logo
Pedersen makes it 3 wins out of 5 at Giro d'Italia to extend his overall lead

Pedersen makes it 3 wins out of 5 at Giro d'Italia to extend his overall lead

MATERA, Italy (AP) — Overall leader Mads Pedersen made it three wins out of five at this year's Giro d'Italia as he won a bunch sprint at the end of the fifth stage on Wednesday.
Pedersen just managed to edge out Edoardo Zambanini in a finish that was so close the Lidl-Trek rider had to ask a teammate: 'Did I win? Are you sure?'
Tom Pidcock was third at the end of the 151-kilometer (94-mile) route from Ceglie Messapica to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera, which is renowned for its 'Sassi,' or ancient cave dwellings.
With the bonus seconds Pedersen picked up, the Danish cyclist extended his lead over pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic to 17 seconds, with Mathias Vacek another seven seconds back.
With a kilometer to go, Pedersen appeared too far back but he managed to get up to the front before a late corner and then got a great lead out from Vacek.
Pedersen then launched his final sprint early and just barely held off Zambanini, who almost managed to beat him after coming up along the barriers.
Pedersen also won two of the three opening stages in Albania.
Thursday's seventh stage is the longest leg of the three-week race and has two categorized climbs on the 227-kilometer route from Potenza to Naples.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Terry Francona returns to Cleveland as Reds manager, jokes about getting lost in renovated ballpark
Terry Francona returns to Cleveland as Reds manager, jokes about getting lost in renovated ballpark

Yahoo

time41 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Terry Francona returns to Cleveland as Reds manager, jokes about getting lost in renovated ballpark

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona reacts in the dugout following the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) watches from the dugout railing before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) watches from the dugout railing before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona reacts in the dugout following the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) watches from the dugout railing before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) CLEVELAND (AP) — Terry Francona could have used his old scooter to get around the renovated service area beneath Progressive Field. Instead, Francona made do with walking and joked about the changes that have occurred at the ballpark he called home for 11 seasons. Advertisement Francona returned to Cleveland for the first time since being named Cincinnati's manager as the Reds opened a three-game series against the Guardians on Monday. 'I got lost about three times. That's the longest (clubhouse) hallway I've ever seen,' Francona said. 'I don't think I've seen the whole thing yet just because I don't feel like icing down my knees. But from what I've seen in the ballpark, it looks good.' Francona — who used to ride a scooter from his downtown apartment to the ballpark — isn't the only visitor who has joked about the long tunnel from the clubhouse to the dugout on the first-base side. Both clubhouses were renovated during the offseason, more than tripling their size. The 66-year-old manager enters the series unbeaten against his former team: The Reds swept a three-game series at Cincinnati last month. Advertisement Francona was at the helm in Cleveland for 11 seasons and is the franchise's leader in wins (921) and games managed (1,678). Cleveland made the playoffs six times under Francona and lost the 2016 World Series to the Chicago Cubs in seven games, falling just short of the franchise's first title since 1948. He was a senior advisor for the Guardians last year, but only made a couple of trips to Cleveland. He didn't want to get in the way of manager Stephen Vogt and his coaching staff. 'There were a couple times during spring, two hours away I wanted to come up, but I didn't think it was right,' Francona said. 'I just thought for the new staff here, they needed to be able to do things. They don't need me telling 'em how to do it or acting like I'm going to tell 'em how to do it.' 'During the season I watched a lot of baseball, probably more than I have in a long, long time. I'd turn on games that were in the eighth inning tied and I'd watch the end of it and flip to another game and really enjoyed it.' Advertisement While Francona was happy to be back in Cleveland, his focus was on trying to help the Reds extend their winning streak to four games after a weekend sweep of Arizona. 'I had 11 really fun years here and I had some great relationships. That never changes, but now we're trying to figure out a way to beat 'em tonight. That's why we're here. That'll never take away how I feel about people here,' he said. Francona was among several Reds staffers making their return. Bench coach Brad Mills and hitting coach Chris Valaika were on Francona's Cleveland staff, while first-base coach Collin Cowgill and major league coach Mike Napoli played for the franchise. Reds left fielder Will Benson, who hit four home runs during the sweep of the Guardians, was Cleveland's first-round pick in 2016. ___ AP MLB:

Xander Schauffele is a sick man when it comes to golf's toughest test. He loves the US Open
Xander Schauffele is a sick man when it comes to golf's toughest test. He loves the US Open

Hamilton Spectator

timean hour ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Xander Schauffele is a sick man when it comes to golf's toughest test. He loves the US Open

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Xander Schauffele wrapped up nine holes of the most punishing U.S. Open course and was smiling. This was on a Monday, only a practice round at Oakmont. But the image illustrates why Schauffele rarely seems to suffer at the major reputed to be the toughest test in golf. He has finished out of the top 10 only once in his eight previous U.S. Open appearances. His highest score is a 75 in the third round at Brookline in 2022. He tied for 14th that week. 'Maybe I'm just sick and enjoy the challenge,' Schauffele said with another smile. 'Something about it playing really hard. I think a good attitude goes a long way. It's obviously easier said than done, hard to keep a good attitude through the entire stretch of 72 holes, practice rounds as well. I don't know. I think they're a lot of fun.' The attitude will be tested at Oakmont, the course with rough that looks like a cabbage and greens so fast it can feel like putting in a bathtub. The Stimpmeter was developed after the inventor read about Gene Sarazen hitting a putt into a bunker at Oakmont. Schauffele still hasn't figured out the winning part of it, at least not at the U.S. Open. Despite his top 10s, he has yet to seriously challenge in the final hour. This year presents a different test for the 31-year-old Californian, who broke through last year in the biggest events by winning the PGA Championship and the British Open . He is still trying to find his groove after missing two months with a rib injury that significantly slowed the start of his season. That was a serious challenge — sitting at home, resting, doing next to nothing. 'I felt like I was playing at a pretty high level. Then I got hurt,' he said. 'My expectations of what I knew I could do to where I was were different. And accepting that was tough. I think that was sort of the biggest wake-up call for me coming back.' So a U.S. Open at Oakmont — fun, he calls it — might be a good measure of where he is. Most of the 156 players, and even a few alternates, made their way out to the course on a relatively dry day that should stay that way at least until the weekend. Justin Thomas was among those who came to Oakmont a few weeks ago to get in some serious study, knowing practice rounds can be the biggest grind because they take so long. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do from the rough, where to miss, how to avoid mistakes. Dustin Johnson played nine holes, his first time back at Oakmont since he won his first major nine years ago . He played the final seven holes not knowing if the USGA was going to penalize him for his golf ball moving on the fifth green. That's some serious mental toughness. There have been a few changes, including even fewer trees. 'The course is just as hard as I remember, if not harder,' Johnson said. The USGA likes to test every part of the game, and that includes the mental side of it. Jack Nicklaus, a four-time U.S. Open champion, said he used to listen to players complain in the days leading up to the Open and figure he could rule them out. 'I hope it psyches a lot of players out,' Thomas said. 'I understand this place is hard. I don't need to read articles, or I don't need to hear horror stories. I've played it. I know it's difficult. I also have faith that if I go play well and I'm driving the ball well and I'm hitting my irons like I know I can, I'm going to have a lot of birdie opportunities.' Thomas also mentioned the need to have a good attitude. The definition is different for each player. For him, it's being committed over every shot on every hole and accepting the outcome. 'I think once I start second-guessing myself or not trusting my instincts is kind of where I get myself in trouble,' Thomas said. 'Then when I do that, I naturally am pretty pissed off if it doesn't work out. It wasn't because of the shot, it was more from the lack of commitment. That's where it starts for me generally.' With Schauffele, it can be hard to tell when he loses his cool. And he's not a big believer that anyone throwing a club is costing himself shots. Tiger Woods, who won the U.S. Open three times, was among the best at putting any anger behind him before he settled over his next shot. 'I think I look pretty level-headed when I play, but internally I might be absolutely just thrashing myself,' Schauffele said. 'I think truly having a good attitude is just sort of accepting what happened and allowing yourself to be pretty much at zero to hit the next shot.' It's not just the U.S. Open where Schauffele has shown remarkable consistency. He rallied down the stretch at Quail Hollow to make the cut, and his cut streak is at 65 tournaments going into Oakmont. That's the longest streak since Woods made 142 cuts in a row that ended in 2005. He has game, clearly. And he has the right head for the U.S. Open. 'Part of my attitude thing is we're all playing the same course, and it's going to be hard,' he said. 'You may think something's unfair, but it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. Whoever can deal with it the best is going to play well. That's the attitude I've had — look at it as a fun challenge versus feeling like you're living in a nightmare.' ___ AP golf:

Xander Schauffele is a sick man when it comes to golf's toughest test. He loves the US Open
Xander Schauffele is a sick man when it comes to golf's toughest test. He loves the US Open

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Xander Schauffele is a sick man when it comes to golf's toughest test. He loves the US Open

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Xander Schauffele wrapped up nine holes of the most punishing U.S. Open course and was smiling. This was on a Monday, only a practice round at Oakmont. But the image illustrates why Schauffele rarely seems to suffer at the major reputed to be the toughest test in golf. He has finished out of the top 10 only once in his eight previous U.S. Open appearances. His highest score is a 75 in the third round at Brookline in 2022. He tied for 14th that week. 'Maybe I'm just sick and enjoy the challenge,' Schauffele said with another smile. 'Something about it playing really hard. I think a good attitude goes a long way. It's obviously easier said than done, hard to keep a good attitude through the entire stretch of 72 holes, practice rounds as well. I don't know. I think they're a lot of fun.' The attitude will be tested at Oakmont, the course with rough that looks like a cabbage and greens so fast it can feel like putting in a bathtub. The Stimpmeter was developed after the inventor read about Gene Sarazen hitting a putt into a bunker at Oakmont. Schauffele still hasn't figured out the winning part of it, at least not at the U.S. Open. Despite his top 10s, he has yet to seriously challenge in the final hour. This year presents a different test for the 31-year-old Californian, who broke through last year in the biggest events by winning the PGA Championship and the British Open. He is still trying to find his groove after missing two months with a rib injury that significantly slowed the start of his season. That was a serious challenge — sitting at home, resting, doing next to nothing. 'I felt like I was playing at a pretty high level. Then I got hurt,' he said. 'My expectations of what I knew I could do to where I was were different. And accepting that was tough. I think that was sort of the biggest wake-up call for me coming back.' So a U.S. Open at Oakmont — fun, he calls it — might be a good measure of where he is. Most of the 156 players, and even a few alternates, made their way out to the course on a relatively dry day that should stay that way at least until the weekend. Justin Thomas was among those who came to Oakmont a few weeks ago to get in some serious study, knowing practice rounds can be the biggest grind because they take so long. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do from the rough, where to miss, how to avoid mistakes. Dustin Johnson played nine holes, his first time back at Oakmont since he won his first major nine years ago. He played the final seven holes not knowing if the USGA was going to penalize him for his golf ball moving on the fifth green. That's some serious mental toughness. There have been a few changes, including even fewer trees. 'The course is just as hard as I remember, if not harder,' Johnson said. The USGA likes to test every part of the game, and that includes the mental side of it. Jack Nicklaus, a four-time U.S. Open champion, said he used to listen to players complain in the days leading up to the Open and figure he could rule them out. 'I hope it psyches a lot of players out,' Thomas said. 'I understand this place is hard. I don't need to read articles, or I don't need to hear horror stories. I've played it. I know it's difficult. I also have faith that if I go play well and I'm driving the ball well and I'm hitting my irons like I know I can, I'm going to have a lot of birdie opportunities.' Thomas also mentioned the need to have a good attitude. The definition is different for each player. For him, it's being committed over every shot on every hole and accepting the outcome. 'I think once I start second-guessing myself or not trusting my instincts is kind of where I get myself in trouble,' Thomas said. 'Then when I do that, I naturally am pretty pissed off if it doesn't work out. It wasn't because of the shot, it was more from the lack of commitment. That's where it starts for me generally.' With Schauffele, it can be hard to tell when he loses his cool. And he's not a big believer that anyone throwing a club is costing himself shots. Tiger Woods, who won the U.S. Open three times, was among the best at putting any anger behind him before he settled over his next shot. 'I think I look pretty level-headed when I play, but internally I might be absolutely just thrashing myself,' Schauffele said. 'I think truly having a good attitude is just sort of accepting what happened and allowing yourself to be pretty much at zero to hit the next shot.' It's not just the U.S. Open where Schauffele has shown remarkable consistency. He rallied down the stretch at Quail Hollow to make the cut, and his cut streak is at 65 tournaments going into Oakmont. That's the longest streak since Woods made 142 cuts in a row that ended in 2005. He has game, clearly. And he has the right head for the U.S. Open. 'Part of my attitude thing is we're all playing the same course, and it's going to be hard,' he said. 'You may think something's unfair, but it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. Whoever can deal with it the best is going to play well. That's the attitude I've had — look at it as a fun challenge versus feeling like you're living in a nightmare.' ___ AP golf:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store