Dane Chris Anker Sorensen battled to the top of a mountain to win the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday after rain and snow just about held off on an already difficult route.
Alexander Vinokourov of the Astana team retained the overall leader’s pink jersey after the top riders all finished reasonably close together in the central Italian hills.
The Kazakh, who overcame appalling conditions on Saturday to take the lead, holds a one minute, 12 second advantage over Australian world champion Cadel Evans with previous race leader Vincenzo Nibali edging back up to the third overall.
Vinokourov returned to cycling last year after a doping ban, but lost none of his grit and determination during his time away and now looks favorite to lift the title in Verona on May 30 after three tough weeks of racing.
Saxo Bank’s Sorensen, who broke his collarbone during the Tour of Catalunya in late March, triumphed on a 189km ride from Chianciano ahead of Italian revelation Simone Stortoni of the Colnago CSF Inox team. Spain’s Xavier Tondo was third for Cervelo.
“The situation was completely insane. On the last three kilometers, I am in the car with goosebumps all over my body and inches away from being a nervous wreck screaming out the window, then screaming into the steering wheel while Pascal [mechanic] is hanging out the sun roof rooting for Chris [Anker Sorensen],” Saxo Bank sports director Dan Frost said in a team statement.
The Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 36 points from Tyrese Maxey and a triple-double from Joel Embiid, on Thursday beat the Houston Rockets 128-122 in an NBA overtime thriller. Cameroonian big man Embiid scored 32 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 10 assists, posting the ninth triple-double of his career to help the Sixers end the Rockets’ three-game winning streak. Rockets star Kevin Durant scored 36 points and Amen Thompson added 17, but Thompson was scoreless in the fourth quarter. Even so, the Rockets led by nine midway through the final frame, Maxey tying it at 115-115 with 40.1 seconds left. Durant missed a
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah on Saturday secured his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Saudi Arabia with Luciano Benavides scraping home by two seconds to claim the motorbike title. “We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there, deep down. We are so happy to win,” al-Attiyah said at the finish. Al-Attiyah, at the wheel of a Dacia, only had to avoid a final day slip-up to top the podium after bringing his career tally of stage wins to 50 on Friday. The 55-year-old, who took clay pigeon shooting bronze at the
Tobias Harris on Monday scored 25 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics to score a 104-103 victory in their top-of-the-table Eastern Conference showdown. Harris was one of four Detroit players to finish in double figures, with Jalen Duren adding 18 points and point guard Cade Cunningham scoring 16 points with 14 assists. The win sees Detroit extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to 31-10, 5.5 games ahead of second-placed Boston, who fell to 26-16 with the defeat. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 32 points and almost snatched victory in the
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