A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Martin claims win and yellow jersey
CYCLING: Germany’s Tony Martin claimed victory in the 27km time trial from Rognes to Aix-en-Provence yesterday to also take the Paris-Nice leader’s yellow jersey from compatriot Andreas Kloden.
Martin (HTC-Highroad) clocked 33 minutes 24 seconds to finish 20 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling).
The German’s triumph moved him 36 seconds clear of Kloden – who at 35 is 10 years his senior – in the overall classification, with Wiggins up to third a further three seconds back.
Martin is now hoping he can hold onto the overall lead over the final two stages. “It was tough but now I have the jersey. It was the real goal and I hope to defend it in the next few days.”
Today’s penultimate stage will see the riders tackle the 215km route from Brignoles Biot to Sophia Antipolis before the race concludes in Nice tomorrow.
Joyce beats Valentino in Istanbul
BOXING: David Oliver Joyce recorded his second victory on the trot over current AIBA World champ Dominico Valentino in the World Series of Boxing in Istanbul last night.
Both lightweights met in an Istanbul versus Milan WSB clash in the Turkish capital. Joyce, who is signed with Istanbul, had his hand raised in victory after the fight was stopped after Valentino suffered a cut on his forehead in the third.
Both boxers had shared the opening two frames up to that point, but Joyce got the nod when he went back to the judges. The 2009 EU champ beat Valentino – who was unbeaten in four fights going into Friday’s clash – 8-4 in an Ireland and Italy international in Belfast in March 2001. “I’m delighted with the win, said Joyce, of the St Michael’s Athy club. “There was a bit of talk that it was a home town decision the last time I beat him in Belfast.”
Eight Irish accepted for Badminton's four-star
EQUESTRIAN: Four of the Irish riders who competed in the eventing championships at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky last September are among the eight representing this country whose entries have been accepted for next month’s Badminton international horse trials, writes Margie McLoone. In a change from its usual date of the English May Bank Holiday weekend, the three-day event is running over Easter (April 21st to 25th) with the final show jumping phase taking place on Easter Monday. Badminton is one of just six four-star events held globally each year and entry is based on the ranking points of the horse and rider as a combination. Only 85 horses will be allowed start and there are five Irish pairings on the waiting list.
The combinations which have been accepted are the WEG quartet of Captain Geoff Curran and The Jump Jet, Mark Kyle and Step In Time, Camilla Speirs and Portersize Just A Jiff and Sam Watson with Horseware Bushman. Elizabeth Power, who travelled out to Kentucky but didn’t start in the Games, has again entered Kilpatrick River (31st last year and 11th in 2009) and the other combinations accepted are Aoife Clark and Master Crusoe, Joseph Murphy and Electric Cruise and Michael Ryan with The Old Road. Clark is also on the waiting list with Vaguely North as are Louise Lyons with Murphy’s Miracle and Watership Down, Sarah Wardell and Killeenduff Boy and Mark Kyle with Nitetime Cavalier.
