Category Sports News

Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser won stage one of the Women’s Giro d’Italia to claim the first maglia rosa jersey.

The Movistar rider topped the standings with a time of 17 minutes 22 seconds in a 14. 2km individual time trial through Bergamo.

It is a first stage win at the Giro for 33-year-old Reusser on her third appearance at the Grand Tour.

Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, last year’s runner-up, was 12 seconds adrift in second with 2024 champion Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy also making it on to the podium.

“Ever since the route was announced I was really excited that the Giro would start with a time trial, and now I’m over the moon,” said Reusser.

“I still can’t quite believe I’ll be wearing the maglia rosa – it’s truly been an amazing day. “

Swiss rider Marlen Reusser stormed to victory in the opening stage of the Women’s Giro d’Italia, less than a year after fearing for her career following a bout of long Covid.

The Movistar rider topped the standings with a time of 17 minutes 22 seconds in a 14. 2km individual time trial through Bergamo.

Reusser had her 2024 season decimated and missed the Paris Olympics after being diagnosed with the respiratory condition, which left her “chronically ill”.

“Last spring I was ill for two weeks and just kept getting worse,” Reusser said.

“We couldn’t figure out what was wrong. In June, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, I tried getting back on the bike, but I had a fever that would spike one day and drop the next.

“In August, I was diagnosed with long Covid. I couldn’t believe it and struggled to accept it.

“I was chronically ill. I was scared, because I know there are people who never recover from it. “

The 33-year-old did recover and showed signs of returning to her best in finishing second at the Spanish Vuelta in May.

She has now followed that up by claiming her first stage victory at the Women’s Giro on her third appearance at the Grand Tour.

“Ever since the route was announced I was really excited that the Giro would start with a time trial, and now I’m over the moon,” added Reusser.

“I still can’t quite believe I’ll be wearing the maglia rosa – it’s truly been an amazing day. “

Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, last year’s runner-up, was 12 seconds adrift in second with 2024 champion Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy also making it on to the podium.

1. Marlen Reusser (Swi/Movistar) 17 mins 22 secs

2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel/SD Worx-Protime) +12secs

3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Team ADQ) +16secs

4. Anna van der Breggen (Ned/SD Worx-Protime) +20secs

5. Lieke Nooijen (Ned/Visma-Lease A Bike) +24secs

6. Anna Henderson (GBR/Lidl-Trek) +27secs

7. Christina Schweinberger (Aut/Fenix-Deceuninck) +30secs

8. Alessia Vigilia (Ita/FDJ-Suez) +40secs

9. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita/Liv-Alula-Jayco) +41secs

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said a game was ‘stolen’ from her when Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system failed during her fourth-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal.

There was no ‘out’ call when a Kartal backhand went long at 4-4 in the first set, with chair umpire Nico Helwerth shouting “stop, stop” to halt play.

Russian Pavlyuchenkova had seen the ball was out – and a TV replay showed that was the case by some distance.

Addressing the crowd, Helwerth said: “We’re just going to check if the system was up and running, because there was no audio call. “

After a telephone call, he said the electronic system “was unfortunately unable to track the last point so we will replay the point”.

Had the ball been called out, Pavlyuchenkova would have won the point and taken the lead.

A frustrated Pavlyuchenkova was heard telling the umpire at the changeover: “I don’t know if it’s in or out. How do I know? How can you prove it?

“Because she is local they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.

“They stole the game from me. They stole it. “

A spokesperson for the All England Club said: “Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question.

“The chair umpire followed the established process. “

The automated line-calling system, which was introduced at Wimbledon for the first time this year, has been under scrutiny this week, with several players questioning its accuracy and sound level.

Electronic line calling technology has been under scrutiny this week at Wimbledon, with a number of players saying they did not trust it.

Such an obvious failure on the biggest stage – on Centre Court, in a match featuring a British player – has ensured this topic will not go away.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu has been one of those to voice concerns, saying some of the calls had been “dodgy”, while former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic said the technology was a topic of discussion among players in the locker room.

Bencic said she was usually a fan of the technology but “it is not correct” at this tournament.

Line judges have been replaced by technology at many top-level tournaments, including the US Open and Australian Open.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said a game was ‘stolen’ from her when Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system failed during her fourth-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal.

There was no ‘out’ call when a Kartal backhand went long at 4-4 in the first set, with chair umpire Nico Helwerth shouting “stop, stop” to halt play.

Russian Pavlyuchenkova had seen the ball was out – and a TV replay showed that was the case by some distance.

Addressing the crowd, Helwerth said: “We’re just going to check if the system was up and running, because there was no audio call. “

After a telephone call, he said the electronic system “was unfortunately unable to track the last point so we will replay the point”.

Had the ball been called out, Pavlyuchenkova would have won the point and taken the lead.

A frustrated Pavlyuchenkova was heard telling the umpire at the changeover: “I don’t know if it’s in or out. How do I know? How can you prove it?

“Because she is local they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.

“They stole the game from me. They stole it. “

A spokesperson for the All England Club said: “Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question.

“The chair umpire followed the established process. “

The automated line-calling system, which was introduced at Wimbledon for the first time this year, has been under scrutiny this week, with several players questioning its accuracy and sound level.

Electronic line calling technology has been under scrutiny this week at Wimbledon, with a number of players saying they did not trust it.

Such an obvious failure on the biggest stage – on Centre Court, in a match featuring a British player – has ensured this topic will not go away.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu has been one of those to voice concerns, saying some of the calls had been “dodgy”, while former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic said the technology was a topic of discussion among players in the locker room.

Bencic said she was usually a fan of the technology but “it is not correct” at this tournament.

Line judges have been replaced by technology at many top-level tournaments, including the US Open and Australian Open.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said a game was ‘stolen’ from her when Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system failed during her fourth-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal.

There was no ‘out’ call when a Kartal backhand went long at 4-4 in the first set, with chair umpire Nico Helwerth shouting “stop, stop” to halt play.

Russian Pavlyuchenkova had seen the ball was out – and a TV replay showed that was the case by some distance.

Addressing the crowd, Helwerth said: “We’re just going to check if the system was up and running, because there was no audio call. “

After a telephone call, he said the electronic system “was unfortunately unable to track the last point so we will replay the point”.

Had the ball been called out, Pavlyuchenkova would have won the point and taken the lead.

A frustrated Pavlyuchenkova was heard telling the umpire at the changeover: “I don’t know if it’s in or out. How do I know? How can you prove it?

“Because she is local they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.

“They stole the game from me. They stole it. “

A spokesperson for the All England Club said: “Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question.

“The chair umpire followed the established process. “

The automated line-calling system, which was introduced at Wimbledon for the first time this year, has been under scrutiny this week, with several players questioning its accuracy and sound level.

Electronic line calling technology has been under scrutiny this week at Wimbledon, with a number of players saying they did not trust it.

Such an obvious failure on the biggest stage – on Centre Court, in a match featuring a British player – has ensured this topic will not go away.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu has been one of those to voice concerns, saying some of the calls had been “dodgy”, while former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic said the technology was a topic of discussion among players in the locker room.

Bencic said she was usually a fan of the technology but “it is not correct” at this tournament.

Line judges have been replaced by technology at many top-level tournaments, including the US Open and Australian Open.

Former England midfielder Fran Kirby says manager Sarina Wiegman’s analysis of the defeat by France is ‘”one of the most important ones in her career”.

The Lionesses were beaten 2-1 in their Euro 2025 opener and became the first defending champions to lose their first match of the next tournament at a women’s Euros.

Kirby retired from international football a month before the tournament after Wiegman told the 31-year-old Brighton midfielder she was not going to make the squad.

“It was very different to the Lionesses team I am used to playing in and watching,” Kirby told BBC Radio 5 Live about Saturday’s loss.

“There were too many errors, too many sloppy passes, defensively we looked shaky and disjointed. It was really tough to watch.

Wiegman’s former side, the Netherlands, beat Wales 3-0 in their opener and Kirby is acutely aware England have to make a vast improvement to progress from Group D.

“This is one of the most important analyst days that the Lionesses have had because we have to find out what has gone wrong, why it went wrong and make it better for the next game. The next game is must-win.

“You can always say basics weren’t good enough, you can sit there and say these things, but we have to work on other things that are going to help us beat the Netherlands. “

Captain Leah Williamson described England’s errors in the France defeat as “some cheap sort of emotional defending”.

Kirby said she liked Williamson’s honesty and does not expect the review to be “fiery – but it has to be productive”.

“Those quotes came out after the game. It was emotional losing the first game of the tournament and the players are coming off and they are emotional. I like the honesty,” Kirby said.

“That is something that hasn’t happened in the women’s game for a long period so I don’t mind that. “

Keira Walsh’s consolation goal in the 87th minute was England’s first shot on target in a match that was comfortable for Les Bleues until the closing stages.

“There will be honest conversations in the meeting [on Sunday] to make sure it doesn’t happen in the next game,” added Kirby.

Despite beginning the tournament with defeat, there is no shortage of confidence in the England ranks.

“We look forward to the challenge of winning those two games [against the Netherlands and Wales],” defender Esme Morgan told BBC Sport.

“I think when you have a situation where you can do nothing but win it brings the best out of people.

“You have to fight your absolute hardest knowing that if you don’t you could be on the plane home, so I think this situation is going to bring out the very best in us and we’ll rise to the challenge. “