Jens Voigt is glad the Alp stages are over.
Jens Voigt is glad the Alp stages are over.
Jens Voigt is glad the Alp stages are over.
Jens Voigt is glad the Alp stages are over.

Sport

Warming up for the touch down

With the tortuous mountains over for another Tour, the likes of green jersey wearer Oscar Freire will be looking to impress.

Matt Majendie

July 23, 2008

  • English
  • Arabic

ALPE D'HUEZ // Saint-Etienne, the finish for today's stage, prides itself on being a green city and those battling for the same-coloured jersey will get a chance to shine once more. With the tortuous mountains over for another Tour, the likes of the green jersey wearer Oscar Freire will be wanting to put their mark down on the race.

And the slightly hilly terrain towards the end of the stage might be the perfect platform for the Spaniard to take a second stage win in this year's race. However, he warned: "Who knows how I'm going to feel waking up the morning after a day like Alpe d'Huez? "I'd like to go for the win but my legs might not be in agreement." Regardless of Freire's form, today will see the battle for green taking precedence over the fight for the yellow jersey and, barring a major accident, the leader of the race will stay the same until the penultimate stage time trial.

Team CSC Saxo Bank, perhaps more than any other outfit at the Tour, will be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief with the Alps now over. They set a furious pace on the last two Alpine stages and Jens Voigt, the team's powerhouse, described it as being "hell on wheels". "It's your job so you do it but I'll be pleased to not have to see another mountain for a few weeks," he said. "I'm sick of the sight of them."

Back with the green jersey competition, Freire has a commanding lead over his rivals. He boasts 219 points to closest rival Thor Hushovd's 172. Erik Zabel, a six-time winner of the Tour's green jersey from 1996 to 2001, is just five points back with 167. Zabel, who turned 37 in the first week of this year's edition, is surely in his last Tour and admitted the next two stages poses his last real chance to add to his 12 stage wins in the race and his first since 2002.

The East Berliner, known as "square hair" by some of his peers for his bizarre choice of hairstyle, said: "Sure, I'd like to get another stage win. "I'm perhaps not as quick as I used to be so I'll just have to be smart about it." @Email:sports@thenational.ae TV: Dubai Sports, 2.20pm

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

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From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

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Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

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The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.

The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

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