Martin second at the double on final stage of Basque Tour
CYCLING:
Ireland’s Dan Martin made a brave bid for victory in the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, but had to settle for second place on the day and overall, as Ion Izagirre took the final yellow jersey.
UAE-Team Emirates rider Martin looked to pull clear from Astana rider Izagirre over the final ascent of Asensio, but was unable to gain any distance.
Britain’s Adam Yates, meanwhile, made his move heading into the final three kilometres, going on to secure the stage win for Mitchelton-Scott by a second ahead of Martin with Dane Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) in third.
Emmanuel Buchmann was mistakenly sent down the deviation for race vehicles during the closing kilometre but was later given the same time as the group he was in, meaning he was third overall.
‘We were very strong throughout the stage, it was a very nice day for the team,’ said Martin (above). ‘I would have liked to have won the stage, but Yates took a small advantage on the last climb. It was a bittersweet ending. I did, however, take second place and second overall, and that means something.’
CRICKET:
Ireland bowler Tim Murtagh took five wickets but saw his Middlesex side struggle at Lord’s against Lancashire in the County Championship Division Two. With one day left the hosts will resume their second innings on 68-2, still 94 runs behind. Both Haseeb Hameed (117) and Rob Jones (122) got centuries as Lancashire made 427 in their first innings. Murtagh, who hopes to play a Test at Lord’s for Ireland against England in July, finished with 5-69, but the visitors’ veteran Jimmy Anderson will hope to bowl his side to victory today.
SNOOKER:
Jimmy White, the six-time World Championship runner-up, remains in the hunt to get back to the Cruicble in Sheffield after he won his first qualifying match in this year’s tournament. The Londoner (right) defeated Youghal teenager Ross Bulman 10-5, although he managed just four half-century breaks, the biggest being 61. White now plays another World Championship nearly man, two-time runner-up Ali Carter in the second of three qualifying rounds to reach the televised stages.