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A22 SPORTS
Monday 16 SepteMber 2019

Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, centre, celebrates on the podium af-
ter winning La Vuelta cycling race alongside 2nd placed Ale-
jandro Valverde of Spain, left and 3rd placed Tadej Pogacar of
Slovenia in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019.
Associated Press

Team Europe's Suzann Pettersen, center, celebrates with her team and the trophy following Team Primoz Roglic wins
Europe's victory in the Solheim Cup against the US at Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland, Sun-
day, Sept. 15, 2019.
Associated Press Spanish Vuelta for

Cup. In her most recent over McDonald to tie the
Continued from Page 18
On an afternoon of singles Rot in Germany in 2015, Pettersen delivered for Eu- 1st Grand Tour title
"It doesn't get any better."
score.
appearance, at St. Leon-
matches that pretty much she refused to concede rope on No. 18, but only
had everything, Europe a short putt to Alison Lee after her opponent, Ma- MADRID (AP) — Former ski vistar's and Astana's fiercest
secured a 14 1/2-13 1/2 on the 17th hole of a tight rina Alex, slid a 10-foot jumper Primoz Roglic com- attacks in the mountains.
win over the United States fourballs match before birdie putt wide that, if it fortably won the Spanish Roglic was considered the
to claim the biggest team the singles on the final had found the hole, would Vuelta for his first Grand pre-race favorite, after oth-
prize in female golf for the day. There were angry ex- have been enough for the Tour title on Sunday, finish- er top riders such as Tour
first time since 2013. changes, and it stoked a U.S. ing more than two minutes de France winners Egan
The final act, spread over fire inside the Americans as "I told them afterward, the ahead of world champion Bernal and Geraint Thomas
two holes with virtually si- they fought back from 10-6 sun's going to come up to- Alejandro Valverde after and last year's Vuelta win-
multaneous putts, could down going into the singles morrow," said U.S. captain the 21st stage. ner Simon Yates opted not
not have been more thrill- to win 14½-13½. Juli Inkster, when asked Following custom, riders re- to compete in the race.
ing. Pettersen later apologized. what she'd said to her play- spected the leader's lead He handled that pressure
Just as Pettersen was ad- "She gone from villain to ers. "It was great for wom- on the last day when the and took charge of the
dressing her putt at No. 18, hero," said Laura Davies, en's golf. We played great. race made its traditional race on Stage 10, when he
U.S. player Ally McDonald one of the European vice "But you know what, the Eu- finish in Madrid. dominated the individual
slid a putt to the right of the captains. ropeans played great. You Roglic in his red leader's jer- time trial, overtaking then
hole at No. 17 and walked Pettersen's redemption tip your hat. And you move sey was flanked by yellow- leader Nairo Quintana by
up to Bronte Law to con- story was delivered in Scot- on to Toledo." clad Jumbo-Visma team- three minutes. He estab-
cede the match in favor of land, the home of golf, Inkster won't be there in mates as they arrived in the lished a nearly two-minute
the Europeans. where the U.S. team hasn't 2021, confirming afterward Spanish capital. gap over Valverde that he
The score changed to 13 now won in three attempts. that she will not be captain Fabio Jakobsen of Quick protected with aplomb the
1/2-13 1/2 and — without Playing in her ninth Solheim for a fourth straight match. Step sprinted to win the flat rest of the way.
her even realizing — the Cup, Pettersen won two She finishes with two vic- 106-kilometer (65-mile) ride Unflappable and with an
outcome of the contest of her three matches and tories from three Solheim that started in Fuenlabra- impenetrable expression,
hinged on Pettersen. is now a four-time Solheim Cups as captain. da. Roglic never let Valvede
"I thought Bronte was in Cup winner. Two of the Americans, in Roglic has been one of cy- or López get away on their
behind me on the (18th) The day started with the particular, will still look back cling's rising talents given attacks, pegging his bike
fairway," Pettersen said. "I teams locked at 8-8 af- on the week with fond his superb time trial perfor- to their back wheels or not
actually didn't know that it ter four sessions, and the memories despite the loss. mances and his ability to losing his cool and catch-
was THE putt." first definitive break of the Jessica and Nelly Korda, hang with the best climbers ing up when they eventu-
That it was Pettersen who entire contest happened the first sisters to play to- in the mountains. ally faltered.
secured the winning point when the Americans took gether in the fourballs or He showed that toughness Finally, on Sunday's slow
felt apt. the lead for the first time foursomes at the Solheim by never flagging through jaunt to Madrid he allowed
She was a contentious since Friday lunchtime, at Cup, both finished with 3 the climb-heavy Vuelta, himself to relax, smiling
wild-card pick by Europe- 12-11. 1/2 points from four match- even when Valverde's Mo- while chatting with other
an captain Catriona Mat- At 13 1/2-11 1/2, they need- es after coming from be- vistar and a strong Astana cyclists.
thew because Pettersen ed just a half-point from the hind to win in the singles. team led by Miguel Ángel The 39-year-old Valverde,
had played just two tour- final three singles matches Nelly Korda, out in Match López tested him again who won the Vuelta a
naments — missing the cut out on the course to guar- 2, was 3 down after nine and again. Roglic was sup- decade ago, finished the
in both — since November antee retaining the cup, holes against Caroline ported by a deep Jumbo- race second.
2017. She had time off be- but then came the Euro- Hedwall but won 2 up. Jes- Visma team that included Another Slovenian, Tadej
fore and after giving birth pean fightback. sica Korda, who at age 26 Steven Kruijswijk, Robert Pogacar, completed the
to Herman, and then be- Anna Nordqvist completed is five years older than her Gesink and Sepp Kuss, but podium after a breakout
cause of injury. a 4-and-3 win over Morgan sister, beat Caroline Mas- he still had to prove he race for the 20-year-old
Pettersen also had a score Pressel. Then, on No. 17, son 3 and 2 after being 2 could do it alone when rider that included three
to settle with the Solheim Law sealed a 2-and-1 win down.q they were dropped by Mo- stage wins.q