CYCLING
Vansummeren wins classic
Belgian Johan Vansummeren upset the favorites to claim the 258km Paris-Roubaix classic on Sunday. Garmin-Cervelo rider Vansummeren, who is 1.97m tall, attacked a leading group of four riders with about 15km left before going on to win the Queen of the Classics. “I am the happiest man in the world. It’s a race that’s made for me, it’s made for my body,” he told reporters. Defending champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland raced away from a group 3.5km from the finish to end up second. Seconds after crossing the line Vansummeren went to his girlfriend Jasmin for a hug and proposed to her. “Some people give a ring, I give a rock,” he said, referring to the cobblestone trophy the Roubaix winner is awarded. Vansummeren even managed to ride the final 5km with a flat rear tire. “I had no time to change my wheel,” he said.
TENNIS
Clijsters injured at wedding
World No. 2 Kim Clijsters is a major doubt for the French Open next month after injuring her ankle at her cousin’s wedding. “Kim has injured her ankle. She won’t be able to compete for four to six weeks. Her participation in the French Open is no longer certain,” a statement said on her Web site on Sunday. “At the wedding party of her cousin Tim, Kim injured her ankle severely. The consequences are rather dire. Kim’s ankle is now completely immobilized and she can not use her foot for a few days.”
SOCCER
New boys Volga go top
Newly promoted Volga from Nizhny Novgorod unexpectedly jumped into the lead in the Russian league with a 3-1 win at Rostov on Sunday, while reigning champions Zenit were held to a 1-1 draw by CSKA Moscow. Volga made it nine points from four matches to sit one point ahead of Zenit and another promoted side FC Krasnodar, who share second spot. Zenit dominated in the opening half hour but it was CSKA, who took the lead in the 32nd minute through Mark Gonzalez. The hosts replied positively and pulled level in first half injury time, when Konstantin Zyryanov scored from Alexander Kerzhakov’s cross. After the interval Zenit looked fresher and more aggressive but CSKA defended well, dashing all of the hosts attempts to secure the win. Meanwhile, Volga looked confident in Rostov notching their third win to go top. They took the lead just before the break through Gocha Khodzhava, who beat Rostov goalkeeper Dejan Radic with a powerful shot. Anton Khazov and Sanzhar Tursunov added one apiece after the interval to make it 3-0 before Isaac Okoronkwo netted a consolation for the hosts.
SOCCER
Bender keeps Bayer bid alive
Bayer Leverkusen kept the Bundesliga title race alive by beating St Pauli 2-1 on Sunday to cut Borussia Dortmund’s lead to five points. In the day’s other game bottom club Borussia Moenchengladbach thrashed Cologne 5-1 to boost their survival hopes. Leverkusen floored St Pauli thanks to a 77th-minute goal from Lars Bender. Having dominated the first half the home team fell behind just before the hour when Charles Takyi steered in a cross by Florian Bruns. Stefan Kiessling leveled eight minutes later after Eren Derdiyok combined with Gonzalo Castro before pulling the ball back for the striker to score easily. Michael Ballack tested Benedikt Pliquett with two powerful drives but the St Pauli goalkeeper could do nothing when Bender beat the offside trap and slotted the ball under him.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two