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With a stunning solo victory on the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia, Australian Luke Plapp won the first Grand Tour title of his career.

With about 40 kilometers to go, the 24-year-old attacked from the breakaway group and passed the line with a 38-second gap over Wilco Kelderman of the Netherlands.

Diego Ulissi, an Italian for the first time since 2021, moved into the lead in the overall standings with a third place finish.

At the conclusion of the race, Plapp remarked, “I still can’t believe it, to be honest.

“I feel like it’s been a long time coming,” he said. “I’m always trying to get an Australian summer, but I just can’t get it to happen in Europe.”

For today to occur is truly special because I was so close to the Giro last year.

Plapp then joked that because he had so much time to go before the 197km stage, Plapp felt compelled to finish in style.

Primoz Roglic, who finished third overall, is still 17 seconds behind Ulissi, who is now in command of the overall lead.

On Sunday, Ulissi will participate in the 181 km stage from Gubbio to Siena that will span the region of his birth, Tuscany.

Simon Yates is the 10th-placed British rider, while Max Poole is the seventh-placed rider overall.

1. Luke Plapp (Aus/Jayco Alula) 4h 44, 20 seconds

2. Wilco Kelderman (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) + 38secs

3. 3.8 seconds for Diego Ulissi (Ita/XDS-Astana).

4. Igor Arrieta (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) + 1 minute 22 seconds

5. Nicolas Prodhomme (Fra/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) + 1 minute 35 seconds

6. Andrea Vendrame (Ita/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) + 1 minute, 48 seconds

7. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita/XDS-Astana) + 1 minute, 48 seconds

8. Georg Steinhauser (Ger/EF Education-EasyPost) + 2 min 59 secs

9. Ron Bardet (Fra/Picnic PostNL) + 3 minutes 02 seconds

1. Diego Ulissi (Ita/XDS-Astana) 29hr 21min 23secs

2. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita/XDS-Astana) + 12secs

3. Prioroz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) + 17 secs

4. 20secs Juan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) + 20secs

5. Isaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) + 26 seconds

6. 44secs by Antonio Tiberi (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) + 44.

7. 47secs for Max Poole (GB/Team Picnic PostNL) + 47 seconds

8. Michael Storer (Aus/Tudor Pro Cycling) + 50 seconds

9. Emirates-XRG USA/UAE Team Brandon McNulty + 51secs

James Forrest added yet another milestone to the heaving list of accolades in his storied Celtic career with the timing of a drama king in the dying moments of trophy day in Glasgow’s east end.

The veteran winger had scored for his club for 15 straight seasons. Even his most devoted supporters must have doubted his ability to make it 16 as the years passed at Celtic Park.

He had already enjoyed playing 31 games so far this year. Even though he had nearly 1,200 minutes in four games, the goal remained elusive.

On Saturday, there was no normal time elapsed. Nothing . There were three more minutes of play. Nothing remains.

But persevere. Forrest delivered and enthralled his audience in the 94th minute.

Rarely have home fans greeted a goalkeeping goal for a late draw with thunderous cheer. The goalscorer was more important than the goal, after all.

“Relief. When Forrest was questioned about his score, he responded, “I was just buzzing.”

You could not have written it any better, in my opinion. Everyone has asked for me to score and win the record, so I’m happy to do it.

It’s difficult to express in words. I’m just trying to enjoy Celtic’s final few minutes of play. I’ve loved it a lot, and I hope I still have some memorable moments and awards like this. It’s an incredible career.

Forrest has now won his 26th medal as a Celtic man, breaking Bobby Lennox’s 25-year-old record, which has stood proudly for 45 years.

His goal total now stands at 109 with Saturday’s late strike. He has won six League Cups, seven Scottish Cups, and 13 leagues.

He has played for 188 different Celtic players.

Derk Boerrigter, Patrick Roberts, Daniel Arzani, Maryan Shved, Sead Haksabanovic, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Marco Tilio, and Luis Palma are just a few of the wingers he’s counted in the club over the years.

That is a long list. There are more.

He has had to take a backseat to the more recent generation of accomplished figures like Liel Abada, Jota, Daizen Maeda, and Nicolas Gerrit-Kuhn as the years have progressed.

More than 150 of those 500+ games were substitutes, which demonstrate his patience and professionalism.

His stats reveal a ruthless adversary, but when examined in a different way, they also reveal a fierce competitor.

He’s still fighting despite reports of injuries, brand-new signings, and significant time spent on the bench.

He has these dazzling purple patches that managers have found to be insatiable.

Forrest is the living embodiment of Celtic’s grit, and they have too much class for everyone else in this division.

Although he has the most trophies, his parents have a dog in him. Although it isn’t in his personality, it must be.

His first Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, recalls that “the season before he made his debut, I had him in the development team.”

He excelled,” he declared. He was in charge of everything. Brilliant footwork. You could play him through the middle, or left, right, or both.

He experienced a significant speed change. Even at the time, he was one of those players that would make you want to stay in your seat. passing through people. Low gravity’s axis. Nothing frightens me. I cherished him from the moment I first saw him play.

No one can dispute the fact that Lennox’s peerless times were as memorable as those from his era, even the humble Forrest, but he is in for a special time.

He has been one of Brendan Rodgers’ few constants throughout both him and McGregor’s spells. Individual standard-setters in their own ways.

What year did this all start?

Forrest scored a left-foot shot into John Ruddy’s net just before the end of a league game against Motherwell on May 10, 2010, which had gone on for 14 years and 361 days.

It was a memorable debut for the 18-year-old. One goal in nine minutes.

Forrest’s youth is apparent in the video; he might be mistaken for a 12-year-old.

Edson Braafheid, Zheng Zhi, Morten Rasmussen, and Josh Thompson are also given the names of their former teammates. Relics from a different era.

However, that scene also serves as a reminder of Forrest’s long history on the road. 24 000 people showed up at Celtic Park that day.

Forrest scored 108 goals in the first of his 523 games for the club, which were not even half full.

Both the player and the club have made significant improvements. Rangers won their second title in a row shortly after winning no more than one trophy during that same season, 2009-2010.

There was no cup final at all. Ross County won the Scottish Cup while their hearts were squandered by Hearts. Celtic won two games in Europe out of ten.

Along the way, Tony Mowbray lost his job. In an effort to restore the thunder, Lennon was appointed manager.

Look at his career, which has had great success, Lennon says. Having a bad injury or not being chosen miss out on important games. He’s had his lows, but he’s just maintained his equilibrium. He is unfazed by nothing.

When he is not a member of the team, he does not like to break the windows. Some players don’t get it, but he seems to be saying, “OK, this is my role at the moment, but I’ll be ready when I’m called upon.” He is also always prepared.

And I still watch him play a lot. When he’s at his best, he’s still one of the most exciting players to watch. He has evolved along with the game as it has. He is currently a sort of passing winger with a threat of a goal.

He’s undoubtedly a man who has accomplished great things in his own right, even though I don’t put him on a pedestal like Bobby Lennox or any of the Lisbon Lions.”

United Rugby Championship

Bulls (26) 55

Tries: Kriel, Wiese, de Klerk, van der Merwe 2, Petersen 2, Coetzee, Williams Cons: Johannes 5

Dragons (0) 15

Bulls consolidated second place in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with an emphatic nine-try victory against a depleted Dragons in Pretoria.

Hooker Akker van der Merwe and wing Sergeal Petersen crossed for two tries with further scores from David Kriel, Cobus Wiese, Sebastian de Klerk, Marcell Coetzee and Devon Williams.

Dragons responded with tries from Huw Anderson, Rhodri Williams and Lewis Morgan.

Filo Tiatia’s side equalled the record for the worst URC league season with just nine points as they finished bottom in a nightmare campaign.

The Welsh side have lost 17 successive league games since defeating Ospreys on the opening weekend in September 2024.

It was an emotional afternoon in Pretoria with tributes for ex-Bulls player Cornal Hendricks who died on Wednesday.

The former South Africa wing – who made his Test debut for the Springboks against Wales in 2014 – suffered a heart attack aged 37.

Dragons were without more than 20 players for this fixture because of an injury crisis.

With Ebbw Vale and Newport competing in the Welsh domestic Super Rygbi Cymru final, Dragons flew out Carmarthen Quins hooker Morgan and Llandovery prop Jamie Hughes on permit for debuts off the bench against a motivated Bulls side at altitude.

Springboks number eight Cameron Hanekom was denied an early try because of a foot in touch following an Angus O’Brien tackle.

The hosts did not have to wait long after, centre Kriel finished off a flowing set-piece move, while three minutes later lock Wiese powered over.

Replacement prop Hughes was forced on the field early after an injury to Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, and Bulls took advantage of his inexperience with scrum dominance.

The incessant pressure told with South Africa full-back Willie le Roux setting up the try for wing De Klerk.

Dragons responded with a flowing move involving scrum-half Williams and O’Brien that was foiled by desperate Bulls defence before the hosts won another scrum penalty to relieve any pressure.

Wales scrum-half Williams made a storming start to the second half with a long try-scoring floated pass to Anderson.

Williams followed this up with a superb solo effort after collecting his own chip.

Any hopes of an improbable Dragons revival were halted by a dropped ball from Aaron Wainwright, who blotted his copybook in an otherwise industrious display.

Bulls capitalised with Van der Mewre crashing over for his second score, before wing Petersen took advantage of a tired Dragons defence to sprint over for two tries.

Replacement scrum-half Bernard van der Linde was a catalyst for Bulls’ second-half slick showing and helped create a superb try for replacement flanker Coetzee.

The onslaught continued with replacement back Devon Williams surging over.

Dragons enjoyed some respite with a dream introduction for replacement hooker Morgan, who was driven over.

Bulls: Willie le Roux; Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Sergeal Petersen; Keagan Johannes, Zak Burger; Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Akker van der Merwe, Mornay Smith, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Kuyenzeka Nama Xaba, Ruan Nortje (capt), Cameron Hanekom.

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Jannes Kirsten, Marcell Coetzee, Bernard van der Linde, Stedman Gans, Devon Williams.

Dragons: Angus O’Brien (co-capt); Harry Rees-Weldon, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson; Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams; Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Ben Carter (co-capt), Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Lewis Morgan, Jamie Hughes, Paula Latu, Barny Langton-Cryer, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Ewan Rosser, Ashton Hewitt.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen & AJ Jacobs (SARU)

Lead Artist edged out Dancing Gemini in a pulsating Lockinge Stakes at Newbury to give jockey Oisin Murphy his first victory in the race.

The winner, trained by John and Thady Gosden, was backed down from morning odds of 18-1 to finish at 17-2.

Fallen Angel led the field until two furlongs to go before Lead Artist got the better of a sustained battle with 2-1 favourite Dancing Gemini.

Murphy, riding his first top-level Group One winner for owners Juddmonte, edged ahead by a neck in the final strides.

“He has an amazing temperament. The lads were really confident and the market told. He was a joy to ride,” said Murphy.

Last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Rosallion was third, with 2024 Newmarket Guineas victor Notable Speech fourth.

Kieran Shoemark rode Lead Artist on all eight of his previous starts, but he lost his role as number one rider for the Gosdens after his Guineas defeat on the Juddmonte-owned Field Of Gold a fortnight ago.

On his Lockinge winner, John Gosden said: “He was given a peach of the ride. I thought we’d be in the three but I didn’t necessararily think we’d win it.”

Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie was left bloodied after being struck by what seemed to be a seat – thrown by one of his own fans – amid a pitch invasion following his side’s Scottish Premiership defeat at Dundee United.

Unused subtitute MacKenzie was on the pitch while the United supporters invaded the playing surface after their side denied Aberdeen fourth place.

And he was felled by a projectile hurled from the area of the ground that housed a travelling support restricted in number after objects were aimed at United manager Jim Goodwin in the last meeting at Tannadice.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin told BBC Scotland after the match MacKenzie is “ok but it’s quite a bad injury.”

“This is unacceptable and can’t happen,” Thelin added.

Speaking to BBC Scotland after his side sealed a European place on Saturday, Goodwin labelled the incident “a disgrace”.

“I deliberately took myself off the pitch as quickly as I could because we’ve had previous with the Aberdeen supporters in the past,” the former Pittodrie boss said.

“I’m really disappointed to hear young Jack has been hit by an object thrown by his own supporters. He’s inside having stitches now, it’s an absolute disgrace.

“It’s probably taken something as serious as this to happen for the authorities to finally step in and do something about it to identify these idiots who let down a really good club.”