Fabio Aru rounded off a golden weekend for Italian sport – following on from Flavia Pennetta’s victory in the final of the US Open women’s singles tennis – stealing overall victory in cycling’s Vuelta à España after overhauling previous race leader Tom Dumoulin in the mountainous penultimate stage. For the 25-year-old Astana rider it was the culmination of a remarkable breakthrough season in which he also finished runner-up to Alberto Contador in the Giro d’Italia. “It is a dream, I am very emotional and proud,” he said. In the tour of Britain, Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen completed an emphatic victory, becoming the first rider to take the overall title twice and hitting form in good time for the world road race championships in Virginia this month.
Aussies take one-day series
The final spoils in 2015’s interminable summer of Anglo-Australian cricket went to Australia, who wrapped up a 3-2 one-day series win which had been in the balance until the final match at Old Trafford. “I’m a bit tired, to be perfectly honest,” said Australia captain Steve Smith summing up the general mood after almost three months of cricket between the two sides. “It’s been a long summer but it’s a great place to play over here.” Yorkshire sealed a season of undisputed domestic dominance in England by winning the county championship title despite a rare defeat to Middlesex at Lord’s. There was sadder news for Yorkshire, though, with the death of former captain “[My family] weren’t meant to come down until the third day but I thought it could be over in two so I forked out a lot of money to get them down. We’ve been outplayed so I need to learn from that,” said Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale, with a financial solicitousness to gladden the hearts of Yorkshiremen everywhere.Brian Close at the age of 84. The left-handed batsman was the youngest player to represent England, at 18 years and 149 days against New Zealand in 1949, and played 22 Tests including seven as captain.
José rants as Chelsea slip
It’s not easy being football’s Special One, particularly when you have just lost three of your first five Premier League matches. So it proved for Chelsea manager José Mourinho after his side’s 3-1 drubbing at Everton, which prompted a post-match rant at his opposite number Roberto Martinez. “When he beat us 6-3 last season he was such a nice man. I prefer him like that,” said Martinez. Manchester City lead the fledgling Premier League table after a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace maintained their 100% start. Leicester City, managed by former Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri, went second after a 3-2 win over Aston Villa, while Manchester United’s $55m 19-year-old Anthony Martial scored a memorable goal on his debut in a 3-1 win over Liverpool.
Mayweather level with Rocky
Floyd Mayweather moved a step closer to boxing immortality with an autopilot points decision over Andre Berto in Las Vegas, thus drawing level with great heavyweight Rocky Marciano’s career record of 49 wins and no defeats. Mayweather promptly announced his retirement, but few believe he will go before surpassing the mark set by Marciano, which has stood for nearly 60 years.
