Idaho’s Matteo Jorgenson gave it all for a Tour de France he could never win – and triumphed anyway

Tadej Pogačar’s victory looked certain as he flew up Butte Montmartre for the second of three times on the Tour de France’s final stage. His lead in the race’s general classification (GC) stood at four minutes and 27 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard, more than 10 minutes clear of everybody else, and GC times had been frozen for the final stage. He had won four stages already; that he hadn’t won at least six seemed more his choice than anybody else’s. There was no need to be at the front here, to add a fifth cherry atop the ice cream, but Pogačar’s unquenchable competitive spirit demanded an attempt. He stamped on his pedals on the cobblestoned hill, scything riders off the back of the bunch

Amber Anning: ‘Gold is always the goal. Get to the final and then whatever happens, happens’

After the sorrow of 2021, the world indoor 400m champion is determined to finally take her chance to race in Toyko “That was quite tough to take,” says Amber Anning, thinking back to the selection process for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She finished eighth – “dead last” – in the 400m at the British championships and was the only woman in the relay pool not to go to the Games. “But Tokyo’s always been on my list, even outside of track. The blossom trees are something I’ve always wanted to go see.”For this weekend’s British trials in Birmingham, where spots for September’s world championships in the Japanese capital are up for grabs, Anning is the favourite and defending champion, not to mention the world indoor title holder

Blair Kinghorn and James Ryan to start in final Lions Test against Australia

Blair Kinghorn and James Ryan have been named to start for the British & Irish Lions in their third Test against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday as Andy Farrell’s side seek to wrap up a series whitewash.Kinghorn is selected on the left wing with James Lowe dropping out of the 23 while Ryan replaces Ollie Chessum, who has been named on the bench. Kinghorn impressed as a replacement in the last-gasp victory in Melbourne last week and though he is a fullback by trade, he often appears on the wing for Toulouse.Ryan also caught the eye off the bench at the MCG and comes into the starting XV alongside Maro Itoje, who continues as captain. Ryan is one of nine Ireland players selected along with Tadhg Furlong who will equal Alun Wyn Jones in starting nine consecutive Tests for the Lions

Nic White called on to inspire Australia for third Lions Test in Sydney

The Wallabies will take inspiration from retiring scrum-half Nic White as they seek to avoid a series whitewash in the third Test against the British & Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday.The veteran announced on Thursday he would retire from international rugby after Saturday’s Test and coach Joe Schmidt has handed him the No 9 jersey for his 73rd Wallabies cap in a nod to his long contribution to Australian rugby.White said it was the right time to “pass on the baton” to players like Jake Gordon and Tate McDermott, who have played ahead of him in the first two Tests.“Pulling on the gold jersey was a dream of mine when I was a young boy in Scone and to say I’ve done it 72 times, with one last crack on Saturday night, is something I’m incredibly proud of and a privilege I’ve never taken for granted,” White said.“Rugby has given me so much to be grateful for

‘King’ Kyle Chalmers out to reassert dominance over princeling upstarts at swimming worlds | Kieran Pender

It is rare to find such a decorated athlete – one with a regal moniker, no less – who still thrives on being the underdog. Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, “King Kyle”, has won just about everything there is to win in international swimming. Yet year after year he returns, somehow still the underdog, somehow ready to spring another upset.In recent days, at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, it has been more of the same. On Sunday, Chalmers anchored Australia’s relay team to an unexpected gold in the men’s 4×100m freestyle relay

Approach to AFLW’s 10th season suggests some remain unconvinced of its value | Jack Snape

Football will return to Victorian free-to-air television on Saturdays to mark the start of the AFLW season, but the first three rounds will be split across Channel Seven’s main and secondary channels in a sign the broadcaster is not fully convinced of the competition’s ability to draw ratings.The AFL has faced criticism this season for its new broadcast deal which has given Saturday’s men’s matches exclusively to Foxtel in Victoria, in an attempt to increase Thursday night coverage on Seven.While Seven is still finalising its AFLW programming, only the season-opening Thursday night double-header of Carlton v Collingwood followed by West Coast v Gold Coast, as well as Sunday afternoon slots, are set be shown to Victorians on Seven’s main channel over the first three rounds.The qualified support for the women’s code from Seven comes as AFL head office seeks to accelerate growth in a competition entering its tenth season, and address negative perceptions about the AFLW.On Tuesday, the AFL chief executive, Andrew Dillon, rejected the language used in a story in the Age earlier this month which claimed the AFL told clubs at a CEOs’ meeting that the AFLW was “losing $50m” each year