Latest news with #TOULOUSE
CNA
3 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Pogacar crashes before anti-Israel protester disrupts Tour stage finale
TOULOUSE, France :Defending champion Tadej Pogacar suffered a crash on the 11th stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, moments before a protester disrupted the sprint finish where Norway's Jonas Abrahamsen claimed his first Tour stage victory. Slovenian Pogacar went down about five kilometres from the line after touching wheels with another rider but quickly remounted and the peloton eased off to allow the overall race favourite to rejoin. Pogacar thanked the group after crossing the finish line apparently unhurt and without losing time. "I'm quite okay, a bit beaten up, but we've been through worse days, so it's been a hectic day actually from start to finish," the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader told reporters. "In the end, I had a little bit of a crash, and thanks to the peloton in front, they actually waited, obviously the race was more or less over back there, but still, they could have taken time. "Really big respect to everybody in front. Thanks for your support, guys." Team doctor Adrian Rotunno said Pogacar had been cleared to continue the race. "After a full examination post-stage, fortunately Tadej suffered no serious injury. No concussion or fractures. He has some general bruising, and abrasions to his left forearm and hip, but is otherwise okay," Rotunno said. "We will continue to monitor him, but at this stage he is medically cleared to continue racing." Ireland's Ben Healy, who retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, explained that he had a brief chat with two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard, seen as Pogacar's main rival for the title, and both agreed they should wait for the Slovenian. OTHER PROTESTS As the stage reached its dramatic conclusion, a protester wearing a T-shirt reading "Israel out of the Tour" and waving a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf ran onto the final straight, less than 25 metres from the line. He was swiftly tackled by a security officer as Abrahamsen edged out Swiss national champion Mauro Schmid in a two-man sprint for the win. "I broke my collarbone four weeks ago. I cried at the hospital because I thought I wouldn't make it to the Tour de France," Abrahamsen said. "I hoped, and every day I did everything I could to come back. To stand here in the Tour de France and have won a stage is amazing." Tour organisers declined to comment on the protest while the Israel-Premier Tech team — which has no Israeli riders in this year's race — told Reuters they would issue a statement later on Wednesday. The protest came amid rising tensions over Israel's military operations in Gaza, where more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities. Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, by Israeli tallies. Sources with a direct knowledge of the matter have told Reuters that other protests are planned on the Tour route. The day began at a blistering pace, with a five-man breakaway quickly forming ahead of a second group featuring classics specialists Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. The peloton eventually backed off, allowing the front of the race to shape the outcome. On the punishing final climb — an 800-metre ascent averaging 12.4 per cent — Abrahamsen and Schmid emerged at the front. Van der Poel launched a fierce pursuit but fell short. The focus now shifts to Thursday's stage 12, which brings the Tour's first high-mountain showdown with a summit finish on the legendary Hautacam and all eyes will be on Pogacar the day after his crash.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pro-Palestinian protester takes issue with Israeli team at Tour de France
TOULOUSE, France (AP) — A man protesting the participation of an Israel-based team in the Tour de France ran onto the course as the leaders raced for the finish line on Wednesday. Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen won the 11th stage in a photo finish just ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid, but their final sprint was accompanied by a man running alongside who wore a T-shirt saying, 'Israel out of the Tour,' and who waved a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered headscarf that has become a potent symbol of the Palestinian cause. A security guard ran out to apprehend the man. The Israel-Premier Tech team is racing at this year's Tour with eight team members from other countries. The team acquired the right to enter the Tour de France in 2020 when Israel Start-Up National took over Katusha's WorldTour license and has since claimed three stage victories, though none yet in this year's race. Team members previously faced protests because of the team's association with Israel, which has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians in 21 months of war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The war was sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel and Hamas are considering a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that could pause the war. ___ AP sports: The Associated Press
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pro-Palestinian protester takes issue with Israeli team at Tour de France
TOULOUSE, France (AP) — A man protesting the participation of an Israel-based team in the Tour de France ran onto the course as the leaders raced for the finish line on Wednesday. Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen won the 11th stage in a photo finish just ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid, but their final sprint was accompanied by a man running alongside who wore a T-shirt saying, 'Israel out of the Tour,' and who waved a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered headscarf that has become a potent symbol of the Palestinian cause. A security guard ran out to apprehend the man. The Israel-Premier Tech team is racing at this year's Tour with eight team members from other countries. The team acquired the right to enter the Tour de France in 2020 when Israel Start-Up National took over Katusha's WorldTour license and has since claimed three stage victories, though none yet in this year's race. Team members previously faced protests because of the team's association with Israel, which has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians in 21 months of war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The war was sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel and Hamas are considering a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that could pause the war. ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Pro-Palestinian protester takes issue with Israeli team at Tour de France
TOULOUSE, France (AP) — A man protesting the participation of an Israel-based team in the Tour de France ran onto the course as the leaders raced for the finish line on Wednesday. Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen won the 11th stage in a photo finish just ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid, but their final sprint was accompanied by a man running alongside who wore a T-shirt saying, 'Israel out of the Tour,' and who waved a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered headscarf that has become a potent symbol of the Palestinian cause. A security guard ran out to apprehend the man. The Israel-Premier Tech team is racing at this year's Tour with eight team members from other countries. The team acquired the right to enter the Tour de France in 2020 when Israel Start-Up National took over Katusha's WorldTour license and has since claimed three stage victories, though none yet in this year's race. Team members previously faced protests because of the team's association with Israel, which has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians in 21 months of war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The war was sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel and Hamas are considering a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that could pause the war. ___ AP sports:
CNA
3 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Pogacar crashes as anti-Israel protester disrupt Tour stage finale
TOULOUSE, France :Defending champion Tadej Pogacar suffered a crash on the 11th stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, moments before a protester disrupted the sprint finish where Norway's Jonas Abrahamsen claimed his first Tour stage victory. Slovenian Pogacar went down about five kilometres from the line after touching wheels with another rider but quickly remounted and the peloton eased off to allow the overall race favourite to rejoin. Pogacar thanked the group after crossing the finish line apparently unhurt and without losing time. "I'm quite okay, a bit beaten up, but we've been through worse days, so it's been a hectic day actually from start to finish," the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader told reporters. "In the end, I had a little bit of a crash, and thanks to the peloton in front, they actually waited, obviously the race was more or less over back there, but still, they could have taken time. "Really big respect to everybody in front. Thanks for your support, guys." Ireland's Ben Healy, who retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, explained that he had a brief chat with two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard, seen as Pogacar's main rival for the title, and both agreed they should wait for the Slovenian. As the stage reached its dramatic conclusion, a protester wearing a T-shirt reading "Israel out of the Tour" and waving a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf ran onto the final straight, just 50 metres from the line. He was swiftly tackled by a security officer as Abrahamsen edged out Swiss national champion Mauro Schmid in a two-man sprint for the win. "I broke my collarbone four weeks ago. I cried at the hospital because I thought I wouldn't make it to the Tour de France," Abrahamsen said. "I hoped, and every day I did everything I could to come back. To stand here in the Tour de France and have won a stage is amazing." Tour organisers declined to comment on the incident while the Israel-Premier Tech team — which has no Israeli riders in this year's race — told Reuters they would issue a statement later on Wednesday. The protest came amid rising tensions over Israel's military operations in Gaza, where more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities. Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, by Israeli tallies. Sources with a direct knowledge of the matter have told Reuters that other protests are planned on the Tour route. The day began at a blistering pace, with a five-man breakaway quickly forming ahead of a second group featuring classics specialists Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. The peloton eventually backed off, allowing the front of the race to shape the outcome. On the punishing final climb — an 800-metre ascent averaging 12.4 per cent — Abrahamsen and Schmid emerged at the front. Van der Poel launched a fierce pursuit but fell short. The focus now shifts to Thursday's stage 12, which brings the Tour's first high-mountain showdown with a summit finish on the legendary Hautacam and all eyes will be on Pogacar the day after his crash.
