Chris Froome maintains lead after stage 11 of Tour de France, while Great Britain announce team for this weekend's World Triathlon Series leg in Hamburg. Here's our round up of the last 24 hours
Chris Froome's lead in this year’s Tour de France stands at two minutes and 52 seconds after the Team Sky man came home safely among his rivals on stage 11.
After his stunning solo stage victory on Tuesday, Froome instead took a quieter role as Rafal Majka claimed victory, a minute ahead of Ireland’s Dan Martin.
Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali lost 50 seconds as he was dropped in the final stretch of the 188km route although the likes of Tejay van Garderen remain in the hunt.
“Today was an extremely tough stage. Maybe it didn’t look so hard but I can tell you a lot of riders lost a lot of energy today,” said Froome afterwards.
“My team were always there though and I still had Geraint (Thomas) and Richie (Porte) with me at the top. They did a fantastic job to carry me over the summit and I’ve had support every step of the way.
“I’m in a great position at the moment and have a great team around me. The best thing for us is to ride defensively now and try and follow the other contenders. The other teams need to make things happen and there’s a big battle going on for the GC positions.”
Great Britain’s women will lead the charge in this weekend’s ITU World Triathlon Series in Hamburg in the absence of the injured Brownlee brothers.
Non Stanford, Vicky Holland and Jodie Stimpson will all be pitting their wits against the current Series leaders when the seventh round of the competition takes place in Germany.
They are part of a six-strong Great Britain team who will compete in the men’s, women’s and mixed team event.
Olympic and Commonwealth champion Alistair is resting an ankle problem though in order to be ready for the Rio Test Event in Brazil on August 2, while younger brother Jonathan is recovering from a stress fracture. Read more here.
Andy Murray believes Great Britain are more than ready to go toe-to-toe with France in this weekend’s Davis Cup quarter-final at Queen’s Club.
Britain will be aiming to reach their first World Group semi-final since 1981 when the tie starts in London on Friday.
"Over the last couple of years we've had good performances. I think this is our level now as a team," said the British number one, who is joined on the team by James Ward, Dom Inglot and brother Jamie.
"This weekend is going to be a tough ask against four top grass-court players that are all really, really good players, so it will be a tough challenge for us, but we have an opportunity to win if we all play our best level."
British Eventing senior selectors have announced the 12-strong team which will compete on home soil at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle, Scotland in September.
The event from September 10-13 is the last major Championship before the Olympic Games – Great Britain having already qualified a team spot for Rio 2016 at last year's World Equestrian Games.
William Fox-Pitt has been selected alongside Pippa Funnel MBE, Oliver Townend and Kitty King who have all experienced a home European Championships before, having competed in the 2005 Championships at Blenheim.
"It is very exciting to see such a strong squad selected for our European Championships at Blair," said William Fox-Pitt, who will be competing on Bay My Hero.
"It is a great reflection of our strength in depth that we have some very exciting new combinations in with a good chance. To have a championship on home soil is a rider's ultimate goal and the support makes a huge difference as an athlete."
Injuries may have got the better of Commonwealth Games gold medallist Louise Renicks but she is determined to ensure the family will be celebrating success next year through sister Kimberley.
Louise, winner of the women's 52kg event at Glasgow 2014, had been hoping to star at Rio 2016.
But a number of ongoing injuries – mainly knee and shoulder problems she has been carrying since before the Commonwealth Games – have proved too much, with Renicks now pouring her efforts into helping her sister and fellow Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
"I have been hampered by injuries for the past few months and had to pull out of various competitions and, after consultation with specialists, there were no guarantees I'd get through the competitions I needed to make," she said.
"So I'm now going to focus on supporting Kimberley and I have an agreement that I can assist her in coaching and other elements so hopefully I can help her make it to Rio."
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