Pogacar returns to winning ways with Fleche Wallone triumph
Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates celebrates winning the men's race of the 'La Fleche Wallonne', 205,2 km one day cycling race from Ciney to Huy. Jasper Jacobs/Belga/dpa
World champion Tadej Pogacar returned to winning ways on Wednesday when he won the Fleche Wallone classic cycling race for the second time in his career.
Slovenia's Pogacar attacked at the steepest part of the infamous 1.3 klilometres Wall of Huy climb as he won after 205.1km in Belgium from Frenchman Kevin Vauquelin and British twice Olympic mountainbike champion Tom Pidcock.
Advertisement
The 2024 Giro d'Italia and Tour de France champion Pogacar won the Tour of Flanders this season but also had to settle for second in the Amstel Gold Race and Paris-Roubaix.
Sunday's Amstel Gold Race winner Mattias Skjelmose of Denmark fell some 40 kilometres before the finish and abandoned the race.
Pogacar's first Fleche Wallone win was in 2023, and he will now set his sights on Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege race, the oldest of the five most prestigious cycling Monuments he previously won in 2021 and 2024.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Victor Wembanyama shaves head as he takes retreat at China's Shaolin Temple
Victor Wembanyama is tapping into his inner monk. As part of an offseason excursion to China, the 7-foot-4 Spurs center is taking part in a 10-day retreat at the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple. Photos of Wembanyama, 21, with a newly shaved head circulated on social media this week, and the NBA's China office confirmed that the Frenchman is at the Buddhist temple. Advertisement According to Spurs reporter Dusty Garza, Wemby is undergoing a 'journey of inner discipline, focus and mind-body harmony.' Wembanyama is readying for his third NBA season after he was diagnosed with season-ending blood clots in his right shoulder in February. Advertisement He enjoyed a terrific sophomore season until that point, earning an All-Star nod by averaging 24.3 points and 11 rebounds per game. But besides his dazzling play on the court, Wembanyama has endeared himself to fans through his quirky and sometimes nerdy persona. The 21-year-old is a proud bookworm — a fan of science fiction, to be specific — and he's also a chess lover who played with fans at Washington Square Park after San Antonio took on the Knicks and Nets in late December. But the foray into Buddhist monkhood is certainly Wembanyama's most notable off-court endeavor yet. Advertisement Spurs center Victor Wembanyama in a game against the Knicks on Dec. 25, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Fans on social media had varying reactions to the news. 'This is the separation right here,' said one user on X. 'MVP otw.' 'We need to start calling him Zenbanyama,' wrote another. Advertisement Spurs center Victor Wembanyama chats with coach Gregg Popovich during a game on Dec. 13, 2023. AP Others were more skeptical about how useful the retreat would truly be, and a few couldn't help but make cracks about Aaron Rodgers, who took a four-day darkness retreat in 2023. 'Y'all hated when Aaron Rodgers did this,' said one user, with another posting: 'Is he turning into Aaron Rodgers?' The Spurs have yet to make a playoff appearance since drafting Wembanyama, but the franchise appears to be trending toward contention after making a deal for star point guard De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline. When San Antonio does crack into the postseason, perhaps Wembanyama's newfound spiritual awakening will prove helpful.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lucas Perri could leave Lyon as Nottingham Forest's Matt Turner looks set to complete move
Whilst Nottingham Forest's Matt Turner (30) is on the verge of completing a move to Olympique Lyonnais, the club's current No.1, Lucas Perri (27), could be on his way out of the club, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. Turner is expected to complete a move to Turner soon, as per Fabrizio Romano. The USMNT goalkeeper is set to join in a deal worth €8m. A deal has already been verbally agreed upon between the two clubs. However, Perri, who enjoyed an excellent first full campaign with Lyon, could leave. Advertisement The Brazilian is on AC Milan's shortlist to replace Mike Maignan, who is the subject of intense interest from Chelsea. The Frenchman has expressed a desire to move to Stamford Bridge with just one year on his AC Milan contract remaining. Perri is one name on AC Milan's shortlist to replace Maignan. AS Roma's Mile Svilar and Parma's Zion Suzuki also feature on their shortlist. GFFN | Luke Entwistle
New York Post
11 hours ago
- New York Post
Heated tennis handshake features fiery ‘pig,' ‘piece of s–t' exchange
Two of tennis's most intense players faced off Tuesday and the ending wasn't pretty. Italian 38-year-old Fabio Fognini took on 26-year-old Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the Stuttgart Open, where Moutet bested Fognini in three sets 6-4, 6-7, 6-3. When the two met at the net to shake hands after the match, things got feisty. Fabio Fognini (left) confronts Corentin Moutet after their match. Tennis TV/X Fognini spoke to Moutet in French, saying, 'Look at me, look at me!' while the two shook hands. Moutet mostly ignored Fognini's hostility before it escalated even further. 'Look at me, little pig!' the Italian said. 'You're a piece of s–t!' Moutet continued to keep his poise as he shook hands with the line umpire before walking back onto the court and soaking up some more of the applause from the fans in Stuttgart, Germany. Moutet had a similar tense situation earlier this year when he and Alexander Bublik were forced to be separated by an umpire. Corentine Moutet will take on Stuttgart's top seed Thursday after beating Fabio Fognini. Susan Mullane-Imagn Images But similarly to this time around, Moutet didn't seem to be the one who started the last argument either, as he had told Bublik he wasn't ready for his serve, to which the Kazakh responded, 'I don't give a s–t!' Bublik then tried picking a fight at the end of the match, telling Moutet 'Let's go! We meet in 10 minutes outside.' While Moutet fired back a bit at Bublik, he ultimately laughed off the offers for a physical altercation. Moutet kept his cool relatively well in these situations. However, he is the common denominator in the two incidents that occurred less than three months apart, so perhaps he has a way of getting under his opponents' skin that the public doesn't know about. With the win over Fognini on Tuesday, Moutet advanced to take on the tournament favorite, Alexander Zverev. They will face off on Thursday. As for Fognini, it's no wonder he was pretty frustrated after the loss as it eliminated him from the event that he was invited to as a wild card. Fognini is a former No. 9 player in the world rankings.
