CHATEAUROUX, FRANCE // British cycling fans endured a day of mixed emotions as Team Sky leader Bradley Wiggins crashed out of the Tour de France before Mark Cavendish replicated his first Tour de France victory in a seventh-stage success in Chateauroux.
Wiggins, who finished fourth in the 2009 Tour, tumbled to the tarmac with around 40 kilometres of the 218km stage from Le Mans to Chateauroux remaining, suffering a broken collarbone and forcing him to abandon a race he began with high hopes.
Dave Brailsford, the Team Sky manager, confirmed the injury and described it as "a clean break".
"He couldn't get back on his bike and it was clearly broken, so we're all gutted because we had high hopes of getting him on the podium," Brailsford said.
"It's obviously a devastating day for the team. He's in great shape, team leader, it's the end of his Tour. It's a shame we never got to see him going in the mountains. He was in the form of his life."
Brailsford said he expected Wiggins to be healed in time for the world championships in Copenhagen later this year. "There's no reason why he can't get back into the phenomenal shape he's in now. We absolutely believe he can do that."
Wiggins, who had been sixth in the standings before yesterday's stage, was one of about 20 riders caught near the back of the peloton with 38km to go of the stage. Wiggins, who was holding his left arm, grimaced in pain after the crash as he walked around in small circles, looking disorientated.
Organisers announced that Wiggins had pulled out several minutes later. He was then taken away in an ambulance.
Now Brailsford must designate a new team leader for the rest of the race.
The veteran American rider, Chris Horner, was also caught as several riders went down in the crash, but the 39-year-old RadioShack rider was able to continue.
Tyler Farrar, winner of Monday's third stage, also went down, but the Garmin-Cervelo rider was unharmed as he climbed back on to his saddle and sped off.
The first week of the Tour has seen several crashes, with the three-time defending champion, Alberto Contador of Spain, fortunate to escape with minor cuts and bruises after crashing on Wednesday's fifth stage.
At the front, Cavendish secured victory in his trademark style: in a sprint duel.
The victory was the 17th Tour stage win in the career of the Isle of Man rider, taking him to eighth on the all-time list. His first Tour stage victory had come on the same road in Chateauroux in 2008.
"It's a very special day for me," he said. "It was here where I won my first stage and so it's a very sentimental moment.
"I have to thank the guys for all their work today. It was a hard, windy day, and the guys rode hard for me all the way through. They were marvellous."
Cavendish, 26, who also won Wednesday's fifth stage in Cap Frehel, finished ahead of Alessandro Petacchi and his former teammat,e Andre Greipel, who were second and third, respectively.
Thor Hushovd retained the race leader's yellow jersey ahead of Cadel Evans.
Today's eighth stage is 189km in length, between Aigurande and Super-Besse Sancy.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
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Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
Kill%20
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