Demi Vollering sprinted to victory on a dramatically shortened penultimate stage of the women’s Giro d’Italia on Saturday after an avalanche threat forced organisers to move the finish line.

The eighth stage was originally scheduled to conclude with a gruelling summit finish in Sestriere.

However, race officials reduced the route by 28 kilometres as an unstable slab of ice threatened to fall onto the course in the Italian Alps.

Road crews had already been forced to clear debris from an earlier avalanche shortly before the peloton passed through the region.

Avalanche threat forces hasty finish

The finish line was hastily relocated to one kilometre below the Colle delle Finestre.

In a tightly contested four-way sprint, the 29-year-old FDJ United-Suez rider edged out Isabella Holmgren, Antonia Niedermaier and overall race leader Anna van der Breggen.

This success marks the second stage victory of the current tour for the Dutch pre-race favourite.

“It was strange because the Finestre was suddenly the final climb. It was the weirdest finish line of my life, but I’m very happy to take the win.”

Van der Breggen defends pink jersey

Despite missing out on the stage win, Van der Breggen successfully retained the coveted maglia rosa heading into Sunday’s finale.

The four-time Giro winner now holds a slender 49-second advantage over her compatriot at the top of the general classification.

The 145km final stage will take the riders around Saluzzo at the foot of the Alps.

“We hoped that we could get closer to the maglia rosa today. Tomorrow’s stage is not as hard as today’s, but we will make a plan and think about how to try to win the Giro.”

Stage eight results

General classification

Exeter Chiefs secured a Premiership play-off semi-final against Bath after beating Saracens 32-12 to bring down the curtain on Mark McCall’s long reign.

The decisive victory elevates the Devon outfit to third place in the final league standings.

Rob Baxter’s side leapfrog Leicester Tigers, who drop to fourth, setting up a crucial knockout clash at the Recreation Ground next weekend.

Capitalising on indiscipline

A tense opening half initially favoured the visitors, with Tobias Elliott scoring an early try to silence the home crowd.

Henry Slade responded with a penalty to keep the deficit narrow before Rotimi Segun had a potential try disallowed for the Londoners.

The match’s turning point arrived deep into first-half stoppage time when visiting scrum-half Charlie Bracken was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

The hosts immediately punished the indiscretion as Max Norey crashed over from a cleverly worked lineout to snatch a slender half-time lead.

Chiefs dominate the second half

Still exploiting their numerical advantage after the interval, the 31-year-old Slade finished off a sweeping break to score his team’s second try.

The England international quickly added another penalty to firmly establish control of the scoreboard.

Italian lock Andrea Zambonin secured the result with 16 minutes remaining, guaranteeing his team’s first post-season appearance since 2021.

While Nick Isiekwe managed a late consolation score for the visitors, Stephen Varney crossed moments later to earn a stylish bonus-point victory.

The end of an era

The final whistle confirmed the exit of long-serving boss McCall, ending one of the most successful managerial eras in English rugby.

He leaves behind a complex legacy after previously guiding the club through massive and unprecedented off-field turbulence.

The unity we showed during the salary scandal remains my proudest time.

There was to be no fairy-tale departure for the Northern Irishman as his traditional rivals marched confidently towards another title tilt.

The Bulls recovered from an 18-point deficit to defeat Glasgow Warriors 22-21 in the United Rugby Championship semi-final at Murrayfield.

Defeat brings more heartbreak for the Scottish outfit, who were hoping to preserve their hopes of silverware after exiting the Champions Cup at the quarter-final stage.

The South African visitors will now contest their fourth Grand Final on 20 June against either Leinster or the Stormers.

Steyn double puts Glasgow in control

Handre Pollard initially gave the away side a penalty lead before being sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

The table-toppers capitalised immediately when Kyle Rowe found Kyle Steyn to cross the whitewash.

Moments later, Sione Tuipulotu provided a brilliant offload for the Glasgow captain to score his second try in almost the exact same spot.

Things went from bad to worse for the Pretoria-based franchise when a rolling maul resulted in a penalty try for the hosts.

Ruan Nortje was subsequently sent to the sin-bin in the aftermath of the collapse.

Bulls stage dramatic fightback

The visitors urgently needed a response and finally broke through right before the interval.

Johan Grobbelaar touched down following a powerful push at the line, cutting the half-time deficit to 21-10.

Momentum shifted drastically early in the second period when Warriors lock Scott Cummings was yellow-carded for repeated infringements.

Embrose Papier immediately took advantage of the extra space to skip over for a crucial second try.

The turnaround was completed shortly after as Cameron Hanekom broke the defensive line to set up Francois Klopper under the posts.

That score capped a run of 19 unanswered points, putting the two-time runners-up into a narrow lead they would never relinquish.

Frustration for Smith

Despite Pollard missing three consecutive penalties in the closing stages, the hosts failed to generate any attacking momentum from late scrums.

Head coach Franco Smith admitted his side gave away too much ground defensively during the second-half collapse.

I’m obviously disappointed with the result.
Bulls did very well in the second half. For now, disappointed – not with the effort or how we played, just the result.
We gave too many yards in defence and that’s most disappointing. I know this group, we can deliver a better defensive performance.

Jockey Ronan Whelan has steered Aidan O’Brien’s Christmas Day to a thrilling victory in the 2026 Epsom Derby under challenging weather conditions at Epsom Downs.

Royal attendance despite dismal weather

The prestigious 1.5-mile flat race took place under testing conditions, with heavy rain severely altering the complexion of the historic Surrey circuit.

Despite the shocking weather, King Charles and Queen Camilla were among the spectators witnessing the pinnacle of the British flat racing season.

Maltese Cross secured a commendable second-place finish, while James J. Braddock crossed the line in third.

A tactical masterclass on the Downs

The iconic course, renowned for its steep initial ascent and the treacherous downhill sweep at Tattenham Corner, demanded extreme tactical discipline from the entire field.

The winning colt surged to the front with several furlongs remaining and stubbornly held off his rivals to seal a famous triumph.

Master trainer Aidan O’Brien was seen celebrating jubilantly as his equine prodigy confidently crossed the winning post.

Whelan reacts to effortless ride

A clearly emotional Whelan expressed utter disbelief at securing one of the most coveted prizes in world horse racing.

“They just told me to keep it simple, when he is out in front he never gets it wrong,” the victorious rider told ITV Racing.

“The horse has done it so easy, he loves the ground and it just felt so effortless for him.”

The Irishman acknowledged the monumental support from his family and racing colleagues in the immediate aftermath.

“My Mum, Dad and girlfriend are here, I can’t thank them enough, the whole team, everybody, I’ve met friends for life, it hasn’t sunk in.”

Reflecting on the decisive moment of the contest, the jockey pinpointed the famous descent as the definitive turning point.

“When we were running down the hill, I knew I had loads left,” he added.

“He just took it all on his stride. He is a credit to anyone who has anything to do with him.”

Fifteen-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been named in India’s Twenty20 squads to face England and Ireland this summer after a record-breaking domestic campaign.

The left-handed opener earned his inaugural international call-up following an exceptional Indian Premier League season with the Rajasthan Royals.

He dominated the franchise tournament to finish at the summit of the run-scoring charts with an astonishing 776 runs.

During that spectacular domestic run, the teenager registered a maiden century alongside five half-centuries against the world’s elite bowlers.

Summer schedule against England and Ireland

The prodigious talent will first travel for a two-match T20 series in Ireland before joining the primary squad.

India are then scheduled to contest a high-profile five-match series across England, which commences on July 1.

His rapid elevation marks a historic moment for Indian cricket as the national team integrates one of the global game’s youngest ever international prospects.

JT Poston shot a superb seven-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio as world number one and two Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy struggled in windy conditions.

The 31-year-old American made light work of a tricky Muirfield Village layout, finishing four strokes better than anyone else in the field on Friday.

In stark contrast, the game’s two highest-ranked players endured miserable afternoons on the notoriously fast putting surfaces.

McIlroy falters on the greens

The Northern Irishman signed for a two-over-par 74 to leave himself 10 shots adrift of the lead heading into the weekend.

His round was compounded by a disastrous double-bogey at the par-four 13th, where he required five shots to hole out from just 112 yards.

Defending champion battles through

Scheffler sits alongside his European rival at 10 strokes back, keeping his faint hopes of a third successive victory at this event alive with a level-par 72.

The reigning champion recorded three successive bogeys from the eighth hole and remarkably shanked a bunker shot at the fifth.

“Overall it was a tough day, I felt I could have shot 90. I may be a lot of things but I’m not a quitter.”

Scottie Scheffler

Fleetwood slips from the summit

First-round joint leader Tommy Fleetwood dropped to fourth place and five shots off the pace after carding a one-over 73.

“It was pretty brutal, actually. I still think I got a good score out of that today.”

Tommy Fleetwood

The Englishman felt he was unfairly punished with bogeys on the first and sixth holes despite hitting perfectly acceptable approach shots.

US PGA champion Aaron Rai and fellow Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick currently share ninth place on one under par after rounds of 70 and 71 respectively.

They are joined on the leaderboard by Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who mixed five birdies with two double-bogeys in an erratic second-round display.

UFC president Dana White believes Alex Pereira will surpass Jon Jones as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time if he defeats Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at the White House on 14 June.

The Brazilian takes on his French opponent at UFC Freedom 250 in a bid to become the promotion’s first-ever three-weight world champion.

A victory would secure the interim heavyweight crown, adding to his previous reigns at middleweight and light-heavyweight.

White has historically championed current heavyweight king Jones as the absolute pinnacle of the sport.

However, the prominent executive admits a historic third divisional title would elevate the former kickboxer to unprecedented heights.

“If he wins the third world title that night, he jumps over Jon Jones and becomes the greatest of all time,” White told Forbes.

Meteoric rise and historic ambitions

The 36-year-old’s ascent through the mixed martial arts ranks has been nothing short of extraordinary since his transition from GLORY Kickboxing in 2021.

He claimed middleweight gold by dethroning long-time rival Israel Adesanya in 2022, before successfully conquering the 205-pound division.

The South American striker recently vacated his light-heavyweight strap specifically to facilitate this ambitious pursuit of heavyweight history.

Standing in his way is top contender Gane, who boasts a formidable professional record of 13 victories and just two defeats.

A potential showdown with Jones

Speculation remains rife regarding a fantasy bout between the two men currently vying for the ultimate legacy.

American legend Jones, who holds the promotion’s all-time record of 16 title fight victories, formally announced his retirement in 2025.

Yet the veteran immediately teased a sensational comeback exclusively for a blockbuster clash against the Brazilian powerhouse.

The victor of the June contest is also slated to unify the division against undisputed heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

However, the British fighter remains sidelined following severe eye injuries sustained in his previous title defence.

Furthermore, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who manages the English champion, is reportedly seeking to renegotiate his client’s contract before any unification bout materialises.

Joseph O’Brien’s Thundering On delivered a spectacular last-to-first surge under jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle to win the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday.

The Frankel filly was sent off at 5-1 and spent the early stages of the prestigious Classic anchored at the rear of the field.

However, as challengers faded up the famous home straight, the Irish champion jockey remained entirely motionless in the saddle.

Sweeping past eventual runner-up Legacy Link at the furlong marker, the impressive three-year-old pulled clear to record a commanding three-and-three-quarter-length success.

Seagulls Eleven snatches dramatic Diomed Stakes win

Earlier on the card, Seagulls Eleven edged a thrilling finish to claim the Group Three Diomed Stakes for trainer Hugo Palmer.

Owned by a syndicate of footballers including James Milner, Danny Welbeck and Lewis Dunk, the 5-2 favourite followed up a recent victory in France.

Jockey Oisin Murphy guided the four-year-old to the front entering the straight, leading the field towards the stands rail.

Defending champion Persica launched a fierce challenge under Sean Levey, but the Palmer-trained victor rallied bravely to win by a nose on the line.

“I thought we were done, I must admit,” Palmer said.
“Luckily, he put his head down where it mattered.”
“He’s so tough, him and Oisin get on very well and he said he’s a pleasure to ride these days after all the difficulties earlier in his career.”

The winning trainer revealed that future targets for his tough competitor could include the Sussex Stakes, the Celebration Mile at Goodwood or the Summer Mile at Ascot.

Hickory Lad claims Woodcote triumph

Elsewhere at the famous Surrey venue, Phillip Makin celebrated a notable juvenile victory as Hickory Lad dominated the Woodcote Stakes.

Building on a promising debut at Thirsk, the star prospect led his rivals a merry dance to cap off a thrilling day of elite racing.