Sports Poets Society

STUPÉFIANT! C’était il y a 30 ans. L’élite du cyclisme mondial se réunissait à Duitama, en pleine campagne colombienne, pour se frotter à la pluie, au froid et aux 2 831 mètres du col d’El Cogollo. Le tout en plein âge d’or de l’EPO, sur fond de narcotrafic, de menaces d’enlèvement et de liesse populaire. Retour sur les championnats du monde les plus fous de l’histoire, que seuls 20 coureurs terminèrent. “On était à peine entrés dans nos chambres qu’on a entendu des coups de feu. Des gars s’étaient fait descendre devant la porte de l’hôtel. Ça commençait bien”    - Philippe Dault, soigneur de l’équipe de France À chaque tour, le peloton s’amenuise.  Escartin et “El Chava” Jiménez surveillent Pantani,  qui surveille Indurain, qui crève.  Attaque des Suisses et de Konyshev. Réponse d’Olano.   “Je les ai repris, puis j’ai bloqué la course”, relate l’Espagnol “On ne va pas refaire le procès d’Hitler ni celui de l’UCI, mais la vérité, de faire la Vuelta et ...

NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN - Oklahoma City forward Jalen Williams (8)  dunks in the first quarter of Game 5 in the NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 16. J-Dub brings ‘great force' again, inching Thunder closer to first NBA title Joel Lorenzi 18 Jun 2025 - The Oklahoman USA TODAY NETWORK There’s a peculiar distance between the often bubbly 24-year-old and what might be the greatest performance of his life. Jalen Williams created it himself. When did you know Monday would be a good night, asked the voice filming his amble down the back hall of the Paycom Center, perhaps his last for a while after a 120-109 win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, pushing the Thunder a game away from the title. “After the game was over,” he said, his eyes flickering in search of an answer that’d efface him. Way to have your moment, a warm, elder voice told him in passing. SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN - Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams (8)  celebrates a basket in the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals...

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE TANNOUS/INDYSTAR Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks to a pass while hounded by the Pacers’ defense on June 16 during Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Turnovers have put Pacers on brink of elimination heading into Game 6 18 giu 2025 - The Indianapolis Star - USA TODAY NETWORK  Dustin Dopirak - Pacers Insider OKLAHOMA CITY – Myles Turner was asked to describe his emotions now that the Pacers have gone from being so close to an NBA title to now seemingly so far away from it. On Friday night, they held a 10point lead at home in the third quarter and a seven-point lead in the fourth with a chance to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, which would’ve put the Thunder needing a comeback only the 2015-16 Cavaliers have achieved in the Finals. Now, thanks to the Pacers’ fourth-quarter collapse in Game 4 and their 120-109 loss at the Paycom Center in Game 5 on Monday, Indiana finds itself down 3-2 and just one loss away ...

CHRISTINE TANNOUS/INDYSTAR - Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton leaves the court after the Pacers’ Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 16 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, a night when he went scoreless from the field. Haliburton’s hurting, but no one seems to know how much 18 giu 2025 - The Indianapolis Star Gregg Doyel Columnist Indianapolis Star USA TODAY NETWORT Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has a towel on his lap and a look on his face. Frustrated? Furious? Probably some of both. He’s just been removed from Game 5 of the NBA Finals after playing 34 minutes and making as many field goals as you did. In two minutes this will all be over, this 120-109 victory Monday night for the Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, but for Haliburton the frustration – the fury – is just getting started. Because after this game there will be almost 72 hours before the 2025 NBA Finals return to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Thursday night, June 19, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. ...

La première étape a bouleversé les plans, et tous les scénarios comme les approches sont envisageables jusqu’à dimanche et le chrono en côte. 18 Jun 2025 - L'Équipe YOHANN HAUTBOIS HEIDEN (SUI) – Tout le monde n’aborde pas les échéances à venir en slip (en short en réalité) comme les deux membres de l’équipe Visma-Lease a bike, les fesses posées sur le capot de la voiture, torse nu en attendant de pouvoir ravitailler leurs coureurs. Si la formation néerlandaise a peu de chance devoir son meilleur coureur au général s’imposer (Bart Lemmen, 3e), d’autres avancent dans cette semaine avec des objectifs affichés mais contrariés (notamment Joao Almeida pour UAE Emirates, Felix Gall pour DecathlonAG2R la Mondiale) ou inattendus (Romain Grégoire, en tête du général, et son dauphin Kévin Vauquelin). Au milieu de tout cela, Ben O’Connor (5e du général), bien embarqué depuis la première étape, mais qui va à un moment devoir se découvrir. Au matin de la 4e étape, Romain Grégoire est toujours ...