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sports Wednesday 16 september 2020

Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson, left, drives against Los Angeles
Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike during the first half of a WNBA basket-
ball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla.
Associated Press

Aces' A'ja Wilson earns

AP WNBA player of German Lennard Kamna crosses the finish line to win stage 16 of the Tour de France cycling race

the year honors over 164 kilometers (102 miles) from La Tour-du-Pin to Villard-de-Lans, France, Tuesday, Sept. 15,
2020.
Associated Press

By DOUG FEINBERG panel has selected post- Kamna posts solo win in the
AP Basketball Writer season award winners.
A'ja Wilson has been the Candace Parker edged
cornerstone of the Las Ve- Alyssa Thomas and Alysha Alps, Roglic keeps yellow jersey
gas franchise since she Clark for defensive player
was drafted and took her of the year honors. Park-
game to another level this er, in her 13th season, re- VILLARD-DE-LANS, France berto Uran of Colombia re- early in the 164-kilometer
season, earning her The As- ceived five votes. Thomas (AP) — After coming close mained in third place over- (102-mile) trek.
sociated Press WNBA play- and Clark each had four. to a first Tour de France all, 1 minute, 34 seconds off Among them, Frenchman
er of the year honors. "When I made my deci- stage win last week, Len- the pace. Pogacar tested Quentin Pacher also tried
The former No. 1 overall sion to come to IMG this nard Kamna did not miss Roglic's legs on the final a solo escape but his effort
pick three years ago led season, my focus was on his second chance. ascent but could not gain was short lived as he was
the Aces to an 18-4 record working hard everyday to The 24-year-old German time on his rival. easily caught and then
during the shortened sea- help put our team in a po- rider won the roller-coast- "It was a good warmup for dropped by Alaphilippe,
son and the top seed in the sition to win a champion- er Stage 16 featuring five tomorrow, the queen stage Carapaz, Reichenbach
WNBA playoffs that begin ship. For us, that starts with categorized climbs after of the race," Pogacar said. and Kamna. Carapaz, the
Tuesday in Bradenton, Flor- defending at a high level pulling clear of a group of Pogacar, a 21-year-old Giro d'Italia champion,
ida. and closing defensive pos- breakaway riders as the Tour rookie, will have an- made Alaphilippe and
"She knows who she is, she sessions with a rebound," race entered the Alps on other chance to unsettle Reichenbach crack with
knows where she's going," Parker said. "Overall, our Tuesday. Roglic during Wednesday's a couple of biting attacks
said Las Vegas coach Bill team has been able to do Kamna was beaten by Stage 17 — arguably the but could not respond
Laimbeer. "She knows that that and I'm honored to be four seconds for the stage toughest — featuring the when Kamna countered
she's in charge, and she's recognized for my role on win by Daniel Martinez on Col de La Madeleine and before the summit.
responsible for our team. that end of the floor. The Stage 13. the Col de La Loze, the The German was faster
She has taken this upon award is a testament to "It was a fight from the be- highest point this year at than his remaining rival in
her shoulders." Wilson av- my teammates executing ginning on and I knew I 2,304 meters. The last six the downhill and on the flat
eraged 20.5 points, 8.5 re- on defense and our entire had to make it to the fin- kilometers (4 miles) of the sections as he sped toward
bounds and two blocks coaching staff." ish alone," said Kamna, climb are particularly dif- Villard-de-Lans to post the
this year for the Aces and Minnesota's Crystal Dan- who also won a stage last ficult, with very steep sec- biggest win of his career.
views herself as a more all- gerfield was the runaway month at the Criterium du tions and sharp turns. "When I saw that Carapaz
around player now. winner for rookie of the Dauphine. "There will be gaps and a was dropping the speed,
"I feel like I'm a more com- year. The second-round There was no significant mix-up on the GC (general I thought now it's the time
plete player now then when draft pick became the change in the over- classification)," Pogacar to go and went all in to the
I first got into the league," second consecutive Lynx all standings ahead of continued. "We see every- end," Kamna said. "It's a big
Wilson said in an online in- player to win the award, Wednesday's mammoth one is exhausted." relief also for the team and
terview. "Even when I may joining Napheesa Collier. summit finish in the high The 24-year-old Kamna, for me. I can almost not
not be shooting the ball The Lynx's point guard av- mountains as yellow jersey who rides for the Bora- imagine it. The step I made
well, I can find other ways eraged 16.2 points and 3.6 holder Primoz Roglic kept hansgrohe team, made his this year is huge and I'm so
to help my team win." assists this season. his 40-second lead over decisive move on the pen- blessed to win today."
The 6-foot-4 Wilson, who She particularly excelled in second-place Tadej Poga- ultimate ascent to drop for- The remaining 156 Tour de
turned 24 last month, was the fourth quarter. Danger- car intact. The Slovenian mer race leader Julian Ala- France riders were autho-
selected by the 16-mem- field had the second most pair enjoyed a quiet day in philippe, Richard Carapaz rized to start the stage after
ber media panel that votes total points in the league the pack of main contend- and Sebastien Reichen- the UCI and race organiz-
on the weekly AP power in the final period behind ers and crossed the finish bach, three rivals with a ers announced that all 785
poll. She received 11 votes. only Arike Ogunbwale. The line 16 minutes, 48 seconds strong pedigree. COVID-19 tests on Sunday
Seattle's Breanna Stewart UConn grad averaged behind the stage winner, Kamna was part of a group and Monday of riders and
was second with four. It's 6.5 points a game in the who is not a threat in the of 15 riders who broke staff members of the 22
the fifth season that the AP fourth.q overall standings. Rigo- away from the peloton teams returned negative,