CYCLING
Diaz wins Tour of San Luis
Home racer Ricardo Diaz won the Tour of San Luis crown on Sunday after Italy’s Mattia Gavazzi of the Androni team won the final stage. Gavazzi won the 154.7km ride from San Luis to Juana Koslay in 3 hours, 25 minutes and 48 seconds, edging out Slovakia’s Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and Spaniard Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) in a sprint finish. The 23-year-old Diaz, racing for San Luis Somos Todos, landed the biggest title of his career to date, having set up his success with barnstorming showings in the fifth and sixth stages. Diaz won in a total time of 24 hours, 3 minutes and 16 seconds after 1,008.8km of racing with US hope Tejay Van Garderen of BMC second, 33 seconds behind, and Brazilian Alex Diniz of Funvic third at 39 seconds, forcing two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff) to settle for fourth, 62 seconds off the pace.
HANDBALL
Spain wins championship
Spain thrashed Denmark 35-19 on Sunday to claim its second world handball championship. Spain dominated the match before its home fans, with its defense triggering a counterattack that overran Denmark. Joan Canellas led Spain with seven goals. Valero Rivera added six more, and Julen Aguinagalde and Jorge Maqueda each got five. Goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik made 14 saves. Spain never trailed and was ahead 18-10 by halftime. Its 8-0 run near the start of the second half put the result beyond doubt.
SAILING
Gabart wins Vendee Globe
French sailor Francois Gabart won the Vendee Globe around-the-world race in a record time on Sunday, shaving six days off the previous record held by countryman Michel Desjoyeaux. The 29-year-old Gabart is the youngest skipper competing in the seventh edition of the race, and crossed the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne, France, at lunchtime on Sunday in his yacht MACIF. Gabart sailed for a total of 78 days, 2 hours, 16 minutes and 40 seconds, smashing two-time winner Desjoyeaux’s course record of 84 days, 3:09:08 set in 2009. Desjoyeaux did not compete this year. Frenchman Armel Le Cleac’h finished second, just over three hours behind Gabart — the smallest margin in the race’s history. Briton Alex Thomson was in third place when Le Cleac’h crossed the line.
SOCCER
Galatsary sign Drogba
Turkish top flight club Galatasaray have reached agreement on an 18-month contract for Ivory Coast veteran striker Didier Drogba, TRT television reported Sunday, quoting a source close to the club. Drogba left Chelsea last summer after helping them to their first Champions League title, joining Chinese outfit Shanghai Shenhua. Recently, the 34-year-old was linked with a move to Juventus, who denied the story. TRT did not give any details of a fee.
SOCCER
Referee breaks player’s nose
Germany midfielder Daniel Bierofka had his nose broken by the referee after being hit in the face in a freak accident during a friendly match for his second-division club, 1860 Munich. The 33-year-old was playing for 1860 Munich against VfR Aalen when the referee spread out his arms to stop play early in the second half, hitting Bierofka in the face. The midfielder was forced to come off moments later, as his team went on to win 3-0 on Saturday, and was taken to hospital for an X-ray. “I never thought the referee can injure a player,” 1860 coach Alexander Schmidt said.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
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