British Cyclist Simon Yates Wins AlUla Tour 2024

British cyclist Simon Yates, from the Jayco-AlUla team, was crowned on Saturday champion of the fourth edition of the AlUla Tour. (SPA)
British cyclist Simon Yates, from the Jayco-AlUla team, was crowned on Saturday champion of the fourth edition of the AlUla Tour. (SPA)
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British Cyclist Simon Yates Wins AlUla Tour 2024

British cyclist Simon Yates, from the Jayco-AlUla team, was crowned on Saturday champion of the fourth edition of the AlUla Tour. (SPA)
British cyclist Simon Yates, from the Jayco-AlUla team, was crowned on Saturday champion of the fourth edition of the AlUla Tour. (SPA)

British cyclist Simon Yates, from the Jayco-AlUla team, was crowned on Saturday champion of the fourth edition of the AlUla Tour, having finished the 811.2-kilometers distance in 18:37:05 hours.

Belgian cyclist William Junior Lecerf, from the Soudal Quick-Step team, finished second, three seconds behind Yates. New Zealander Finn Fisher-Black, from the UAE team, came in third.

The fifth and last stage of the race started from the old town; competitors cycled across Mughayra village and AlUla International Airport, and finished at the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid, covering a distance of 150.2 kilometers.

In this stage Yates came in first, finishing the distance in 3:24:37 hours.

AlUla Tour’s organizing committee awarded Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier from Soudal Quick-Step the red jersey (general points classification), Yates the green jersey (general individual time classification), Lecerf the white jersey (best young rider), and Japanese Atsushi Oka the orange jersey (most active rider). The German team, Bora Hansgrohe, was named the best in the fifth stage.

The cyclists completed the five stages of AlUla Tour in five days; they toured the city's natural, cultural, and historical landmarks, including the heritage site of Hegra, the Maraya Hall, the Winter Park, and the Elephant Rock.

The tour was organized by the Ministry of Sport and the Royal Commission for AlUla, in cooperation with the Saudi and International Cycling federations.



Egyptian Fencer Hafez Carrying a ‘Little Olympian’ as She Reveals Pregnancy at Paris Games 

Paris 2024 Olympics - Fencing - Women's Sabre Individual Table of 16 - Grand Palais, Paris, France - July 29, 2024. Hayoung Jeon of South Korea in action against Nada Hafez of Egypt. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Fencing - Women's Sabre Individual Table of 16 - Grand Palais, Paris, France - July 29, 2024. Hayoung Jeon of South Korea in action against Nada Hafez of Egypt. (Reuters)
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Egyptian Fencer Hafez Carrying a ‘Little Olympian’ as She Reveals Pregnancy at Paris Games 

Paris 2024 Olympics - Fencing - Women's Sabre Individual Table of 16 - Grand Palais, Paris, France - July 29, 2024. Hayoung Jeon of South Korea in action against Nada Hafez of Egypt. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Fencing - Women's Sabre Individual Table of 16 - Grand Palais, Paris, France - July 29, 2024. Hayoung Jeon of South Korea in action against Nada Hafez of Egypt. (Reuters)

Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez had double reason to celebrate after picking up her first victory at an Olympics in the women's sabre event on Monday as she revealed that she did so while seven months pregnant.

The 26-year-old Hafez, competing at her third Olympics, beat American world number 10 Elizabeth Tartakovsky 15-13 before losing 15-7 to Hayoung Jeon of South Korea in the round of 16 at the Grand Palais.

Later Hafez said that she was proud not only of her performance, but of having competed while expecting her baby.

"What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three! It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby!" Hafez wrote on Instagram.

"I'm writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16 ... this specific Olympics was different. Three times Olympian but this time carrying a little Olympian one!"

Hafez, who previously competed at the Games in 2016 and 2021, said she revealed the news to "shed light on the strength, perseverance of the Egyptian woman".

"The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life and sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it."