,"
told the Houston Rockets ing basketball mind. He D'Antoni said after the
that he will not be back as is a winner, and we have Game 5 loss to the Lakers.
coach with them next sea- been blessed to have such "I mean, everything's good
son, essentially choosing an outstanding coach here. We'll see what hap-
free agency over a return and leader to work with pens, but I couldn't ask for
to the club with whom he the past four seasons." a better situation. I had
has spent the last four sea- ESPN first reported the four years and hopefully it
sons. 69-year-old coach's deci- keeps going. You just nev-
D'Antoni told the Rockets sion. er know."
on Sunday — not even a It was not totally unex- But sometime between
full day after the team's pected; the Rockets and late Saturday night and Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni yells from the
bench during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal
season ended with a play- D'Antoni couldn't agree early Sunday afternoon, playoff basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers Sat-
off loss to the Los Angeles on an extension last year, he knew that it was time to urday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Lakers — that he would meaning he was coach- move on. Associated Press
seek coaching options ing this season with no Houston becomes the
elsewhere for next season guarantee of his future in eighth team that will be es. D'Antoni was with the
and not return to Houston. Houston. D'Antoni had al- going through a coach- In recent weeks, Brook- Rockets for four seasons.
Team owner Tilman Fertitta ready been mentioned as ing change since the lyn has hired Steve Nash Houston went 217-101 in his
confirmed the move later a potential candidate for end of the regular sea- and New York hired Tom regular-season contests, a
Sunday. vacancies in Indiana and son — March 11 for eight Thibodeau. Chicago, Indi- .682 winning percentage.
"I would like to thank Mike Philadelphia, but when the clubs that didn't qualify for ana, New Orleans, Okla- The Rockets' winning per-
D'Antoni and his wife, Lau- season ended Saturday the NBA's restart bubble, homa City, Philadelphia centage this season —
rel, for their incredible con- night there appeared to and mid-August for the and now Houston are va- .611 — was the worst of his
tributions to the Houston be at least some hope of league's 22 other franchis- cant. four-year tenure. q