Club

FIFPro warns of 'wake-up call' over extreme heat at Club World Cup

BY ANDY SCOTT

  • With the 2026 World Cup across North America on the horizon, a FIFPro study warned that six of the 16 venues for next year's tournament present an "extremely high risk" of heat-stress injury for players -- including Miami which is one of the cities hosting games at the Club World Cup.
  • Global footballers' union FIFPro on Monday called for longer half-time breaks at next year's World Cup to mitigate the effects of extreme heat, saying challenges faced by players at the ongoing Club World Cup should be a "wake-up call" for FIFA. Conditions have often been brutal for players at the Club World Cup due to the heat across much of the United States, with coaches of several competing teams complaining about the challenges posed by the temperatures.
  • With the 2026 World Cup across North America on the horizon, a FIFPro study warned that six of the 16 venues for next year's tournament present an "extremely high risk" of heat-stress injury for players -- including Miami which is one of the cities hosting games at the Club World Cup.
Global footballers' union FIFPro on Monday called for longer half-time breaks at next year's World Cup to mitigate the effects of extreme heat, saying challenges faced by players at the ongoing Club World Cup should be a "wake-up call" for FIFA.
Conditions have often been brutal for players at the Club World Cup due to the heat across much of the United States, with coaches of several competing teams complaining about the challenges posed by the temperatures.
With the 2026 World Cup across North America on the horizon, a FIFPro study warned that six of the 16 venues for next year's tournament present an "extremely high risk" of heat-stress injury for players -- including Miami which is one of the cities hosting games at the Club World Cup.
"This tournament is probably a really good wake-up call for everyone to look at the scheduling of matches in future tournaments," said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPro's director of policy and strategic relations.
Many matches during the Club World Cup have kicked off at midday local time or at 3:00 pm. Atletico Madrid's Marcos Llorente complained of conditions being "impossible, a terrible heat" as his team lost 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in searing temperatures in Pasadena.
"We have a couple of tournaments ahead of us where we will look at that side," Bielefeld added, with the World Cup next year now an obvious concern as well as the 2030 tournament set to be played in challenging summer heat in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
The organisation's general secretary, Alex Phillips, said FIFPro had been in discussions with FIFA, world football's governing body, about avoiding playing matches at the hottest times of the day at certain venues.
However, he admitted they cannot ultimately do anything if, for example, FIFA chooses to play matches early in the afternoon in the United States in order to suit a prime-time audience in Europe.
"That is basically what has happened with this tournament. We make a submission not to kick off at certain times, but then we have no veto," said Phillips.
"Based on this experience they are likely to be more flexible but we have no absolute power to force anything.
"We will do our best to try to influence the outcome but without any formal coercive powers."
The union said it was happy with some measures put in place to deal with high temperatures at the Club World Cup, such as making more water and cold towels available by the pitch for players.
"We are partially happy because FIFA have been quite responsive, once the tournament was underway," Phillips said.

Longer half-time break?

Yet Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPro's medical director, suggested that half-time could be extended from 15 minutes to 20 minutes in the event of high temperatures.
He also said that current protocols surrounding drinks breaks should be modified, insisting that stopping games half an hour into each half to allow players to rest and take on fluids was not enough.
"We are looking at more regular cooling breaks, shorter ones, but maybe every 15 minutes," he said.
As well as issues with heat, six matches at the Club World Cup have been hit by lengthy delays due to widely-used rules in the United States that require outdoor sporting events to be halted if there is a chance of thunderstorms.
FIFPro said it understood the inconvenience of those delays to matches but insisted its focus for now was on the dangers of excess temperatures.
"It is at the moment a legal requirement in some US states so I don't think there is much football can do at this point," Bielefeld said of the interruptions.
"Football would always take a health and safety approach.
"If these are the laws then we have to work with it but of course we understand if a coach or players sees it as severely disruptive."
as/rcw

Wimbledon

Alcaraz survives, Sabalenka cruises on Wimbledon's hottest opening day

BY STEVEN GRIFFITHS

  • Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, a Wimbledon semi-finalist for the past two years, suffered a meltdown against France's Benjamin Bonzi.
  • Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener on Monday while Aryna Sabalenka kept her cool to progress on the hottest opening day in the tournament's history.
  • Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, a Wimbledon semi-finalist for the past two years, suffered a meltdown against France's Benjamin Bonzi.
Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener on Monday while Aryna Sabalenka kept her cool to progress on the hottest opening day in the tournament's history.
Temperatures at the All England Club on Monday topped 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous record for the start of the tournament of 29.3 Celsius set in 2001.
Alcaraz dug dip for a 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over 38-year-old Fabio Fognini in a gruelling clash lasting four hours and 37 minutes on Centre Court.
It was first time since Roger Federer narrowly beat Alejandro Falla in 2010 that a defending champion had been taken to a fifth set in the Wimbledon first round.
Alcaraz shrugged off an inconsistent display including 62 unforced errors as the world number two refused to wilt in the heat.
"I don't know why it is probably Fabio's last Wimbledon because the level he has shown shows he can still play for three or four more years," said the Spaniard.
"Playing on Centre Court for the first match of any tournament is never easy. Wimbledon is special and different. I just tried to play my best but I would say that I could play better."
During the match the 22-year-old rushed to help a spectator who had collapsed in the stands, handing over a bottle of water as medics came to the woman's aid.
Alcaraz, who has never lost in a Grand Slam first round in 18 appearances, faces British qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round.
The five-time Grand Slam champion is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.
With players and fans searching for shade from the London heatwave, former England captain David Beckham watched the action from the royal box, alongside ex-England manager Gareth Southgate.
Top women's seed Sabalenka used ice packs to beat the heat during her 6-1, 7-5 victory over Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine on Court One.
The 27-year-old Belarusian is a three-time Grand Slam champion but suffered agonising three-set defeats in this year's Australian Open and French Open finals.
The world number one has never been beyond the Wimbledon semi-finals and missed last year's tournament with a shoulder injury.
"I felt really great. Super grateful to be healthy and ready to compete and to be through the first round," said Sabalenka, who next faces Czech world number 48 Marie Bouzkova.

Mercury soars

Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur broke down in tears before retiring from her first-round match against Viktoriya Tomova for an unspecified reason.
Tunisia's Jabeur was trailing 7-6 (7/5), 2-0 when she brought a premature end to her clash with the Bulgarian world number 111. 
Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, a Wimbledon semi-finalist for the past two years, suffered a meltdown against France's Benjamin Bonzi.
Bonzi won 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 in three hours and seven minutes, with the fuming Russian smashing his racquet against his chair at the end of the match.
Elsewhere, Danish eighth seed Holger Rune threw away a two-set lead to lose to Chilean world number 143 Nicolas Jarry while former finalist Matteo Berrettini crashed out and Stefanos Tsitsipas retired with an injury.
Former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko was beaten 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 by Britain's Sonay Kartal.
Australian Open champion Madison Keys came from a set down to beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-7, (4/7), 7-5, 7-5 but ninth seed Paula Badosa lost in three sets to Britain's Katie Boulter.
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu defeated fellow Briton Mimi Xu 6-3, 6-3 to book a second-round date with 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.
The matches between third seed Alexander Zverev and Arthur Rinderknech and fifth seed Taylor Fritz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard were suspended due to Wimbledon's curfew of 2300 local time.
Wimbledon has a heat rule to safeguard the health of the players.
It allows a 10-minute break to be taken between the second and third sets for women's matches and between the third and fourth sets for men's matches, when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1 degrees Celsius.
smg-jw/iwd

Club

Fluminense stun Inter Milan to reach Club World Cup quarters

  • The Rio de Janeiro outfit, who qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their Copa Libertadores triumph in 2023, become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.
  • Fluminense sent Inter Milan packing from the Club World Cup on Monday with a 2-0 win in Charlotte that took the Brazilian side through to the quarter-finals.
  • The Rio de Janeiro outfit, who qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their Copa Libertadores triumph in 2023, become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.
Fluminense sent Inter Milan packing from the Club World Cup on Monday with a 2-0 win in Charlotte that took the Brazilian side through to the quarter-finals.
German Cano's header from close range gave Fluminense an early lead and they then withstood an onslaught from the Italian side in the second half before substitute Hercules sealed their victory late on.
The Rio de Janeiro outfit, who qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their Copa Libertadores triumph in 2023, become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.
Captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva, 'Flu' will now go to Orlando for a tie on Friday against either Manchester City or Al-Hilal.
It is the latest victory for a Brazilian team against prestigious European opposition at the tournament in the United States, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo got the better of Chelsea in the group stage.
Inter came to the US off the back of their 5-0 defeat by PSG in the UEFA Champions League final at the end of May and with a new coach in Cristian Chivu.
They did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and they found themselves trailing inside three minutes before only just over 20,000 fans at the Bank of America Stadium on another hot afternoon.
A cross from the Fluminense right by Jhon Arias took a deflection off Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni and the ball then bounced awkwardly before veteran Argentine striker Cano arrived to head in through the legs of goalkeeper Yann Sommer from close range.
Ignacio thought he had made it 2-0 before the interval, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
Sommer then tipped a fine curling strike by Arias around the post just after the hour mark, before Inter began to turn up the pressure in an attempt to avoid exiting the competition.
Stefan de Vrij prodded wide from close range after captain Lautaro Martinez had headed down a cross, and the latter then saw a fine shot on the turn from the edge of the box come back off an upright.
Martinez had also been denied by Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio moments earlier, and confirmation that it would not be Inter's day arrived in stoppage time.
On as a substitute, Hercules pounced on a falling ball and drove into the box before firing low into the corner.
Federico Dimarco then hit the woodwork at the other end as Fluminense held out for the victory to keep South American hopes of glory at the tournament firmly alive.
as/rcw

Wimbledon

Tennis fans sizzle as heatwave hits Wimbledon

BY HELEN ROWE

  • It was provisionally the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, according to the Met Office.
  • Tennis devotees armed themselves with hats, sun cream, mini-fans and a sense of humour for the first day of Wimbledon Monday, as the tournament provisionally recorded its hottest ever opener.
  • It was provisionally the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, according to the Met Office.
Tennis devotees armed themselves with hats, sun cream, mini-fans and a sense of humour for the first day of Wimbledon Monday, as the tournament provisionally recorded its hottest ever opener.
"If we sweat, we sweat -- we know each other well," laughed Cathy Butcher, 73, arriving with her daughter Helen.
The retiree said she had a "dodgy hip and my daughter is heavily pregnant" but that they would focus on keeping cool and enjoying the day.
"We're hoping for a cool breeze" and some "great tennis", added her 31-year-old daughter.
It was provisionally the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, according to the Met Office.
The BBC said temperatures at the All England Club had topped 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) by mid-afternoon.
The previous record was set on June 25, 2001, when the mercury tipped 29.3C.
Parts of the UK are currently in the grip of a second heatwave in a month, according to weather experts, with the sweltering temperatures expected to reach 34C in London and southeast England Monday.
London start-up boss Sean Tipper said he had made sure to come prepared after failing to heed warnings before.
"Wimbledon when it's really hot is quite sweaty," he told AFP on a family day out with his wife, mother and aunt.
The 31-year-old said they had brought hats and sunglasses plus "a mini-fan and good hope".
"Last time we were very hot so this time we've got rosé (wine) in a cooler so we can do a better job," he joked.
The hottest June day ever recorded in the UK was 35.6C on June 28, 1976.
But Wimbledon is more used to making headlines for the rain than the heat.

Cooling scarves

Tournament chief executive Sally Bolton said they were "absolutely ready for it and actually delighted that it's sunny and not wet like it was last year".
For Chilean tennis fan Maria Verdugo, 40, there were pros and cons to enjoying tennis in different weather conditions.
"On balance, though, I prefer the sun, it's more exciting," she said, clutching a glass of Pimm's with plenty of ice.
Under a heat rule to protect players' health, officials will be taking heat stress monitor readings 30 minutes before the start of play and then at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) and 5:00 pm.
The rule allows a 10-minute break to be taken at certain points in a match when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1C.
Protocols are also in place to look after ball-boys and ball-girls on court who have access to cooling scarves.
Some visitors admitted they were wilting in the heat.
"It's horrible, unbearable," said retiree Linden Barnett after an hour watching Italy's Fabio Fognini play Spain's Carlos Alcaraz on centre court.
"You can't sit in it, we have to keep coming out to cool down," she said, adding that the players "must be feeling it".
"I need a long cold drink, preferably with gin in it, at least then I'd forget how uncomfortable I am," added youth worker Mel Megson, shielding herself from the relentless sunshine under some shrubbery.
"Some rain would be good -- you'd find me dancing in it," she added.
Despite the scorching heat, hundreds of hardy tennis fans without pre-booked tickets stuck it out in the queue to get in all day.
"We've been waiting since 9:00 am just with a bit of shade and somesun screen," said Sharon Rivera, 48, from Puerto Rico at around 6:00 pm.
"It's been too much, but I'm relieved to finally be near to the end of the line," she said.  
bur-har/giv

club

Only Messi can shirk defending: warns Monterrey coach before Dortmund clash

BY RIK SHARMA

  • - Del Piero's pick - Former Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero even picked Monterrey to go through ahead of Dortmund when making some last 16 predictions.
  • Monterrey coach Domenec Torrent warned his team every player must defend diligently if the Mexican club are to stand any chance of beating Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup last 16 on Tuesday.
  • - Del Piero's pick - Former Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero even picked Monterrey to go through ahead of Dortmund when making some last 16 predictions.
Monterrey coach Domenec Torrent warned his team every player must defend diligently if the Mexican club are to stand any chance of beating Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup last 16 on Tuesday.
The Spanish coach said former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, whose Inter Miami side were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, is the only player in the world who can get away without tracking back.
Monterrey secured an impressive 1-1 draw against Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the group phase, but, to reach the quarter-finals, must secure a first ever win for a Mexican side against European opposition in the competition.
"We need to compete as a team, and what I mean is it's about defending -- we must all defend, if you do not defend, you're getting benched, if you don't abide by the rules, you're harming the team," Torrent told a news conference Monday ahead of the match in Atlanta.
"We played very well against Inter Milan, we went in for every ball, we suffered and we endured, even our most talented players that tend to defend less, they defended very well.
"There are only one or two players who may make a difference -- one is Lionel Messi, the best player in history. He was the only one who could tip the balance, turn the game on its head, without team-mates, without defending.
"He was so good he could tip the balance but all the other players in the world they need to track back and to defend, otherwise you can't compete head-to-head with these teams."
Torrent said the margin of quality between European sides and the rest of the world was smaller, but still evident, although it did not preclude an upset.
"Against the top European teams there is a significant gap, this is the truth of the matter," he explained.
"We have a plan A, plan B and plan C, that's what you need as a coach, many things happen over the course of a football match."
The Mexican side boast a serial winner in former Real Madrid veteran centre-back Sergio Ramos, with the 39-year-old wearing the captain's armband and marshalling the defence.
In attack they have former Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos and striker German Berterame, who netted a brace against Urawa Red Diamonds in the final group game to help them progress second, eliminating Argentine powerhouses River Plate.

Del Piero's pick

Former Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero even picked Monterrey to go through ahead of Dortmund when making some last 16 predictions.
"He's a football world legend, a reference. We thank him, but we don't take it seriously. We know who we are and, on paper, who the favorites are," said Torrent.
"I hope our players haven't heard (that), because what I want to make clear to my players is that we have to fight for every ball, every second -- only in this way can we compete."
Berterame said the team have grown a lot psychologically under Torrent, who was Pep Guardiola's assistant at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City before starting on his own path as a head coach.
"Our mentality and what we've accomplished have made our mindset higher now," explained the forward.
"We have to try to play like we've been playing against Inter or River, maintaining that intensity and that order."
rbs/nf

Wimbledon

Wimbledon qualifier Tarvet vows to get creative with expenses

  • Tarvet can collect $10,000 as well as the expenses he has incurred during the tournament.
  • Britain's Oliver Tarvet aims to be creative with his expenses after the amateur beat fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi in his first Grand Slam match at Wimbledon on Monday.
  • Tarvet can collect $10,000 as well as the expenses he has incurred during the tournament.
Britain's Oliver Tarvet aims to be creative with his expenses after the amateur beat fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi in his first Grand Slam match at Wimbledon on Monday.
The University of San Diego student rose to the occasion, dispatching his Swiss opponent 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
The 21-year-old now has the daunting task of facing Carlos Alcaraz in the second round after the defending champion beat veteran Fabio Fognini.
Tarvet's victory came after he battled through three rounds of qualifying to make it to the grass-court major.
But the Tarvet, 733 in the ATP rankings, will not profit significantly from his hard work.
Under National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules in the United States, players are required to stay amateur and are restricted in how much prize money they can claim from professional tournaments.
Tarvet is planning to go back to university for his final year, meaning his Wimbledon prize money, which is now guaranteed to be at least £99,000 ($135,000), will largely go unclaimed.
Tarvet can collect $10,000 as well as the expenses he has incurred during the tournament.
The British player has called for a change in the rules, joking that he would fly his coach to London with a first-class ticket to try to ensure he would not have to forfeit too much.
After securing the biggest win of his career, Tarvet told reporters he hoped to find a way to claim the money as expenses.
"I will try and do everything I can to make that work out and to find X amount of expenses so I'm under $10,000 of profit," he said.
"Something I've got to figure out. Maybe I hire someone to help me out with the expenses, make sure the NCAA are happy. As I said, it's very important for me. I have a lot of goals at USD (University of San Diego) still."
Tarvet, who said the win on the opening day at the All England Club was a "dream come true", spelt out his strategy in more detail.
"By December, I need to show that profit or prize money minus expenses equals less than $10,000," he said.
He said after taxes were paid he would have to find £60,000-£70,000 of expenses to cover his winnings for reaching the second round.
"Tennis is an expensive sport. So, hopefully, I can make that happen," he said to laughter.
"As I said, just pay my coaches a little bit extra. I don't know. We'll figure something out. Fly business class.
"Obviously, no, I keep humble. But yeah, really try to make that happen."
jw/smg

Wimbledon

Alcaraz survives Fognini scare to launch Wimbledon title defence

  • He is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and seven-time champion Djokovic.
  • Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Monday before coming through in five sets to launch his bid for a third straight title at the All England Club.
  • He is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and seven-time champion Djokovic.
Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Monday before coming through in five sets to launch his bid for a third straight title at the All England Club.
Alcaraz battled to a 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over the 38-year-old Italian in a first-round clash lasting four hours and 37 minutes in sweltering conditions on Centre Court.
It was first time since Roger Federer narrowly beat Alejandro Falla in 2010 that a defending champion had been taken to a fifth set in the Wimbledon first round.
Alcaraz shrugged off an inconsistent display including 62 unforced errors as he refused to wilt on the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history.
"First of all, I don't know why it is probably Fabio's last Wimbledon because the level he has shown shows he can still play for three or four more years," Alcaraz said.
"Playing on Centre Court for the first match of any tournament is never easy. I've been practising pretty well and playing on grass really well, but Wimbledon is special and different. 
"I could feel the difference between Wimbledon and the other tournaments. I just tried to play my best but I would say that I could play better."
The 22-year-old secured a crucial break in the second game of the deciding set, roaring "vamos" after saving two break points in the next game.
Fognini had given Alcaraz a much sterner test than expected, but the world number 138 ran out of steam as the indefatigable Spaniard once again showcased his final set prowess.
Alcaraz has never lost in a Grand Slam first round in 18 appearances.
Having vanquished Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is looking to join an elite group of Wimbledon icons.
His clay-court credentials are firmly established after he fought back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in an epic French Open final earlier this month.
Alcaraz is equally dynamic on grass, winning 30 of his 33 Tour-level matches on the surface, with his last defeat at Wimbledon coming against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
He is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and seven-time champion Djokovic.
If he achieves that target, Alcaraz would be the second-youngest player in the Open Era to win six Grand Slam men's titles after Borg, who reached that landmark in 1978.
He will face British qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round.
"He is playing great tennis on grass and if he is in the second round of Wimbledon then he is playing at a great level," Alcaraz said.
"I will try to improve the things that didn't work today, such as the return and the forehand. Let's keep enjoying being at Wimbledon as well."
smg/jw

FRA

'Starvation' days over as cyclists prepare to gorge on Tour de France

BY JACQUES KLOPP

  • - 'Never eaten so much' - One look at the map for the Tour de France which runs 3,338 kilometres over three weeks from Lille, all the way down south and back up to Paris for the finish, is a giveaway when it comes to a rider's nutritional needs. 
  • Not so long ago, cyclists heading into the Tour de France were skinny string beans weighing and measuring every grain of rice that entered their body but that image has not just gone, it's taken a seismic shift in the other direction. 
  • - 'Never eaten so much' - One look at the map for the Tour de France which runs 3,338 kilometres over three weeks from Lille, all the way down south and back up to Paris for the finish, is a giveaway when it comes to a rider's nutritional needs. 
Not so long ago, cyclists heading into the Tour de France were skinny string beans weighing and measuring every grain of rice that entered their body but that image has not just gone, it's taken a seismic shift in the other direction. 
This year's riders will be gorging themselves like never before, taking on board the equivalent of a large plate of pasta per hour and even training their stomachs to cope with this influx of food. 
"Intake has doubled," Julien Louis, nutritionist for the Decathlon-AG2R team, told AFP.
In fact, it's a 180-degree turnaround from the 2010s and the "low carb" fad popularised by four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome's Sky team. 
This method consisted of depriving the body of sugars during training in order to lose weight and encourage the body to use fat for energy. 
"Two eggs for breakfast and we were off for five-six hours of training, with water in the bottles. We were exhausted the whole time," recalls British veteran Simon Yates, winner of the last Giro. 
Climber Pavel Sivakov paints an even more dramatic picture.
"Mentally, it was very hard," he says. "We were starving, with no energy, tapping into our fat."
Those days are gone. 
"When there's nothing left in the tank the runner switches to using fat," explains Louis who used to work for English Premier League side Liverpool.
"It works but it's much less effective than carbohydrates."

'Never eaten so much'

One look at the map for the Tour de France which runs 3,338 kilometres over three weeks from Lille, all the way down south and back up to Paris for the finish, is a giveaway when it comes to a rider's nutritional needs. 
He will burn through roughly 7,000 calories on one of the lung-busting, muscle-crunching mountain stages. 
"You have to eat four times as much as a normal person," says Cofidis rider Simon Carr. "We've never eaten so much on a bike." 
Most riders now take in up to 120 grammes of carbohydrates per hour while racing, in some cases even more, which is enormous. 
"It's the equivalent of six bananas or around 200 grammes of dried pasta per hour," says Louis.
Until recently, eating such large quantities, mainly in the form of gels and energy drinks, was unimaginable, as it would lead to too much intestinal distress. 
"Up until five years ago, 120g of carbohydrates per hour was impossible," Tadej Pogacar explained in a podcast in September, adding such an intake would have had him in dire need of a trip to the toilet.

Intestinal training

Since then, great progress has been made with energy products, which now contain a combination of two types of carbohydrate. 
"For a long time, we thought there was only one kind of carbohydrate transporter in the intestine," explains Louis. 
"Then we discovered that there was a second type that could transport fructose. As a result, by using these two pathways at the same time, we can push through twice as much sugar." 
According to all the parties interviewed by AFP, these advances in nutrition, along with developments in equipment and training methods, help to explain the increasingly high levels of performance in cycling, a sport which has often been associated with doping. 
Although products are now better tolerated by the body, making this revolution possible, riders still have to train their stomachs to cope with such quantities. 
"Otherwise you can't digest when you're asked to eat six gels an hour. Your body just can't cope," says Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, this year's winner of the women's Paris-Roubaix and gold medallist in the cross-country mountain bike at the Paris Olympics. 
She found this out the hard way when she gave up, ill, during the World Championships in September, unused to the longer distances after her switch from mountain bikes.
During winter training, the riders now do "at least one session a week of intestinal training, or 'gut training'", says Louis. 
"At the very beginning, there may be a little discomfort," he adds. "But without it, you're at a huge disadvantage. It's as if you're not running on the same fuel."
jk/ig/bsp/nf

Wimbledon

Sabalenka boosted by hitting with Djokovic and Sinner at Wimbledon

  • Sabalenka has had practice sessions with seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic and men's world number one Sinner in the build-up to the grass-court tournament.
  • Aryna Sabalenka said practising with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner had sharpened her game after the world number one beat Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1, 7-5 in her Wimbledon opener on Monday.
  • Sabalenka has had practice sessions with seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic and men's world number one Sinner in the build-up to the grass-court tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka said practising with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner had sharpened her game after the world number one beat Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1, 7-5 in her Wimbledon opener on Monday.
The 27-year-old Belarusian top seed is a three-time Grand Slam champion but has never been beyond the semi-finals at the All England Club.
She is looking to ease the pain of losing in the finals of the Australian Open and the French Open this year.
Sabalenka broke Branstine twice in a one-sided first set as the Canadian struggled with her serve.
Branstine was a tougher proposition in the second set, winning the first game to love on her own serve, but missed a chance to break in the next game.
The 24-year-old was playing her first Grand Slam main-draw match, having enjoyed wins over French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson and Bianca Andreescu in qualifying.
The match was locked at 5-5 in the second set before Sabalenka broke in the 11th game and held serve to set up a meeting with New Zealand's Lulu Sun or Czech player Marie Bouzkova.
Sabalenka has had practice sessions with seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic and men's world number one Sinner in the build-up to the grass-court tournament.
"It's amazing," she said. "You play with them and you look on that side and you see the difference. You see the different approach to the balls. You're learning.
"I think automatically you start reflecting what's happening on that side. I think it really helped my tennis, to be honest. 
"Now there are some balls that I used to struggle a little. Right now, I kind of understand a little bit better how to adjust to those balls.
"I feel like even today in the match and in the practice after hitting with the guys, I felt like I improved a couple of things in my game.
"I'm super happy that I was able to hit with them because I learn a lot."
jw/smg

RSA

Bosch breaks through as South Africa set Zimbabwe huge target

  • When the South African innings ended there were a minimum of 18 overs to be bowled.
  • South African fast bowler Corbin Bosch ended stubborn resistance by Zimbabwe's opening batsmen with a wicket in the last over of the third day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Monday.
  • When the South African innings ended there were a minimum of 18 overs to be bowled.
South African fast bowler Corbin Bosch ended stubborn resistance by Zimbabwe's opening batsmen with a wicket in the last over of the third day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Monday.
Zimbabwe, set a near-impossible target of 537 runs to win, were 32 for one at the close after Takudzwanashe Kaitano was caught at third slip after defending determinedly to make 12 off 62 balls.
Keshav Maharaj, captaining South Africa in a Test match for the first time, chose to keep Zimbabwe in the field until his team were bowled out for 369 in their second innings more than half an hour after tea.
All-rounder Wiaan Mulder, in his third match since being promoted to bat at number three, made his second Test century, batting fluently to score a Test-best 147 before being caught on the deep midwicket boundary off part-time spin bowler Wessly Madhevere.
Zimbabwe were hampered by the absence through illness of fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani. He was off the field for most of the morning which meant he could not bowl until half an hour before tea.
Tanaka Chivanga was the only pace bowler available to captain Craig Ervine for most of the innings, leaving the bulk of the bowling to be done by the spinners.
As in the first innings, South Africa scored at more than four runs an over but left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza picked up four wickets for 98 runs.
Leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa, who took heavy punishment from debutants Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis in the first innings, dismissed both youngsters cheaply second time around.
The left-handed Pretorius, who made 153 in the first innings, was bowled for four by a ball which spun back sharply. Brevis added only three to his first innings 51 before being bowled by a flighted delivery when he went for a big shot.
When the South African innings ended there were a minimum of 18 overs to be bowled.
Because of the number of overs bowled by the Zimbabwe spinners, who kept their team ahead of the required over rate, there was a rarity in modern Test cricket in that South Africa were able to squeeze in an extra over before the close – with unfortunate consequences for Zimbabwe.
str/mw

Wimbledon

'No panic' says Medvedev after shock Wimbledon exit

  • Medvedev, a six-time Grand Slam finalist, has endured a dismal year at the majors, losing in the Australian Open second round and French Open first round before his Wimbledon flop.
  • Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev said he was "not panicking" after a shock first-round defeat at Wimbledon extended his dismal Grand Slam form this year.
  • Medvedev, a six-time Grand Slam finalist, has endured a dismal year at the majors, losing in the Australian Open second round and French Open first round before his Wimbledon flop.
Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev said he was "not panicking" after a shock first-round defeat at Wimbledon extended his dismal Grand Slam form this year.
The Russian ninth seed lost 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to France's Benjamin Bonzi in three hours and seven minutes in sweltering conditions on Court Two
Medvedev reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2023 and 2024 but the Russian's bid for another strong run at the All England Club came to an abrupt end at the hands of the world number 64.
It was the first time in seven Wimbledon appearances that Medvedev has failed to advance past the opening round.
Medvedev, a six-time Grand Slam finalist, has endured a dismal year at the majors, losing in the Australian Open second round and French Open first round before his Wimbledon flop.
The 29-year-old, who won the US Open in 2021, defeated top seeded Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year before losing to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals.
But the Russian was sanguine about his defeat on Monday, saying he would be "very worried" had he not reached the final at this month's Halle grass-court event, which he lost to Alexander Bublik.
"I had a great week of preparation because I come in with confidence after Halle," said Medvedev. 
"I literally won every practice set I played. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter for the match. The match is a new story.
"First round, for sure many, many times you play a bit worse. If it would be second or third round, maybe I could have better shots, play better."
The Russian had angrily slammed his racquet against his chair after losing, but said he was confident he will get back on track.
"It's not panicking. But I was really worried after 's-Hertogenbosch (where he lost in the quarter-finals to Reilly Opelka). It was a lot of losses," he said.
"For me it's a matter of confidence. Again, I come back to this Halle tournament. If it would not be there, I would be here and say, 'Look, something is definitely missing'.
"But no, just a matter of couple of matches, win matches. I feel like this year I lost a lot of close calls. When I start winning them, I can go up the rankings.
"For the moment, I'm not that worried. If I finish the year somewhere around 15 in the world, maybe I will be more worried. For the moment, I am not."
jw-smg

IND

Archer misses out as England unchanged for second India Test

  • The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Archer would rejoin the team in Birmingham on Tuesday.
  • England named an unchanged team for the second Test against India starting at Edgbaston on Wednesday, as Jofra Archer was made to wait for his return.
  • The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Archer would rejoin the team in Birmingham on Tuesday.
England named an unchanged team for the second Test against India starting at Edgbaston on Wednesday, as Jofra Archer was made to wait for his return.
Ben Stokes' men won the opening match of a five-Test series by five wickets last week after chasing down 371 on the final day at Headingley.
Archer has not played Test cricket since February 2021 but had been called into the squad after bowling his first red-ball overs for four years in Sussex's County Championship draw against Durham last week.
However, the 30-year-old was forced to miss Monday's training session due to a family emergency.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Archer would rejoin the team in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Barbados-born Archer burst onto the scene in 2019, hailed as a key weapon for England in their search for genuine pace to unsettle opponents.
He bowled the decisive super over in England's 50-over World Cup win over New Zealand at Lord's in 2019 and took 22 wickets in four Tests that followed against Australia in the drawn Ashes series.
But Archer was dogged by an elbow injury first sustained in 2020 that required multiple operations and has also had to overcome a recurring stress fracture in his back, first sustained in 2022.
England are looking to take a 2-0 lead on a ground where India have never won a Test in eight visits.
All eyes will be on whether star bowler Jasprit Bumrah is selected in the India side.
Bumrah is being bedded back into the gruelling Test arena after suffering a back injury in the final match of a 3-1 series loss to Australia in January.
India had committed to fielding the 31-year-old in just three of the matches against England.
But India coach Gautam Gambhir is under growing pressure after seven defeats in 11 Tests since he took charge last year.
England team
Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes
kca/mw/pi

Wimbledon

Tearful Jabeur forced to retire from Wimbledon first-round clash

  • The 30-year-old, beaten in the 2022 and 2023 Wimbledon finals, looked uncomfortable throughout the match in sweltering temperatures in London.
  • Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur broke down in tears before retiring from her first-round match against Viktoriya Tomova on Monday.
  • The 30-year-old, beaten in the 2022 and 2023 Wimbledon finals, looked uncomfortable throughout the match in sweltering temperatures in London.
Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur broke down in tears before retiring from her first-round match against Viktoriya Tomova on Monday.
Tunisia's Jabeur was trailing 7-6 (7/5), 2-0 when she brought a premature end to her clash with the Bulgarian world number 111 at the All England Club. 
The 30-year-old, beaten in the 2022 and 2023 Wimbledon finals, looked uncomfortable throughout the match in sweltering temperatures in London.
The world number 59 wiped away tears after losing a long fifth game in the first set and took a lengthy medical timeout, with staff attending to her before taking her off court.
Jabeur, who repeatedly used ice towels in a bid to cope with the heat, eventually returned to Court 14 after a 14-minute delay, but was unable to finish the match.
"I wasn't expecting not to feel good. I have been practising pretty well the last few days," said Jabeur, who did not specify the reason for her withdrawal.
"These things happen. I'm pretty sad. It doesn't really help me with my confidence."
The former world number two's Wimbledon exit was the latest blow in a disappointing spell.
Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, has slipped down the rankings over the past year after injury problems.
Earlier this year she had breathing difficulties in the Australian Open second round after suffering an asthma problem.
"I keep pushing myself even though it was a very tough season for me, so I hope I can feel better and see what is going to happen," she said.
"Try to disconnect a little bit from tennis and try to enjoy life outside tennis.
"Try to recover and spend time with the family. Hopefully that can recharge me. Definitely rest is the word for it."
smg/jw/pi

Wimbledon

Wimbledon 'ready' for soaring temperatures

  • "We're not used to these sort of temperatures but we're absolutely ready for it and actually delighted that it's sunny and not wet like it was last year."
  • Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said the Grand Slam was not used to baking summer temperatures but "we're absolutely ready for it" as the mercury soared in London on Monday.
  • "We're not used to these sort of temperatures but we're absolutely ready for it and actually delighted that it's sunny and not wet like it was last year."
Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said the Grand Slam was not used to baking summer temperatures but "we're absolutely ready for it" as the mercury soared in London on Monday.
Temperatures on the first day of the Championships are expected to climb to at least 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).
Wimbledon, often plagued by cool, damp weather, has a heat rule that it is ready to activate to safeguard the health of the players.
It is based on a heat stress index that takes into account a number of factors including air temperature, humidity and the surface temperature.
"The obvious point to make is that the athletes compete in temperatures like this all year on the tour so for us Brits here at the championships it feels very hot," said Bolton. 
"We do have the heat rule available to us which again is well used on the tour so we will be taking heat stress monitor readings."
Heat stress monitor readings are taken 30 minutes before the start of play and then at 1400 (1300 GMT) and 1700.
The heat rule allows a 10-minute break to be taken between the second and third sets for women's matches and between the third and fourth sets for men's matches matches, when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1 degrees Celsius.
"It's a well-tested rule but I appreciate not here at the Championships so often," said Bolton. "But we've got that ready to put in place".
The chief executive of the All England Club said there were also protocols in place to look after ball-boys and ball-girls on court, who have access to cooling scarves.
Bolton urged fans to keep an eye on those around them.
"We've got a really significantly sized medical team here so we've got people here to help if that's needed," she said.
"We're not used to these sort of temperatures but we're absolutely ready for it and actually delighted that it's sunny and not wet like it was last year."
Fourth seed Jack Draper, who has previously struggled with the heat, said at his pre-tournament press conference that he had not taken special measures to prepare.
"Obviously it's something that all players struggle with in their way. It's just how you deal with it," he said.
"I think in the past I haven't dealt with it incredibly well. So I have got my mechanisms on how I'm going to do that. It suits my game it being a bit hotter anyway. So that's the way I see it."
With thousands of people in the queue for tickets on Monday the All England Club is advising people not to travel.
"Please be aware that the queue for Day 1 -- Monday 30th June -- is very busy and to avoid disappointment we strongly advise you not to travel to the grounds today," Wimbledon said in a statement.
There were even announcements on the London Underground warning people against travelling.
jw/jc

AUT

Three talking points from Austrian Grand Prix

  • Here, AFP Sport looks at three talking points from Sunday's race at the Red Bull Ring: Red Bull's 'black day' on home soil   Red Bull's influential advisor Helmut Marko, a key part of four-time world champion Verstappen's inner circle, gave a blunt assessment of the team's performance, calling it a "black day" for Red Bull as their 77-race scoring streak ended.
  • Lando Norris and his McLaren team flew home from Austria with a smile on their faces, but for Max Verstappen and Red Bull it was a humiliating day at their home race.
  • Here, AFP Sport looks at three talking points from Sunday's race at the Red Bull Ring: Red Bull's 'black day' on home soil   Red Bull's influential advisor Helmut Marko, a key part of four-time world champion Verstappen's inner circle, gave a blunt assessment of the team's performance, calling it a "black day" for Red Bull as their 77-race scoring streak ended.
Lando Norris and his McLaren team flew home from Austria with a smile on their faces, but for Max Verstappen and Red Bull it was a humiliating day at their home race.
A victorious Norris heads to next weekend's British Grand Prix with a spring in his step, after leading team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri home in a 1-2 to erase the memory of their collision in Canada.
He knows that with home support he has a chance to boost his title bid by trimming or overhauling Piastri's 15-point lead.
Here, AFP Sport looks at three talking points from Sunday's race at the Red Bull Ring:
Red Bull's 'black day' on home soil  
Red Bull's influential advisor Helmut Marko, a key part of four-time world champion Verstappen's inner circle, gave a blunt assessment of the team's performance, calling it a "black day" for Red Bull as their 77-race scoring streak ended.
That proud run had underpinned Verstappen's title-winning seasons and its loss was an embarrassment on the track they own in front of their fans and sponsors -– and a large Dutch contingent making up the 'orange army'.
Marko, 82, believes "the championship is over" for both team and driver after Verstappen was taken out by Mercedes' teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap.
It ended a run of 31 races in the points for Verstappen while team-mate Yuki Tsunoda finished 16th and last.
Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, demoted back to the junior team after only two races, came sixth.
"McLaren was out of reach," said Marko.
"It's a black day. The gap is almost impossible to make up. If nothing special happens, we have to say the championship is over."
Verstappen is 61 points adrift of Piastri in the title race and knows that following the departures of Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, he no longer has a car or team performance to consistently compete for victories.
Norris soul searching pays dividends  
Norris's win was built on the error-free excellence of his performance and use of all resources needed to resist the pressure of Piastri's attacks in the opening stint of an intriguing contest.
As he said, after taking pole on Saturday, "it's nice to see the real me again" –- an admission his personal soul-searching has, at times, made it difficult for him to drive with freedom.
"It doesn't come easily," he said. "It doesn't come just because I've turned up this weekend and things are better.
"I'm doing a lot more work than I used to do away from the track -- with the team, on the simulator, with my own team, trying to improve everything that I can, both on and off the track.
"I think it's more a positive thing to see a lot of those things paying off immediately, but I still need more and want more."
Norris and Piastri are set to duel for the drivers' crown and the Briton is ready for an emotional Silverstone homecoming.
"Of course, it's a place I want to win more than anywhere else, but it doesn't change anything. It just puts a bit more of a smile on my face every morning when I wake up," he said.
Sauber success shows Audi's intent  
Gabriel Bortoleto may not have passed his manager, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, to snatch seventh place, but by finishing eighth ahead of Sauber team-mate Nico Hulkenberg he gave notice of the future Audi team's intent.
Under the guidance of Wheatley, formerly with Red Bull, the Swiss outfit have improved rapidly this season and have accumulated 26 points, within reach of Aston Martin, Haas and Racing Bulls.
Last year, they were pointless until the penultimate race in Qatar and finished with four.
str/pi/jc

NZL

French injury worries mount ahead of first All Blacks Test

  • To make up for the absences of Villiere, Tiberghien and Spring, Galthie slotted in Theo Attissogbe at fullback and Emilien Gailleton and Alivereti Duguivalu on the wings.
  • Fullback Cheikh Tiberghien and wing Gabin Villiere are injury worries for France days away from their first Test with New Zealand in Dunedin.
  • To make up for the absences of Villiere, Tiberghien and Spring, Galthie slotted in Theo Attissogbe at fullback and Emilien Gailleton and Alivereti Duguivalu on the wings.
Fullback Cheikh Tiberghien and wing Gabin Villiere are injury worries for France days away from their first Test with New Zealand in Dunedin.
Both were expected to be named by Fabien Galthie in the starting line-up for the first of three Tests on Saturday.
Villiere, one of the more experienced players in a squad lacking many of the stalwarts of the Six Nations Grand Slam winning side, sat out training after feeling pain in the warm-up.
Tiberghien limped off during the training session with a right thigh problem and had it strapped.
His Bayonne clubmate Tom Spring, who can play either fullback or wing, sat out the training session.
The issues add to Galthie's selection problems. Leo Barre has yet to join the squad as he recovers from the injury that ruled him out of the tour warm-up match with England.
"There were some problems during training but we have yet to hear back from the medical staff," said assistant coach Laurent Sempere.
To make up for the absences of Villiere, Tiberghien and Spring, Galthie slotted in Theo Attissogbe at fullback and Emilien Gailleton and Alivereti Duguivalu on the wings.
The squad will be strengthened for the second and third Tests -- in Wellington on July 12 and Hamilton a week later -- by five members of the two Top 14 finalists, Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles.
They will be named when the results of fitness tests performed after Saturday's final are known.
Toulouse retained their title after beating Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles 39-33.
fs/ig/pi/pst
  
   

ENG

India coach Gambhir faces growing pressure ahead of second England Test

BY FAISAL KAMAL

  • "Gautam Gambhir is under significant pressure.
  • Gautam Gambhir is under growing pressure ahead of the second Test against England after India's loss at Headingley made it seven defeats in 11 red-ball matches since he became coach last year.
  • "Gautam Gambhir is under significant pressure.
Gautam Gambhir is under growing pressure ahead of the second Test against England after India's loss at Headingley made it seven defeats in 11 red-ball matches since he became coach last year.
The 43-year-old former opening batsman is facing flak from some quarters for his selections, man management and how he carries himself in press conferences.
India are ushering in a new era following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with Gambhir widely reported to have played a part in the exit of at least one of the two veteran stars. 
Led by new captain Shubman Gill, the visitors were beaten by five wickets in the opening Test of the five-match England series, adding to a growing sense of alarm.
The second Test at Edgbaston starts on Wednesday and patience is wearing thin back home.
"Gautam Gambhir is under significant pressure. The situation is becoming increasingly tense," former India batsman Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
"He has managed two wins against Bangladesh and one against Australia, but we've lost three matches to New Zealand, three to Australia and now one to England.
"He has been losing and losing."
Gambhir, who as a player had a key role in India's ODI World Cup triumph in 2011, succeeded Rahul Dravid in July last year.
Dravid signed off a largely successful three-year tenure by winning the T20 World Cup.
Gambhir was chosen as his successor almost exactly a year ago but he and his side suffered a significant bloody nose when they went down 3-0 to New Zealand.
It was India's first Test series defeat at home in 12 years.

'Aggressive'

Along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Gambhir was criticised for leaving middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan out of the squad for England.
Karun Nair was picked ahead of Sarfaraz, who had scores of 68 not out and 56 against a visiting England last year, and made 150 versus New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Gambhir's detractors say he is hot-headed and accuse him of acting too much on instinct.
Speaking ahead of the series, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said that "tactically, Gauti (Gambhir) is a very good coach.
"Man management is the area that I am sure he would be looking at," he told Sky Sports' cricket podcast.
"But one thing about him is that he is looking out for his players, which is massive.
"What I feel at times is that the way he is aggressive as a captain, you can't be as a coach."
Critics don't like Gambhir's press conferences.
Following the defeat at Headingley, Gambhir looked ruffled and snapped in reply to a question about Rishabh Pant's centuries in each innings.
The visiting batsmen scored five centuries in the match but still lost.
Former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Gambhir should be kept away from the media, after the coach bit back at Ricky Ponting ahead of the tour to Australia last year.
India went on to lose the series 3-1.

Bumrah mismanaged?

On the last day of the first England Test, when the hosts chased down 371, senior batsman KL Rahul and Gill's deputy Pant were seen making the fielding changes, rather than the skipper.
In the final overs it appeared pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah rejected Gill's idea of bringing him back into the attack.
Bumrah, who will only play two more Tests in the series to manage his workload, returned figures of 5-83 in England's first innings of 465 but went wicketless second time around.
A fit, firing and content Bumrah is key to India's chances.
South African great AB de Villiers questioned whether it was "mismanagement" or injury that was the cause of Bumrah being rested at a crucial point of the match.
Lack of bowling support for Bumrah and India's lower-order collapses -- from 430-3 to 471 all out in the first innings and 333-4 to 364 in the second -- also hurt the team in Leeds.
In a country where cricket is an obsession and every match is dissected for days afterwards, Gambhir needs to quickly find some answers.
fk/pst

Lions

Havili, Frizell among All Blacks in Australia-NZ XV to face Lions

  • The remainder of the Australia-New Zealand squad is still to be announced for the match, which will be the final Lions outing before the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19.
  • David Havili and Shannon Frizell were among four All Blacks named Monday as part of an Australia-New Zealand XV to face the British and Irish Lions.
  • The remainder of the Australia-New Zealand squad is still to be announced for the match, which will be the final Lions outing before the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19.
David Havili and Shannon Frizell were among four All Blacks named Monday as part of an Australia-New Zealand XV to face the British and Irish Lions.
The pair were joined by Shaun Stevenson and Folau Fakatava as the first wave of signings for the combined team that will take on Andy Farrell's men in Adelaide on July 12.  
The combined side will be coached by Les Kiss, who will succeed Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach next year, alongside former All Blacks mentor Ian Foster.
Kiss also coaches Super Rugby's Queensland Reds, who face the Lions on Wednesday in Brisbane.
"We are delighted with the quality of the New Zealand contingent announced today and look forward to naming more players as the squad comes together," said Rugby Australia's high performance director Peter Horne.
"We want this team to entertain the big Adelaide crowd and provide the Lions with a tough contest as they head into their three-Test series with the Wallabies."
Inside centre Havili has appeared 30 times for New Zealand, scoring nine tries, and is fresh from captaining Canterbury Crusaders to the Super Rugby title.
Flanker Frizell has scored eight tries in his 33 Tests, while fullback Stevenson has been capped once and scrum-half Fakatava twice.
The remainder of the Australia-New Zealand squad is still to be announced for the match, which will be the final Lions outing before the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19.
The Lions will also play Tests at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 28 and in Sydney on August 2.
mp/dh

Reds

Kiss urges under-strength Reds to 'rip in' against Lions

  • When the two sides met in 2013, the Lions won 22-12.
  • Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss called on his side to dominate the breakdown and "rip in" against the British and Irish Lions after on Monday naming a team missing a host of key players.
  • When the two sides met in 2013, the Lions won 22-12.
Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss called on his side to dominate the breakdown and "rip in" against the British and Irish Lions after on Monday naming a team missing a host of key players.
The Reds face the tourists in Brisbane on Wednesday, having watched Andy Farrell's men demolish Western Force 54-7 at the weekend.
"In this match, we have to be very good at the breakdown and aerially. They've shown their attacking side too," said Kiss, who will take over from Joe Schmidt as Wallabies boss next year 
"We have to meet those challenges but we'll put our brand of rugby out there as well. We'll keep backing ourselves. Why can't we put our best foot forward, rip in and see what happens?"
The Reds' job has been made harder by the absence of six players who remain with the extended Australia squad as they prepare for a one-off Test against Fiji on Saturday.
While Schmidt released hooker Matt Faessler and centre Hunter Paisami, the likes of Tate McDermott, Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson remain in camp.  
Kiss was still able to name a squad boasting nine Wallabies and two All Blacks, with experienced fullback Jock Campbell captaining the side.
The pack has been stiffened by the inclusion of prop Aidan Ross, who signed for the Reds after playing for the Waikato Chiefs in the recent Super Rugby final.
Ross, who played a Test for the All Blacks in 2022, will form a front-row with Faessler and former New Zealand prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen. 
Both Ross and Toomaga-Allen have previous experience packing against the Lions in 2017 for Super Rugby clubs. 
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto partners Josh Canham in the second row, with Seru Uru and John Bryant as the flankers with Joe Brial at No.8. 
Kalani Thomas at No.9 and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips form the half-back pairing with Paisami and Josh Flook together in the centres.
"Excitement is high that's for sure," Kiss said. "This is a great opportunity for our Reds players."
When the two sides met in 2013, the Lions won 22-12.
Queensland Reds (15-1):
Jock Campbell (capt); Lachie Anderson, Josh Flook, Hunter Paisami, Tim Ryan; Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Kalani Thomas; Joe Brial, John Bryant, Seru Uru; Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Josh Canham; Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Matt Faessler, Aidan Ross
Replacements: Josh Nasser, George Blake, Sef Fa'agase, Ryan Smith, Angus Blyth, Connor Vest, Louis Werchon, Isaac Henry
mp/dh

Lions

Farrell expects Reds to be 'big step up' for Lions

  • While the Lions were dominant winners against Western Force, Farrell is expecting a tougher assignment from a Reds team coached by Les Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies boss from Joe Schmidt next year.
  • Maro Itoje will captain a vastly changed British and Irish Lions for their second Australian match against Queensland Reds, with head coach Andy Farrell expecting the clash to be "a big step up".
  • While the Lions were dominant winners against Western Force, Farrell is expecting a tougher assignment from a Reds team coached by Les Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies boss from Joe Schmidt next year.
Maro Itoje will captain a vastly changed British and Irish Lions for their second Australian match against Queensland Reds, with head coach Andy Farrell expecting the clash to be "a big step up".
Tour skipper Itoje takes the armband from hooker Dan Sheehan, who is rested for the match in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Only fly-half Finn Russell has been retained from the starting XV that crushed Western Force 54-7 last weekend, a game that proved costly for veteran scrum-half Tomos Williams.
The Welshman hobbled off with a hamstring injury which has ruled him out of the rest of the nine-game tour. 
Scotland's Ben White has been called up in his place with Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park making his Lions debut at scrum-half against the Reds.
Farrell said injuries and team changes were inevitable on such a tight schedule.
"This is proper touring, isn't it? Games are coming thick and fast, three games in eight days, and it keeps on rolling after that," he said.
"Being adaptable is the key."
While the Lions were dominant winners against Western Force, Farrell is expecting a tougher assignment from a Reds team coached by Les Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies boss from Joe Schmidt next year.
"They're a great side. I mean, that's obvious if you've watched the games, not just this year, but last year as well," he said. 
"Les has done a fantastic job with them to play a great brand of rugby and are able to play in many different ways. 
"So this will be 100 percent a big step up for us on Wednesday night. Any side that Les coaches, he's always going to be very well prepared."
Itoje will start in the second-row alongside fellow Englishman Ollie Chessum.
They will pack down behind a front row of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and tight-head Will Stuart.
Jack Conan gets his first start of the tour at No.8 and is joined in the back row by Tom Curry and Jac Morgan.
Hugo Keenan gets the nod at full-back, supported by wings Tommy Freeman and Duhan van der Merwe, while Bundee Aki and Huw Jones form a new centre partnership. 
When the two sides met in 2013, the Lions won 22-12.
British and Irish Lions (15-1):
Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Jac Morgan, Tom Curry; Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje (capt); Will Stuart, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, Garry Ringrose
mp/dh