Tearful Evenepoel set to win Vuelta after protecting lead

Belgian Remco Evenepoel of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, red shirt leader of La Vuelta, reacts at the end of the 20th stage of the Vuelta cycling race between Moralzalzar to Puerto Navacerrada, Spain. (AP)
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Updated 11 September 2022
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Tearful Evenepoel set to win Vuelta after protecting lead

  • Evenepoel is set to become the first Belgian to win a Grand Tour since 1978 when Johan De Muynck won the Giro d’Italia

PUERTO DE NAVACERRADA, Spain: Remco Evenepoel all but clinched his first Grand Tour title on Saturday after the 22-year-old Belgian protected his lead in the Spanish Vuelta on the three-week race’s final competitive stage.

Well-supported by his Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team, Evenepoel had little trouble ensuring that Enric Mas and the Spaniard’s Movistar team were never able to challenge the two-minute lead he took into the 20th stage in mountains just north of Madrid, where the race ends on Sunday.

Evenepoel burst into tears on crossing the finish line, where he was embraced by his teammates. He is set to become the first Belgian to win a Grand Tour since 1978 when Johan De Muynck won the Giro d’Italia.

The final stage is a flat 97-kilometer (60-mile) ride from Las Rozas to a finish in Spain’s capital when custom dictates that no rider challenges the pacesetter. While the team leaders will use it to enjoy the end of the grueling event, the sprinters will vie for the stage win.

Evenepoel said that he had finally “delivered” after previous disappointment.

“I don’t know what’s going through my head and my body right now. It’s amazing. All the critics and the bad comments I received after last year, I think I finally delivered and answered with my pedals,” Evenepoel said. “I’ve been working so hard to come here in the best shape possible. To now win this Vuelta is just amazing. It’s actually the first Grand Tour I start healthy.

“(This is) for Belgium, for my teammates, my family, my fiancee… I have been away so many weeks and months, it is for them.”

Evenepoel had a difficult 2021, abandoning the Giro d’Italia after a crash in the 17th stage, and facing criticism from Eddy Merckx over what the Belgian great said was his unwillingness to ride for the team. But Evenepoel has rebounded this year, also winning the San Sebastián Classic for a second time in June. His first race win as a professional came at age 19 when he won the single-day race in northern Spain.

Richard Carapaz won the 181-kilometer (112-mile) stage from Moralzarzal to Puerto de Navacerrada that included three category-one climbs in 4 hours, 41 minutes. It was the third stage win of this Vuelta for Carapaz. The Olympic gold medalist and the 2019 Giro winner also won the 12th and 14th stages.

Evenepoel has held the red jersey since taking the lead in the sixth stage. His most dangerous challenger was three-time defending champion Primoz Roglic, who was gaining ground until he crashed earlier this week and had to withdraw from the race.

That left Mas as his only real threat over the final days, but the Spaniard was unable to close the gap.

Mas made his last attempt to break Evenepoel on the fourth climb up the category-one Puerta de la Morcuera after Movistar had set a hard pace and shed Evenepoel of his teammates. But Evenepoel latched onto his wheel and that was the end of Mas’ hopes. The Spaniard only shaved two seconds off Evenepoel’s advantage, which stands at 2 minutes, 5 seconds.

Mas is set to finish second in the overall classification with Juan Ayuso, a 19-year-old rider of UAE Team Emirates, completing the podium.

“Today I responded with the legs. I didn’t think about winning the stage, I just wanted to win the general classification,” Evenepoel said. “I only had to follow, to control and believe in my power. In the end the race was super hard but we did really well. It’s the most beautiful day of my life.”


Soccer-Italy already fear missing yet another World Cup after Norway nightmare

Updated 10 sec ago
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Soccer-Italy already fear missing yet another World Cup after Norway nightmare

Norway already had two wins under their belt in Group I before Friday’s match in Oslo
A 2-1 defeat at the San Siro in the first leg left Italy chasing the tie in Germany

OSLO: Italy’s World Cup qualification campaign has barely begun and already the country is worried about the shocking possibility of failing to reach the final tournament for a third consecutive time after a humiliating defeat by Norway.

Norway already had two wins under their belt in Group I before Friday’s match in Oslo, while Italy had yet to play, having been involved in the Nations League quarter-finals in March, losing out to Germany.

A 2-1 defeat at the San Siro in the first leg left Italy chasing the tie in Germany and they found themselves 3-0 down at the break before staging a second-half comeback to salvage a draw, and some pride.

It was the same story on Friday for Italy at the Ullevaal Stadium, at least as far as the opening act went. Norway roared into a 3-0 lead in the first half but this time there was no Italian fightback in a goalless second half.

“Enough!” screamed the Gazzetta dello Sport front page on Saturday, after Italy suffered their third loss in a four-game winless run, with the newspaper adding that for Italy the “World Cup is already at risk.”

Next year’s World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico but in the two decades since Italy won the tournament for the fourth time, they have struggled to perform or, more recently, to even get there.

Berlin 2006 seems a lifetime ago now, with Zinedine Zidane sent off for his head butt to Marco Materazzi’s chest and Italy lifting the trophy after a penalty shootout win over France.

The next two World Cups saw Italy exit at the group stage, and while they triumphed at Euro 2020, on either side of that success they missed out on the World Cup after playoff defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia.

With Italy now playing catch-up and only the group winners qualifying automatically, La Repubblica’s front-page headline “Azzurri humiliated in Oslo, the playoff nightmare returns” hints at the frightening possibilities ahead.

Italy’s loss came less than a week after Inter Milan’s 5-0 mauling at the hands of Paris St. Germain in the Champions League final and on both occasions the tired-looking losers were outclassed by a hungrier, more creative side.

Italy manager Luciano Spalletti was spared following last year’s dismal Euros but is now under real pressure and nothing but a convincing win at home to Moldova on Monday will do, with media and fans increasingly calling for a change of leadership.

Reports: Bayern agree deal with Leverkusen to take Tah to Club World Cup

Updated 2 min 58 sec ago
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Reports: Bayern agree deal with Leverkusen to take Tah to Club World Cup

  • Tah’s contract with Leverkusen ran to the end of June, meaning he could only join Bayern on a free transfer from July 1
  • Any agreement to let Tah join Bayern before his Leverkusen contract ends would suggest pragmatism has won out at Leverkusen

MUNICH: Bayern Munich have reportedly agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen to take Germany defender Jonathan Tah to the Club World Cup.

Kicker magazine and other media outlets reported Saturday that Bayern, which had announced Tah’s signing “without a transfer fee” on May 29, have agreed to pay Leverkusen up to 4 million euros ($4.6 million) for the player to take a full part in the Club World Cup starting in the United States on June 14.

Tah’s contract with Leverkusen ran to the end of June, meaning he could only join Bayern on a free transfer from July 1 – unless the clubs came to an agreement beforehand.

There was little goodwill between the clubs after Bayern’s failed attempt to sign Tah – Leverkusen’s captain – last season, when Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro lashed out against Bayern’s Max Eberl. Bayern’s public pursuit of Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz this season further inflamed tensions between the rival clubs.

Any agreement to let Tah join Bayern before his Leverkusen contract ends would suggest pragmatism has won out at Leverkusen.

Real Madrid set the precedent by paying a reported fee of up to 10 million euros ($11.4 million) to get England right back Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his Liverpool contract one month before it was due to expire, so he could play at the Club World Cup, rather than waiting to sign him with a transfer fee.

Bayern will also need to reach agreement with Hoffenheim if they want to take Tom Bischof to the tournament.

Leverkusen face a summer of rebuilding following Xabi Alonso’s departure as coach, Tah and wing back Jeremie Frimpong ‘s departures for Bayern and Liverpool, respectively, and Wirtz’s expected transfer to Liverpool.

Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka suggested Friday he would be open to a switch amid reported interest from AC Milan, a change from his previous position.

Leverkusen hired former Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag to replace the Real Madrid-bound Alonso, while they have also signed highly rated teenager Ibrahim Maza from second-division club Hertha Berlin, and 21-year-old defender Tim Oermann from relegated Bochum before promptly loaning him to Austrian champion Sturm Graz.

They also loaned promising midfielder Francis Onyeka to Bochum for next season in the second division.


Spain-Portugal final more than just Cristiano vs Yamal says Ronaldo

Updated 31 min 43 sec ago
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Spain-Portugal final more than just Cristiano vs Yamal says Ronaldo

  • Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world“
  • “There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK”

MUNICH: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.

The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.

Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.

Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world.”

“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK.

“When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.”

“You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding “but I’d like to talk about the team.

“They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach (Luis) de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.”

Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbors in a competitive fixture in 21 years ago at Euro 2024, a match which Ronaldo started.

Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.

Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.

Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last summer.

The Portuguese veteran asked media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son.”

“The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.”

Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.


Luis Henrique joins Inter Milan ahead of Club World Cup

Updated 07 June 2025
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Luis Henrique joins Inter Milan ahead of Club World Cup

  • According to the Italian press, Inter will pay $26M for the 23-year-old
  • Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week

ROME: Brazilian winger Luis Henrique has signed for Inter Milan from Marseille becoming the Italian club’s second signing ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States.

“A new Inter player joins the family, welcome Luis,” this season’s Italian Serie A and Champions League runners-up said on Saturday.

The Brazilian, who arrived in Marseille in 2020, made 108 appearances and scored 11 goals for the French club in all competitions.


He went on loan to Botafogo in 2022, returning to Ligue 1 in January 2024, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in the league last term.

According to the Italian press, Inter will pay 23 million euros ($26 million) for the 23-year-old.

Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week for 14 million euros from Dinamo Zagreb, with the Club World Cup kicking off on June 14 in the United States.

“I am very happy to have signed for such a big club. I think it will be a huge jump in quality in
my career,” said the Brazilian.

“I have known this league very well since a young age.

“There have many important Brazilians that have played here at Inter. I also want to make history here, just like they did.”

He added: “I hope we will make it as far as possible and that we will manage to win this competition that is starting soon.”

The northern Italian giants are also expected to formalize the arrival of Cristian Chivu early next week as the replacement for coach Simone Inzaghi, who left to join Saudi club Al Hilal.


Mbappe ‘not bitter’ about PSG’s Champions League triumph

Updated 07 June 2025
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Mbappe ‘not bitter’ about PSG’s Champions League triumph

  • PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition
  • Mbappe moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals

STUTTGART, Germany: France captain Kylian Mbappe said Saturday he is not bitter Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League the year after his departure for Real Madrid.

“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” Mbappe said in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Nations League third place match against Germany in Stuttgart.

PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition.

“I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me,” said Mbappe.

“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy, I think they deserved it.

“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.

“They’re the best team in Europe.

“I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”

Mbappe has repeated his desire to win Europe’s biggest club competition, but the closest the Paris-born forward got with his boyhood club was losing the final in 2020 to Bayern Munich.

The 26-year-old moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals of the competition to Arsenal in April.

Real failed to win a trophy in the 2024-25 season, their first campaign without silverware in four years.