Tao Geoghegan Hart can show he is back to his best at the Giro d’Italia over the next three weeks, according to two-time former winner Alberto Contador.
Londoner Geoghegan Hart enjoyed his breakout moment at the pandemic-affected 2020 edition of the Italian Grand Tour, claiming the pink jersey on the final day by beating Jai Hindley in the decisive time trial in Milan.
Since then, the 28-year-old has endured a difficult period with illness and injury, but last month he took two stage wins and overall victory at the Tour of the Alps last month – his first general classification win since the Giro.
View this post on Instagram
Geoghegan Hart will go into the Giro as a co-leader of the Ineos Grenadiers alongside 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, 36, while the squad also includes emerging talent Thymen Arensman.
“I think that the 2020 Giro was a little bit different (because of Covid-19) but we know that Tao has an incredible talent,” Contador told the PA news agency.
“At the Tour of the Alps he was very strong. Many riders that will be at the Giro were there and he won two stages and also the GC so for sure he is a good option and Tao can come back at the top.”
But, although Geoghegan Hart is seen as a contender, the main focus going into the race is on world champion Remco Evenepoel and three-time Vuelta a Espana winner Primoz Roglic.
“Everyone expects a big battle between Remco and Roglic but there are some up riders who can shake things up like Arensman, Thomas, (Joao) Almeida, and Tao, and they can make things difficult for the two big favourites,” added Contador, part of Eurosport’s analysis team for the race.
“If those two riders make a mistake they can have their chance. I cannot give to you one name. Both are very strong in the time trials and also the climbs, but the important thing in the Giro is always to not have a bad day as you can lose many minutes.”
An imposing Giro route – which covers a total of 3,489 kilometres and includes 51,400 metres of climbing – begins with an 19.6km time trial from Fossacesia Marina to Ortona on Saturday, the first of three time trials that cover a total of 73km over the three weeks.
There are also summit finishes on the Crans Montana, Monte Bondone, Val di Zoldo and Tre Cime di Lavaredo, plus seven stages of more than 200 kilometres and four others that come within a whisker, promising a gruelling three weeks for those intending to go all the way to Rome.
“This year the Giro comes back to the old style, the traditional long stages, days with more than 5,000 metres of climbing and 11 stages close to 200 kilometres,” Contador said. “It will be very important to recover day by day because the last week is normally the hardest week.
“I think the last time trial (18.6km from Tarvisio to Monte Lussari Tudor on stage 20) will make the difference because some riders can lose everything there.”
View this post on Instagram
Contador won the Giro in 2008 and 2015, part of a career that also brought two Tour wins and three Vuelta crowns. The Spaniard was additionally stripped of the 2010 Tour and 2011 Giro title after testing positive for clenbuterol.
“For me, the Giro is my favourite race for sure,” he said. “I was there my first time in 2008, going at the last minute because of a sponsor, and three weeks later I won the Giro. The Tifosi love me and for me it is the most beautiful because you can break from the script and go on the attack.
“The Vuelta is special for me, my home race, and the Tour de France is the biggest race in the world, but my favourite is the Giro.”
:: Watch live and exclusive coverage of the Giro d’Italia on Eurosport, discovery+ and GCN+
British boxer John Ryder claims he will be no pushover as he prepares to fight Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight titles this weekend.
Ryder has travelled to Guadalajara in Mexico as he aims to become England’s first undisputed male champion in the four-belt era on May 6.
Canelo bounced back from his defeat to Dmitry Bivol, this exact weekend last year, with a unanimous decision victory over Gennadiy Golovkin four months later and while fighting in Mexico is new for Ryder, Canelo has never fought in front of his home crowd either.
Much discussion leading up to the fight has claimed champion Canelo has chosen an ‘easy’ bout in a bid to add another British fighter to his winning record, along with the other seven that have come before The Gorilla.
Ryder is keen to show the world that Saturday will not be straightforward for Canelo and is ready to make a statement.
He told the PA news agency: “I’m sure people do see it as an easy fight but I’m in there to make a statement and stake my own claim on the super-middleweight division.
“I want to show people I do deserve to be a true world champion. I was harshly judged on in the fight with (Callum) Smith and already should have a world title but I’m blessed that this opportunity has come now.
“I’ve worked hard, I’ve had a few more fights in and around that level, picked up the interim world title and now I’m sitting in a fantastic position taking on Canelo next.”
Ryder has previously lost five career fights to Billy Joe Saunders, Nick Blackwell, Jack Arnfield, Rocky Fielding, and the most recent being Callum Smith in 2019 by unanimous decision.
Since then, Ryder has won four fights which has given him the opportunity to take on Canelo, but he is not treating it any bigger than any of his previous match-ups.
He added: “I treat every fight as my biggest challenge and I used to get nervous for the first couple of fights I was going in with so-called journeymen.
“The thought of losing a fight like that petrified me because you lose to them people and you are on a road to nowhere, so I always go into every fight giving the opponent the respect they deserve and Canelo is no different.
“If I say I’m supremely confident then people think I’m delusional but I wouldn’t be going out there if I wasn’t confident in my own ability and wouldn’t be taking a team out there that I am.”
The fight will be the first ever boxing match to take place at the Akron Stadium, with around 48,000 fans expected to be in attendance.
“I think the Mexican fans are real fight fans,” Ryder said.
“As long as you’ve giving them what they want to see and putting it all on the line… I’m sure they might boo on the way in but cheer on the way out.”
::WOW HYDRATE’s sugar-free, low calorie and great tasting hydration range of collagen protein and electrolyte waters have supported John Ryder to be the best. For more visit wowhydrate.com
Leeds Rhinos will pay tribute to the late Doddie Weir by wearing a limited-edition kit designed in his image when they face Castleford Tigers at next month’s Magic Weekend.
Former Scotland rugby union international Weir died in November after a lengthy battle with motor neurone disease (MND), but before his death had become a mentor for Rhinos great Rob Burrow, who has also been diagnosed with MND.
The Rhinos have decided to honour the former British and Irish Lions ace on June 3 when they play against Castleford at St James’ Park in Newcastle, the city where Weir won the Premiership title, with a shirt that will carry quotes from both Burrow and Weir in addition to a Tartan design on the side panels.
View this post on Instagram
John Bentley, who played for Leeds and was also a team-mate of Weir at Newcastle, said: “I love it and Doddie would have too. It’s a real tribute with the famous tartan.
“I think it is a fantastic gesture by the club, especially with the link to Rob too obviously. I am really proud to have played at Leeds and I love the link with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation especially as the game will be played in Newcastle where we share so many wonderful memories.”
Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, added: “This is a fantastic gesture by the Rhinos. The community across both codes of rugby have come together so strongly over the past six years in support of Doddie, Rob Burrow and others.”
Defending champion Robert MacIntyre was forced out of the DS Automobiles Italian Open due to injury ahead of Friday’s second round.
The news was announced by MacIntyre’s management company less than an hour before the left-hander was due to tee off alongside home favourite Guido Migliozzi and Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard.
MacIntyre himself then wrote on social media: “Gutted to withdraw this morning from the @ItalianOpen with a back strain.
“Hopefully nothing too serious. Now for a week of rest before the PGA Championship.”
MacIntyre had carded an opening two-over-par 73 at Marco Simone Golf Club on the outskirts of Rome, the venue for this year’s Ryder Cup.
The 26-year-old defeated US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick in a play-off to win his second DP World Tour title last September.
MacIntyre birdied the first extra hole after he and Fitzpatrick had finished tied on 14 under par.
That was just the second qualifying event for the Ryder Cup, although MacIntyre has since fallen outside the automatic places.
Klay Thompson scored 30 points with eight 3-pointers and all five Golden State starters reached double figures as the Warriors cruised to a 127-100 rout of the Lakers on Thursday.
The hot-shooting Warriors bounced back from Tuesday’s close Game 1 loss to tie the second-round series at one game apiece.
Stephen Curry had 20 points and 12 assists, JaMychal Green added 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting in his first playoff start since 2019 and Draymond Green nearly notched a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
Golden State, which shot over 50 percent overall, set an NBA record for the most 3-pointers in the first two games of a playoff series with 42.
LeBron James scored 21 of his 23 points in the first half and Los Angeles struggled to keep up, with Anthony Davis limited to 11 points and seven rebounds following his 30 and 23 performance in the series opener.
Thompson’s 3 early in the third quarter ignited a 14-4 run for Golden State that extended the lead to 82-64. The Warriors were never threatened thereafter and finished with 43 points in the third quarter.
The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.
Julen Lopetegui has told Wolves they need to be “very close to perfection” if they are to prevent Aston Villa from plunging them back into a Premier League relegation fight.
The Black Country club entertain Unai Emery’s men on Saturday still smarting from their 6-0 humiliation at Brighton last weekend and knowing they need to bounce back immediately if they are to avoid conceding ground to the chasing pack.
However, that will be easier said than done, with Spaniard Emery having transformed Villa’s fortunes to the extent that they are level on 54 points with seventh-placed Tottenham with four games remaining, and just one behind Brighton in sixth.
Compatriot Lopetegui told a press conference: “It’s a match against a very good team. They have improved a lot from the first half of the season until now.
“They are a very good team, good players, very experienced coach. They have a very clear idea and have developed, and after they have the quality to damage you in each moment.
“They have very big players so we have to have confidence in our players, our idea, to be able to beat them. We have to be very close to perfection to play against this kind of team.
“Above all, we have to put the focus on our strengths, be confident with our work and we have to be ready.
“I prefer to talk about us, our strengths, because we have to be confident in our energy, our strengths, and put the focus to be able to compete with them.”
Lopetegui, who hopes to have defender Nelson Semedo at his disposal following his return to training after resting the knee he damaged at Brighton, has a task on his hands after witnessing an alarming capitulation at the AMEX Stadium.
The Seagulls were 4-0 up by half-time and ultimately won the game at a canter to further their own European ambitions while at the same time arresting a run of three wins in four games for Wolves.
However, Lopetegui remained philosophical as he sifted through the wreckage of an extremely bad day at the office.
He said: “If we won or lost, the next day we know we have to improve a lot of things. We analyse the matches but this is over, the match is over and we have to put the focus on the next challenge.
“It’s important for us to be able to compete because Aston Villa demand a lot of things from the opponent.”
England and Wales will head for New Zealand in October as the world champions host the sport’s elite teams in the inaugural WXV tournament.
World Rugby has confirmed the venues and dates for the new three-tier competition, which seeks to increase “the competitiveness, reach and impact” of the 15-a-side women’s game across the globe.
Eighteen teams will take part in the event, with the top six battling it out in WXV 1 in New Zealand across three weekends on October 21 and 28 and November 4, the next six contesting WXV 2 in South Africa on October 14, 21 and 28, and WXV 3 using the same dates but with the venue dependent on the nations qualifying.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We made a pledge at a spectacular Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand to accelerate the advancement of the women’s game.
“Much progress is being made at rapid pace and today we are marking another milestone with confirmation of the dates and venues for the inaugural WXV competition.
“With women and girls leading our strategy to grow the sport on a global basis, this competition will increase the reach and impact of the sport and drive the overall competitiveness of women’s international rugby as we look forward to an expanded 16-team Rugby World Cup 2025 in England and subsequent Rugby World Cups in Australia in 2029 and USA in 2033.”
Beaten World Cup finalists England, France and Wales have already booked their places in WXV 1, while Scotland and Ireland will participate in WXV 2 and WXV 3 respectively.
The World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2023 will determine the remaining three teams in WXV 1 and one team in WXV 2, with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States contesting the competition featuring the top two teams in Oceania and North America.
WXV will comprise two sides from Europe and one each from Asia, Oceania, Africa and South America.
Each division in the annual tournament will be played out as a cross-pool format, with promotion and relegation – although not for the first two years leading up to the 2025 World Cup – adding spice.
Former England captain Sarah Hunter is confident the competition will help raise standards globally and hone teams for World Cup battle.
Hunter said: “To know that when you look at the calendar as England – and having recently played for England – that you’ll be playing some of the best teams in the world, it can only make you better, and to know that it’s not just every four years you get that opportunity to do so.
“I just think it’s a really exciting concept, that every year you’re going to be playing in one of the toughest competitions there is.”
Birdies on the closing two holes gave Tommy Fleetwood the first round lead in the Wells Fargo Championship as Rory McIlroy made solid return to action.
Fleetwood shot a bogey-free 65 as he continued his pursuit of a first PGA Tour title, one better than a group on five under – Xander Schauffele, Kevin Streelman, Taylor Moore, KH Lee and Ryan Palmer.
McIlroy, playing for the first time since missing the cut at the US Masters, is three strokes behind after an opening 68 on his 34th birthday at Quail Hollow.
Fleetwood has won six times on the DP World Tour, but the Englishman is still chasing a first title in the US.
“I just have to keep going and wait for those really big results and hopefully start contending again up at the top of the leaderboard,” said Fleetwood. “We’ll see what we can do from there.”
McIlroy has won three times at Quail Hollow with nine top 10 finishes in 11 starts, but he admitted not touching his clubs for more than two weeks after the disappointment at the Masters.
“I feel relaxed here,” he said. “It’s just a level of comfort at this golf course and at this club that I probably don’t have any other venue.
“I’ve played here so many times I know where to miss it. I missed a few greens but I didn’t feel like I hit the ball that badly.
“It was just really nice to be out there again… nice to feel like I played well. I didn’t want to spend my birthday afternoon grinding on the range.”
Schaufelle had looked on course to set the early pace, but two bogeys in Quail Hollow’s notorious closing three holes – dubbed the “Green Mile” – left him one off the lead.
US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick finished a stroke behind playing partners McIlroy and Justin Thomas, his 69 matched by fellow Englishman Tyrell Hatton with defending champion Max Homa opening with a 70.
English trio Matt Wallace, Callum Tarren and Harry Hall also opened with one-under-par 70s while Tony Finau, winner in Mexico last week, shot a 71.
The Milwaukee Bucks have fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after another promising season ended in an early playoff exit.
The Bucks announced the end of Budenholzer's tenure a week after they were eliminated in five games by the Miami Heat in a first-playoff series.
Budenholzer compiled a 271-120 regular-season record with the Bucks and helped lead Milwaukee to the NBA title in 2021, but each of his four other seasons ended in playoff disappointment.
"The decision to make this change was very difficult," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said on Thursday.
"Bud helped lead our team for five incredible seasons, to the Bucks' first title in 50 years, and into an era of sustained success. We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee.
"This is an opportunity for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season."
Deciding Budenholzer's fate became more complicated when one of the coach's brothers died in a traffic accident before Game 4 – a factor that was made public after the Bucks were eliminated.
Budenholzer had long faced rumours of his dismissal.
The team's 2021 championship run held those rumours at bay for two years, but this season's stunning exit after a league-best 58-24 regular-season record spelled the end.
Playing with an injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, the top-seeded Bucks blew fourth-quarter leads in Games 4 and 5 against the No. 8 seed Miami, while players and Budenholzer himself admitted afterward that tactical errors played a role.
After the series-ending overtime loss, Antetokounmpo said the team should have made defensive adjustments against Jimmy Butler, who averaged 37.6 points across the matchups.
Stubbornness and inflexibility were frequent criticisms of Budenholzer throughout his tenure in Milwaukee, especially in the postseason.
In stints with the Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks, Budenholzer has a career 484-317 record (.604 winning percentage) and a 56-48 (.538) mark in the playoffs.
The Miami Heat are in wait-and-see mode when it comes to Jimmy Butler’s right ankle sprain as it pertains to his status for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks on Saturday.
"No update. I'm not going to get into all the minutiae of it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said on Thursday.
"When we find out how he is feeling on Saturday, we'll let you know. That's what the deal is."
Butler sat out Tuesday's 111-105 loss to the Knicks because of the ankle sprain that he sustained late in Sunday's 108-101 win in the series opener at Madison Square Garden.
Although he never came out of Game 1 after getting hurt, the six-time All-Star was noticeably limping and played a smaller role in Miami's offense down the stretch.
Still, the Heat managed to hold on for the victory and now return to Miami having stolen New York's home-court advantage.
By sitting out in Game 2, the 33-year-old Butler also has five days off between games to get treatment on the ankle in an effort to return to full strength.
Tuesday was just the fourth game since late January that Butler sat out, and two of those were the final two regular-season games with the Heat already ticketed for the play-in tournament.
Butler has been instrumental to Miami's surge into the conference semi-finals as the eighth seed.
He is averaging an NBA-leading 35.5 points per game in the playoffs on 58.5 per cent shooting, along with 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
George Russell has told Max Verstappen he is ready to draw a line under their X-rated row at the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Verstappen called Russell a “d***head” following a heated confrontation after they collided on the opening lap of the sprint race.
Verstappen also labelled Russell a “Princess” in a subsequent interview with Dutch media.
But speaking ahead of this weekend’s race in Miami, Russell said: “I will continue racing the same way as I always would.
“A lot has been said about that coming together, but from my side it was very straightforward.
“I went for a move, I got the move done, and moved on. Obviously he was pretty upset about it, but that is racing and these things happen. We are all here to fight. That is what F1 is all about.”
Russell revealed he has not spoken to Verstappen since they clashed in Baku.
However, the British driver continued: “There is no air to be cleared. I will welcome, and say ‘hello’ to him if he passes by. I am sure we will shake hands when we bump into each other.
“For me, it is history now and it is behind us. My views are still the same. I respect him and think he is a great driver. Things are said in the heat of the moment, but we move on.”
Asked about his relationship with Russell, Verstappen sarcastically said: “It is terrible”, before adding: “No, it is absolutely fine.”
F1 is back in the Sunshine State for the second time, and the first of three races to be staged in the United States this year.
A debut event on the Las Vegas strip will take place in November, while Austin’s grand prix at the Circuit of the Americas has been a permanent fixture on the F1 schedule since 2012.
“It is a dream for us to be in Miami and in the United States,” said Lewis Hamilton.
“They have the Miami Heat and the Miami Dolphins, too.
“They are massive sporting fans here so to be in such an important city like Miami where sport is huge – and now Formula One is part of that – it is great to see.
“For such a huge country, it is amazing that we finally have three races here. The difficult thing with Formula One is that you usually visit a country once a year. But the growth has been huge and it is such a big market for the sport.”
Hamilton finished sixth in Azerbaijan last weekend and he is already 45 points behind championship leader Verstappen.
The 38-year-old’s contract with Mercedes expires at the end of the season but there are suggestions from both camps is that Hamilton will agree a new deal.
Hamilton’s former McLaren team-mate and 2009 world champion Jenson Button said this week that he cannot envisage his compatriot walking away from the sport.
“I just want to get back to the front,” continued seven-time world champion Hamilton.
“That is what I am working on – trying to get this team back to the front.”
Joel Embiid has been set the challenge of winning multiple MVP awards by his former high school coach.
Embiid was named the league's MVP for the first time on Tuesday, edging out competition from Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Philadelphia 76ers star returned from injury against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, though could not inspire his team to victory in Game 2 of their playoff series, with the Sixers going down 121-87.
While there is plenty of time remaining for Embiid to take control of that series, Justin Harden – who coached the 29-year-old during his senior year at The Rock School in Florida – says the Philadelphia talisman must continue to improve if he is to be named MVP again.
"Well, in order to get a second MVP he is going to have to be better, right? Because that's just kind of how it goes, you have got to be better than what you were before," Harden told Stats Perform.
"And you know, Nikola Jokic can attest to that. And Giannis can attest to that. And certainly, LeBron [James] can attest to that."
Harden, though, has full faith in 76ers coach Doc Rivers' ability to develop Embiid even further.
He said: "I trust Doc Rivers and what he's done and been able to do.
"But I think he [Embiid] carries a heavy burden as it is. I don't want to add any more to it, but just stay healthy. When you have a bunch of guys flying around at your feet, it's hard to stay healthy, but I hope he does."
As for the legacy Embiid could leave, Harden hopes his former student aims for the stars.
"I think there's no question, he's a top 10 player right now," he said.
"Some would question if he's a top-five player, but if he continues to play as he's been playing, then you start to get mentioned along with the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon.
"They are the guys who won an MVP, who were centres who also led their teams to championships.
"I hope he's able to accomplish that, because every great player gets judged by their team's accomplishments, right? And whether they win a championship or not, that somehow knocks them down.
"I think that he's going to be considered one of the greatest and when you consider his footwork, his touch, his ability to shoot the mid-range and the three-pointers, really, you've only ever seen one guy in Hakeem Olajuwon like him.
"His idol is Hakeem Olajuwon, I'm sure it's just a great feeling to know that you're being compared to your idol. So that's pretty awesome for him."
The Sixers are aiming to win their first NBA title since 1983, but first they must get past the Celtics and advance to their first conference finals series since 2001.
Philadelphia hosts Game 3 of the series, which is tied at 1-1, on Friday.
Sergio Garcia is the only one of 17 players sanctioned by the DP World Tour for joining LIV Golf not to have paid his fine, the tour has announced.
The 43-year-old was one of a clutch of players that includes Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter to have been hit with a fine over joining the breakaway Saudi-backed tour.
A statement said: “The DP World Tour today confirmed that 16 out of 17 players have paid their fines which were imposed for serious breaches of the Tour’s Conflicting Tournament Regulation last June.
“The players were each fined £100,000 – a sanction originally imposed in July 2022 and upheld last month by an independent panel appointed by Sport Resolutions.
“Sergio Garcia has not paid his £100,000 fine, nor has he given any indication that he intends to.
“We will therefore take appropriate action if he continues not to respect the Sport Resolutions panel’s decision.”
Garcia, along with Poulter and Westwood, on Wednesday announced his resignation from the World Tour.
Rory McIlroy said it is a shame that the trio will now not get the chance to one day captain Europe’s Ryder Cup team following their decision to quit.
Their departure renders them ineligible for inclusion when the match against the United States begins in Rome in September.
On Thursday, Westwood spoke out against the DP World Tour following the controversy, seemingly closing the door on any hope of a return in the future.
And McIlroy said: “I think it’s a shame that you’ve got the highest points score ever in the Ryder Cup and two guys that when they look back on their career, that’s probably going to be at least a big chunk of their legacy is the roles that they have played in the Ryder Cup for Europe.
“For those three guys to not captain Europe one day, it’s a shame. But as the DP World Tour said in their statement, at the end of the day that was their choice and they knew that these were potentially going to be the consequences of those choices and of those actions and here we are.
“Yeah, it’s certainly a shame.”
Europe’s captain, Luke Donald, echoed McIlroy’s sentiments and said he is sad that the three will not be available to represent the side.
Donald, who will lead the Europe team as they seek to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2018, felt sorry that the situation had come to this.
“It’s sad we’ve got to this point but this was always a possibility,” Donald told BBC Sport. “I played with all three and they’ve been stalwarts of, and given a lot to, both the Ryder Cup and European Tour.
“I have a little more clarity now. I know they’re not an option to play in, or be any part of my team. It is a shame. They’ve got a lot of history when it comes to the Ryder Cup.
“Ultimately this is their choice and I wish them well. They feel like this was the best choice for them and now I’ve got choices to make that are best for me.
“There are generational shifts throughout the history of the Ryder Cup and maybe this is one.
“We certainly have plenty of great players to look at and pick from and I’m certainly excited about how everyone has played this year so far.”
Donald was made captain in 2022 after Henrik Stenson was dismissed for joining in the Saudi-backed LIV tour.
He will be without three of Europe’s most successful performers in the contest, with Westwood having featured as a player a record 11 times and Poulter unbeaten in singles across his seven appearances. Garcia is Europe’s all-time record points scorer.
Donald added: “There’s great momentum with European golf. We’ve already had seven winners in the US [this season] and a bunch of people who haven’t played in the Ryder Cup have played great this year on the DP World Tour, so I’m excited about the make-up of this team.”
Rory McIlroy feels it is a shame that Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia will not someday captain Europe’s Ryder Cup team after they quit the DP World Tour.
The trio stepped aside after being sanctioned for joining rival LIV Golf, thus rendering them ineligible for inclusion when the match against the United States begins in Rome in September.
On Thursday, Westwood spoke out against the European Tour following the controversy, seemingly closing the door on any hope of a return in the future.
And McIlroy said: “I think it’s a shame that you’ve got the highest points score ever in the Ryder Cup and two guys that when they look back on their career, that’s probably going to be at least a big chunk of their legacy is the roles that they have played in the Ryder Cup for Europe.
“For those three guys to not captain Europe one day, it’s a shame. But as the DP World Tour said in their statement, at the end of the day that was their choice and they knew that these were potentially going to be the consequences of those choices and of those actions and here we are.
“Yeah, it’s certainly a shame.”
Europe’s captain, Luke Donald, echoed McIlroy’s sentiments and said he is sad that the three will not be available to represent the side.
Donald, who will lead the Europe team as they seek to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2018, felt sorry that the situation had come to this.
“It’s sad we’ve got to this point but this was always a possibility,” Donald told BBC Sport. “I played with all three and they’ve been stalwarts of, and given a lot to, both the Ryder Cup and European Tour.
“I have a little more clarity now. I know they’re not an option to play in, or be any part of my team. It is a shame. They’ve got a lot of history when it comes to the Ryder Cup.
“Ultimately this is their choice and I wish them well. They feel like this was the best choice for them and now I’ve got choices to make that are best for me.
“There are generational shifts throughout the history of the Ryder Cup and maybe this is one.
“We certainly have plenty of great players to look at and pick from and I’m certainly excited about how everyone has played this year so far.”
Donald was made captain in 2022 after Henrik Stenson was dismissed for joining in the Saudi-backed LIV tour.
He will be without three of Europe’s most successful performers in the contest, with Westwood having featured as a player a record 11 times and Poulter unbeaten in singles across his seven appearances. Garcia is Europe’s all-time record points scorer.
Donald added: “There’s great momentum with European golf. We’ve already had seven winners in the US [this season] and a bunch of people who haven’t played in the Ryder Cup have played great this year on the DP World Tour, so I’m excited about the make-up of this team.”
Andy Murray fought his way to a three-set win over Laurent Lokoli at the ATP Challenger Tour 175 event in Aix-en-Provence after his French opponent had saved five match points.
Murray won 6-4 5-7 6-3 as the second round tie at the Open Aix Provence Credit Agricole turned into a marathon affair lasting two hours and 42 minutes
The 35-year-old three-time major champion – ranked 52 in the world and 135 places higher than Lokoli – shaded a tight first set on the French clay.
It looked as if the fifth seed would make short work of the contest in the second set when he broke serve for a 5-2 lead.
But Murray failed to take two match points and Lokoli, who was animated and waved his arms in the air to rev up the home crowd, battled back to make it 5-4.
Another two match points came and went for Murray in the next game with Lokoli’s drop shots proving a powerful weapon against the Scot.
Lokoli soon took the second set with Murray unable to halt a five-game losing streak.
Both players served impressively in the deciding set until Murray applied the pressure and seized a third break point to lead 5-3.
Despite Lokoli producing a stunning forehand winner to save a fifth match point, Murray eventually wrapped up victory – much to his obvious relief.
It was the first time he had secured back-to-back wins since Indian Wells in March.
Having beaten Gael Monfils in the first round, Murray will face a third French player, Luca Van Assche, in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald said he is sad that Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia will be unavailable for the team after they quit the DP World Tour.
The trio stepped aside after being sanctioned for joining rival LIV Golf, thus rendering them ineligible for inclusion when the match against the United States begins in Rome in September.
On Thursday Westwood spoke out against the European Tour following the controversy, seemingly closing the door on any hope of a return in the future.
Donald, who will lead the Europe team as they seek to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2018, said it was a shame that the situation had come to this.
“It’s sad we’ve got to this point but this was always a possibility,” Donald told BBC Sport. “I played with all three and they’ve been stalwarts of, and given a lot to, both the Ryder Cup and European Tour.
“I have a little more clarity now. I know they’re not an option to play in, or be any part of my team. It is a shame. They’ve got a lot of history when it comes to the Ryder Cup.
“Ultimately this is their choice and I wish them well. They feel like this was the best choice for them and now I’ve got choices to make that are best for me.
“There are generational shifts throughout the history of the Ryder Cup and maybe this is one.
“We certainly have plenty of great players to look at and pick from and I’m certainly excited about how everyone has played this year so far.”
Donald was made captain in 2022 after Henrik Stenson was dismissed for joining in the Saudi-backed LIV tour.
He will be without three of Europe’s most successful performers in the contest, with Westwood having featured as a player a record 11 times and Poulter unbeaten in singles across his seven appearances. Garcia is Europe’s all-time record points scorer.
Donald added: “There’s great momentum with European golf, we’ve already had seven winners in the US [this season] and a bunch of people who haven’t played in the Ryder Cup have played great this year on the DP World Tour so I’m excited about the make-up of this team.”
Former Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas has no thoughts of putting his bike away as he prepares to start his 18th Grand Tour this weekend.
The 36-year-old headlines the Ineos Grenadiers squad alongside 2020 winner Tao Geoghegan Hart for the 106th Giro d’Italia which will get under way in Fossacesia on Saturday.
The 2018 Tour winner described his last set of contract negotiations with Ineos in 2021 as “hard” and, with his existing two-year deal up again at the end of this season, he faces another round of talks if he wants to keep riding. However, staying in the peloton is very much his intention.
View this post on Instagram
“I’d still like to continue,” Thomas said. “I’m still really enjoying riding my bike. Especially this year when things have been a bit stop-start, you realise how much you still enjoy it and being around the lads.
“Being around the younger lads keeps you young as well and maybe keeps you immature but I still enjoy a coffee ride and I still enjoy a six-hour ride with loads of efforts and I still enjoy racing as well.
“At the moment I’m just focusing on this race and then hopefully we can sort something after this.”
Last season Thomas finished third in the Tour de France after delivering victory in the Tour de Suisse.
But his 2023 season has been interrupted by illness and on Thursday Thomas spoke more about riding to help Geoghegan Hart than he did about pursuing his own ambitions in a race which he has targeted before only to suffer crashes in both 2017 and 2020.
View this post on Instagram
When he re-signed in 2021, Thomas said he wanted to keep winning for himself, but another contract may require him to accept more of a support role.
Asked how many Grand Tours Thomas might have left in him, Ineos deputy team principal Rod Ellingworth said it was up to the Welshman, but was clear about what that might mean.
“There’s not many that have kept up the same level of intent in their cycling as Geraint has,” Ellingworth said. “He’s 36 coming on 37 so who knows. At the end of the day, age does catch up with you and you can’t avoid that. How many (Grand Tours) he has left in him is totally up to him…
“There’s riding in a Grand Tour and competing in a Grand Tour and it is very different. The thing with Geraint is, if you go to a bike race and you want somebody to help you and be your wingman, bloody hell, I’d sign him up every day. I think he’s got a few left in him if he wants it.”
View this post on Instagram
Geoghegan Hart is back at the race where he enjoyed his breakout result with victory in the pandemic-hit 2020 edition.
Since then, the 28-year-old Londoner has endured illness and injury setbacks, but delivered a timely confident boost with two stage wins and overall victory at the Tour of the Alps in April, his first general classification win since the Giro.
Although Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic are the clear favourites going into the race, Geoghegan Hart is one to watch.
“I feel like from the back end of last year he’s started to piece it together, get a bit of rhythm and he’s got his mojo back,” Ellingworth said. “He’s really shown now he can be consistent.
“What’s changed for him is he’s gone through a journey. He’s had a lot more experience now, good and bad. Sometimes you’ve got to get your arse kicked to move on and he’s had his arse kicked and he himself has moved on.”
Chris Gunter will join the Wales staff as a national team development coach after announcing his retirement from playing at the end of the season.
Gunter was part of Rob Page’s coaching team for European Championship qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia in March, and his new part-time role will provide support for young Wales players as they transition into senior football.
The 33-year-old will take up the role following AFC Wimbledon’s final game of the Sky Bet League Two season at Grimsby on Monday.
“After taking some time for consideration, I’m announcing my retirement from professional football at the end of the season,” Gunter wrote on social media.
“I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed to have enjoyed the highs and lows of the past 17/18 years.
“Over 700 games have brought many challenges and opportunities which through all of it I’ve always given my absolute all.
“I feel ready and excited for the next chapter of my career. I’m hugely thankful to the FAW, and Rob Page especially.
“Having completed my coaching badges, I will begin my new role from the summer.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to work alongside Rob and the staff.”
Gunter won 109 caps for Wales, a figure surpassed only in the men’s game by Gareth Bale’s 111 appearances.
He became the first Wales men’s player to win a century of caps in March 2021.
Newport-born Gunter made over 600 appearances at club level for Cardiff, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Charlton and AFC Wimbledon.
Inverness manager Billy Dodds has argued the traditional Scottish Cup final kick-off time should not be moved to suit anyone else.
Both Caley Thistle and Celtic expressed major disappointment after it was announced their Hampden meeting on June 3 would kick off at 5.30pm in a break with a long-standing convention.
The evening kick-off for the game, which will be shown live on the BBC and Viaplay, appears to have been moved so as not to clash with the Manchester derby FA Cup final, which kicks off at 3pm and will be screened in Scotland by both the BBC and STV.
Celtic criticised a lack of consultation after the Scottish Football Association made the announcement and Dodds feels the situation is unfair.
In a clip shown by BBC Scotland, the former Rangers striker said: “Any time I have been involved in Scottish Cup finals as a player and a coach, you can’t beat three o’clock on a Saturday for your showpiece but suddenly it’s gone to 5.30 which is a shame for our game up here because, for me, others are getting looked after better.
“It’s not ideal. I don’t think we should ever move our showpiece final to suit anybody.
“I can only imagine it’s for TV rights or something and we don’t want to clash.
“It’s not ideal for me but I’m just glad we’re there. I would rather, like everybody else, 3pm on Saturday should be your showpiece final.”
From a players’ perspective, Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley was not too concerned but expressed sympathy with Inverness fans, the majority of whom are set to spend their post-match Saturday night out on buses.
O’Riley said: “I don’t mind. I suppose because it’s a bit later we get to sleep a bit more, so that’s one positive.
“It’s another game, a different time of day and if you win it you win a trophy, that’s the main thing.”
Asked about the possible problems Inverness fans could have in getting back home after the game, he said: “I didn’t really think about that but I’m sure that’s quite brutal, but they can probably make the most of a night out in Glasgow if they chose to.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
