■ Cycling
Wolf protest affects Tour
The Tour de France modified the start of yesterday's 10th stage to head off farmers who planned to block the riders to protest wolf attacks on their sheep and cows. The race was meant to start in Grenoble. Instead, it will start 11.5km away in Brignoud, after being held up for a few minutes to allow farmers to demonstrate, Tour organizers said on Monday after talks with livestock rearers' representatives. Initially, farmers had planned to block the race along the route to the ski station of Courchevel to protest attacks on their herds by wolves in the Alps, organizers said. "Through this compromise, Tour de France organizers wanted to show their solidarity with the rural world," they said in a statement. The stage was meant to be raced over 192.5km, but that will now be shortened to 181km.
■ Sumo
Asashoryu still undefeated
Grand champion Asashoryu wrapped Futeno in a bear hug and shoved him to the dirt to stay undefeated yesterday, the third day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. Quick off his hands at the face-off, third-ranked maegashira Futeno matched Mongolian Asashoryu's speed. But once Asashoryu grabbed Futeno's belt, the lower-ranked wrestler was overpowered, and Asashoryu got his third win of the tourney. It was the 24-year-old Mongolian's 20th straight win. He has captured the past four Emperor's Cups, going 15-0 in the summer tourney, and is seeking his 13th overall title. Ozeki Tochiazuma remained undefeated after fending off a determined Roho in one of the day's longest matches. Russian Roho was winless. Ozeki Kaio wore down a spirited but outclassed Miyabiyama to go 2-1. Miyabiyama slipped to 1-2.Chiyotaikai didn't fare well. The ozeki's trademark offense -- arm thrusts to his opponent's face -- failed against second-ranked maegashira Dejima, leaving Chiyotaikai with a 2-1 record. Dejima was also 2-1.
■ Motorcycling
New sidecar record set
New Zealander Glen Hayward claimed a new world land speed record for a 1,000cc sidecar motorcycle of 272km an hour on a straight stretch of South Island country road on yesterday. His time, which beat the previous record of 222kph set by an Englishman in 1986, was confirmed by a representative of the Swiss-based International Motorcycling Federation but must be ratified later this year, Radio New Zealand reported. Hayward was reported to have carried not a passenger but 60kg of lead ballast in the sidecar, as allowed under the federation's rules.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
UP IN SMOKE: More than half a dozen riders crashed out of the race, with Marquez’s title chances in doubt after driving off the track with flames flickering from his bike Jorge Martin yesterday won a crash-filled Indonesia MotoGP to extend his championship lead, while closest rival Francesco Bagnaia limited the damage by claiming the final podium place. The win leaves the Pramac Racing rider 21 points ahead of his Italian Ducati rival, who finished third behind Spaniard Pedro Acosta in sweltering conditions at the Mandalika International Street Circuit on Lombok island. In front of a crowd of 60,000 in motorbike-mad Indonesia, the 26-year-old put his tumble in Saturday’s sprint behind him, canceling out the gains his title rival Bagnaia made after securing victory in that race. “Thank you Indonesia. I am very happy.
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