Michael Valgren takes stage 17 with attack from break – Giro d’Italia

Denmark’s Michael Valgren powered clear late on to clinch his first Grand Tour stage at the Giro d’Italia, four years after a career-threatening injury. “That’s for my son,” Valgren said as he collapsed to the floor at the finish line of stage 17, holding up a green model his son had built for him as a lucky charm. The EF Education-EasyPost rider has had a long journey back from a near career-ending crash in 2022 – in which he fractured his pelvis, and ruptured two ligaments and the meniscus in his knee – to the top end of competitive cycling.

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Vingegaard dominates rivals to win stage 16 – Giro d’Italia

Denmark’s two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard dominated the mountainous stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia to increase his overall lead in the pink jersey. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider unleashed a powerful attack with about 10km to go and rode away from his competitors, at times achieving speeds of 23km/h at gradients of 12%. On a hot day in the Italian and Swiss Alps several riders lost time. Italy’s Giulio Ciccone became frustrated by the lack of lead he and his fellow breakaway riders had built up, launching a full drinks bottle back at his team helper through spectators on the side of the road.

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AC Milan sack manager Max Allegri after season of ‘unequivocal failure’

AC Milan have sacked head coach Massimiliano Allegri after failing to qualify for the Champions League, in a season the club’s hierarchy described as an “unequivocal failure”. Milan fell from third to fifth in Serie A after a 2-1 defeat by Cagliari on the final day to miss out on Champions League football for the second year in a row. Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma and Como – for the first time in their history – will represent Italy in Europe’s top-tier club competition next season while AC Milan join Juventus in the Europa League.

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Antonelli wins action packed Canadian Grand Prix

George Russell suffered a major blow to his title hopes as retirement from the lead of the Canadian Grand Prix handed victory to team-mate Kimi Antonelli. The two Mercedes drivers had staged a gripping battle for the lead, swapping places several times, and were still nose to tail when Russell’s car suddenly stopped on lap 30. Antonelli’s fourth win in a row, coupled with Russell’s retirement puts the Italian 43 points ahead in the championship. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton got the better of the Red Bull of Max Verstappen to round out the podium places.

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Spurs survive as win over Everton sees West Ham relegated

Tottenham Hotspur overcame Everton to secure the result they required to ensure Premier League survival on a day of nerve-shredding tension. Spurs needed a point to avoid their first relegation from the top flight since 1977 and send West Ham United into the Championship instead, and only their third home league win of a dismal season ensured they sent their fellow Londoners down instead. Joao Palhinha scored the only goal of the game rendering the Hammers’ 3-0 win over Leeds fruitless.

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