Latest news with #VadimGhirda
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tour de France final stage will include Montmartre climb, three times
FILE - Competitors ride past the Sacre Coeur basilica, during the women's road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File) PARIS (AP) — Tour de France riders will climb the Montmartre hill three times during this year's final stage — a significant break from tradition that will add a dose of suspense and requires heightened security measures. There was a village atmosphere when massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre during last year's Olympics to cheer on riders who climbed narrow cobbled streets in the northern area of Paris. Advertisement Tour director Christian Prudhomme said on Wednesday that he wanted to recapture that popular fervor, while offering new race scenarios. Traditionally, the final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Elysées. This summer, the final climb up the cobbled Rue Lepic will come less than 7km from the finish, and it's unlikely many sprinters will still be in the mix for the stage win when the leading group reaches the iconic avenue. 'It will be more complicated for the sprinters," Prudhomme said as he unveiled the stage route, which could however favor one-day classic specialists good at tackling short and steep hills. The 21st stage of the Tour on July 27, starting from the Paris suburb of Mantes-la-Ville, will include three passages beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica. The Montmartre area is a maze of narrow streets and it will require a deployment of extra security forces, urban planning and many security barriers. Advertisement During the Olympics, the road races attracted more than 500,000 spectators in Paris, organizers said. Laurent Nunez, the Paris police prefect, said 'several thousand' security forces will be on duty to guarantee the safety of riders and fans. 'But it does not pose any particular challenge, we proved that during the Paris Olympics,' he added. The inclusion of Montmartre will derail the pure sprinters' quest for glory on the Champs-Elysées. It could even have an influence on the general classification if gaps between the main contenders remain tight heading into the final stage. 'Imagine an attack by one of the main contenders of the Tour de France at the last moment, a few kilometers from the finish,' Prudhomme said. Advertisement The last time the final stage proved decisive was in 1989, when Greg LeMond won his second Tour de France with the closest finish ever, edging Laurent Fignon by 8 seconds. LeMond started the day 50 seconds behind Fignon and won the final stage, a 15-mile race against the clock from Versailles to Paris. Not all riders are thrilled by the change. 'Montmartre was nice to do in the Olympics, it seemed good, a lot of people, a really good atmosphere,' two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard said this week. 'But when they came to the Montmartre, there was only 15 riders left in the bunch. And when we do the Tour de France, there will be 150 guys fighting for positions on a very narrow climb. It could end up being more stress than they want to have.' Advertisement The Tour starts from the northern city of Lille on July 5, and the women's race kicks off on July 26 from the Brittany town of Vannes. Last year's final stage was held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to Nice. The Champs-Élysées returns this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. ___ AP cycling:
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The controversial addition to Tour de France which has the cycling world talking
The Tour de France is breaking with tradition, and not everyone is happy about it. The announcement of plans to include the iconic Montmartre climb in the final stage this July has sparked debate across the cycling world. Will this shakeup decide the overall winner, or simply disrupt the traditional celebratory sprint? Advertisement Traditionally, the Tour final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Élysées. However, the inclusion of the Montmartre climb throws a wrench into the predictable proceedings. This steep, cobbled climb, situated in the heart of Paris's artistic district, could force teams to rethink their strategies, potentially creating a more dynamic and unpredictable race. Last year's Olympic road race offered a glimpse of what to expect. Massive crowds thronged the streets of Montmartre, creating an electric atmosphere as riders battled up the hill. Inspired by this spectacle, Tour organisers decided to incorporate the climb into this year's race. Riders will ascend the hill, passing beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica, before contesting the final sprint. Advertisement While some worry about disrupting the traditional final stage, others see the Montmartre climb as an exciting innovation. It promises a dramatic and visually stunning finale to cycling's most prestigious race, potentially offering a thrilling twist to the usual sprint finish. Cyclists ride past the Sacre Coeur basilica, during the men's road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Whether this change will ultimately crown a new champion or simply add a layer of chaos remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the final stage of this year's Tour de France will be a spectacle unlike any seen in recent decades. Last year's final stage was held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to Nice. Advertisement The world famous avenue is back on the program this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. The inclusion of the steep Montmartre climb could dramatically change the dynamics of the stage. If the hill features just a few kilometers from the finish line, or is climbed several times, pure sprinters will likely be dropped before they can compete for the stage win. And if the general classification remains tight ahead of the final stage, the yellow jersey itself could be decided in Paris. Full details of the route will be presented at a news conference on Wednesday. With a peloton roughly twice as big as it was at the Olympics, organisers are working with Paris authorities and the Prefecture of police to ensure the security of the race on the narrow and cobbled streets of the area. But some top riders have already expressed their lack of enthusiasm about the addition. 'Montmartre was nice to do in the Olympics, it seemed good, a lot of people, a really good atmosphere,' two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard told reporters this week. 'But when they came to the Montmartre, there was only 15 riders left in the bunch. And when we do the Tour de France, there will be 150 guys fighting for positions on a very narrow climb. It could end up being more stress than they want to have.' Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar will hope to win Tour de France for a fourth time (EPA) Even Remco Evenepoel, who won the Olympic men's road race in Paris last year and the gold medal in the time trial, is also opposed to the idea. Advertisement 'There will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour," he told sports media Sporza. "With Montmartre added, that would mean we have to do the same on the last day. We will be tired enough by then.' Evenepoel also lamented the fact that sprinters would be robbed of a rare chance to claim a prestigious win on the world famous avenue. 'They get a big chance every year to sprint for a stage win on the Champs-Elysées," he said. 'That chance is then taken away from them. In my opinion, Montmartre is an unnecessary obstacle.' Marc Madiot, who manages the Groupama-FDJ team, said bad weather on the final day could make the stage more treacherous. Advertisement 'Imagine a slight rain in Paris; it's not going to be easy for the riders,' he told RMC Radio. 'Do we want a show? Do we want to visit Paris? Do we want to commemorate the Olympics? If we expect a real race, we could be disappointed. And if we do get a real race, we put everything that has happened in the last three weeks in jeopardy." The Tour starts from the northern city of Lille on July 5, and the women's race kicks off on July 26 from the Brittany town of Vannes.
Toronto Sun
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Canada welcomes UN body's decision holding Russia responsible for MH17 tragedy
Published May 14, 2025 • 1 minute read A pro-Russian rebel touches the MH17 wreckage at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine, on July 22, 2014. Photo by Vadim Ghirda, File / AP OTTAWA — The Canadian government is welcoming a recent decision by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to hold Russia responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The plane was shot down on July 17, 2014, over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, including one Canadian. Global Affairs Canada says the UN body has found Russia breached an obligation not to use weapons against a civil aircraft in flight under the Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention. A Dutch-led investigation concluded in 2016 that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur airliner was shot down from territory held by separatist rebels using a missile system delivered from Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement in the tragedy and is rejecting the council's findings. Global Affairs says the council will in the coming weeks consider what form of reparation is in order. 'We commend the council for fulfilling its responsibility to uphold the rule of law in civil aviation and for reaffirming that violations of it will not go unanswered,' the department said in a statement. 'Our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of all those who lost their lives aboard Flight MH17. Canada continues to support efforts to ensure that justice is served and to reinforce international mechanisms that protect civilian lives.' — With files from The Associated Press Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto & GTA Relationships Olympics Columnists
The Herald Scotland
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Simion set to secure decisive win in first round of Romania's presidential rerun
Far behind in second place is the governing coalition's joint candidate, Crin Antonescu, with 21.1%, and in third place is Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan with 19.4% — but that gap is widely expected to narrow as votes from larger cities are counted. Eleven candidates vied for the presidency and a run-off will be held on May 18 between the top two candidates. By the time polls closed, about 9.57 million people — or 53.2% of eligible voters — had cast their ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau, with 973,000 votes cast at polling stations set up in other countries. A man exits a voting booth before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania (Vadim Ghirda/AP) The rerun was held after Romania's political landscape was shaken last year when a top court voided the previous election in which the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round, following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference, which Moscow has denied. In a prerecorded speech aired after polls closed, Mr Simion said that despite many obstacles, Romanians 'have risen up' and 'we are approaching an exceptional result'. 'I am here to restore constitutional order,' he said. 'I want democracy, I want normalcy, and I have a single objective: to give back to the Romanian people what was taken from them and to place at the centre of decision-making the ordinary, honest, dignified people.' As in many EU countries, anti-establishment sentiment is running high in Romania, fuelled by high inflation and the cost of living, a large budget deficit and a sluggish economy. Observers say the malaise has bolstered support for nationalist and far-right figures such as Mr Georgescu, who is under investigation and barred from the rerun. Mr Georgescu, who appeared alongside Mr Simion at a polling station on Sunday in the capital, Bucharest, called the vote rerun 'a fraud orchestrated by those who have made deceit the only state policy', but said he was there to 'acknowledge the power of democracy, the power of the vote that frightens the system, that terrifies the system'. The presidential role carries a five-year term and significant decision-making powers in national security and foreign policy. Mr Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician and former anti-corruption activist who founded the Save Romania Union party (USR) in 2016, ran on a pro-EU 'Honest Romania' ticket. 'It is about the trust of Romanians and our partners in democracy… and in my opinion, it is a new beginning that we all have a responsibility to do correctly,' he said after the polls closed. George Simion, right, casts his vote next to Calin Georgescu (Vadim Ghirda/AP) Mr Antonescu, 65, a veteran centrist who campaigned on retaining Romania's pro-western orientation, said on Sunday that he voted for 'a united Romania, for a strong Romania, for a dignified Romania'. 'Democracy means a battle, sometimes taken to the maximum, but it is a battle of ideas,' he said after voting had closed. 'Let's not forget that we are fellow citizens, sons of the same country, and we must move forward together.' Victor Ponta, who was prime minister from 2012-2015, also pushed a Maga-style 'Romania First' campaign and boasted of having close ties to the Trump administration, stands in fourth place with 14.3% of the vote. Elena Lasconi, who came second in last year's first round ballot and participated in the rerun, only obtained about 2.6% of the vote. She positioned herself as a staunchly pro-western, anti-system candidate, railing against what she described as a corrupt political class. Distrust in the authorities remains widespread, especially for those who voted for Mr Georgescu, a sizeable electorate that Mr Simion has sought to tap into. 'The anti-establishment sentiment is not like an anarchic movement, but is against the people who destroyed this country,' Mr Simion, who came fourth in last year's race and later backed Mr Georgescu, told the Associated Press days before the rerun. 'We are not a democratic state anymore.' The election redo is a crossroads moment for Romania as it seeks to restore its democracy and retain its geopolitical alliances, which have become strained since the cancelled election fiasco. The decision to annul the election and the ban on Mr Georgescu's candidacy drew criticism from US vice president JD Vance, Elon Musk and Russia, which publicly supported his candidacy in the rerun.
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
NATO Fighter Jets Scrambled After Long-Range Russian Strikes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NATO forces scrambled four fighter jets overnight after Russia launched long-range drone attacks close to Ukraine's border with Romania. Romania is investigating whether a Russian drone crossed up to 500 meters into NATO airspace "for a very short period of time," Bucharest's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. The Romanian government said its military had activated an air alert in the southeastern Tulcea region after Moscow launched a "series of drone attacks on civilian targets and port infrastructure" in western Ukraine. F-16 fighter jets of the Romanian Air Force take part in an exhibition in Bucharest, Romania, in 2024. F-16 fighter jets of the Romanian Air Force take part in an exhibition in Bucharest, Romania, in 2024. AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda Two Romanian F-16 fighter jets took off from an air base southwest of Tulcea, and two Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets took off from the Mihail Kogălniceanu air base, Bucharest said. Tulcea sits directly across the border from the Ukrainian port of Izmail, which Russia has repeatedly attacked. The Danube River marks the border between the two countries, just north of Tulcea. This is a breaking story. More to follow.
