'This year there's no imposter syndrome'

5 days ago

British rider Jake Stewart is targeting stage wins at the Tour de France after quickly shedding his 'imposter syndrome' doubts.The 25-year-old is riding in his second Tour following his debut at cycling's showpiece stage race a year ago. It follows a great month for the Coventry rider who sprinted to his first World Tour race win at the Criterium du Dauphine and then signed a new three-year deal with the Israel-Premier Tech team."A year ago I'd have probably said winning a stage at the Tour de France was maybe unrealistic," he told BBC CWR."Anything can happen in the Tour de France, so it's never out of shot, but this year I certainly feel I've consolidated in my ability to win bike races."I'd say trying to win a stage at the Tour de France in the next three years is a realistic goal and it's something I want to try and achieve."Stewart now carries the weighty responsibility of navigating team-mate Pascal Ackermann into prime position in the sprint for stage wins.However, he was not so sure of his status in the peloton when lining up as a rookie on his Tour debut."Certainly last year there was a bit of imposter syndrome," he said."It was the first time I was really getting involved in the bunch sprints and it was my first Tour de France. "I knew I had a job to do and I wasn't afraid to get the elbows out, but it's always in the back of your mind 'should I really be getting involved here?', whereas this year, certainly in the peloton, I'm recognised as that lead-out guy. "Ackermann has won so many bike races and stages in the Giro and Vuelta, so being in front of him has given me more freedom to get involved, and this year there's not that imposter syndrome there."Now competing at the sharp end of the world's biggest bike race, Stewart is thankful for the chance and mindful of how he came to be there."Cycling is a very inaccessible sport in certain contexts," he added. "Certainly now it's getting more and more expensive, so for less privileged families to provide for their kids when they're racing is probably difficult."I haven't come from a background where I've grown up with a lot of money so I guess it keeps you humble when you make it on the big stage."

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Argentina 17-17 England - Matera sin-binned as visitors press for score

BBC News

31 minutes ago

BBC News

Argentina 17-17 England - Matera sin-binned as visitors press for score

Update: Date: 62 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-17 England Jack van Poortvliet is on at scrum-half. England have a man advantage. Update: Date: 22:12 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcrugby, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only – texts will be charged at your standard message rate) England playing it all in the Pumas half this half. Got to turn this into points now and a fantastic series win awaits.... Richy B This is classic England rugby, big strong heavy forwards dominating the opposition… but being useless at scoring tries Chris About time the ref did something about the indiscipline, I've never seen so many fouls before a card! Gregg in Bristol Update: Date: 60 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-17 England The crowd are UP. Can Argentina see this out? They will be a man light for half of the remaining game. Update: Date: 59 mins Title: Sin-bin - Pablo Matera Content: Argentina 17-17 England Argentina are down to 14! Veteran Pablo Matera just lies across the ball with England a few metres out and kills the play. He's in the bin for 10 minutes. Update: Date: 58 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-17 England Curtis Langdon charges out of the maul and England look like scoring for a moment but Freddie Steward is wrapped up - there's then another penalty to England. Update: Date: 58 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-17 England Guy Pepper is on for England as George Ford kicks another penalty for a knock on into the corner. Curtis Langdon is secure with the ball and finds the England pack. Update: Date: 22:05 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcrugby, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only – texts will be charged at your standard message rate) England do realise they have to hold onto the ball if they're going to score a try right? So many handling errors, it's so frustrating! Catie Update: Date: 57 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-17 England Brilliant from England at the breakdown after another good George Ford kick ahead. Can they find a way through? Update: Date: 53 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-17 England Half an hour left, the finishers off the bench could have a say in this one yet. Update: Date: 53 mins Title: Penalty - Argentina 17-17 England Content: George Ford Scores level! The Argentina penalty count keeps on rising and when they gift one bang in front the England number 10 laces through the posts. Update: Date: 50 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England England's kick chase has been excellent all night but Santiago Carreras does brilliantly to nip one inside under heavy pressure. No scores since the break but plenty to keep an eye on. Update: Date: 49 mins Title: Replacement Content: Argentina 17-14 England Theo Dan is now hurt and limps away - on comes #getinvolved favourite Curtis Langdon at hooker. Update: Date: 49 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England A minute of bedlam. Charged down kicks, knock-ons, turnovers, jacklas and steals, it's all a bit hectic but it's fun! Argentina survive. Update: Date: 47 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England The Pumas are defending like, er, beavers here and England come up against a striped wall time and again. George Ford puts in another lovely kick but Tom Willis is wrapped up. Still they come... Update: Date: 21:52 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcrugby, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only – texts will be charged at your standard message rate) Lee Blackett is a brilliant attack coach and England would do well to have him as part of the coaching set up on a permanent basis David Beckett Have we just witnessed the 40 minutes that cost Theo Dan any semblance of an international rugby career? If only there was a position in rugby that didn't require any need to handle the ball, sadly I don't think hooker is that position. Anon Langdon should have far more caps than he does. Get him in for Dan asap Adam Update: Date: 44 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England England get it back and wheel left, they have a man over and whip it wide but Tom Roebuck loses the ball in a crunching tackle. Argentina want this! Update: Date: 43 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England England have the ball down to within five metres. Big pressure - but Sam Underhill loses the ball and Argentina can clear! Update: Date: 42 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England Argentina prop Francisco Gomez Kodela gives away a second penalty in two minutes and is immediately replaced. We've seen enough. Update: Date: 41 mins Title: Post Content: Argentina 17-14 England Argentina are offside in the first 30 seconds and George Ford boots it into a good area. Update: Date: 41 mins Title: Kick-off Content: Argentina 17-14 England Here we go!

Burnley boss Scott Parker eyeing £20million Championship striker to boost Clarets' Prem survival hopes

The Sun

38 minutes ago

The Sun

Burnley boss Scott Parker eyeing £20million Championship striker to boost Clarets' Prem survival hopes

SCOTT PARKER is looking at US striker Josh Sargent to lead his Burnley attack in the Premier League. Boss Parker is badly in need of a finisher and sees the Norwich frontman, who hit 15 goals in the Championship last season, as the answer. 3 The Canaries will want around £20million for Sargent. However, that is more than the Clarets are willing to pay. Sargent, 25, is also attractive as he is a proven scorer in the Championship. And that could yet be a factor if Burnley go straight back down. The American has other clubs interested, but Burnley may come closest to the valuation in the coming weeks. Parker is also looking at a new keeper in case Newcastle hit the Clarets' valuation of James Trafford. Wolves' Sam Johnstone is available and high up Parker's list. But Sunderland are also keen on the 32-year-old. Toon are still short of the asking price for Trafford. Burnley want a bid of £30m, leading to £40m in instalments. Fans can't believe who former England manager Roy Hodgson sat next to at Lords for England vs India Test match 3

McIlroy back to his best after roaring up Scottish Open leaderboard with a four-under 66

Daily Mail

39 minutes ago

Daily Mail

McIlroy back to his best after roaring up Scottish Open leaderboard with a four-under 66

Rory McIlroy has laid down the gauntlet to his rivals at the Genesis Scottish Open — insisting he is now back to his very best. McIlroy roared up the leaderboard yesterday with an impressive round of 66 at The Renaissance, moving him into a share of the lead heading into today's final round. He is joined on 11-under par by Chris Gotterup of America, with former US Open champions Wyndham Clark and Matt Fitzpatrick among the chasing pack just two shots back. But McIlroy fired an ominous warning to the rest of the field, with the Masters champion insisting that his game is now at the same level as when he won at Augusta. 'I think I'm pretty close to being back to the level I was at going into the Masters,' said McIlroy, who is looking to land a second Scottish Open title after winning here two years ago. 'I think I've had a little bit of a lull, which I feel is understandable. So I'm just getting back to the level that I know that I can play at. 'It is my first realistic chance to win since the Masters. I've had a great season. I won at Pebble. I won the Players (Championship, at Sawgrass). 'When you do something that you've been dreaming your whole life to do (the career grand slam), it was a huge moment in my life. I I just needed that little bit of time after that. 'To be back here for last couple weeks, and feel like I could actually digest all of it, I feel like I came to this tournament with renewed enthusiasm and excitement for the rest of the year. 'Once I made those three birdies in a row to finish on Thursday night, it felt like: 'Okay, I'm in the golf tournament and I can build on that momentum'. That's what I've done over the last couple days. 'Hopefully we can get things finished here and be able to watch a little bit of the Wimbledon final. That would be nice.' The tee times have been adjusted for today's final round due to an expected Haar rolling in off the Firth of Forth amid soaring temperatures. A two-tee start will be in operation in order to condense the times as much as possible, with McIlroy playing in the final group alongside rivals Clark and Gotterup. With the course baking in the red-hot temperatures and starting to play very firm, McIlroy believes this is the best it has ever played for the Scottish Open. A critic of The Renaissance at times in the past, he said: 'I think the best it's ever played is this year because of how firm it is. 'It's a real fiery links test that you have to, or at least you have the option to play the ball on the ground if you want to. 'This golf course has evolved a lot over the time we've been coming here and it's certainly grown on me, not just because of the results, but I think it plays more and more like a links course every year we come back.'