Romain Bardet very close to the Grail on the Giro, European finals with a very French accent in rugby… The sports weekend, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May, was marked by several flashes from the French, even if this is not the case of Tony Yoka, beaten for the first time in his career. Quite the opposite of Novak Djokovic, ruthless at the Masters 1000 in Rome.
Giro: Romain Bardet positions himself
Appearing among the favorites of the Giro, Romain Bardet does not yet see life in pink in La Botte, but hope is high. After nine stages, the Frenchman from Team DSM is indeed just 14 seconds behind the head of the general classification, still occupied by Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo). The former AG2R La Mondiale climber, preceded by Joao Almeida by two seconds, took advantage of the first big arrival at the top, that of the Blockhaus in the Appenines, to gauge the competition.
After benefiting from the work of Richard Carapaz’s teammates (Ineos Grenadiers), and responding himself to the latter’s attack, Romain Bardet was the most restless of the trio of favorites who emerged on the slopes of the Blockhaus. But the Frenchman couldn’t get away from Carapaz and Landa (Bahrain Victorious). It was finally during a six-man sprint that Bardet crossed the line in second position. Frustrating, but also promising for the rest of the Giro.
Yoka, conquest at half mast
First (big) setback in the career of Tony Yoka, beaten for the first time among the pros. One could mock the coated physique of his adversary, Martin Bakole, and claim that once again Yoka was not going to face a real pugilist. It was bad knowledge of boxing. Better ranked than the Frenchman in the world hierarchy of heavyweights, the Congolese recalled that a very wide technical palette and that elegance are not enough in the face of punch. Boxing is sometimes as basic as that. “I have to get back to work”, humbly conceded the Habs after losing on points.
La Rochelle, Lyon and Toulon in the final, Toulouse on the sidelines
The weight of this semi-final was too heavy for Stade Toulousain to bear. Exhausted by a grueling end to the season, battered by injuries, the Reds and Blacks were chopped up by Leinster. The Irish province, provider of most of the XV of Clover, played against Stade who only believed in it at the start of the match after a new personal exploit by Antoine Dupont. Alas, remained without follow-up. The rest, precisely, it is La Rochelle who will be responsible for writing it in the final. After overthrowing Racing in the semi-finals (20-13), the Maritimes will play their second final in a row.
If La Rochelle were to win in this Champions Cup, French rugby would then be sure to sign a resounding double since victory in the Challenge Cup will go to a French club, Lyon or Toulon. To reach the final scheduled for May 27 in Marseille, Lou first defeated London Wasps on Saturday, before being joined later in the day by RCT, winner of Saracens. On the balance sheet, French rugby therefore places three clubs in the final of the two European cups. A few months after the coronation of the Blues in the Six Nations Tournament, and as the home World Cup looms, the cry of the rooster rings out again.
Djokovic takes his marks before Roland-Garros
The fabulous story of the thousand and one nights, Serbian version. This time, the hero is called Novak Djokovic, and the plot takes place in the eternal city, racket in hand. On the clay courts of Rome, a stone’s throw from the Stadio Olimpico, the world number one enforced the hierarchy this weekend. The emperor of world tennis first swept Denmark’s Casper Ruud in the semi-final on Saturday (6-4, 6-3), his 1,000th career victory, before facing soldier Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final on Sunday.
But the Greek warrior, who fell the day before the German Zverev, did not last long in the arena. Swept 6-0 in the first set, he revolted in the second, pushing Djokovic to the tie-break (7-6). But the Serb was untouchable in Rome, where he signed his sixth victory, the 87th of his career. A good omen, a week before the defense of his Parisian crown, on the clay courts of Roland-Garros.
Fear Greens and Twilight Scapular
The 1970s and 80s are a long way off. We know it and reading the Ligue 1 classification, Sunday morning after the 37th day, only confirms it. Kings of these two decades, the clubs of Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux are now outdated teams. Like these cult singers of an era but who have not been able to renew themselves. If, for ASSE, 19th, there remains a hope of competing in Metz, antepenultimate, the place of play-off, everything leads to believe that the Girondins will be doomed to the omissions of relegation.
While the Bordelais have a clearly unfavorable goal difference (-12 compared to the 18th Messin), it would take more than a miracle, that is to say a wide victory of difference combined with defeats of their two rivals , so that Bordeaux is maintained. Suffice to say that mass is almost said in Gironde, and coach David Guion himself pronounced the last rites on the evening of the draw at home against Lorient (0-0): “We deserve what’s happening to us.”
Another monument in danger, Saint-Etienne, beaten at home by Reims on Saturday (1-2), will play its head in Nantes during the last day, while Metz will travel to Paris to face PSG there. The Greens, who are no longer in control of their destiny, could thus join Bordeaux in Ligue 2 and create a big void in the championship, suddenly stripped of two of its most emblematic clubs.