Tadej Pogacar, Naomi Osaka and Bukayo Saka: 25 of the best sports pics of the week

We pick out the most spectacular pictures from across the world

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Tadej Pogacar this week cemented his spot as the new star of the cycling world after a sensational defence of his Tour de France title.

The 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider dominated proceedings throughout this year's race, winning three stages, reigning supreme in the mountains and leaving opponents in his wake in the Stage 5 time trial.

“Incredible, I didn't [ever] dream about this — it's something beyond a dream,” he said in Paris after the final stage on Sunday.

“Hard to tell which [win is] more special. Last year there was no pressure, and I wasn't ready to take the win — [I would have been] happy with second, and it ended with me winning.

“This year already I had yellow from the first week — really different. But proud of both.”

The Euro 2020 football tournament reached its climax last weekend with Italy taking the honours after beating England on their own patch at Wembley Stadium after a penalty shoot-out.

While Italy basked in the glory of a sixth major international crown, England were forced into a period of self-reflection after the match when three of their players who missed penalties in the shoot-out — Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho — were targeted with online racist abuse.

A mural of Rashford in his home city of Manchester was also defaced with graffiti before being covered over in supportive messages and then repainted by street artist Akse.

In mixed martial arts, Conor McGregor's third fight against Dustin Poirier ended with the Irishman suffering a horrific broken ankle at the end of the first round in their UFC 264 bout in Las Vegas.

McGregor later claimed he suffered the injury before the fight and would come back “better than ever” after undergoing successful surgery on his broken leg.

Updated: July 20, 2021, 2:55 AM