分类： sports

One of cycling’s modern greats cemented his legacy on Sunday, as Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar outmatched defending champion Mathieu van der Poel to secure a joint-record third Tour of Flanders title, cementing his status as one of the most successful one-day classic riders in history. The 27-year-old four-time Tour de France winner dropped his primary Dutch rival with just 18 kilometers remaining on the punishing 278-kilometer route, which winds across punchy climbs and multiple rugged cobbled sectors across northern Belgium.

Heading into the race, Van der Poel had been poised to break records and claim a fourth Tour of Flanders crown, but it was Pogacar who extended an undefeated 2025 season to extend his historic career tally. With Sunday’s win, Pogacar now holds 12 victories in cycling’s five Monument races — the sport’s most prestigious one-day events — putting him alone in second place on the all-time winner’s list, trailing only Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, who retired with 19 Monument titles to his name.

The win also marks Pogacar’s second Monument victory of the early 2025 season, following his win at Milan-San Remo last month. He has entered and won all three races he has competed in this year, and heads into next weekend’s Paris-Roubaix with a chance to make more history: a victory at the cobbled classic would make him just the fourth male rider in cycling history to win all five Monuments, joining an exclusive club that includes Merckx, Rik Van Looy, and Roger De Vlaeminck. On his Paris-Roubaix debut last year, Pogacar finished second behind Van der Poel, who claimed a third straight title.

“It was a really crazy race today, I don’t know what to say: super-hard from I don’t know which kilometre,” Pogacar told Belgian broadcaster after crossing the finish line. “I don’t race too much, so when I race there is pressure to win. So far everything went perfect for me, so I can be more than happy. Coming next week to Roubaix, I can go motivated, but I try to enjoy the cobbles.”

Billed as a head-to-head clash between four of cycling’s biggest stars, the men’s race played out exactly as pre-race analysis predicted, with Pogacar ultimately proving too strong for the competition, even as Van der Poel — one of the greatest cobbled classics specialists of all time — pushed him to the final kilometers. Pogacar first launched an acceleration on the second ascent of the iconic Oude Kwaremont climb with 57km left to race, dropping every competitor except Van der Poel and Belgian double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, who was making his Tour of Flanders debut.

Evenepoel was quickly dropped on the very next climb, the Paterberg, and despite staying within a few seconds of the leading pair early, he gradually faded over the closing kilometers, ultimately finishing third more than a minute behind Pogacar, ahead of another top Belgian star Wout van Aert in fourth.

Pogacar and Van der Poel rode side-by-side for nearly 40 kilometers after the elimination of Evenepoel, before the Slovenian made his decisive race-winning attack on the final ascent of Oude Kwaremont. He crossed the climb’s crest with a six-second advantage, and Van der Poel’s challenge was broken, with the Dutch rider losing more time all the way to the finish line.

The day’s breakaway formed within the first 40 kilometers of the race, when 13 riders including Mongolia’s Sainbayaryn Jambaljamts escaped the peloton, building a maximum lead of five-and-a-half minutes after the main peloton was delayed at a level crossing. That gap held steady for more than 100 kilometers before the general classification teams upped the pace to bring the break back. With just over 100 kilometers remaining, Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates teammates pushed the pace on the Molenberg climb, splitting the peloton and forming a 15-rider chase group containing all the pre-race favorites, who caught the breakaway with just under 80km left, holding a lead of more than one minute over the main peloton for the rest of the race. From that point, it was only a matter of whether any rider could match Pogacar’s strength on the closing climbs — and no contender could keep up.

In the women’s edition of the race, European champion Demi Vollering mirrored Pogacar’s winning performance, dropping her rivals on the final Oude Kwaremont ascent to claim a solo victory. The 2023 Tour de France Femmes winner crossed the finish line of the 164-kilometer route with a 45-second advantage over France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, who outsprinted Netherlands’ Puck Pieterse to take second place. The win gives Vollering her third career Monument victory, adding to two previous titles at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Three-time defending champion Lotte Kopecky finished just outside the podium in fourth.

In a rollercoaster FA Cup quarter-final clash that will be remembered for decades, Leeds United booked their place at Wembley Stadium with a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over West Ham United on Sunday, ending a 39-year drought for a semi-final appearance in the historic competition.

Daniel Farke’s side looked set for a straightforward victory after taking a commanding 2-0 lead at the London Stadium. Japan international Ao Tanaka broke the deadlock in the 26th minute, twisting cleverly to create space inside the 18-yard box before his deflected effort bounced off the crossbar and into the net. Leeds doubled their advantage in the 75th minute, when referee Craig Pawson overturned his initial decision after a VAR review, awarding a penalty following Max Kilman’s foul on Brenden Aaronson. Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted the spot-kick with cool composure, sending West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola the wrong way before celebrating with the 9,000 travelling Leeds fans packed behind the goal.

But West Ham, managed by Nuno Espirito Santo who had rotated his squad to prioritise an upcoming Premier League relegation clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, pulled off a stunning late stoppage-time rally to force extra time. In the third minute of 11 minutes of added time, Mateus Fernandes tapped home a rebound after Jarrod Bowen hit the post. Just three minutes later, Axel Disasi volleyed home Adama Traore’s inswinging cross to level the score at 2-2, stunning Leeds and sending the remaining home fans into delirium.

The dramatic equaliser caught many off guard: thousands of West Ham supporters had already exited the stadium, and hundreds rushed back to the gates only to find them locked, leaving them stranded outside for the remainder of the match.

After 30 minutes of extra time failed to separate the two sides, the tie went to penalties. West Ham were forced to hand a senior debut to 20-year-old reserve goalkeeper Finlay Herrick, after Areola was forced off with an injury. Herrick, who spent the first half of the season on loan at non-league side Boreham Wood, got off to a dream start by saving Leeds’ first penalty from Joel Piroe.

However, the fairytale debut for the young goalkeeper did not materialise. Leeds converted their next four penalties through Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson, Wilfried Gnonto and Pascal Struijk, while Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri produced two key saves: he stopped West Ham’s opening kick from Bowen and also denied Pablo Fornals. That was enough to secure a 4-2 shootout win and book Leeds’ first FA Cup semi-final spot since 1987.

Speaking after the match, Farke praised his side’s mental strength to secure the historic result. “We always do it the tough way, never the easy way. We could have made our lives easier,” he said. “We had a late sucker punch when the whole stadium was buzzing. To keep the nerves and win the penalty shoot-out shows great mentality and character. A chapter of Leeds history. It will be a big night for us at Wembley. It’s a great step for this club and a great reward for everyone.”

Leeds’ last appearance in the FA Cup semi-finals came in 1987, when they were beaten by eventual winners Coventry City at Hillsborough. The Yorkshire side have also struggled on their past three trips to Wembley, losing play-off and League Cup finals in 1996, 2008 and 2024. Their only FA Cup title came in 1972, and their last win at the national stadium was a 4-3 Charity Shield victory over Liverpool in 1992.

The result offers a much-needed boost for both sides, who are currently locked in a tight Premier League relegation battle. West Ham sit third from bottom, one point adrift of 17th-place Tottenham Hotspur with just seven matches remaining in the league season. Leeds sit four points above West Ham, and the two sides will meet again at the London Stadium on the final day of the campaign in what could prove to be a decisive clash for both clubs’ top-flight survival hopes.

Leeds will now face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in late April, with the club just 90 minutes away from a first FA Cup final appearance in more than half a century.

As the 2026 State of Origin series approaches, NSW Blues head coach Laurie Daley faces what every coach dreams of: a pleasant selection dilemma at the centre position. Among a stacked field of star candidates, a 19-year-old Penrith Panthers prodigy has rocketed into contention, turning heads across the rugby league community with his scorching early-season form.

Casey McLean, the Panthers’ dynamic left centre, has not yet received a call-up from Daley, but the young star says he would jump at the chance to represent the Blues in next month’s series opener. Just a few months ago, a senior State of Origin debut would have been out of the question for McLean; the teenager had already represented New Zealand at the international level, which under old eligibility rules would have barred him from competing for NSW. A recent rule change has swept that barrier away, clearing the path for his possible selection, while his dominant on-field performances have cemented his status as a legitimate contender.

Despite his youth, McLean has already proven he can compete with the sport’s very best. In a memorable match-up against representative star Stephen Crichton last year, he held his own to help the Panthers secure a win over the Bulldogs, and has continued to elevate his game through the opening rounds of the 2026 season. He enters the selection conversation alongside established stars including Crichton, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Kotoni Staggs, making for one of the most competitive centre selection races in recent Origin history.

Speaking after a man-of-the-match performance against Melbourne Storm on Friday, McLean made his stance clear: “If the phone call arose, I suppose I wouldn’t turn it down. But at the end of the day, I’m just focusing on my job at Penrith, taking it week by week and not thinking too far ahead. I’m just thinking about how I can put my best foot forward for this team.”

The young centre demonstrated his professionalism off the field after Friday’s game, too: having already left the stadium before reporters could reach the Penrith change rooms, he graciously agreed to a phone interview to discuss his form and Origin prospects. McLean, who represented NSW’s under-19 side in 2024, acknowledged that the updated eligibility rules created this unexpected opportunity, even as he emphasizes that representing New Zealand, his father’s home country, remains his first priority.

“I’d hope to say I’m ready to play Origin. But then again, it just comes down to what’s right for the Blues, and hopefully, if that opportunity comes, I’ll take it with both hands,” he said, adding that he still sees room for growth in his defensive game: “I’m still not quite happy with how I’m defending. We’re still leaking points out our edge, so there are many different ways for improvement throughout that at training.”

That self-awareness and drive to improve has impressed his veteran teammates at Penrith. Scott Sorensen, a long-serving Panthers forward, pointed to a match-winning defensive play in round four as evidence of McLean’s commitment to shoring up his defence: McLean chased down Parramatta Eels centre Sean Russell from behind to stop a certain try, a play that sums up his work ethic.

“If he was called upon, I have no doubt he’d be ready,” Sorensen said. “Attack is obviously beautiful to watch with his speed and the way that he’s backing himself and scoring some pretty incredible tries. But he’s saving them as well. We speak about a defensive mindset here and it’s awesome that he’s acknowledging that and going after it defensively.”

Penrith and NSW halfback Nathan Cleary, while declining to comment on selection so far out from the first Origin match, said he has been stunned by McLean’s rapid rise. “What Casey is doing at the moment is quite incredible,” Cleary said. “He’s looking more and more dangerous each week, and I think he’s starting to feel that confidence. The fact that he’s 19 is mind-blowing, but that’s a testament to him and the work he’s doing. He’s coming into training each week and he’s trying to get better.”

McLean’s versatility only adds to his appeal as a candidate. While he has dominated on the left edge for Penrith this season, he has said he is happy to switch to the right centre position if required, and has already proven he can play on the wing – scoring four tries in his debut match for New Zealand in 2024.

Looking back on his 2024 decision to represent New Zealand, McLean explained that the choice was rooted in family and heritage. “At that time, the thought crossed my mind that I’m not able to represent the junior clubs in Penrith I was able to represent. But at the end of the day, the decision wasn’t really too hard because I just wanted to represent my family and where I come from, my father back in New Zealand. That’s a big factor of why I’ve been playing this game for how long I have been,” he said.

“I sat ahead with my parents and my family just thinking what’s best for me, and they kind of just said whatever you think you want to do. I wanted to put on the black jersey and represent where my parents come from as a way of giving back to them.”

Since making his international debut, McLean has elevated his game to extraordinary new heights. Through the opening five rounds of the 2026 NRL season, he and Panthers winger Tom Jenkins have formed one of the most devastating attacking combinations in the league, combining for a string of spectacular tries. His solo try against the Storm on Friday – which showcased his signature mix of footwork, power and blistering speed – was the pick of the bunch, and highlighted exactly why many analysts argue his individual brilliance makes him a must-pick for the Blues when they name their side for the May 27 Origin opener.