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A30 sports
Dialuna 7 September 2020

Roglic leads Tour de France after epic mountain trek

LARUNS, France (AP) — main Bardet, Rigoberto Uran
Primoz Roglic finally seized and Martin struggled to keep
the race leader’s yellow jersey up with the pace and lost 11
after another hectic day of seconds in Laruns.
Tour de France racing in the “It’s a fight for every second,”
mountains as debutant Marc Roglic said.
Hirschi of Switzerland deliv- Roglic and Pogacar have
ered an impressive 90-kilo- been irresistible in the Pyr-
meter solo effort across four enees and can both dream
Pyrenean climbs. of a podium finish in Paris
Roglic, the Slovenian favorite if they maintain that level of
this year alongside defend- form in the Alps later in the
ing champion Egan Bernal, race. At the summit of Ma-
displayed his strong climbing rie Blanque, Roglic crested
credentials in the final ascent just ahead of Pogacar, who
Sunday to dethrone over- almost hit his back wheel as
night leader Adam Yates. he looked behind. The two
Jumbo-Visma leader Roglic men then shook hands be-
has been flawless so far and fore starting their descent.
able to respond to every at- The 22-year-old Hirschi, an-
tack with ease over the first other Tour rookie, came close
weekend in high mountains. to producing one of the most
It’s a performance that earned stunning feats in the race’s
him the first yellow jersey of history. In the thick fog en-
his career after nine days of veloping the mountain and
racing. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, left, crosses the finish line ahead of third placed Switzerland's Marc under a slight drizzle, he
“Everyone is dreaming about Hirschi, center, and second placed Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, right, to win the ninth stage of the crossed first at the summit
wearing it, I’m super happy,” Tour de France cycling race over 153 kilometers (95 miles), with start in Pau and finish in Laruns, of Col de la Hourcere with a
said Spanish Vuelta cham- Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. lead of more than 90 seconds
pion Roglic, a former ski Associated Press and went all out on the slip-
jumper. “But the mission is pery roads in the technical
to try to win the race in Paris, said Pogacar, who put his seconds off the pace. Bernal tacked and conceded 54 sec- and perilous downhill that
we need to maintain our fo- hands on his helmet after finished the stage in the same onds on the finish line. followed.
cus. It’s just the beginning.” winning his first Tour stage at time as Pogacar. “I gave everything I could to Pedaling while crouched on
Hirschi, a former under-23 just 21. “Actually I wanted to “I know that I have lost time hang on. I think we can be top of his bike frame and tak-
road race world champion, gain as much time as I could to Roglic but I should be pa- proud of what we did,” Yates ing aggressive lines through
got away away from the pelo- in the general classification, tient,” Bernal said. “He is an said. “I’ll freshen up now, the turns, Hirschi increased
ton in the first major ascent but in the last 100 meters I intelligent rider, I think that have a rest day and then go his lead and tackled the as-
of the 153-kilometer (95- thought of the 10 seconds he has learned a lot from the after some stages.” cent of the final climb, the
mile) trek then resisted the awarded to the winner. I fo- last big tours that he did. The Riding behind Hirschi, Po- Col de Marie Blanque, with
favorites’ chase until he was cused on the sprint, I just plan is just to wait until the gacar was the most aggres- a four-minute lead over the
caught with only 2 kilome- went full gas.” right moment.” sive on the Col de Marie chasing group of main con-
ters left. A Tour debutant, Pogacar is Yates, who moved down to Blanque, where he accelerat- tenders.
He launched a sprint to the lagging 44 seconds behind eighth overall, got dropped ed three times and forced his As competition between the
finish line but was not fast Roglic in seventh place. when the competition be- rivals to show their strength top riders came alive in the
enough as Tadej Pogacar pre- Ahead of Monday’s first rest tween the favorites heated and cards. monster climb, Hirschi saw
vailed to win Stage 9 ahead day, Roglic leads Bernal by 21 up near the summit of the Bernal responded with ease his lead vanish in the thin air.
of fellow Slovenian Roglic. seconds thanks to the bonus Col de Marie Blanque af- and even tried a counter With a cross hanging from his
Hirschi finished third in the time he amassed at the top ter Roglic’s teammates sig- move that proved inefficient neck on his wide-open jersey,
town of Laruns. of the mountain and on the nificantly increased the pace. while Roglic followed with- he fought until the very end
“It’s really crazy, after that finish line. Frenchman Guil- The Mitchelton-Scott rider out trouble. and salvaged a deserved po-
hard day to win the stage,” laume Martin is third, 28 cracked when Pogacar at- Nairo Quintana, Martin, Ro- dium finish.q

AP source: Peterson agrees

to 1-year deal with Detroit

By NOAH TRISTER sons, mostly with the Min- field are long gone. The Li-
AP Sports Writer nesota Vikings. ons have struggled recently
DETROIT (AP) — Adri- ESPN and the NFL Net- to develop a consistent run-
an Peterson has agreed to a work also reported the deal. ning game. Kerryon John-
one-year contract with the Peterson is 1,053 yards be- son showed promise but has
Detroit Lions, a person with hind Lions great Barry Sand- dealt with injury problems.
knowledge of the deal told ers for fourth on the career He led the team last season
The Associated Press. rushing list. At this stage with only 403 yards rushing.
The person spoke to the of his career, Peterson may Peterson's 898 yards in 2019
AP on condition of ano- need his workload managed. would have led the Lions in This is a 2020 file photo showing Adrian Peterson of the Wash-
nymity Sunday because the He did rush for 1,940 yards any of the past six seasons. ington NFL football team.
agreement had not been an- and 12 touchdowns over Sanders was quick to wel- Associated Press
nounced. The 35-year-old two seasons with Washing- come Peterson on Twitter.
Peterson was released by ton, playing in 31 games and "So excited to see @Adri- Johnson also seemed excited on his Twitter account.
Washington on Friday after rebounding nicely after a anPeterson coming to the about the news. The Lions open the season
spending the past two sea- one-season stop in Arizona. @Lions - It will be great to "If i were to take a picture against Chicago next week-
sons there. He has rushed The days when Sanders have you in town," Sanders with him would that be fan end. They face Washington
for 14,216 yards in 13 sea- roamed the Detroit back- tweeted. boying too much??" he said on Nov. 15.q