Latest news with #Quickstep
Daily Record
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Lady Louise Windsor's Strictly treat from Sophie after 'coping with George and Charlotte'
Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, took charge of a group of young pageboys and bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie's wedding Lady Louise Windsor, eldest offspring of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, took charge of a lively group of young pageboys and bridesmaids at just 15-years-old – and earned herself a trip around the Strictly Come Dancing studios for her trouble. Lady Louise 's cool-headed handling of duties at her cousin Princess Eugenie's wedding to businessman Jack Brooksbank earned her high praise, leading her mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, to reward her with a special Strictly themed surprise. In his book 'Sophie: Saving The Royal Family', author Sean Smith recounts how Louise adeptly managed the boisterous children: "She clung on tightly to the hands of the pageboys, one of whom was Prince George, the eldest son of William and Kate, but another, Louis de Givenchy, fell over as a strong gust of wind blew down the chapel steps. "Louise had to haul him smartly to his feet," Sean writes, "Then, Princess Charlotte, George's sister, took a tumble as well." Despite challenging conditions that included sudden wind gusts causing chaos with the royals' attire, Louise executed her role as "special attendant" with great skill. After fulfilling her role and sitting beside the Tindalls, Zara gave her a comforting pat on the wrist while Mike quietly expressed his approval with a "well done." But perhaps Lady Louise's most valuable act of assistance came after the ceremony had come to an end. As Kate Middleton joined other royals outside St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, a sudden gust of wind nearly caused the Princess's Alexander McQueen dress to fly up. "Fortunately for Kate," Sean notes, "she was standing next to Sophie, who placed a hand strategically to keep the dress down and then positioned herself close to her so that it wouldn't happen a second time." At this point, the younger royals hadn't yet adopted the late Queen's method of sewing small lead weights into the hem of her skirts to avoid any unintended "Marilyn Monroe moments." Sophie, as a proud mother, rewarded Louise with a special outing – a trip to Elstree Film and Television Studios to see an episode of Strictly Come Dancing being recorded live. The programme is a Royal household favourite, according to Sean: "Often, [Sophie and Louise] would make the trek over to Windsor Castle and watch it with the Queen, who was also a fan. Camilla and Charles, too, watched it every Saturday." For Louise, the opportunity to witness the celebrities in person was particularly thrilling. Host Tess Daly provided Sophie and Louise with a backstage tour before escorting them to their seats in the front row. Louise expressed her delight to Tess, saying: "This is such a treat." Sophie and Louise merrily participated as the whole crowd applauded, while Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse executed a 1940s-styled Quickstep to the Andrews Sisters' classic "Sing Sing Sing."
New York Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Tour de France stage three: Tim Merlier victorious on crash-marred day as green jersey Philipsen abandons
A three-week Grand Tour will always contain natural ebbs and flows, and, for much of Monday's stage between Valenciennes and Dunkirk, it looked as if the peloton had declared an unofficial rest day, with the riders happy to cruise back towards the coast after a weekend of wind, rain and intensity. But everything changed with just under 60 kilometres remaining. As the race's fastmen readied themselves for the intermediate sprint there was a hugely consequential crash, with Jasper Philipsen — clad in the green jersey — sent into the ground, and out of the race. Advertisement And the incidents did not end there. As the race reached a closing five kilometres that many had been concerned about when the route was revealed, first a group of riders including Remco Evenepoel went down, and then, on a bend with less than 500 metres to go, Emilien Jeanniere was sent into the barriers in a nasty-looking crash involving several riders. Amid the mayhem, Quickstep's European champion Tim Merlier pipped Jonathan Milan to the stage win by millimetres. The 'relaxed' stage ended up being anything but. Jacob Whitehead and Chris Waugh look back at the key moments from Monday's stage. Find all of The Athletic's Tour de France coverage here: The word 'chaos' has been used too frequently during this tour and we are only three stages in. Across four hours and 15 minutes of racing, barely anything happened. Unfortunately, when the action did liven up, it resulted in crashes. And lots of them. If the general classification riders were relieved to pass through the extended 5km-to-go safety zone, then any comfort they felt quickly dissipated. With around 3.1km left, the peloton narrowed and on the right-hand side of the road, as riders attempted to cut inside the curb, three hit the ground. Primoz Roglic somehow avoided it, but Remco Evenepoel, one of the race favorites, did fall, as did Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe's Jordi Meeus and 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas. With the peloton now split, a select group continued towards the line and, as the final right-hand corner swung round with 350m to go, several riders collided with one another at high speed. Team TotalEnergies' Emilien Jeanniere came out by far the worst, catapulted across the road and into the barriers on the left-hand side. Somehow he managed to get back on his bike and crossed the line, eight minutes and 45 seconds after the stage winner. ▶️ Relive an hectic last km that brings @MerlierTim to victory on stage 3. ▶️ Revivez un dernier km chaotique qui mène @MerlierTim à la victoire sur l'étape 3.#TDF2025 — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 7, 2025 That winner was Merlier, who claimed a photo-finish victory by a matter of millimetres ahead of Milan. The latter's Lidl-Trek train dissipated during the final kilometre, with Team Picnic PostNL overtaking them, leaving the tall Italian to freewheel up the field. Milan appeared to do that successfully and launched his sprint early, only for Merlier to surpass him. A counter punch brought Milan level, but at the last Merlier threw his bike marginally ahead of the Italian and sheepishly lifted his arm into the air in celebration, only to pull it back down as he sought clarification that he had won. Advertisement 'It was a really hard battle,' Merlier told broadcasters afterwards. 'It was difficult to be in position and in the last two kilometres I fought back from behind. All the time I was in the wind and a headwind is really difficult. I managed to get in the slipsteam and I know next to Milan it is always difficult to beat him. At first I was sure (I won) and I put my hand in the air, but then I wasn't so sure anymore.' 🗣️'[Jonathan] Milan is always difficult to beat, but I'm happy I can take my second win here in the #TDF2025.' 🇧🇪 @MerlierTim breaks down how the stage was won ⤵️ 🗣️« [Jonathan] Milan est toujours difficile à battre, mais je suis heureux de pouvoir remporter ma deuxième… — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 7, 2025 The European champion soon discovered that he had indeed won his second Tour stage, four years after his first. A consolation for Milan was that he has assumed ownership of the green jersey, having risen to 81 points, four ahead of Biniam Girmay. With the next pure sprint opportunity unlikely to come until stage eight on Saturday, Merlier and Milan will be satisfied with their respective prizes. Chris Waugh The final serious bend on the run-in to Dunkirk came with 1.7km to go, but the tiny chicane with 350m remaining created the real chaos. Then, to take the fastest route to the line on the final bend, riders had to move laterally across sprint lanes — a major safety no-no. Here, they were forced to by a route design which appeared to contravene UCI regulations. The Athletic have approached ASO for comment. In a month where myriad niche rules aimed to improve safety have been controversially introduced — such as minimum handlebar and chainring sizes — it is striking that more serious issues appear to have been set to one side. Advertisement 'We're messing around on the fringes rather than tackling a big core problem,' Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's head of engineering Dan Bigham had previously told The Athletic. Intermarché-Wanty had two riders down on the day's stage, and their directeur sportif Aike Visbeek was critical of the finish design. Was it safe? 'No,' the Dutchman replied. 'And on the back of an easy stage, this is what you can expect. This is one of the last three chances you have for the sprinters, so then everybody goes blind and it's dangerous. 'The ball is in the UCI's court. It's more dangerous like that — this is how it is.' Jacob Whitehead It had been the perfect start to the 2025 Tour de France for Alpecin-Deceuninck. After back-to-back victories and with their two main riders in the yellow and green jerseys, they were looking to become the first team to win the opening three stages since 1961. But after two days of consistently positive headlines, the Belgian squad came crashing back down to earth. Unfortunately, quite literally in Philipsen's case. For almost 120km, barely anything of note had happened. That ensured that the fastmen were all prepared and ready for the intermediate sprint in Isbergues. Bunched together, with Jonathan Milan looking to break clear of the group towards the intermediate-sprint line, Cofidis' Bryan Coquard was caught behind him and changed his line, moving slightly to his right. There, Intermarche-Wanty's Laurenz Rex stopped pedalling, leaned in slightly to his left, there was a coming together of — presumably — their handlebars, which ricocheted Coquard back to his left… and right into Philipsen path. While Coquard's balance was miraculously restored by the collision and he escaped with merely a tire burn to his left calf, Philipsen was flung over the right-hand side of his handlebar, shredding the back of his jersey and causing the Belgian to immediately grip his shoulder in pain. It was soon obvious that Philipsen, the maillot vert and previous wearer of the maillot jaune as winner of the opening stage, would be unable to continue. This was his third abandonment out of eight Grand Tour starts and denies Philipsen the opportunity to win the points classification for the second time at the Tour, having previously done so in 2023. He also becomes the first jersey-wearer to abandon the Tour since former green jersey-wearer Marcel Kittel in 2017. On the opening stage, there were suggestions that Philipsen had actually attempted to push Coquard in the run-up to that intermediate sprint, but this latest incident appeared far more innocuous, if much more consequential. 😟 @JasperPhilipsen crashed hard as he approached the intermediate sprint. The green jersey was forced to retire ❌ 😟 @JasperPhilipsen a chuté violemment à l'approche du sprint intermédiaire. Le maillot vert est durement touché et doit abandonner ❌#TDF2025 — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 7, 2025 Nonetheless, Coquard apologized after the stage, saying: 'Tough day, yes, you can imagine that causing Philipsen to abandon doesn't feel good. It wasn't my intention to cause a crash, I didn't want to take any risks. It wasn't deliberate, but I want to apologize to Philipsen and Alpecin.' After a dream opening weekend, Alpecin must now reassess their plans for the remainder of the Tour. Philipsen departing is a huge blow not only for the team, but also for the entire race. Chris Waugh The last 30 kilometres of Sunday's stage two brought thrilling racing. The first 100km of Monday's stage three? Not so much. It was flat in gradient, speed and mood. There were no attacks, with the peloton ambling its way through the northern French countryside as one long snake, while the average speed for the first hour was just 36kph —slower than a casual cafe ride to the professional peloton. Why? One reason was the breakaway's slim chances of success — as one of only a handful of opportunities for the sprinters all race, each of their teams would be highly motivated to chase down any break. Alpecin-Deceuninck, going their third successive stage win until Philipsen crashed, had the peloton controlled with a long string of riders. Advertisement Throw in the pancake gradient of the stage, plus the likelihood of headwinds during the run-in to Dunkirk, and the chances of any breakaway rider staying away were infinitesimally small. Nevertheless, the lack of one is still unusual — historically, smaller teams have encouraged a rider to attack so they can expose their sponsorship to the TV cameras, although that tradition is slowly fading from the sport. But amidst a tough opening week of the Tour — Sunday's bumpy stage two was the longest day of the race — this was a day that every team was content to take easy for as long as they could. Jacob Whitehead It really was the most alluring that insurance has ever been. After 28 years, AG2R-La Mondiale will no longer be in control of one of French cycling's most iconic teams, as the squad announced on Monday morning 'with profound emotion' that the team's ownership would be transferred to current co-sponsor Decathlon. The French sports retailer has set the goal of winning the Tour de France by 2030, and are seeking a new partner to increase the team's budget above €40million. Though those claims might sound grandiose, they do have possess a potential super-talent in the shape of 18-year-old Frenchman Paul Seixas. 'Our first objective is to stay in the top five in world cycling and, if possible, to climb the podium,' said general manager Dominique Serieys. 'We want to win the Tour de France by 2030 at the latest.' With GC contenders increasingly gathering super-teams around them — UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike are the paradigmatic examples — Decathlon are laying the groundwork early. They are expected to sign Visma-Lease a Bike pair Olav Kooij and Tiesj Benoot from next season. For the moment, their hopes will be carried by Austrian climber Felix Gall, who is aiming to better his best GC result of eighth after an impressive performance at the Tour de Suisse. Jacob Whitehead An awkward stage takes the Tour into Normandy. Another chance for the sprinters, but the likes of Merlier and Milan may be distanced over some of the short final climbs. Expect a reduced bunch at the very least.
Wales Online
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Strictly star Jamie Borthwick suspended by the BBC for 'unacceptable' remark
Strictly star Jamie Borthwick suspended by the BBC for 'unacceptable' remark The Eastenders actor has been suspended following an offensive comment made during his time on Strictly Come Dancing Jamie Borthwick has apologised for his comment (Image: (Image: BBC) ) Jamie Borthwick, known for his long-standing role as Jay Brown on EastEnders, has been suspended by the BBC following the use of a derogatory term aimed at people with disabilities. The incident reportedly took place in November during the recording of the Strictly Come Dancing's special Blackpool episode, according to The Sun on Sunday. In a statement, the BBC described Mr Borthwick's comment as "entirely unacceptable" and "in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect". The actor has since apologised, expressing regret for "any offence and upset" caused by his remark. Disability equality charity Scope responded to the incident by urging Borthwick to reflect on his words and take steps toward greater understanding. The charity's media manager Warren Kirwan said: "We hope he takes the opportunity to get to know the reality of disabled people's lives." The 30-year-old has been a part of the EastEnders cast since 2006. He recently appeared in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with professional dancer Michelle Tsiakkas. He quickly became a fan favourite after winning the Strictly Christmas special in 2023 with partner Nancy Xu, scoring a perfect 40 for his Quickstep. Article continues below Jamie, one of the soap's longest running actors, won a British Soap Award for best dramatic performance from a young actor, and an Inside Soap Award for best actor. In his statement to the Sun on Sunday, Borthwick said: "I want to apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for the words I used in the video showing my reaction to making it through Blackpool week on Strictly.' He added: "It is no excuse, but I did not fully understand the derogatory term I used and its meaning. "That is on me completely. Now I am aware, I am deeply embarrassed to have used the term and directed it in the way I did." It wasn't the first controversy to hit Strictly Come Dancing's 2024 season. Jamie's co-star Wynne Evans apologised for using "inappropriate language" during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. The Welsh opera singer, known for the insurance advertisements, confirmed last week that he will no longer be a BBC Radio Wales presenter. For the latest TV and showbiz news sign up to our newsletter In a statement issued to social media, Wynne told his 92,000 followers: "My beloved Wynners, From the very depths of my heart – thank you. "These past few months, your love has been the light in my darkest days. Every message, every word of encouragement, every moment you stood by me has carried me through more than you could ever know. "It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract so I won't be returning to my radio show. I'm gutted." Article continues below He added that he would be launching his own daily show, The Wynne Evans Show, available on Alexa and Google smart speakers.
RTÉ News
20-05-2025
- Climate
- RTÉ News
Daan Hoole snatches Giro stage win, Isaac del Toro stays in overall lead
Dutchman Daan Hoole was the surprise winner of the stage 10 time trial on a rain-affected day in the Giro d'Italia. The Lidl-Trek rider capitalised on better early conditions to set an unbeatable time over the 28.6km course from Lucca to Pisa, finishing in 32.30 minutes in front of the leaning tower. Hoole's time eclipsed the early leader, Britain's Ethan Hayter, by 10 seconds, but the Quickstep rider held on for a podium place behind compatriot Josh Tarling of INEOS Grenadiers. As the conditions worsened, none of the contenders for the general classification could make an impression, allowing Isaac del Toro to cling on to the maglia rosa despite finishing in 37th place. The biggest beneficiary was Primoz Roglic, battling to recover from a crash two days ago and secure his second Giro title after his win in 2023. Roglic (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe) fell again on the stage's recon ride but recovered to make up more than a minute on his main challengers and move up to fifth place in the standings. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) came in 22nd place, making up a minute on leader Del Toro and staying in second place overall. Ireland's Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) crossed the line in 92nd and is 147th overall.
