Belgian Thierry Neuville and Estonian Ott Tanak were yesterday to battle into the final day of the Rally of Poland after leading the way on Saturday.
Hyundai’s Neuville won three of the day’s specials — SS14, SS15, SS18 — to lead Ford Fiesta’s Tanak by 3.1 seconds, with New Zealand’s Hayden Paddon third in a Hyundai at 25.5 seconds.
“Will I be able to hold off Tanak tomorrow? We’ll see,” said Neuville of an unpredictable rain-hit race with the sixth stage canceled due to dangerous conditions.
Photo: AFP
“We don’t have a big time advantage so we can’t take it easy Sunday. Victory is still open and I know that Ott will be chasing right behind us,” the Belgian said.
After the rain of Friday, the sun came out, but it was not the end of problems for the drivers as the rally headed north toward the border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
The 29-year-old Neuville — winner in France and Argentina this year — sustained a puncture in SS16 allowing Tanak to grab a lead of 15 seconds.
However, Tanak then lost his right wing and had to navigate the following two specials at reduced speed, allowing Neuville to recapture the advantage after SS18.
Four-time defending world champion Sebastien Ogier slipped to 1min 32 seconds behind Neuville in fourth place.
Ogier, whose world championship lead is under threat from Neuville, damaged his Ford Fiesta as early as the day’s second special SS12, losing more than 30 seconds as he skidded off the road.
Handicapped by the damage to his car he lost further time.
Jari-Matti Latvala also suffered during SS16. The Finn was third and less than 15 seconds off the leader when his Toyota pulled up with mechanical problems.
“We are very disappointed, but this is part of the rally and we have to accept it,” Latvala later said on Twitter.
Neuville and Tanak were to battle four stages for victory yesterday.
Tanak is looking to make it two wins in a row after claiming his maiden victory in Sardinia last time out.
However, he remains wary after a puncture in slippery and muddy conditions on the penultimate stage last year cost him victory.
“Anything is possible,” the Estonian said.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal’s FIFA World Cup bid, while others believe his presence would prevent Roberto Martinez’s strong side from flourishing. The debate around the five-time Ballon d’Or winner rages on, as it did at UEFA Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar — yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup. The 41-year-old remains a global superstar despite swapping the European elite for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and is the leading men’s international goalscorer with 143 strikes. With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach
Taiwanese sprinter Chen Yi-cen on Friday won the silver medal in the women’s 400m final at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, with a time of 53.16 seconds. Chen, 15, was the youngest among the eight finalists, and her performance also met the qualifying standard of 53.50 seconds for the Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September and October. Chen first made her mark at the National Games in Tainan in 2023, at the age of 13, winning the women’s 400m final in 55.55 seconds to become the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event. Meanwhile,
RSS