Roar power as Dan gets over the line

TENNIS: Dan Evans ended a five-match losing streak with victory over Italian qualifier Salvatore Caruso in the opening round of the European Open in Antwerp.

The British number one was winless on clay and also lost a very tight match against Stan Wawrinka in St Petersburg last week but withstood a spirited comeback from Caruso to triumph 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Evans will take on American Frances Tiafoe, against whom he has a 1-1 record in tour-level matches, in round two. It was a good day for Britain with Cameron Norrie also progressing with victory over another qualifier, Finn Emil Ruusuvuori. Norrie trailed 5-2 in the second set but fought back well to win 6-3 7-6 (4).

CYCLING: Primoz Roglic won the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana as Chris Froome immediately dropped out of contention.

Froome, riding his final race for the Ineos Grenadiers, said he was unsure of his form but got swift confirmation he was not in shape to go for an eighth Grand Tour title as he was distanced on the first serious ramps of this 18-day race.

The 35-year-old lost the wheels late on the 173km stage as the full impact of the careerthreatening crash he suffered some 16 months ago was given another brutal illustration.

Ironically, it was an injection of pace from Froome’s own team that did for the two-time Vuelta winner as he dropped out of the back of the peloton on the climb of the Alto de Elgeta, still 18km from home.

That left little hope Froome could get back on come the final climb, and he ended the day having conceded 11 minutes.