French sports newspaper l’Equipe ran a headline before Wednesday’s 17th stage of the Tour de France, saying: “At last the Alps”. The inference was that the Alps would finally kick some life into a Tour that was becoming increasingly predictable and uneventful.
As it happened, the Alps brought nothing new or exciting to the three-week race which seems to be as good as decided – Chris Froome has a third Tour crown all but wrapped up.
Briton Adam Yates said as much after the 184.5km stage through the Swiss Alps.
“Obviously Froome is pretty strong. In my opinion, he’ll be on the top spot of the podium in Paris,” said the 23-year-old Briton.
For the rider lying third overall at 2min 53sec to say that with three tough Alpine stages to come spoke volumes about how Froome and his Sky team have strangled the life out of this year’s race.
Froome boasted before the Grand Boucle began that Sky had cobbled together their “strongest Tour team yet”. And it proved to be anything but bravado, even his assertions that many of his team-mates would be team leaders elsewhere.
When the group of favourites reached Wednesday’s final climb, Froome was surrounded by five teammates, hardly anyone else had more than one, and most of them not even that. Once the climb reached its steepest and toughest slopes, Froome still had Wouter Poels and Mikel Nieve setting a tempo the other rivals were simply finding hard to follow. Ireland’s Dan Martin did try to break away, but was soon brought back. Richie Porte launched the one successful dig which Nairo Quintana tried to follow, but couldn’t.
In the end it was Froome who set off after Porte, caught him easily, and then rode in the Australian’s wheel to the line. There was a feeling that he could have gone past him if he wanted to, but as Froome said afterwards: “It wasn’t possible to go much faster there.
“Richie seemed to be doing just fine on his own; tactically for me there was no real need to get on the front and start pulling in the final.”
With Quintana – who despite sitting fourth likely remains Froome’s biggest rival – falling away, there certainly was no need to push harder with three more days in the Alps to come.
With Thursday’s uphill time-trial next, the general feeling is that Froome still has time to gain on his rivals rather than lose. Quintana initially suggested that he hadn’t given up hope, despite admitting it “wasn’t a good day”.
“I need to recover and get my body back to its natural state, as happened in other races. Anything can happen between here and Paris,” he said defiantly, before suggesting his day would have to come some other time. “I have a long time left. I’m 26 and I have very experienced people behind me. I have a lot of time left to keep fighting.”
Having seemingly been most worried about Quintana until now, Froome did suggest he thought that boat had sailed.
“It’s been a difficult Tour for Nairo. Of course he’s still a great rival and a big challenger for me, but he lost more time (on Wednesday). For him to re-enter in the game again he’s going to have to do a great time-trial (on Thursday).”
For that Froome believes Tom Dumoulin, who won the first time-trial last week, is the favourite, but he acknowledges Quintana could shine if he rediscovers his legs.
“The main guys are going to be Tom Dumoulin for the stage win, Richie Porte maybe – he showed (on Wednesday) he’s really strong. Who knows (the time-trial) might suit Quintana really well.”
But the smart money is on Froome winning it and leaving his rivals looking at each other and a fight for the other two podium spots. This is not a Tour that will live long in the memory, unless your name is Chris Froome.
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HAJJAN
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
RESULTS
6pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $40,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alajaj, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
6.35pm: Race of Future – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Global Storm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Azure Coast, Antonio Fresu, Pavel Vashchenko
7.45pm: Business Bay Challenge – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Storm Damage, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
20.20pm: Curlin Stakes – Listed (TB) $100,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Appreciated, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Singspiel Stakes – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O'Meara
9.30pm: Al Shindagha Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Meraas, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
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UAE SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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FIXTURES
December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
SPECS
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