Vegard Stake Laengen: Tour de France stage wins a result of collective hard work at UAE Team Emirates

Alexander Kristoff winning the first stage of the Tour de France was a huge joy for the whole team. Even though Kristoff wasn’t the favourite, we all knew if he was in the right situation and feeling good that he could do it.

He has so many victories and so much experience in these situations that he is a rider who is capable of anything when on a good day. We were all buzzing after he won the stage. I've known him and raced with him for many years. We are both Norwegian so you could say that we have a special bond because we speak the same language.

The team was very excited as this is the first yellow jersey since the team started and it’s been such a journey to get to this point.

We couldn’t celebrate too much because it was only Day 1 and we know we have a long way to go until the last day in Paris but it lifted the spirits of everyone. Alex made a speech at the dinner table and on Stage 2, we had the honour of protecting the yellow jersey. That is a big moment for any cyclist.

With the circumstances in the world right now, the season has been a real rollercoaster. As a team, we remained optimistic during lockdown and hopeful that the 2020 season would resume.

This year is a bit different without the fans. They are still there, just at a distance. You miss signing autographs and giving the kids our empty bottles, but the most important thing is the racing and that is as good as ever. This victory comes after a lot of work and focus which started many months ago. With 20 wins for the team this season, I think it’s fair to say that all the hard work is paying off now.

At the start of the first stage of the Tour, the atmosphere was a little bit nervous and tense before the race, which is totally normal before the start of a big Tour, and especially the Tour de France.

The Covid-19 situation has heightened that tension but as an athlete you try to only focus on performance and that’s what we do when we are in race mode. I’m sure there was some doubt in most people’s minds about whether the level of cycling would be affected after months of no competitive racing.

But I can confirm we’ve been full gas every day and the level is higher than ever. The victory by Alexander has been a great boost but we know the Tour is three weeks long and we must continue to work hard.

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Tadej Pogacar grabs Tour de France stage win - in pictures

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Tadej Pogacar, our leader, has a real opportunity to do well here at the Tour and the guys are really motivated to support him. His calm and positive attitude really brings out the best in all those around him and his hard work was rewarded when he won the ninth stage, his first in the Tour de France. It was another memorable moment for the team.

He also finished second in Stage 4 with four mountain passes to tackle, plus the first category final climb.

My job for the Tour is to work for Pogacar. That means keeping him safe and out of the wind, going back to the team car to get water bottles for him or stopping with him if he has a puncture.

My main goal is to arrive safely in Paris! Our Tour has already been quite successful with two stage victories and wearing the yellow, white and green jerseys. We hope to keep that high level all the way through the Tour.

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?

George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.

Hunting park to luxury living

Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds

Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Palestine and Israel

Michael Young: Israel's 'iron wall' is sealing the country off from peace

Saeb Erekat: Palestine is capable of overcoming the coronavirus spread

Alexandra Chaves: Gazan artists paint to bring attention to the coronavirus

Overall head-to-head

Federer 6-1 Cilic

Head-to-head at Wimbledon

Federer 1-0 Cilic

Grand Slams titles

Federer 18-1 Cilic

Best Wimbledon performance

Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

Kanguva

Director: Siva

Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley

Rating: 2/5

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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Away from Dubai's glitz, Hatta is where present and past collide

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How old Dubai moved with the times and kept its heart

Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes

Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.

Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.

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