US Rio squad of 555 includes record 292 women
MORZINE, FRANCE: Chris Froome said this one feels as good as the first after all but wrapping up a third Tour de France title on Saturday.
Barring an unforeseen disaster, Froome will be crowned in Paris on Sunday after the final stage finish on the Champs Elysees.
And after pulling on the yellow jersey that he will wear one more time on this year’s race, Froome said it was up there with winning his first in 2013.
“Right to the last finish line I had a lot of stress and a lot of emotion today,” said the 31-year-old Briton.
“To pass the last finish line with my team-mates, it was ouf! Happiness, that’s it.
“Three weeks of full gas, after everything that has happened these last three weeks, it’s incredible — the good moments and very difficult moments.”
Froome crashed twice during the Tour, finished one stage on a team-mate’s bike, on another he changed his bike twice in the last kilometre and most memorably ended up running to the line on the epic Mont Ventoux climb.
He even crashed again on Friday’s 20th stage but kept his cool and managed to extend his overall lead
He’s won two stages, attacked where no-one expected and been more dominant than ever before.
“It feels like it’s been a rollercoaster, there have been amazing moments where it feels like we’ve really taken on the race and made the race,” Froome added.
“The descent to Bagneres-de-Luchon (on the seventh stage that he won) for example and the one in the crosswinds (where he finished second to Peter Sagan in the 11th stage), things like that, you can’t script moments like that.” ‘Froome too strong’ — Froome’s prime rival Nairo Quintana, who has complained the last few days of suffering from a mystery “allergy”, admitted the best man won.
And despite finishing with his worst result — third — after coming second to Froome in his previous two attempts in 2013 and last year, the 26-year-old Colombian remained pleased.
“I finish very happy. Three Tours, three podiums, it’s a lot of joy,” he said.
“We came with a more ambitious objective, we tried but this is the greatest race in the world. I must be happy with this third place.”
He added: “But Chris Froome was too strong. . It’s the third time I’ve lost against him but I’m still happy with our team showing on this Tour.”
Frenchman Romain Bardet followed up his second place finish to Froome in last month’s Tour warm-up event, the Criterium du Dauphine, by finishing second again.
It was his best Tour yet after coming sixth in 2014 and ninth last year, while he also won Friday’s 19th stage.
“It’s a lot of emotion, I’m going to repeat myself but last night we took a lot of time to enjoy it and we were able to go back into it today to retain this second place,” he said.
“It’s an exceptional performance and we can be proud to have succeeded in these conditions. To be honest, I wanted to finish in the highest position I could in line with my abilities. I really enjoyed myself.”
While the driving rain and tricky conditions, particularly on the descents, helped to neutralise the battle between the top riders on Saturday, Spain’s Ion Izaguirre won the 20th stage.
It was the first for his country and his Movistar team at this Tour but most surprising for having come from defeating two talented descenders in Vincenzo Nibali and Jarlinson Pantano on the 12km run down to the finish in Morzine.
“Beating Nibali in a downhill is something that counts in a career but Pantano also descends very well. I’m super happy,” said the team-mate of Quintana.
“We came here with the Sueno Amarillo (yellow dream) but Froome was the strongest. At the end of the day, we’re happy with a spot on the podium (Quintana finishing third), a stage win and the teams’ classification victory.”— AFP Los Angeles: The US Olympic Committee announced a 555-strong team for the Rio de Janeiro Games that includes 292 women, the most women to represent any country at the Games. With 263 men on the squad, it’s just the second time that the United States will send more women than men to the Olympics after fielding a team of 269 women and 261 men in London four years ago.
The team includes 68 gold medalists among 191 returning Olympians.
The US will compete in 27 sports and 244 of the 306 medal events that will be contested in Rio. The team was announced in a ceremony on Venice Beach in Los Angeles.
Among the 191 returning Olympians there are three six-time Olympians, seven five-time Olympians, 19 four-time Olympians, 50 threetime Olympians and 112 two-time Olympians.
Of the 68 who have won Olympic gold, 53 are looking to defend their titles from London, including 19 in individual events.
Topping the list of most decorated male and female competitors to make the team are swimming great Michael Phelps, whose 22 medals include 18 gold, and track and field athlete Allyson Felix, whose six medals include four gold. Joining Felix as four-time Olympic champions are sisters Serena and Venus Williams, who will look to match the Olympic record for overall medals in tennis of five.
The USA will also seek to continue its success in team sports, with the women’s basketball team chasing a record sixth straight gold and the men’s team aiming to win a third straight gold and 15th title overall. — AFP