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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday July 4, 2015
Tour de France begins today
Cavendish ready to bulk up with more stage wins By Martyn Herman UTRECHT, Netherlands (Reuters) Mark Cavendish’s daughter thinks he looks skinny but the Manx Missile will be hoping to bulk up on Tour de France stage wins when the 102nd edition of the race begins today. The 30-year-old Etixx-QuickStep rider is third on the all-time list for stage wins on the Tour with 25, three behind Bernard Hinault and nine shy of the great Eddy Merckx. But for a high-speed crash in the first stage of last year’s race, in his mother’s home town of Harrogate, Briton Cavendish might already be closer to 30 victories. Not that he is greedy, just excited to be in prime condition for the Tour, a year after not even making it to stage two. “My three-year-old daughter, Delilah, just said, ‘Daddy, you look skinny.’ So I couldn’t care less what my team directors say before @letour
now,” the 30-year-old said on Twitter. Talking to reporters in Utrecht yesterday, close to where today’s Prologue
Mark Cavendish of Britain (C) celebrates on the podium after winning the Kuurne-BrusselsKuurne cycling race March 1, 2015. (Reuters/Eric Vidal) begins in the historic Dutch city of Utrecht, Cavendish said while he wants to add to his haul he already has a ca-
reer’s worth of wins, many times over. “I’ve won stages in most of the Tours I’ve competed in and I’d like to add more than one stage to that haul,” he said. “But winning one stage in the Tour in a career makes a rider’s career, let alone one a year.” Marcel Kittel, the man who sped to victory in the Tour’s first stage last year as Cavendish lay in agony on the ground with a shoulder injury that meant he had to abandon, is missing from the start list in Utrecht because of ill-health. “There are 200 riders on the start line and take any one of them away and it increases my chances of winning a stage,” Cavendish said, downplaying Kittel’s absence. Asked whether he would miss having his fierce rival on his shoulder in the bunch sprints, Cavendish simply said: “I’ve missed the Tour much more. Sitting watching it at home last year after crashing was not easy.”
Australia’s Faulkner charged with drink-driving LONDON, England (Reuters) - Australia all-rounder James Faulkner has been charged with drink-driving by Greater Manchester Police, Cricket Australia said yesterday. The 25-year-old has been released on bail and will face a court hearing in Manchester on July 21 after he returned a blood alcohol reading of around twice the legal limit. Faulkner, who helped Australia win this year’s 50-over World Cup, has been playing for English county Lancashire this season. “I have made contact with James to understand the facts of the matter,” Cricket Australia executive general manager of team performance Pat How-
JAMES FAULKNER
ard said in a statement. “It is clear he made a very poor decision to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking and that decision had potential to cause serious harm to him and others.” Faulkner apologised for his behaviour. “I can’t excuse my actions and understand that I have let people down,” he said. “My decision to drive was an error in judgement. “I apologise unreservedly and accept any penalty handed to me by Cricket Australia and the relevant authorities.” Faulkner was not selected for Lancashire’s Twenty20 Blast match against Yorkshire later yesterday.
NOTABLE DATES
MASTER of the boxing art, Lennox Beckles, was adjudged winner on points in a fight against Trinidadian Levi Campbell on July 3, 1964. The fight was held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and was the third of seven the 21-year-old Guyanese had that year. It also marked the start of a four-fight winning streak. The next month Beckles was back in Trinidad to battle Simple Simon. That contest was also won by points after 10 rounds. Compatriot Caesar Barrow was next in line. However, Beckles by that time had run out of patience and
Barrow was stopped in the first round. Venezuelan Alciro Valentine followed and Beckles won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds. That event was also held in Trinidad. The winning streak was brought to a halt when he met Johnny De Peiza on November 27, 1964. The Trinidadian won on points to hand the Guyanese his second defeat. Beckles made an unsuccessful attempt at the Commonwealth welterweight title in October 1967 and permanently hung up his gloves in May 1979 after losing to Brian Muller, who at 24, was 12 years Beckles’ junior.
Barbados open Regional U-17 title defence against Windwards ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Reigning champions Barbados will launch the defence of their title against Windward Islands, when the Regional Under-17 Championship bowls off next Tuesday in Tobago. Last year when Barbados topped the tables to capture the third edition of the tournament also played in Tobago, their only loss came to the Windwards, and they will be wary of their opponents when the contest bowls off at Canaan. They will follow up with a second round clash against Leeward Islands at the same venue on Wednesday before squaring off with Guyana at Shaw Park in Tobago, starting two days later. Barbados and hosts Trinidad and Tobago do battle in the fourth round starting on July 12 and the defending champs will close out their campaign two days later against Jamaica. In other first-round fixtures, Leeward Islands face T&T at Louis D’or while Guyana and Jamaica clash at Shaw Park. The Regional Under-17 Championship is staged by the West Indies Cricket Board and features 50-overs per side matches. SCHEDULE ROUND 1 – Tuesday, July 7 Leeward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Louis D’Or Windward Islands vs Barbados at Canaan Guyana vs Jamaica at Shaw Park ROUND 2 – Wednesday, July 8 Barbados vs Leeward Islands at Canaan Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica at Shaw Park Guyana vs Windward Islands at Louis D’Or ROUND 3 – Friday, July 10 Jamaica vs Leeward Islands at Louis D’Or Barbados vs Guyana at Shaw Park Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Canaan ROUND 4 – Sunday, July 12 Guyana vs Leeward Islands at Canaan Jamaica vs Windward Islands at Shaw Park Trinidad & Tobago vs Barbados at Louis D’Or ROUND 5 – Tuesday, July 14 Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands at Canaan Trinidad & Tobago vs Guyana at Mount Pleasant Barbados vs Jamaica at Shaw ParkLee.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday July 04, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz:
(1) 234 runs (2) Dwayne Smith (20); Evin Lewis (19); Marlon Samuels (18); Andre Russell (16)
Today’s Quiz:
Which two of these players were not a part of the Warriors’ inaugural CPL game? VeerasammyPermaul; Steven Jacobs; Lendl Simmons; NarsinghDeonarine; Trevon Griffith (2)How many games have been played at the National Stadium, Providence?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue