Alberto Dainese rounded Michael Matthews and held off a late surge from Jonathan Milan to win Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia in a photo finish. After battling back from illness, Italy’s Dainese enjoyed a textbook lead-out from his Team DSM train to inflict a fourth second-place on his in-form compatriot, Milan. Geraint Thomas retained the pink jersey while Mark Cavendish was left frustrated.
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Spain left-back Jordi Alba will leave Barcelona this summer after the Spanish champions agree to mutually terminate his contract a season early. Alba, 34, joined the club in 2012 from Valencia and has won six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League in 2015.
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Honda is to return to Formula 1 in a formal capacity in 2026 as engine partner for the Aston Martin team. The company officially pulled out of F1 at the end of 2021 but its engines are still used by the two Red Bull teams and are called Hondas again in 2023. Honda said on Wednesday that F1’s pursuit of carbon-neutrality by 2030 was the “key factor” behind its decision to re-enter officially.
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The fight for pink exploded into life on Monte Bondone as Geraint Thomas took back the maglia rosa despite being denied victory in a thrilling Stage 16 by Joao Almeida. Portugal’s Almeida got the better of Welsh veteran Thomas in the final dash to the line after both riders dropped their big GC rival Primoz Roglic on the tough final climb in a brutal stage in the Alps.
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Juventus were hit with a fresh 10-point penalty on Monday by an Italian court — hampering their chances of qualifying for next year’s Champions League — Italy’s Football Association said. The latest punishment for false accounting in the club’s transfer dealings dropped Juventus from second spot in Serie A to seventh.
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