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SPORTS Friday 19 July 2019
Dennis quits Tour in bizarre way, Yates wins in Pyrenees

BAGNERES-DE-BIGORRE, tried to speak with him, he
France (AP) — In 116 years said 'I just don't want to
of racing at the Tour de talk,' and abandoned the
France, riders have done race."
all sorts of bizarre things, Dennis quit with about 80
from jumping on trains to kilometers left before the
fighting with fans at moun- two big climbs in Stage 12,
tain stops. prompting Bahrain-Merida
Rarely have they just van- to open an investigation.
ished in the middle of a According to the French
stage like Rohan Dennis did TV station broadcasting the
on Thursday during the first race, Dennis had an argu-
Pyrenean stage. ment with officials in the
For a couple of hours on an team car.
otherwise uneventful day in Stangelj said Dennis' con-
the mountains, nobody was dition was good enough
able to say where the time to perform, adding he was
trial world champion had not aware of any kind of
gone. His Bahrain-Merida argument that could have
team even sent an alarm- triggered the rider's deci-
ing message out on social sion.
networks, saying all it cared Dennis's withdrawal was
about was "the welfare" of even more surprising as
Dennis after Tour organizers it came a day before Fri- Britain's Simon Yates, center, surrounded by Spain's Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia, right, and
Austria's Gregor Muhlberger, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the twelfth stage of the
announced he had pulled day's short time trial in Pau, Tour de France cycling race over 209,5 kilometers (130 miles) with start in Toulouse and finish in
out of the race. where he would have Bagneres-de-Bigorre, France, Thursday, July 18, 2019.
The Australian ultimately been an obvious favorite
resurfaced at the finish line alongside defending Tour tually, I even told him yes- not turn back with his car. line in Bagneres-de-Bigorre.
in Bagneres-de-Bigorre, champion Geraint Thomas terday and today that he He finally managed to get Yates launched the sprint,
where British rider Simon given his pedigree in the should save energy for the his rider on the phone after was first into the last turn
Yates, the reigning Span- race against the clock. time trial." another car from the team and held off Bilbao for the
ish Vuelta champion, post- Stangelj said he was not When asked if Dennis had arrived next to him. victory.
ed his first stage win after aware of any complaint been difficult to work with Dennis' extraordinary with- "I wasn't very confident in
a long breakaway that from Denis in regards with before, Stangelj said "it's drawal was the talk of the beating them," said Yates. "I
did not shuffle the overall his time trial equipment difficult to answer this ques- day but did not eclipse didn't know how fast these
standings. and also dismissed suppo- tion." Yates' maiden win at the two riders were but my sport
Dennis was spotted near sitions that Dennis could "But I never have hard dis- Tour. director told me to take the
the Bahrain-Merida team have been frustrated with cussions with him," he insist- The British rider launched last corner in first position
bus after the stage, but did his role in the team. Bah- ed. "We always found a so- a counterattack behind and I'm glad it worked out
not make any comment rain-Merida's main goal at lution when it was needed." a group of fugitives in a well. To have a stage at all
about his decision to pull the Tour this year was to Stangelj explained that af- technical downhill and three Grand Tours makes
out. fulfill former Tour champion ter Dennis stopped at the was joined at the front me very proud."
"We are also confused," Vincenzo Nibali's ambition feed zone, he was not im- by Gregor Mühlberger Yates is working in support
Bahrain-Merida team di- to fight for a podium finish. mediately able to reach and Pello Bilbao. The trio of his brother Adam at the
rector Gorazd Stangelj said. "I never asked him to bring out to him because he had worked well together until three-week race and had
"It was his decision today to the water bottles in the already passed that point the final sprint shaped up kept a low profile until now.
stop at the feed zone. We race," Stangelj said. "Ac- on the route and could 200 meters from the finish q

Froome confirmed 2011 Vuelta

winner due to Cobo doping case

AIGLE, Switzerland (AP) — ships and Vuelta, and the France, or Vuelta.
Chris Froome has become 2011 Vuelta which he won. That honor was held by
the 2011 Spanish Vuelta Froome was runner-up his former Sky teammate
winner because of Juan eight years ago and be- Bradley Wiggins, the 2012
Jose Cobo's disqualifica- comes the winner of his first Tour winner who rises from
tion for blood doping. Grand Tour title, and sev- third to be runner-up at the
Cobo did not meet a enth overall. 2011 Vuelta.
deadline to challenge his "Better late than never!" The 38-year-old Cobo is re-
three-year ban at the Court Froome wrote on Thursday tired from racing. His dop- In this Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 file photo, Geox-TMC team
of Arbitration for Sport, the on his Twitter account. "The ing ban was announced member Juan Cobo, center, celebrates on the podium after
International Cycling Union 2011 @lavuelta holds some days after Froome suffered winning the Spanish Vuelta cycling race with second placed
Sky Procycling rider Chris Froome from UK, right, and third
said on Thursday. very special memories for season-ending injuries placed Sky Procycling rider Bradley Wiggins from UK, right, in
The UCI said Cobo's sus- me." crashing at the Dauphine Madrid, Spain.
pension announced last Froome also becomes the race in France. Associated Presss
month is confirmed, and first British winner of any of Froome's seventh Grand
he is stripped of results at the major stage races — Tour lifted him to fourth Coppi, Miguel Indurain, Eddy Merckx leads with
the 2009 world champion- the Giro d'Italia, Tour de overall, tied with Fausto and Alberto Contador. 11.q