PLA D'ADET, France // Poland's Rafal Majka captured his second stage victory at the Tour de France on Wednesday, winning Stage 17 with a late breakaway on the last of four tough climbs in the Pyrenees.
Vincenzo Nibali of Italy trailed by about a minute but gained more time on his main rivals as he retained the leader’s yellow jersey that he has worn for all but two stages this year.
Majka, who cheekily winked to a French TV camera with about a kilometre left, tapped his chest, thrust his arms skyward and shouted in joy after giving his Tinkoff Saxo-Bank squad their second successive stage victory, after Tuesday’s win by Australian Michael Rogers.
“I promised Bjarne today that I would win the stage,” Majka said of his team manager, Bjarne Riis.
Italy’s Giovanni Visconti, whose solo breakaway with about nine kilometres left failed to hold off Majka, was second, 29 seconds back. Nibali was third, 46 seconds behind.
Majka has shown that he is the best climber in this Tour. The Polish rider, 24, tightened his grasp on the polka-dot jersey awarded to the race’s King of the Mountains, which he was already wearing.
With a last Pyrenean day ahead, today, Majka is looking increasingly likely to take home the red-dot jersey.
His closest rival as the day began was Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez, who swatted the air in frustration at Majka when the Pole broke away on the last climb.
Majka was a last-minute inclusion in Tinkoff-Saxo’s squad after Roman Kreuziger was temporarily suspended due to irregular biological passport values.
The 124.5-kilometre ride on Wednesday was the shortest stage in this year’s Tour, and the second of three days in the mountains along France’s border with Spain.
It covered three hard Category 1 ascents from Saint-Gaudens and a final push up to the Pla d’Adet ski station above the town of Saint-Lary-Soulan.
Nibali gained about 50 seconds on his nearest rival, Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, who made a valiant recovery on the last climb to avoid even more damage. Overall, the Italian has a lead of five minutes and 26 seconds over Valverde.
Stage 18’s 145.5km ride from Pau to Hautacam features two climbs so difficult they defy cycling’s ranking system.
French veteran Jean-Christophe Peraud was the big mover in the leading six, closing to just eight seconds of countryman Thibaut Pinot in third place as he finished alongside Nibali.
On Tuesday morning, Peraud was sixth overall and more than a minute behind his teammate Romain Bardet, in third.
But Peraud, 37, has steadily climbed the standings, and with one mountain stage left today, including the epic Tourmalet and Hautacam climbs, he is in a good position to finish on the podium.
He is a better time-triallist than any of those competing for a top-three finish.
Just as he did in the second of the two Alpine stages, Peraud proved the only rider capable of holding onto Nibali’s wheel when the Italian accelerated on the final climb.
“I’m very happy with my form and hanging onto Nibali in the third week,” the AG2R rider said. “I had the good fortune of having him as a point of reference. He worked with me and I thank him for that.”
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
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TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
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Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
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The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
UAE squad
Men's draw: Victor Scvortov and Khalifa Al Hosani, (both 73 kilograms), Sergiu Toma and Mihail Marchitan (90kg), Ivan Remarenco (100kg), Ahmed Al Naqbi (60kg), Musabah Al Shamsi and Ahmed Al Hosani (66kg)
Women’s draw: Maitha Al Neyadi (57kg)
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Suarez 27', Vidal 32', Dembele 35', Messi 78')
Sevilla 0
Red cards: Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
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