Rossi tames Pet
VALENTINO ROSSI held off Danilo Petrucci to win a thrilling Dutch TT eighth round at Assen by inches.
The Movistar Yamaha rider won by just 0.063secs from the Pramac Ducati of Petrucci, who lost vital time at the chicane as he carved past a back-marker. It was Rossi’s first triumph since Barcelona last year and moved him into third place on 108 points. Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso was fifth but leads the title race on 115 points, four ahead of Maverick Vinales, who crashed his Yamaha with 14 laps left. Britain’s Cal Crutchlow was fourth. ENGLAND secured a third-place finish in the Hockey World League with a 4-1 victory against Malaysia.
A Harry Martin double plus goals for birthday boy David Ames and captain Phil Roper rounded off a successful tournament for Bobby Crutchley’s team, who have already qualified for next year’s World Cup.
Three months ago, Cummings’ season hit major trouble when he crashed and fractured his scapula, sternum and collarbone – then he crashed again while training, requiring even more serious surgery.
Last Thursday’s victory in the Championships time trial on the Isle of Man showed the Dimension Data racer was well on the road to recovery.
Then in yesterday’s road race, Cummings roared home alone on Douglas seafront to become the first rider since 2007 to take both of Britain’s top cycling honours in one fell swoop.
And with the Tour de France starting in Dusseldorf on Saturday, Cummings’ return to top condition could not have come at a better moment.
Earlier yesterday, former world champion Lizzie Deignan racked up her fourth national title and second in three years, blasting past long-time race leader Elinor Barker with a late attack.
“It’s great to be in the [national champion’s] jersey again,” said Deignan, of Boels-Dolmans, who took gold ahead of Katie Archibald (Team WNT) and defending champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM).
“It’s one of the hardest national championships I’ve ever won. I’m very proud of the fact that we have so many women now who are capable of competing internationally as well as domestically.”
Wirral-born Cummings, 36, was in equally celebratory mood after taking two huge wins in his first races in nearly three months.
He broke away with six kilometres to go on an ultra-hilly road-race course, to take gold 40 seconds ahead of Chris Lawless (Axeon-Hagens-Berman) and Ian Bibby (JLT-Condor).
Cummings had been unsure whether he would race the Tour after Thursday’s win, but yesterday’s triumph put any doubts to rest.
“It was a really tough race, but that style of competition is what you miss when you haven’t been racing. It was punchy and explosive,” said Cummings.
“I’m back now so we can forget about the injuries. It’s nice to be