8 h. ago Pogacar and Vingegaard renew Tour rivalry in tricky and tortuous opening

The Slovenian is aiming to hammer home his recent supremacy when the pair lock in battle through the raceIt was not so long ago that Tadej Pogacar was Jonas Vingegaard’s whipping boy. It came on the brutal Col de la Loze, in July 2023, when the Slovenian, dropped by another violent Vingegaard acceleration, announced wearily into his team radio: “I’m gone, I’m dead.”By last summer, as the recent Netflix series Unchained reveals, the tables had turned. Pogacar barked angry insults at the Dane after Vingegaard refused to make the pace with him on the gravel stage around Troyes. He went on to dominate the race and win his third Tour de France by more than six minutes. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Tour de France team boss Jonathan Vaughters blasts UCI over rider safety

Cycling’s governing body accused of dangerous inaction‘People with real knowledge are pushed to the outside’A leading Tour de France team manager, Jonathan Vaughters, has launched a scathing attack on cycling’s governing body on the eve of the race, accusing the UCI of being “unable to make good decisions when it comes to safety or the governance of the sport”.Vaughters, who leads EF Education-Easypost and raced in four Tours as a professional, described cycling’s governing body as “managed by politicians and bureaucrats who do not understand the reality of the sport” and added that “they were put in place by the votes of other politicians who have never had their skin ripped off by the road”. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Spain dazzle, Ada delivers and England prepare for France – Women’s Football Weekly

Faye Carruthers is joined by Tom Garry, Sophie Downey and Tim Stillman to review the opening games of Euro 2025 and preview England and Wales’ tough starts in Group DOn the podcast today: Euro 2025 is officially under way, and it’s Spain who’ve set the pace with a dominant 5-0 win over Portugal. Elsewhere, Italy edges Belgium to stake their claim as dark horses, and Ada Hegerberg’s 50th international goal helps Norway stun hosts Switzerland.There’s a shock win for Finland over Iceland, Vicky López announces herself on the big stage, and we learn a lot about cheese, fondue, and Swiss wine along the way. Continue reading...

Politics

15 h. ago Why the dominance of Tadej Pogacar and the ‘big four’ will warp the 2025 Tour de France

Pogacar will be the outstanding favourite for the yellow jersey when the Tour de France begins in Lille on Saturday, and his attacking style will leave the rest of the peloton feeding off scraps

Events

18 h. ago France seeking end to years of hurt and internal conflicts at Euro 2025

Squad strife and a lack of team ethic have left a talented nation laden with doubt as they hunt a first major trophy“I want people to stop asking me: ‘Why haven’t France won anything when you’re one of the best teams in the world?’” Marie-Antoinette Katoto, like all her teammates, has only one dream this summer: to win the Euros.To do that, though, they have to come to terms with a history of tournament failures with the most recent one coming at the home Olympics last year, when they were knocked out by Brazil at the quarter-final stage. “We have had opportunities and twice failed to win it at home in France. We have to have the humility to admit that,” admits Sakina Karchaoui, one of the team’s vice-captains, referring also to the 2019 World Cup on home soil, when they lost to the USA in the quarter-finals. Continue reading...

Events

21 h. ago The Tour de France’s version of VAR? Get ready for yellow card controversy

Aggressive, dangerous or unsporting behaviour will be subject to review, as will ‘anything that arouses suspicion’The 2025 Tour de France could see yellow cards issued for bad behaviour by riders thanks to cycling’s answer to football’s VAR. Every touch of shoulders, switch of wheels, dramatic acceleration and multilingual insult in the peloton will be scrutinised by a growing number of in-race cameras and UCI commissaires.As part of the UCI’s bid to expand its repertoire of disciplinary and investigative tools, cards can be awarded for everything from celebrating a teammate’s win to riding on the pavement. The card system was trialled last year and is now being integrated into World Tour racing. Continue reading...

Politics

38 h. ago Dave Brailsford is back leading Ineos Grenadiers on the hunt for Tour de France stage wins

The old boss has returned from his stint trying to revive Manchester United but faces another huge challenge pulling Ineos Grenadiers out of the doldrums

Events

44 h. ago Tour de France Odds: Latest 2025 Tour de France Betting Odds

Find the latest Tour de France odds ahead of the 112th edition starting on Saturday, 5 July

Politics

44 h. ago Dominant Pogačar and resurgent Vingegaard set to ignite Tour de France

Tadej Pogačar is the favorite to win this year’s Tour de France

Politics

47 h. ago Pogacar chases quadruple, Thomas bids farewell – 5 Tour de France talking points

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar is chasing his fourth crown.

Politics

57 h. ago ‘Like a kid in a sweet shop’: Brailsford back calling shots at Ineos Grenadiers

Former team principal will be present at Tour de FranceJohn Allert says 61-year-old ‘a not-so-secret weapon’Dave Brailsford has returned to a leading role at Ineos Grenadiers on the eve of the 2025 Tour de France, calling the shots on team selection and performance objectives, barely a month after he stepped back from his role at Manchester United.“Dave’s definitely coming to the Tour,” John Allert, the team CEO, said. “He’s like a kid in a sweet shop, talking about climbs and getting back to the mountains. That’s the battlefield that he knows and loves.” Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Quel triomphe! Tour de France celebrates 50 years of finishes on Champs

From LeMond’s astonishing comeback to Cavendish’s four victories, the final dash up the great avenue is now part of race folkloreIt is impossible now to conceive of the Tour de France without two things: the race leader’s yellow jersey and the finale on the Champs-Élysées, a spectacle that is half a century old this summer. The finish has moved away from the great avenue once in the last 50 years, during the Olympic buildup in 2024, and the Tour cannot really be imagined without that final dash up the great avenue with its high-end shops and cafes, its gardens and plane trees.The Tour had always finished in Paris, postwar on the velodromes at the Parc des Princes and the Cipale velodrome in the Bois de Vincennes, and it had frequently used the Champs for a ceremonial start; the idea for an “apotheosis” on the great avenue seems to have been inspired by the 1974 Giro d’Italia, which included a circuit race within Milan. The suggestion came from a television presenter, Yves Mourosi, w...

Politics

5 d. ago Glastonbury 2025: Sunday with Olivia Rodrigo’s headline set plus the Prodigy, Rod Stewart and more – follow it live

The festival reaches its final day, featuring a crowd-pleasing afternoon of legends on the Pyramid stage, plus the Prodigy, Wolf Alice and Kate NashIt is mercifully overcast at Worthy Farm today, without the heat that’s been oppressing festivalgoers so far this weekend. That makes for a pleasant setting at the Pyramid stage to see Mercury prize-nominated and Brit rising star award-winner Celeste. She is preparing to release her sophomore album Woman of Faces, nearly five years after her debut Not Your Muse instantly topped the UK album charts. She says that she did not expect it to take this long for her follow-up, but that“everything happens when it’s supposed to”.With her brilliantly smoky, soulful vocals, Celeste invokes the likes of Billie Holiday, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, yet her distinctly English lilt provides a girl-next-door entry point to her magnificence. The emotion in her voice and in her songs is so overflowing that she repeatedly flaps her arms, as if shaking...

Events

5 d. ago Glastonbury 2025: Sunday with Olivia Rodrigo’s headline set plus Chic, Rod Stewart and more – follow it live

The festival reaches its final day, featuring a crowd-pleasing afternoon of legends on the Pyramid stage, and Prodigy, Wolf Alice and Kate Nash elsewhereIt is mercifully overcast at Worthy Farm today, without the heat that’s been oppressing festivalgoers so far this weekend. That makes for a pleasant setting at the Pyramid stage to see Mercury prize-nominated and Brit rising star award-winner Celeste. She is preparing to release her sophomore album Woman of Faces, nearly five years after her debut Not Your Muse instantly topped the UK album charts. She says that she did not expect it to take this long for her follow-up, but that“everything happens when it’s supposed to”.With her brilliantly smoky, soulful vocals, Celeste invokes the likes of Billie Holiday, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, yet her distinctly English lilt provides a girl-next-door entry point to her magnificence. The emotion in her voice and in her songs is so overflowing that she repeatedly flaps her arms, as if sh...

Events

5 d. ago Glastonbury 2025: Sunday with Wolf Alice, Rod Stewart, Olivia Rodrigo and more – follow it live!

The festival reaches its final day, featuring a crowd-pleasing afternoon of legends on the Pyramid stage, with the likes of the Libertines and Celeste kicking things offIt is mercifully overcast at Worthy Farm today, without the heat that’s been oppressing festivalgoers so far this weekend. That makes for a pleasant setting at the Pyramid stage to see Mercury prize-nominated and Brit rising star award-winner Celeste. She is preparing to release her sophomore album Woman of Faces, nearly five years after her debut Not Your Muse instantly topped the UK album charts. She says that she did not expect it to take this long for her follow-up, but that“everything happens when it’s supposed to”.With her brilliantly smoky, soulful vocals, Celeste invokes the likes of Billie Holiday, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, yet her distinctly English lilt provides a girl-next-door entry point to her magnificence. The emotion in her voice and in her songs is so overflowing that she repeatedly flaps he...

Events

6 d. ago Richard Carapaz ruled out of Tour de France with stomach bug

Reigning king of the mountains out of 2025 raceEcuadorian will turn attention to Vuelta a EspañaRichard Carapaz, the reigning Tour de France king of the mountains, will miss this year’s race after developing a gastrointestinal infection training at home in Ecuador.“Last week, he began experiencing abdominal pain and a high fever,” his EF team said on their website. “[Doctors] have advised against long-haul travel and competition at this time. As a result, Richard will not take part in this year’s Tour de France.” Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Sir Mark Cavendish ‘proud’ to have Douglas cycle track named in his honour

The track at the National Sports Centre where he first started racing as a child has been renamed the Sir Mark Cavendish Raceway.

Politics

7 d. ago Sir Mark Cavendish Raceway renamed in honour of Manx sprinter

The 35-time Tour de France stage winner returned to where he began racing competitively to unveil the new name

Sport

7 d. ago ‘He reminds me of Raul’: Xabi Alonso lauds young Real Madrid striker after Club World Cup win

The Los Blancos boss celebrated his team’s group stage win with praise for Gonzalo Garcia

Events

9 d. ago Club World Cup: Inter send River Plate home as all four Brazilian clubs reach last 16

Italian club progress to knockout round with 2-0 winFluminense complete a full Brazilian contingent in round of 16Inter Milan scored twice in the last 18 minutes to beat River Plate 2-0 and progress to the knockout stage of the Club World Cup as Group E winners and send the Argentine side home.Francesco Pio Esposito scored Inter’s first goal seven minutes after River had been reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of Lucas Martínez Quarta, and Alessandro Bastoni added the second in stoppage time. Continue reading...

Society