O’Connor wins Tour of the Alps 3rd stage, Froome 6th

Alaphilippe ends one-day classic drought with Fleche victory

MILAN, April 18, (AFP): Australian Ben O’Connor won the third stage of the Tour of the Alps on Wednesday with Britain’s four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome finishing sixth.

Dimension Data rider O’Connor crossed alone five seconds ahead of Thibaut Pinto of FDJ with the French rider taking the overall race lead, after the 138.3km ride from Ora to Merano in northern Italy.

Overnight leader Ivan Sosa of Colombia crashed out on the final descent.

“Even if I missed the stage victory ... I’m satisfied to wear the leader’s jersey,” said Pinot, who finished second in the Alps last year behind Britain’s Geraint Thomas.

O’Connor added: “It’s just great to now be able to race with the best and to manage to pull that off is surreal.

“In cycling, I’m not especially aiming to win the Tour de France or the World Championship, I just want to be

O’Connor

a one-day classic having also finished second at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Giro di Lombardia, as well as third at Milan-San Remo — put in a blistering spurt on the punishing final Mur de Huy climb to the finish.

“It’s the third time I’ve participated in this race and the third time I’ve finished on the podium,” said the Quick-Step rider at the end of the 198.5km trek.

Valverde, the record five-time winner of this race, had left too much of a gap to Alaphilippe’s back wheel and when he tried to kick for home, he couldn’t close the distance. It brought to an end the 37-year-old’s four-year win streak at the Fleche and leaves him at risk of missing out on an Ardennes classic victory for the first time since 2013.

Valverde was fifth at Amstel Gold Race, which he has never won, last Sunday.

If he doesn’t win Liege-BastogneLiege this Sunday — he is aiming to match Belgian great Eddy Merckx’s record of five wins in La Doyenne — Valverde will miss out on an Ardennes victory for the first time in five years.

LONDON:

Also:

British rider Mark Cavendish will make his return from injury at next month’s Tour de Yorkshire.

Cavendish has not raced since crashing in the final stages of Milan-San Remo last month when he broke a rib and sustained an ankle injury, forcing him to miss the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The 32-year-old will use the Tour de Yorkshire, from May 3-6, as part of his preparations for the Tour de France, which he will start four stages wins from matching Eddy Merck’s record of 34.

“I’m delighted to have recovered sufficiently from my injuries at Milan-San Remo to be back racing sooner than I initially thought and what better way to do that than at what could be described as a home race for me,” Cavendish told the Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka website.

“My mother’s from Harrogate and obviously the last time I raced things didn’t go that great in the 2014 Tour de France (which started in Yorkshire) but one thing I do remember is the incredible crowds and I know that the Tour de Yorkshire always provides.” Al-Shabab Sports Club celebrates after being crowned champions of the 25th Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Comprehensive

Karate Championship and General Excellence Cup for 2017/2108 season. Al-Shabab Sports Club have been crowned champions of the 25th Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Comprehensive Karate Championship and General Excellence Cup for 2017/2018 Season.

The championship was sponsored by the Crown Prince who was represented at the closing ceremony by Hawally Governor Retired General Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the hall of Kuwait Karate Federation.

In a statement after the ceremony, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf declared a sense of pride and dignity in representing the Crown Prince to distribute prizes to winning teams and players. He congratulated Al-Shabab Club on the victory while expressing gratitude and appreciation to Kuwait Karate Federation for the concerted efforts put into organizing the championship to develop players in the country.

In his comment, Chairman of Kuwait Karate Federation Munahi Al-Fadhli disclosed that championships of this nature help promote interaction among players and improve their standards in a way that benefits the national products.

He also thanked the Crown Prince for taking over the sponsorship, saying it is a sign of total commitment to Kuwaiti sport and sportspersons. He appreciated Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf for personally attending the ceremony and eulogized the Public Authority for Sports for consistent support to the federation and participating clubs.

A photo of participants performing during the Comprehensive Karate

Championship.