Latest news with #Anne-ChristinePOUJOULAT
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
PICTURES: Tour de France excitement at a glance
The 112th edition of the Tour de France is currently under way, with the three-week race ending on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday. The pack of riders (peloton) cycles past the Porte de Paris arch monument near the start of the 1st stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 184.9 km starting and finishing in Lille Metropole, northern France, on July 5, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) Alongside the Tour de France route, sunflowers and creative hats, among other sights, have made for a fantastic spectacle. Fans cheer as the pack rides by during the 1st stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 184.9km in Lille Metropole, France, 05 July 2025. Picture: EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON A fan wearing a cap stands at the finish line of the 5th stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an Individual Time Trial over 33km in Caen, France, 09 July 2025. Picture: EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK The peloton ride past sunflower fields during the 11th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8km around Toulouse, France, 16 July 2025. Picture: EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON Spectators wait for cyclists passing by at the Col d'Aspin during the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.6km from Pau to Luchon-Superbagneres, France, 19 July 2025. Picture: EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK A man on horseback rides alongside the pack of riders (peloton) during the 17th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 160.4 km between Bollene and Valence, southern France, on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) The pack of riders (peloton) cycles across Place de Thessalie in central Montpellier at the start of the 16th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 171.5 km between Montpellier and Mont Ventoux, southern France, on July 22, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) Spectators line the race route in the ascent of Mont Ventoux during the 16th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 171.5 km between Montpellier and Mont Ventoux, southern France, on July 22, 2025. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) The pack of riders (peloton) cycles cycles during the 14th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 182.6 km between Pau and Luchon-Superbagneres, in the Pyrenees mountains of southwestern France, on July 19, 2025. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) A grey parrot looks on from inside its cage placed along the race route as Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe team's Italian rider Gianni Moscon cycles during the 13th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 10.9 km individual time trial between Loudenvielle and Peyragudes, in the Pyrenees mountains of southwestern France, on July 18, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) Spectators jump in a makeshift swimming pool set up along the race route as the pack of riders (peloton) cycles past, during the 9th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 174.1 km between Chinon and Chateauroux, central France, on July 13, 2025. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) The pack of riders (peloton) cycles past 'Geants du Nord', giant figurines of northern French folklore, at the start of the 2nd stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 209.1 km between Lauwin-Planque and Boulogne-sur-Mer, Northern France, on July 6, 2025. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) MORE PICTURES: Swimmers brave winter cold for polar dip at Ebotse
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bath seek end to Premiership drought against old rivals Leicester
Bath are chasing a trophy treble as they prepare to face Leicester in the Premiership final (Anne-Christine POUJOULAT) Bath take on Leicester in the Premiership final on Saturday, bidding to be crowned champions of England for the first time since 1996 in the latest chapter of a storied rugby rivalry. The West Country side were the dominant force from the 1980s until the mid-1990s before Leicester took charge, becoming champions in four straight seasons around the turn of the century. Advertisement The clubs have been English champions 17 times between them, Leicester most recently in 2022, but Bath have not been top dogs for 29 years. Bath suffered an agonising 25-21 loss to Northampton at Twickenham last year -- their third defeat in play-off finals. Bath and Scotland fly-half Finn Russell said to his coach, Johann van Graan, after the game: "We'll just have to do it next year now." Van Graan's side have already ended their 17-year wait for silverware by winning this season's Premiership Rugby Cup and the Challenge Cup. But the Premiership title is the one they really want. Advertisement South African Van Graan, whose team reached Saturday's final at Twickenham with a 34-20 victory over local rivals Bristol, said last year's disappointment would not change his approach. "We'll stick to the same process this week," he said. "A final is a one-off. "We have worked incredibly hard to get back to this position to go back to Twickenham, a year on from Northampton." This time, there is greater expectation on Bath given their dominance in the regular season -- they finished 11 points clear of second-placed Leicester. - Bath belief - Bath captain Ben Spencer insisteed his side are now better-prepared to win the final. Advertisement "Everyone feels different. This group's been through enough now and played in enough big games to know how the week needs to feel and look," he said. "It's taken a lot of hard work from the group. That's one huge thing that Johann brought in, turning hope into belief and this group believes now and believes we can win big games." Leicester, Bath's great rivals during their glory years, are hunting a record-extending 12th English title in the first Premiership final between the two giants. Michael Cheika's men booked their place with a 21-16 victory over Sale in the play-off semi-finals. Advertisement It is a dramatic improvement from the 2023/24 campaign, when they finished eighth in the table. The former Australia coach, who will be leaving his role at the end of the season after one campaign in charge, admitted Bath are favourites. Bath humbled the Tigers 43-15 last month to complete a league double this season. "I know we will be doubted and probably for good reason from the results and the table," the 58-year-old Australian told BBC Radio Leicester. He added: "We have strong self belief internally and that will be something that will be really important. That is something we have built up over the season. "But this is a good opportunity for us to use that belief in ourselves, because what that gives you is a hand in knowing what you will have to do." jw/jdg/iwd
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Injured Scotland prop Fagerson out of Lions tour
Scotland prop Zander Fagerson has been ruled out of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia (Anne-Christine POUJOULAT) Scotland prop Zander Fagerson has been ruled out of the British and Irish Lions' tour to Australia with a calf injury, head coach Andy Farrell announced on Monday. The Glasgow Warriors tighthead will be replaced in the squad by Ireland international Finlay Bealham. Advertisement The squad, minus those involved in next weekend's Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship finals, are due to fly to Portugal for a training camp on Tuesday. England pair Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour will also join the group. "It's tough on Zander to miss out so close to the tour, but now Finlay gets an opportunity to come in and add to the group," said Farrell. "This is unfortunately part and parcel of the game, so we always have to be prepared for that. "But it's great to be finally at the stage where we can get onto the training ground and get to work with these players." The Lions, captained by England skipper Maro Itoje, face Argentina in Dublin on June 20 before starting their tour of Australia, which includes three Tests against the Wallabies. jw/pb
eNCA
04-06-2025
- Health
- eNCA
Paris seeks personhood status for River Seine
French authorities want to give legal rights to the River Seine to better defend the world-famous waterway in court and protect its fragile ecosystem, part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature. In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, the Paris City Council called on parliament to pass a law granting the Seine legal personhood to enable "an independent guardian authority to defend its rights in court". "The Seine must be able to defend itself, as a subject of law and not as an object, because it will always be under attack," said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Conservationists have backed granting fragile ecosystems such as rivers and mountains basic legal rights to better protect them. In a world first, New Zealand in 2017 recognised the Whanganui River revered by Indigenous people as a living entity, with legislation combining Western legal precedent and Maori beliefs. In 2022, Spain granted personhood status to the Mar Menor, one of Europe's largest saltwater lagoons, to give its threatened ecosystem better protection. The Paris Council based its decision on the conclusions of a citizens' convention on the future of the Seine held between March and May. Fifty citizens chosen at random proposed granting the Seine fundamental rights such as "the right to exist, to flow and to regenerate". The Seine must be considered an ecosystem that "no one can claim ownership of", where the preservation of life must "take precedence over everything", the convention concluded. It also noted "positive" change, with the Seine now home to around 40 species of fish, compared to only four in 1970. French authorities spent $1.5 billion ahead of the 2024 Olympics to clean up the Seine, the 777-kilometre river that flows through Paris past the Louvre, Notre Dame cathedral and other iconic landmarks. AFP | Anne-Christine POUJOULAT However, it is threatened by pollution, rising water temperatures and the use of pesticides in agriculture. The opening of the river to the public for swimming this summer could present "additional risks", warned the convention. Fulfilling a key legacy promise from the Paris Games, authorities are to allow the public to swim from July 5 at three points in the Seine, which is now deemed safe for a dip.
