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A32 sports
Diaranson 20 Juli 2022

Houle takes emotional Tour stage win, Vingegaard keeps lead

Lers — twice on the ascent
"This means a lot to me," and again on the descent —
Houle told reporters short- but Vingegaard stayed on his
ly afterward, with his voice wheel.
breaking as he struggled to
hold back the tears. They crossed the line togeth-
er and Vingegaard maintained
"I had one dream: win the his lead of 2:22 over Pogačar
stage for my brother who and 2:43 over Geraint Thom-
died when I turned profes- as, the 2018 champion.
sional. Today that one is for
him. I worked for 10, 12 Wednesday's 17th stage is an
years and today I got my win even tougher day in the Pyr-
for him, so it's incredible. I enees with three top classi-
don't know what to say, just fied climbs, as well as a sec-
so happy." ond-category ascent, on the
129.7-kilometer (81-mile)
The 31-year-old Houle had route from Saint-Gaudens
crested the final climb with a with a summit finish at the
25-second advantage and his ski resort of Peyragudes.
task was made easier when
American cyclist Matteo Jor- "Tomorrow and the day after,
genson — who was second at I'm looking forward, it's go-
the time and in hot pursuit ing to be more chances than
— slipped out on a corner, today I hope, and we will see
(AP) — Canadian cy- top category Mur de Péguère, memory of his brother, Pier- leaving only Woods with a re- how the legs are," Pogačar
clist Hugo Houle claimed and held off the group of rick, who was killed 10 years alistic chance of catching his said.
an emotional first-ever chasers from the remnants of ago in a hit-and-run car acci- compatriot and teammate.
grand tour stage victory the breakaway to finish one dent while out jogging. "I will continue to fight and I
on Tuesday, while Jonas minute, 10 seconds ahead of It was only the second time a hope that I gain some time. I
Vingegaard stayed in the ValentinMadouas and Israel- "This one is for my brother," Canadian has won a stage in will always try … it's going to
overall lead of the Tour de Premier Tech teammate Mi- he could be heard saying as he the Tour, and the first in 34 be interesting tomorrow and
France after a tough 16th chael Woods. was embraced by his team af- years. the day after."
stage as the race hit the ter the 178.5-kilometer (111-
Pyrenees. Houle had plenty of time to mile) leg from Carcassone to Two-time defending cham- The Tour ends on Sunday in
reach his arms out in celebra- Foix that featured four classi- pion TadejPogačar tried to at- Paris.
Houle attacked on the ap- tion on the approach to the fied climbs — including two tack several times on the pen-
proach to the final climb, the line and point to the sky in top-category ascents. ultimate climb of the Port de

NASCAR to hit the streets of Chicago with downtown race

(AP) — NASCAR will cel- road courses and now a com- course race at Road America and approach the northern iconic as our skyline and our
ebrate its 75th season with pletely new concept. on the Cup schedule. edge of Soldier Field — site reputation as a world-class
an unprecedented street of the only other Cup Series sports city is indisputable,”
race through downtown The Chicago race will be Road America in Wiscon- race to take place in down- Mayor Lori Lightfoot said
Chicago in yet another paired with an IMSA sports sin hosted the Cup Series town Chicago, in 1956. in a statement. “I am thrilled
radical change to the once car race the day before, as the last two seasons on the to welcome our partners at
staid schedule. well as music and entertain- same weekend. By moving Kennedy said NASCAR will NASCAR to Chicago for an
ment options located along into downtown Chicago, be the promoter, which typi- event that will attract thou-
The Cup Series will race the 12-turn, 2.2-mile street NASCAR keeps a race in the cally means the party respon- sands of people to our city.
against the backdrop of Lake course. Midwest region while re- sible for all costs of produc- Chicago’s world-class en-
Michigan and Grant Park turning to a coveted market. ing the race. He declined to tertainment and hospitality
next July 2 in the debut race “Historically we’ve always NASCAR ran 19 Cup races discuss any agreements made industries, coupled with our
of a three-year deal with the been short tracks, intermedi- at Chicagoland Speedway in with the city of Chicago or city’s history as a conduit for
city of Chicago. The ven- ates, superspeedways, even- Joliet, a 45-mile drive from the Chicago Sports Commis- sports talent, make us the
ture was spearheaded by Ben tually started getting more downtown. sion. perfect hosts for this unique
Kennedy, the 30-year-old road courses and then came event.”
great-grandson of NASCAR up with the Coliseum con- NASCAR had tried to build “Chicago’s streets are as
founder Bill France. cept,” Kennedy told the AP. interest in the market and
even made Chicagoland the
It was Kennedy who success- “But the street course is opening race of the playoffs
fully orchestrated the January something we haven’t ex- in 2011. But the track was
exhibition race inside the Los plored a whole lot before, simply too far from down-
Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the the ability for us to town to attract a new audi-
that will return for a second get a downtown setting like ence and NASCAR pulled
running in 2023. Kennedy his and bring racing to our out after the 2019 season.
told The Associated Press he fans, a street course is a per-
began working on both the fect opportunity for it.” The downtown course will
Coliseum and Chicago street include famed areas of Chi-
race in 2019. NASCAR last month con- cago, including Lake Shore
firmed the Coliseum would Drive, Michigan Avenue
The new venues come as return next January, but the and South Columbia Drive,
NASCAR has made sweep- rest of the 2023 schedule has where the start/finish line
ing changes to its oval-heavy yet to be announced. Ken- and pit road will be located
schedule, first by adding both nedy, however, confirmed to directly in front of Bucking-
a dirt race at Bristol Mo- the AP that the Chicago street ham Fountain. The course
tor Speedway and additional course will replace the road will pass through Grant Park