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Challenging start to 2023 Tour de France in Bilbao
6.43 pm: The Grand Départ of the Tour de France in the Spanish Basque Country in 2023 immediately promises the necessary spectacle. In the first stage, on July 1, the peloton will have to deal with three climbs in the last fifty kilometers in the stage over 185 kilometers with start and finish in Bilbao. The finish line is on a slope with a gradient of 5 percent. “Very demanding,” according to the Tour organization.
Also in the second stage, over 210 kilometers from Vitoria-Gasteiz to San Sebastián, the necessary strength tests await, including the climb of Monte Jaizquibel in the final phase. In the third stage, which starts from Amorebieta-Etxano, the peloton heads for France. The finish place is not yet known, but according to the organization there is a chance that the sprinters will be able to enjoy themselves in the third stage.
It is the second time that the Tour de France starts in Spain, after the scoop in San Sebastián in 1992.
This year the Tour starts on July 1 in Copenhagen.
Draw for chess players Giri and Carlsen in Wijk aan Zee
6.09 pm: The chess players Anish Giri and Magnus Carlsen had to settle for a draw in the tenth round of Tata Steel Chess in Wijk aan Zee. The Dutch grandmaster played with white against the Pole Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the world champion from Norway took on the Russian Sergej Karjakin with black.
The unbeaten Carlsen still leads with 7 points, followed by Giri with 6.5 points. Thursday is a rest day in Wijk aan Zee. After that, three more rounds are scheduled.
Premier League: only postponement with four positively tested players
4.37 pm: The Premier League has amended its rules for a potential rescheduling of league matches at the highest English football level. As of February 5, the clubs may only submit a request for a postponement if at least four players have tested positive for the corona virus.
Under the current regulations, a club is still eligible for a transfer of a duel if there are fewer than thirteen field players and a goalkeeper available in the A-selection and in the group of reasonably experienced football players under 21 years of age. The number of corona infections was not a determining factor in this. So far this season, 22 Premier League games have been postponed based on that rule.
The Premier League has now decided to change the rules in consultation with the clubs. There was mounting evidence that some clubs were more or less abusing the postponement rule if a number of key players were missing, without the corona virus being the main cause. In the case of injuries, suspensions and international obligations of players, a postponement was also requested. With the new regulations, that is no longer possible and a competition match can only be postponed if there are four or more corona infections in the A-selection of a club.
Four handball players rejoin Orange after infection
2:53 pm: The handball players Samir Benghanem, Jeffrey Boomhouwer and Rutger ten Velde can also play with the Orange on Thursday in the last game of the main round of the European Championship in Budapest. The trio were among the many corona cases in the Dutch selection, which will compete against Croatia at 6 p.m. Earlier in the day it was already reported that Iso Sluijters is returning from isolation. The match selection consists of sixteen players. Lars Kooij takes place in the stands.
Due to previous infections, Dennis Schellekens, Bart Ravensbergen, Kay Smits, Jasper Adams, goalkeeper coach Gerrie Eijlers and national coach Erlingur Richardsson are still in quarantine.
Orange still has a chance of third place in the group. When Montenegro beats Iceland earlier in the day and the Netherlands beats Croatia itself, it comes down to goal difference. If that turns out to be in the Netherlands’ favor, another game will follow on Friday for fifth place at the European Championship.
Van Hintum will work with talented beach volleyball players
13:57: Saskia van Hintum will work for Beach Volleyball Team Netherlands (BTN) as a talent coach for the women. From 2006 to 2012, 51-year-old Van Hintum also worked at BTN.
“I have enjoyed working abroad for the past six years. But when technical manager John Stubbe called me for the position of talent coach at Beach Volleyball Team Netherlands, I didn’t have to think twice. BTN is my old love and the organization has only grown since I left in 2012, “says Van Hintum. “In my first period in The Hague, we still trained in Lindobeach, now the beautiful Sportcampus Zuiderpark is the home base. I fully support the vision with which BTN works.”
Van Hintum, who has worked with the Swiss beach volleyball players for the past two years, will start her new position on 1 May.
Joran Pot new trainer of football players FC Twente
13:56: The football players of FC Twente have found a new head coach in Joran Pot. The 33-year-old Pot comes over from PEC Zwolle, where he has been a trainer since 2015.
“This season I am in my seventh year at PEC Zwolle. I’m really enjoying it, but I noticed that I was ready for a new challenge”, says Pot. „I want to further develop myself in a new environment as a trainer and at a club like FC Twente different things are asked of you. It is special that FC Twente comes to me. As a football player I went through the academy of FC Twente and was allowed to play at the highest youth level.”
Pot is the successor of Robert de Pauw, who only worked in Enschede for a short time. He came over from the KNVB in the summer and signed a one-year contract with the reigning national champion. At the beginning of January it became clear that he is leaving this summer.
As a football player, Pot also played for RBC Roosendaal, Zwolle and Go Ahead Eagles.
Dominique Janssen longer at Wolfsburg
1.15 pm: International Dominique Janssen has extended her contract with the German top club VfL Wolfsburg until mid-2024. The 27-year-old defender, who had an expiring contract, has been playing football in Wolfsburg since the 2019-2020 season.
Janssen has already won three prizes with the German club: she became champion in the Frauen Bundesliga once and twice won the DFB Pokal. She also reached the final of the Champions League in her first season, in which Wolfsburg lost to the French Olympique Lyon.
“Wolfsburg has really become my home in recent years,” said Janssen, who is now also captain of the team. “By working hard and striving for improvement every day, I can continue to develop myself and we also grow as a team. With the absolute goal: to win the Champions League with this club. I know I can achieve that here.”
Janssen came over from Arsenal in 2019.
Cricketer Kingma punished for foul play
11:03 a.m.: Dutch cricketer Viv Kingma has been banned for four matches by the international cricket federation ICC. Kingma (27) committed ‘ball-tampering’ in a duel with Afghanistan on Tuesday, the intentional tampering with the ball. Images show the Dutch fast bowler working the ball with his nails. That affects the aerodynamics and is prohibited.
The match in Doha was the third meeting with the Afghan cricketers. The three matches were lost. “The incident took place in the 31st over, with the fast bowler changing the state of the ball by scratching it with his fingernails,” the ICC said, adding that Kingma has admitted his foul.
Bizarre comeback: Clippers basketball players undo 35-point deficit
8.22 am: The Los Angeles Clippers basketball players have cleared a 35-point deficit in the NBA to still win a game. They defeated Washington Wizards 116-115.
The Clippers trailed 66-31 in Washington just before the end of the first half. Amir Coffey had an important part in the remarkable catch-up race with 29 points. Luke Kennard was of great value in the closing stages by scoring 7 points in the space of nine seconds. His team scored 80 points in the second half.
The Clippers’ comeback is one of the most sensational in NBA history. Only once before has a bigger deficit been cleared on the way to a win. Utah Jazz beat Denver Nuggets in 1996 after closing a 36-point gap. In 2009, Sacramento Kings also cleared a 35-point deficit against the Chicago Bulls to win.