As Mike Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) closed in on Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) on the upper slopes of the Puy de Dôme, French TV commentators could not stop repeating how brilliantly the Canadian climbing veteran had managed to time his ascent of the brutally difficult climb.
“He was two minutes down on Jorgenson at the bottom and he’s going to get come past him just in time near the top to win,” they pointed out.
That much was true. But as Woods told reporters after becoming the first non-European to triumph on the Puy de Dôme in the race’s 12 ascents, his managing to catch Jorgenson was not something he had calculated on being able to do. In fact, up until that point, just the opposite was true.
“I wish I could say it was all planned, I had wanted to be up front with Jorgenson when he attacked,” Woods said. “But it was just the way the cards played out.”
“I knew I was probably the most marked man in the group and didn’t play my cards super right. When I got to four kilometres to go” – and the steepest part of the ascent – “I didn’t even think about the win, just about time trialling it all the way to the top and getting the best result I could.”
When Johnny Weltz won on the Puy de Dôme back in 1988, the last time the Tour tackled the race, the Dane was a second-year pro. 35 years on, Woods admitted that at 36, he wasn’t quite inside the last chance saloon to get a Tour de France stage, but as he put it
“I was starting to feel the window was closing. But this was my career goal, the greatest result I’ve ever had.”
“I’m turning 37 this year, so I’m not getting any younger. And that the dream has come true now – I’m super proud and really grateful. I feel so fortunate to have so many great people behind – my family, my wife, my parents, my team…”
Woods said that the experience of racing on the Puy de Dôme, bereft of fans in the interests of nature conservation, both took him back to the years of COVID-19, when roadside supporters were also barred from the race, and to his first of two Vuelta a España wins, on the brutally steep Balcon de Bizkaia climb deep in the Basque Country.
“The thing was, it was deafening up to five kilometres to go, and then when the barriers started, it was silence, you were alone with your thoughts, trying to pick off the guys one by one.”
“It was a really cool climb, you could see it from ways away, it was so unique because there were no fans. It was almost like COVID racing a few years ago – so a beautiful climb, really cool climb.”
The rolling approach through central France, and then the ascent of the Puy de Dôme brought back memories of his 2018 Vuelta a España stage duel against Dylan Teuns five years ago at BMC, but now a teammate with Woods, racing alongside the Canadian at the Tour.
“Today was possibly one of the hardest climbs I could do, everybody was riding so hard throughout and we had those attacks from 60 kilometres to go. In 2018 in the Vuelta, when Teuns attacked I had to come back on him and suffer through those final metres. So in that sense, it was like the Puy de Dôme today.”
Woods was interrupted at one point during his press conference by Israel teammates Simon Clark – himself a stage winner in last year’s Tour – and fellow Canadian Hugo Houle, giving a victory hug and recounting how the race radio blackout on the Puy de Dôme had prevented them from knowing he had won.
But Woods delight at his first Tour de France triumph, and Israel-Premier Tech’s first WorldTour win of the 2023 season into the bargain, was plain to see in any case. And to take it on an ascent as mythical as Puy de Dôme only made it even more special.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
