Page 22 - aruba today sept 29,2015
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SPORTSTuesday 29 September 2015
Cycling world champ Sagan casts spotlight on migrant crisis
DAVE SKRETTA Peter Sagan, of Slovakia, celebrates winning the UCI Elite day. near the front in every race
AP Sports Writer Men’s Road World Championship Cycling race in Richmond, “I told Kate, my girlfriend, he competed in this sea-
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) Va., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. if I win the rainbow jersey, son, but always seemed to
— Peter Sagan had just I want to tell this so people come up short. Those sec-
climbed to the top of the Associated Press are thinking about the fu- ond- and third-place finish-
podium at cycling’s world ture,” Sagan said, “and es even began to draw the
championships on Sunday slovakia less than a year the Czech Republic and that we have to change ire of his trade team owner,
when the Slovakian star after the Velvet Revolution Slovakia, his family lived something.” who lamented about how
turned the spotlight on is- restored democracy in the through turbulent times. In many ways, Sagan has much Sagan was getting
sues far greater than a bike country. Though he was still Perhaps it was no surprise become the new face of paid.
race. an infant when the nation that such world issues cycling. He’s young, char- Never mind that Sagan
Might as well use that po- peacefully separated into weighed on his mind Sun- ismatic and exciting, ca- won two stages and the
dium as a pulpit, after all. pable of winning any kind overall title at the Tour of
Thousands of migrants of race — a flat-out sprint California, or his fourth
fleeing war and poverty or over a punchy course straight green jersey as the
in the Middle East, Africa like he found at the world top sprinter at the Tour de
and Asia have flooded championships. His flair France.
through the Balkans and for the dramatic has en- “I was winning a lot, and it
into Western Europe over deared Sagan to older got boring for the people
the past year, creating fans who weathered the and the riders,” he said
tensions among nations doping scandals of Lance jokingly, when pressed on
trying to respond to the cri- Armstrong and others, and all his near-misses. “I’m al-
sis. The situation has turned young fans only learning ways fighting. In the Tour
many people into nomads, about the sport. de France and this year at
searching not only for bor- His relationship with fans some of the classics, I was
ders willing to let them was on full display in Rich- at the front but just not the
cross, but a country willing mond, where Sagan in best.”
to give them a fresh start. some ways became an ad- There was no disputing he
“We live in the moment opted American. Fans lin- was the best on Sunday.
now,” Sagan said, “but ing the course shouted his Sagan hid safely in the
maybe in the future, I don’t name, urging him on dur- peloton as riders kept at-
know. Maybe we’re not ing the decisive final lap, tacking throughout the
here. That is why it’s im- and roared their approval 260-kilometer race, only
portant. I want to tell the when he rode hands-free popping to the front in the
people thinking about how across the finish line. last few kilometers. On the
we’re going to change Sagan responded by flip- penultimate climb, Sagan
the world — OK, one man, ping his helmet into the jumped to the front and
maybe nothing, but if crowd and raising his arms roared away, getting into
we have more, we can in triumph. an aerodynamic tuck to
change.” The victory was also vali- leave the rest of the field
The 25-year-old Sagan was dation for Sagan, who was behind.q
born in the former Czecho-
Continued from Page 17 Washington Nationals relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon Keyvius Sampson (2-6) lost starts since May 17.
his fifth straight start, al- BREWERS 8, CARDINALS 4
Pittsburgh (95-61) and Chi- delivers in the eighth inning of a baseball game against lowing five runs — three ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pinch-
cago (90-65) each have earned — and nine hits in hitter Jason Rogers had a
clinched playoff spots the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park, in Washington, 2 2-3 innings. Last-place ninth-inning grand slam off
and lead the NL wild-card Cincinnati has lost eight in Trevor Rosenthal (2-4), who
standings, so the Pirates Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. Papelbon got into a dugout fight with a row, one shy of its season had converted 47 of 49
could see Arrieta again in high. previous save chances.
the first game of the post- teammate Bryce Harper during the inning. The Phillies won 12-5. MARLINS 9, BRAVES 5 The Cardinals’ NL Cen-
season on Oct. 7. MIAMI (AP) — Justin Bour tral lead was cut to 2 1/2
The Pirates could still catch Associated Press homered twice and drove games over Pittsburgh.
St. Louis for the NL Central in three runs as Miami Khris Davis homered twice
title. They trail the Cardi- NL East title for their first 7-0 against Cincinnati. The completed a three-game and drove in four runs for
nals by three games and postseason berth since Mets outscored the Reds sweep. Bour was 7 for 12 in the Brewers, who scored
open a three-game series 2006, the Mets rested their 36-12 in these four games the series with four homers seven runs in the ninth.
at home against St. Louis regulars but still completed at Great American Ball and eight RBIs. David Goforth (1-0) pitched
on Monday. the first season sweep by Park and extended their Martin Prado drove in three one inning, and Francisco
A.J. Burnett (9-6) pitched either team since New York club-record road winning runs and Marcell Ozuna Rodriguez got his 37th save
six effective innings. started play in 1962, going streak to 11. also homered for Miami, when he retired Brandon
METS 8, REDS 1 which has won a team- Moss with two on.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jacob best seven consecutive ROCKIES 12, DODGERS 5
deGrom (14-8) gave up games against the Braves. DENVER (AP) — Nolan Are-
one run and five hits and Tom Koehler (11-14) al- nado had a career-high
struck out nine over six in- lowed four runs, nine hits, five RBIs, including a three-
nings in his first outing since and five walks in 6 2-3 in- run homer, and Colorado
Sept. 15 — he had been nings. Shelby Miller (5-17) completed a three-game
skipped over in the rotation gave up seven runs — four serrp that kept Los Angeles’
to rest. earned — and seven hits in magic number at two for its
A day after clinching the 5 1-3 innings. He is 0-16 in 24 third straight NL West title.q
