Israel is ready to welcome Giro d’Italia

After resolving a brief crisis over the status of its proclaimed capital, Israel is ready to finally get things underway this week with its historic hosting of the Giro d’Italia cycling race.

The world’s best riders will start the race in Jerusalem on Friday in the first time a cycling Grand Tour will ever be held outside Europe. It’s the biggest and most prestigious sporting event ever hosted in Israel and features fourtime Tour de France champion Chris Froome, who is looking to become only the third person ever to win the three Grand Tour titles in a row.

For Israel, hosting the event marks a major coup and looks to draw tens of thousands of tourists and a chance to showcase its people and landscape to a global television audience.

In its 101-year history, the Giro has previously opened a dozen times outside Italy but never outside Europe. Its arrival in Israel is the result of the lobbying efforts of Sylvan Adams, a Canadian-Israeli cycling enthusiast who conjured the idea to coincide with Israel’s marking 70 years of independence. He said his aim was twofold: to promote the sport in Israel and to project its “normal” image to the world, rather than the typical association of war and conflict.

“This is a mini-Giro, if you will. In three days we can cover a similar percentage of the country as Italy does in the whole race,” Adams told The Associated Press. “We’ll show the beauty of the country, that Israel is a sporting country and that it is open and free and most importantly safe.”

As with anything regarding Israel, though, politics could not be avoided.

The 2018 race will open in Jerusalem, but organizers insisted the route will not go through any land considered occupied by the international community. That means the course will circumvent the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians as parts of a future independent state. Racers will steer clear of the Old City, the crown jewel of Israeli tourism and home to Jerusalem’s most important Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites.

Palestinians have protested the decision to hold the event in Israel, and boycott activists have promised to demonstrate against it.

The Giro itself caused a minor uproar when organizers billed the opening leg as in “West Jerusalem,” angering Israel, which considers the entire city to be its eternal capital. The Giro ultimately reverted to simply using “Jerusalem,” which in turn enraged Palestinians, who said it served to “legitimize the annexation of Jerusalem.” The Palestinians and their allies have also objected to promotional materials on the Giro’s social media that include photos and videos of the Old City of Jerusalem.

After the 9.7-kilometer (6-mile) opening time trial in hilly Jerusalem, the 167-kilometer (104-mile) second stage will whizz down the Mediterranean coast from Haifa to Tel Aviv. Stage 3 will follow a lengthy 229-kilometer (143mile) route the second-longest leg of the entire race from Beersheba in the Negev desert down to Israel’s southern tip of Eilat along the Red Sea.

The event consists of 21 days of racing, totaling 3,546.2 kilometers (2,203.6 miles) with 44 kilometers (27 miles) of vertical elevation.

Soccer

MANCINI IS TOP CANDIDATE FOR ITALY JOB >> Zenit Saint Petersburg manager Roberto Mancini is the top candidate to become Italy coach after Carlo Ancelotti reportedly turned down the job.

Mancini tells RAI state radio, “There has not been contact with the (Italian football) federation but, for a coach, the Italian national team would be a source of honor and prestige.”

Italian media reported over the weekend that Ancelotti informed the federation he was no longer interested.

Under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio guided Italy on an interim basis in friendlies last month but the team has not had a fulltime coach since November when Gian Piero Ventura was fired after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades.

Mancini, a former Italy player, has coached Fiorentina, Lazio, Inter Milan, Manchester City, and Galatasaray to titles. TRUMP REQUESTS AFRICAN HELP WITH 2026 CUP BID >> President Donald Trump is calling on African countries to get behind the joint North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup.

Trump made the appeal during a Rose Garden press conference Monday with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. The U.S. is joining with Canada and Mexico in the bid for the quadrennial soccer tournament.

The African country Morocco is also bidding to host the 2026 event.

Trump says, “I hope all African countries and countries throughout the world, that we also will be supporting you and that they will, likewise, support us in our bid, along with Canada and Mexico, for the 2026 World Cup.”

He adds that the U.S. “will be watching very closely,” and says the U.S “would appreciate” any help in securing the bid. SALAH DISPUTE PUT TO BED >> A commercial dispute between Mohammed Salah and football authorities in his native Egypt has been swiftly resolved following top-level political intervention, a quick turnaround that showcased the mega star power of the 25-yearold Liverpool winger.

Salah had been upset that his image is featured prominently on the outside of the national team’s plane, which was provided by official team sponsor WE. Salah has a sponsorship deal with a rival telecommunications firm, Vodafone.

Youth and Sports Minister Khaled Abdel-Aziz summoned the board members of the Egyptian Football Association for urgent talks on Sunday. Abdel-Aziz said late Sunday that he and the association have agreed to meet Salah’s demands.

Motorsports

NBC REACHES BROADCAST DEAL WITH IMSA >> NBC Sports grabbed another piece of motorsports programming with a six-year contract announced Monday to distribute IMSA’s SportsCar Championship on its network and cable channels.

The deal begins in 2019 and includes digital rights on its app and NBCSports.com for live streaming of every championship race.

NBC Sports has also acquired the entire IndyCar package and Indianapolis 500 for next season, and owns half the NASCAR schedule.

IMSA had been aired on Fox Sports. The NBC deal is through 2024 and at least three races will be live on broadcast. The majority of the schedule will air on NBCSN.

Jurisprudence

EX-ARIZONA COACH PLEADS GUILTY >> A former University of Arizona assistant track and field coach convicted of assaulting a female student-athlete in 2015 has pleaded guilty to felony counts of stalking and violating a restraining order.

Pima County prosecutors say Craig Carter entered a plea deal Monday. He’ll serve three years in prison on the stalking charge and 2 years for violating the protective order with the sentences running concurrently.

Carter was convicted last month of aggravated assault and assault with a dangerous instrument.

Horse racing

KENTUCKY OAKS FAVORITE DRAWS NO. 14 POST >> Monomoy Girl is the early 2-1 favorite for the Kentucky Oaks but must do so from far outside if she is win the marquee race for 3-yearold fillies.

Monomoy Girl drew the No. 14 post and is one of three Brad Cox-trained entries in Friday’s $1 million race at Churchill Downs. Monomoy Girl has five wins and a second in six career starts. She won the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on April 7.

College basketball

BURKE TRANSFERS TO NEBRASKA >> Robert Morris guard Dachon Burke is transferring to Nebraska, where he’ll have two seasons of eligibility after sitting out 2018-19.

Nebraska coach Tim Miles on Monday announced the addition of Burke, who picked the Cornhuskers over St. John’s, Pittsburgh and Marquette.