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SPORTS enthusiasts are enjoying a feast of international action this summer. The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia is coming to a climax on the rugby field and cricket-lovers can soon savour the commencement of the Ashes.
On the tennis front, Wimbledon is entering the business phase of the tournament with seeds falling amidst claims they are entering the autumn of their careers while, despite being overshadowed by the comments of past cycling drug cheats, the Tour de France set off in Corsica (the first time the race has visited the Mediterranean Island), celebrating its 100th event.
At this stage the least predictable of these events has to be Le Tour. One hundred and ninety-eight riders split into 22 teams will compete for three weeks comprising 21 stages over 3,403km, including two individual time trials (stages), one team time trial (stage) and six mountainous stages, of which four finish at the summit.
Let’s hope they put plenty of pre-tournament training in around Bahrain City Centre’s car parks!
Last year’s race winner, Bradley Wiggins, the first Briton to win the event, has succumbed to injury and will not be competing. His replacement as favourite is another Brit, Chris Froome, while another, Mark Cavendish, is chasing the green jersey awarded to the best sprinter.
However, he fell at the first hurdle in one of the most chaotic of finishes ever experienced. The actual finish was moved as a team bus got stuck on the line with riders told the race would be 3km shorter, only to revert to the original finish when the bus was able to reverse out of trouble.
Coinciding with this was a mass pile-up taking out all of the leading sprinters, leaving German rider, Marcel Vittel, the unlikely winner and claimant of the yellow jersey.
Corsica, with its narrow and winding roads was anticipated to create problems for the riders, but not like this. It adds to the unpredictability of the race in which anyone can crash and instantaneously end their hopes.
Unless you’re a tour addict the main stages to watch are:
* Stage 8 (July 6) – The tour enters the Pyrenees with two large climbs including a summit finish at the end of a 7.8km run-in featuring gradients as steep as 10.5 per cent. This should be the first stage when we see the main contenders come to the fore.
*Stage 11 (July 10) – A 33km individual time-trial featuring the causeway to Mont St. Michael. This should be close unless it rains meaning the better technical riders could gain time.
*Stage 15 (July 14) – Bastille Day in France always brings the local riders to the front of a breakaway. Not only is this the longest day at 242.5km but also finishes atop the feared Mont Ventoux, first used on the Tour in 1951.
*Stage 17 (July 17) – Another individual time trial although this time it’s a mountainous version! Another opportunity for the specialists to gain valuable seconds.
*Stage 18 (July 18) – The big one, in more ways than one! The riders have to climb Alpe D’Huez – twice – finishing at the summit!
*Stage 20 (July 20) – The last opportunity for anyone to make a move on the leaderboard. If it’s close at this point the five climbs on this short stage and summit finish could be decisive.
* Stage 21 (July 21) – Usually a procession for the overall contender but the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish, will be eyeing a fifth successive sprint victory on the Champs Elysees making him the first to achieve the feat. The delayed start should provide the ten laps of the French capital with a spectacular sunset finish.
Froome, riding for Team Sky, is the overall favourite. However, many are unaware that the Olympic silver medallist and runner-up to Wiggins last year, carries a rare blood disease, bilharzia, contracted as a child while fishing in Kenya. This requires painful treatment twice a year although the condition can recur at any time. However, his form has been strong with four wins already this season.
Spain provides the majority of the other contenders with rehabilitated drug-cheat, Alberto Contador, the closest of his challengers. However, the steep climbs involved in this year’s centenary may allow specialists Sammy Sanchez, Joaquim Rodriguez or Alejandro Valverde opportunities to attack.
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Wimbledon looks more predictable with so many of the top players having withdrawn through injury or being subject to shock defeats.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both exited the tournament with Nadal falling in the first round for the first time in his career. Unfortunately his conqueror, Steve Darcis, ended up withdrawing due to a shoulder injury. Federer fell in the second to the Ukrainian, Stakhovsky, despite winning 24 games in the four sets.
While a number of Brits fell in the first round, less expected was the fact that no American made it through either for the first time since 1912!
John Isner, Marin Cilic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also withdrew leaving Britain’s Andy Murray with one of the ‘easiest” draws he could have dreamt of until the final. The highest ranking player he can now face ahead of the final is No. 22 Juan Monaco, although the greater threat could come from the man ranked two seeds lower, Jerzy Janowicz. At 6’8” he has a colossal serve and also moves well. His greatest threat is his temper which leads to an inconsistency that could cost him over five sets, as witnessed in Australia earlier this year.
If he makes it that far, it will be Murray’s fourth successive Grand Slam final. He is likely to face world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Ironically, prior to the tournament, he was facing questions about the ease of his draw. However, he could still face tough questions from 2010 finalist, Tomas Berdych or eighth seed, Juan Martin del Potro, who beat Djokovic in the bronze medal match at the Olympics last year.
On the female side of the competition, you can’t look past Michelle Larcher de Brito’s breathtaking victory over Maria Sharapova as the pick of the upsets.
As in the men’s draw, the withdrawal of top seeds have opened it up. Second seed Victoria Azarenka, also withdrew with a knee injury, blaming the poor condition of the grass. However, other players were quick to defend the courts of SW19, with Tim Henman, former British No. 1 and Bahrain golfer, advising: “You need to be much gentler and lighter on grass and skip over the surface. You can’t be so dependent on pushing off. I think the players are trying to do the same things they do on a hard court and they can’t do that on grass.”
British hopes have been kept alive by the gutsy progress of Laura Robson whose career highlights include victories over Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters. Clearly preferring the high-profile contests, it’s still difficult to see her getting to the final.
Abu’s predictions:
Rugby Union: I’m sticking with the Lions who will benefit from having a rest this week.
Ashes: Australia have some potential match-winners although perhaps lack the consistency currently to last the distance – England.
Tour de France: Team Sky pay tremendous attention to detail and have a solid team so I’m sticking with Froome.
Wimbledon:
Men – He lost in the final at Wimbledon last year but won the Olympics gold and followed that with his first Grand Slam – Murray.
Women – Sabine Lisciki.
