GF Edward

ADELAIDE has romped to its first Grand Final this century, demolishing Geelong by 61 points in Friday night's preliminary final at Adelaide Oval. The record crowd of 53,817 – the largest for an AFL game at the venue – was buzzing from start to finish as the Crows emphatically qualified for their first premiership decider since winning back-to-back premierships in 1997-98. Leading by 48 points early in the second quarter, the Crows withstood a 'Dangerwood'-inspired Cats fightback before running away with the game, 21.10 (136) to 10.15 (75). "The start was fantastic," Crows coach Don Pyke said. "Our ability to jump out of the blocks and really get pressure on the ball and win our share and hit the scoreboard pretty significantly early got the game flowing the right way. Every Crows player rated from the first preliminary final "We always expected they would come at some point and they were going to have their moments and we kept the scoreboard ticking over that allowed us to maintain that buffer." Lively forward Charlie Cameron was the hero with a career-high five-goal haul, providing the X-factor for the Crows in the absence of Mitch McGovern (hamstring), while key forward Josh Jenkins chimed in with four majors. Crows star Rory Sloane was involved in a heavy collision with Patrick Dangerfield (24 possessions, nine tackles, two goals) but he is expected to be free to take his place against either Richmond or Greater Western Sydney at the MCG next Saturday. The moment: Sloane hit stops Danger's Cats Dangerfield was seeing stars near the end of the second term as he lay motionless on the ground for several seconds before jogging off and playing out the rest of the game. All Australian defender Rory Laird (31 possessions, 15 marks) was outstanding in his 100th game, setting up play across half-back. Tom Lynch (20 possessions, seven marks, two goals) was pivotal across half-forward, Matt Crouch (31 possessions) and Brad Crouch (29 possessions) did the hard yards in the midfield and winger Paul Seedsman (19 possessions, two goals) continued his late-season resurgence. The ball movement of the Crows was outstanding. They went through the corridor at every opportunity, taking risks and playing an attacking brand of football. The Crows repeated their intense stance during the national anthem, every player with their arms by their side and eye-balling the Cats. It had the desired effect with the Crows blowing the Cats away with a brilliant six-goal-to-one first term. It was déjà vu for Geelong from 12 months earlier when they trailed Sydney 7.2 (44) to 0.5 (5) at quarter-time in the 2016 preliminary final. The Crows also showed no signs of rust after just two games in the past month. After just three disposals in the first quarter, Dangerfield – who started the game at full-forward – was influential in the midfield in the second term, having 12 touches and booting two goals. Selwood (34 possessions, 10 tackles) shook off the attentions of Adelaide tagger Riley Knight to find plenty of the ball. Holding a 35-point lead at half-time, the Crows regained their composure after the main break to put the Cats away. A spectacular grab from Cameron for his fourth goal of the night set the crowd alight. Steven Motlop's quality finish from tight in the right pocket gave the Cats a faint sniff heading into the last quarter. But Jenkins's second goal of the game in the early stages of the fourth term started an avalanche as the celebrations kicked off in style. It was the final game for retiring Cats duo Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie. "We've played some poor footy this year, but rarely has it been giving the ball back to the opposition and allowing them to score," Cats coach Chris Scott said. "So it was disappointing we chose tonight against a team that punishes you the most on turnovers to do it. "We butchered some chances which gave them some really good looks, and when they build that momentum, they're really hard to stop." MEDICAL ROOM Adelaide: The Crows reported a clean bill of health. Midfielder Hugh Greenwood only played about half the game and had just six possessions, but coach Don Pyke said he wasn't injured. Geelong: Midfielder Scott Selwood left the ground in the first quarter with an injury to his left hamstring. Selwood had his hamstring strapped and returned to the bench for the start of the second term. Dangerfield copped a huge hit from Sloane near the end of the second term. Dangerfield was motionless on the ground for several seconds before jogging off the ground. Dangerfield played the second half, but didn't have much of an impact. Joel Selwood appeared to injure his groin in the final quarter. ADELAIDE 6.3 11.7 14.10 21.10 (136) GEELONG 1.2 5.8 8.11 10.15 (75) GOALS Adelaide: Cameron 5, Jenkins 4, Walker 2, Betts 2, Lynch 2, Seedsman 2, Jacobs, Otten, M.Crouch, Knight Geelong: Dangerfield 2, Cockatoo, Duncan, Selwood, Lang, Hawkins, Motlop, Henderson, Menegola BEST Adelaide: Laird, Cameron, M.Crouch, Seedsman, B.Crouch, Talia Geelong: J.Selwood, Motlop, Taylor, Mackie, Dangerfield INJURIES Adelaide: Nil Geelong: S.Selwood (hamstring), Lonergan (corked quad), J.Selwood (groin) Reports: Nil Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Schmitt Official crowd: 53,817 at Adelaide Oval Source: Click

Peter Sagan of Slovakia is flanked by the silver medalist Alexander Kristoff of Norway, left, and the bronze winner Michael Matthews of Australia on the podium. Photograph: Ntb Scanpix/Reuters Peter Sagan won his third world title in a row in a dramatic finish to the men’s road race at the World Championships in Norway. The Slovakian had barely featured among the lead riders throughout the 267.5km race in Bergen. He was classified 80th approaching the final climb up Salmon Hill, but timed his ride to perfection as he held off the Norwegian Alexander Kristoff in a sprint finish to become the first man to win three consecutive world crowns. The Frenchman Tony Gallopin attempted to break clear 13km from home, but he was swallowed up at the foot of Salmon Hill. At the same time a crash accounted for several riders, before the Italian Gianni Moscon and France’s Julian Alaphilippe used the final climb to steal a march on the peloton. With 4.3km left Alaphilippe made what appeared to be a decisive burst, but he was eventually chased down. Sagan and Kristoff forced themselves to the head of the pack and crossed the finish line together with the 27-year-old winning by a hair’s breadth. “It was not easy, guys were changing in the front all the time,” Sagan told the BBC. “I tried to go with the breakaway and it came down to a sprint, it was unbelievable. “Kristoff was racing at home so I’m sorry, but of course I’m happy to win. [Three in a row] is something special for sure. For me it’s something very nice.” The Australian Michael Matthews took third place with the Italian Matteo Trentin fourth and a surprise fifth place for Britain’s Ben Swift. The 29-year-old from Rotherham said: “Sagan was incredible, I think all of us were trying a couple of moves because it was all over the place, but he did amazing. The team was brilliant today, we set out what we wanted to do and everyone rode brilliantly.” Source: Click

(Crows star Eddie Betts celebrates a goal during the qualifying final against Greater Western Sydney Giants at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images) CROWS superstar Eddie Betts says it was hard not to be impressed by Sydney’s elimination final win against Essendon and is expecting a thrilling contest when the Swans take on Geelong at the MCG Friday night. The winner will secure a their place in Friday week’s preliminary final against the Crows at Adelaide Oval, and Betts is hoping for a physical contest. “They’re flying at the moment Sydney,’’ Betts said. “It’s going to be a great game tonight, hopefully they bash each other up really hard.” Betts said Adelaide’s trip to the Gold Coast earlier this week was a good way of breaking up their lengthy wait between finals. “It was a good change up. We went up there and trained harder,’’ Betts told FiveAA. “It wasn’t a holiday. It was pretty solid.’’ Betts was one of the standouts in Adelaide’s qualifying final win over the GWS Giants, gathering 13 disposals — eight of which turned into scores — and finishing with 3.2. He also had eight disposals inside the Crows’ forward 50, highlighting Adelaide’s ability to maintain pressure inside its forward half. “Speaking with (GWS captain) Phil Davis, they thought our pressure was unbelievable which was great to hear because that’s what we focused on going into the game.’’ Source: Click

Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak is chased by Richard Douglas during Showdown 43. Picture: Sarah Reed PORT Adelaide captain Travis Boak is tipping in-town rival Adelaide as the team to beat for the AFL flag. And he suspects the looming Crows-Sydney preliminary final as the pointer to the flag. “The Crows are the best side in the competition — and have been for the majority of the year,” Boak said as the Power closed its end-of-season player reviews at Alberton on Wednesday. “Sydney are coming — they are playing good footy,” added Boak of the Swans, who play Geelong in a semi-final at the MCG on Friday. The winner of the Sydney-Cats knockout final advances to the preliminary final against the Crows on Friday week at Adelaide Oval. “They are the two front runners are the moment (Crows and Swans),” Boak said. Port Adelaide fell out of the race in a dramatic elimination final played to extra time against West Coast on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval. Eagles midfielder Luke Shuey’s goal after the siren — on a free kick — put the Power in seventh spot. Boak will not grade a return to AFL finals — after two seasons among the also-rans — as a pass mark. “We didn’t win the premiership, so it was a disappointing year,” Boak said. “Everyone wants to win the premiership.” Source: Click

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) scored the 100th victory of his young but storied career, taking out the 2017 GP de Quebec with a powerful burst of speed in the final 50m. The world champion had a clean pair of wheels on second-placed Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), with Michael Matthews (Sunweb) sliding in for third. It was a repeat win for Sagan, who triumphed here last year in similar circumstances over Van Avermaet. "It's like if you stamp the same results from last year," Sagan said. "The style of the race was very similar. The last kilometre, Rigoberto Urán attacked like always, and then went for the same in the last 100 meters." Urán's teammates tried to counter his move in the final 200m, attacking on the right side of the road. But the Sunweb lead-out man for Matthews swung into their path, forcing Tom-Jelte Slagter to come around the long way. Sagan kept his cool and waited until there was a clear path up the centre, then blasted up the road to victory. "It was hectic in the final. I decided I had to start at, I don't know, 100 metres, 150," Sagan said. "Thanks to my team. Bora-Hansgrohe did an amazing job. They were pulling all day at the front, and we were able to control the last three laps." When asked about taking the 100th win of his career, Sagan was pleased but philosophical. "100 is very nice. It's a nice number. But maybe it's better to live a hundred years," he said. "It's very nice but it's never enough. Once you're happy with something, you don't grow up, and we have to grow up always." Van Avermaet never looked to be in contention once Sagan went, and explained, "I lost Sagan's wheel a little when he went, and I couldn't have come past him, so I am pretty happy about my race. I would love to win here but second is not too bad." The Olympic champion has been building his form back after a hugely successful Spring Classics campaign and said he's happy with his form and feeling confident for his defense of the GP de Montreal title. "For me, the most important thing is that I still have a lot of power in my legs over the last kilometer and from there, whether you win or not, is all in the details. Today I was second, and hopefully, when we go to Montreal, I can repeat the same result as last year." How it unfolded The first leg of the week's pair of WorldTour one-days kicked off under cloudy skies in Quebec City, but the rain held off and the skies ultimately cleared to make for a sunny afternoon of racing on 16 trips around a lumpy 12.6-kilometre circuit. Pier-Andre Côté (Canada), Tyler Williams (Israel Cycling Academy), Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal) and Baptiste Planckaert (Katusha-Alpecin) formed the day's main breakaway, getting away from the pack on the first lap and rapidly working their way to a sizable advantage. With two and a half minutes in hand after completing the first lap, the quartet build their lead all the way up to nine and a half minutes by the fourth lap, at which point the peloton finally decided to match their pace. Brought down to around eight minutes, the gap hovered there or thereabouts for the better part of the next hundred kilometres with little change in the race situation until Côte began struggling and lost touch with the break with 70 kilometres to go. Back in the pack, several teams began showing more of a concerted interest in bringing things back together. Bahrain-Merida, Sky, Bora-Hansgrohe and BMC all made their presence felt at the head of affairs, and the gap to the three leaders started falling. At 50 kilometres to go, the advantage of the break was down to 5:30. 15 kilometres later the gap was at two and a half minutes and continuing to fall. Van der Sande and Planckaert dropped Williams in the 14th of 16 laps, pushing on as two. With Orica-Scott and Trek-Segafredo lending a hand in the chase, however, the gap was down under a minute inside the penultimate lap. As FDJ's Olivier Le Gac tried his luck off the front, Van der Sande called it a day in the escape. With Le Gac and Van der Sande reeled in, only Planckaert remained clear heading into the final lap of the race. He didn't hold out for long, with everything brought back together for the final lap. Successive attacks by Sean De Bie (Lotto Soudal), Kenny Elissonde (Sky) and Roman Kreuziger (Orica-Scott) all came up short with Sagan's Bora-Hansgrohe squad playing a big part in reeling in the moves. When Urán's familiar strike on the long uphill drag to the line on the Grande Allée was brought to heel, it came down to the sprinters, with Sagan timing his move to perfection for the repeat win. Source: Click

Britain’s Chris Froome billed the Vuelta a Espana as the most arduous test of his stellar career after he was officially crowned champion in Madrid on Sunday. Froome’s success, after a trio of runner-up finishes in Spain, saw him become the first rider since 1978 to win the Vuelta and Tour de France in the same year and only the third man ever to accomplish the feat. It took his tally of Grand Tour triumphs to five and means that he can join a select group of six riders to have won all three of cycling’s biggest events if he goes on to add the Giro d’Italia. “I’ve been trying for years and I’ve been second three times, so to win the Vuelta now is incredible,” he said. “I have to say it’s probably the toughest Grand Tour I’ve ridden. For me it certainly has been harder to win the Vuelta than the Tour. “Up until now my focus has been 100 per cent on the Tour de France and trying to survive the Vuelta, whereas this year the plan was to start the season later. “Maybe I wasn’t quite at my top, top for the Tour de France but it means I’ve been able to hold my form for longer and that has shown in this year’s Vuelta.” Triple triumph Froome’s maiden Vuelta win was effectively assured once he retained the leader’s red jersey on Saturday’s stage, with racing limited on the final instalment in the Spanish capital. The Team Sky leader also clinched the green jersey for winning the points contest, which he confirmed by finishing 11th in Madrid, and the white jersey for topping the combined classification. The 32-year-old seized the overall lead on stage three and stayed in red for the remaining 18 stages, a commanding display that echoed his front-running fourth Tour victory in July. Former winner Vincenzo Nibali finished second in the general classification, two minutes and 15 seconds behind Froome, with Russian Ilnur Zakarin a further 36 seconds adrift in third place. Italian Matteo Trentin landed his fourth stage win of this year’s race while the peloton allowed home favourite Alberto Contador to ride into Madrid alone on his cycling swansong. Source: Click

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In the last game of Round 23, West Coast sneaked into the finals after pulling-off a 29-point victory over Adelaide. The 15.10 (100) to 10.11 (71) triumph was just enough for the Eagles to leapfrog Melbourne into eighth spot by only 0.5 per cent. The Eagles will travel to face Port Adelaide in an elimination final after a fitting farewell to Domain Stadium and a crazy 2017 home-and-away campaign on Sunday. Adam Simpson's men knew what they needed to do before the opening bounce but even though minor premiers Adelaide were already guaranteed to finish on top of the ladder, the Eagles had to fight until the desperate last moments to book a top eight spot. West Coast hit the ground running, opening up an 18-point lead by quarter-time and giving themselves hope. At half-time the Eagles were only two points shy of the margin they needed to nudge Melbourne out of the finals. By the final change, the Eagles had extended their break to 31 points but were just hanging on. Their history of fadeouts this season was the elephant in the room and the result was on a knife's edge when WA product Mitch McGovern booted the opening goal from deep in the pocket for the Crows. When Paul Seedsman split the middle on the run at the 15-minute mark the Eagles were only clinging onto eight spot by 0.1 percentage points. With five minutes to play, everything turned as Charlie Cameron drove a dagger into West Coast's finals hopes, moments after Josh Kennedy missed from the goalsquare as he was tackled by Kyle Hartigan. At that stage, Melbourne was back in the top eight. But then much-maligned duo Lewis Jetta and Jack Darling produced two final unforgettable moments to go into the annals of West Coast's history at Subiaco Oval. First, Jetta dodged two tacklers and converted a sublime checkside goal, then Darling ran back with the flight and collided with the goalpost as he marked and extended the margin to 29 points. As the final siren sounded, the raucous crowd of 39.367 supporters leapt to their feet as one to celebrate a third-straight finals appearance. "We left it to the last four minutes of the season to qualify, I'm not sure if that's happened before – it probably has – but we've been in those positions a lot this year coming into the last quarter and being in a good position to win," Simpson said post-match. "To do that today in such an important game, and it was a pretty emotional week as well with players retiring left, right and centre and the last game at Subi, East Perth were fighting for a finals spot as well. "I'm pretty proud of the players and their resilience throughout the week to stay pretty focused on the process." West Coast's victory was inspired by retiring champion Sam Mitchell (34 disposals) and will extend his career and that of fellow Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis for at least one more match. Former North Melbourne tall Drew Petrie will also retire at the end of the campaign, coach Adam Simpson announced post-match. The Eagles owed plenty on Sunday to Andrew Gaff (32 disposals, one goal) and sidekick Luke Shuey (28 and a goal) whose work helped overcome a mammoth 33-49 clearance deficit. West Coast also found some unlikely avenues to goal after spearhead Josh Kennedy was held to just one goal by Kyle Hartigan, who filled in admirably for injured full-back Daniel Talia. Kennedy's solitary major means he fell four goals short of a third-straight Coleman Medal, which was instead won by Sydney superstar Lance Franklin with 69 majors. While the Crows, who were without captain Taylor Walker, have finished on top of the ladder, Don Pyke could have some concerns after ending with two losses before facing Greater Western Sydney at home in a qualifying final. However, there were positives to take from the match. Brothers Matt and Brad Crouch were unstoppable with 45 and 42 possessions respectively on Sunday and will provide Rory Sloane (38) with much-needed support during September. In the process, the Crouch brothers broke the all-time disposal record for siblings in a season, previously held by Chad and Kane Cornes. The Crows racked up 415 disposals and Pyke admitted his side was guilty of not attacking directly enough at times. "Credit to West Coast, they came here with a lot to play for and they found a way to get it done," he said. "We didn't start particularly well from a scoreboard viewpoint but we were creating some opportunities. "I thought we didn't use the ball as good as we have and (we were) probably guilty a bit of overuse at times." MEDICAL ROOM West Coast: Jeremy McGovern had a sore left shoulder that forced him from the ground in the second term but he returned and played out the game. Adelaide: Luke Brown battled a migraine through the game and Alex Keath will be monitored after suffering concussion from a heavy hit. WEST COAST 4.1 8.4 13.5 15.10 (100) ADELAIDE 1.1 5.5 7.10 10.11 (71) GOALS
 West Coast: Cripps 3, Hutchings 2, LeCras 2, Vardy, Redden, Gaff, Shuey, Kennedy, Petrie, Jetta, Darling Adelaide: Betts 2, McGovern 2, Milera, Smith, Jenkins, M Crouch, Seedsman, Cameron BEST West Coast: Mitchell, Gaff, Hurn, Shuey, Priddis, Cripps Adelaide: M.Crouch, B.Crouch, Sloane, Laird, Jacobs, Hartigan INJURIES West Coast: Nil Adelaide: Nil Reports: Nil Umpires: D.Margetts, N.Williamson, S.Ryan Official crowd: 39,367 Source: Click

Chris Froome claimed an emphatic victory in Sunday’s ninth stage of La Vuelta to Cumbre del Sol on the Costa Blanca, extending his overall lead to 36 seconds as he closes in on history. Already leading the race by 28 seconds from Esteban Chaves [Orica-Scott], Froome attacked in the final 800m of the final steep climb, immediately dropping all of his rivals. Chaves managed to muster a response, chasing with Michael Woods [Cannondale-Drapac]. But the duo were unable to catch Froome who was able to put in another burst as the line beckoned, winning by four seconds from Chaves. The Colombian is now the only rider within a minute of Froome who continues to take chunks out of his opposition on an almost daily basis. No Briton has ever won the Vuelta, while only two men – Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault – have ever won the Tour and the Vuelta in the same season. Froome, though, appears to have judged his season perfectly. Chris Froome looks back as he crosses the finish line to win the ninth stage CREDIT: AFP PHOTO/JAIME REINA While riders who pushed him close at last month’s Tour fade out of the overall picture - Simon Yates [Orica-Scott] has now dropped to 29th on GC, for instance - Froome looks utterly dominant. The 32 year-old holds not only the red leader’s jersey but the the white combined jersey and, after Sunday’s stage win, the green points jersey too. The peloton will enjoy its first rest day on Monday before taking on another mountain route over 164.8km from Caravaca Jubilar to Elpozo Alimentacion. “Coming to the first rest day we couldn’t have asked to be in a better position,” said Froome who was beaten into second by Tom Dumoulin on the same finish to Cumbre del Sol two years ago. “[This finish two years ago] was still in my mind this morning. We watched the scenes from two years ago over and over on the bus this morning just to calculate the climb and know when the right moment to push was. Again the legs felt great today and it just feels good to be in this position. “I saw Chaves coming in the last 300 metres and I thought it was going to happen again, like with Dumoulin two years ago. I just thought I can’t let it happen again, so I put everything I had into the last few hundred metres. I’m really happy to get the victory. After the team did such a good job on the final climb to really make a good pace. Mikel Nieve did a fantastic job, setting such a good pace for me.” Source: Click

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Alberto Contador put all of the overall contenders under huge pressure on Thursday on what Chris Froome described as “the hardest day of the Vuelta so far”.Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto-Soudal) won the 204.4km sixth stage from Vila-Real to Sagunt after escaping from the day’s 37-man breakaway. But behind them Contador (Trek-Segafredo) – the 34-year-old three-time Vuelta a España champion who is taking part in his final professional race – put in a typically cavalier performance. The Spaniard began the day over three minutes down on the overall players but attacked on the final second category climb, putting several general classification contenders in difficulty including Fabio Aru (Astana), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing) and Esteban Chaves (Orica-Scott). Froome (Team Sky) was one of only a handful of riders who managed to stay with Contador over the top of the climb, with that number reducing still further when Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing), Froome’s nearest challenger on general classification at 10 secs, collided with Carlos Betancur (Movistar) on the descent. Roche, Aru, Nibali, Chaves and others eventually regained contact with Froome and Contador with around 25km to go, but van Garderen suffered a second fall and ended up shipping 20 seconds. Froome now leads the overall by 11secs from Chaves. “It was the hardest day of the Vuelta so far,” the Team Sky rider said. “It didn't stop all day. Everyone saw the fireworks in the final. It was definitely the toughest stage we've done so far. “Contador was very impressive – very, very impressive. I mean it's still a long race, and I'm sure he's going to be someone to keep animating the stages to come. Of course it’s not easy but I don’t have much option – I have to follow when Alberto goes. Even though he’s lost time he’s still a dangerous threat. He’s shown just how strong and tenacious he is and he’s going to keep fighting all the way to the end of this Vuelta, I’m sure.” Contador questioned why he wasn’t given more support when he attacked. “There were teams there who stood to benefit,” he said, “who had two or three riders with their leader, and were in a position to distance other riders. Maybe further down the line they’ll have to take advantage of these opportunities. Days like this can often end up being more important even than the Angliru.” Source: Click

Decades prior to the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran was ruled by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Despite being a dictatorship, the shah regime adamantly pushed for Iran to adopt Western values, modernization, and cultural freedom. The shah’s government worked towards advancing Iran’s economy globally and encouraged educational opportunities abroad for its citizens. In fact, Britain and the U.S. viewed Iran as a valuable ally in the Middle East at the time due to the country’s large supply of oil, proximity to India for trade, and its shared border with the Soviet Union during a time of heightened aggression. Under the Pahlavi dynasty, which was forced from power in 1979, Iran nearly resembled cities in the U.S. Photographs from the shah’s time show both women and men freely walking the streets in cities that were intact and peaceful. Like the U.S., people didn’t live in fear of suicide bombers or a terrorist attack during this time. In other photographs, women can be seen openly interacting with men. While many scoff at the notion of Islam suppressing women’s rights, that is exactly what Islamic cultures have done since 1979. In Iran, prior to the revolution, we can see that women look happy, peaceful, and are able to enjoy the same freedoms as their male counterparts. The men are dressed similarly to what we see in Western cultures rather than sporting massive beards and weapons. Women were also allowed to have whatever hairstyles they preferred, wore different kinds of outfits, and jewelry. You’ll notice that prior to the revolution, women rarely wore a burqa or chador, the head scarf that leaves the face visible. Unlike in today’s Iran, they were allowed to show parts of their body in public and in front of males without any fear of reprisal. Despite critics of the shah’s regime, he still allowed his people to live a seemingly open life in terms of exercising basic freedoms. Both women and men associated in public freely, and educational opportunities were extended for all. Western clothing and norms were ingrained into the Iranian population and culture for decades. The ouster of the shah and the rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as the Islamic Republic’s leader changed the Middle East forever. The Khomeini regime funded and bolstered terrorist organizations looking to advance radical Islamic terrorism, and Iran did the same by funding Hezbollah in the early 1980s. Islam today suppresses all women’s rights; calls for homosexuals to be hurled off rooftops to their death; has waged a never-ending war against Christians and non-believers of the Quran; and has given rise to a plethora of Islamic terrorist organizations — such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group — that have destroyed cities in the Middle East and killed thousands of innocent civilians in the name of Allah. The next time a leftist tries to argue that Islam is peaceful, show them these photographs of Iran before the revolution and then compare them to photographs of the Middle East today. Source: Click

Chris Froome said he was “surprised” to see rivals Romain Bardet, Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru lose time on the first of nine summit finishes at this year’s Vuelta a España, a short but steep 3.4km climb up to Alcossebre on the eastern Mediterranean coast. The Team Sky rider extended his advantage over second placed Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) to 10 seconds as Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) won convincingly from the day’s breakaway. But it was the damage that Froome did to some of his rivals for the leader's red jersey which was of greater import in the overall scheme of things. Aru (Astana) lost 11 secs to Froome on the final climb, which had an average gradient of 10 per cent and ramps of up to 20 per cent, the same as Adam Yates (Orica-Scott), while Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) shipped 26sec. Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), who finished on the podium at last month’s Tour de France, gave up 49secs. “I’m surprised to see Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru lose some time today and Romain Bardet, but it’s a long race and today was just a 3km climb so I imagine it will be a different race once we get into the high mountains,” said Froome, adding that he felt his own form was where he hoped it would be. “I’m really glad to have come through from the Tour in the shape that I hoped to be in for the start of the Vuelta.” The main threat to the Briton at this stage would appear to be coming from Esteban Chaves (Orica-Scott), the team-mate of the Yates twins Adam and Simon, who along with Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) was the one rider who was able to stay with Froome when he attacked the general classification group on the final climb. “Esteban Chaves seems to be one of the strongest climbers in this year’s Vuelta as well as obviously Alberto Contador who did a good ride today,” Froome said. “Tejay van Garderen is still in the mix and Nicolas Roche is still up there so BMC have got a couple of options to play with.” The 175.7km stage from Benicàssim to Alcoseebre looked ripe for a breakaway and so it proved with a large group getting away early on. The peloton kept it at arm’s length for most of the day but – with none of the break a threat to the overall – allowed it to go on the final category two climb. Alexey Lutsenko celebrates as he crosses the line to win stage five CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES After various attacks and counter-attacks, Marco Haller (Katusha-Alpecin) and Lutsenko emerged on the front with a gap of around 30secs to Merhawi Kudus (Dimension Data) and Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale). Lutsenko then dropped Haller and Kudus did the same to Gougeard but the Eritrean was unable to catch the Kazakhstani. Behind them, the bunch stayed together until the foot of the climb where Froome began to test his rivals legs. “I think if you had said at the beginning of the stage this would be the situation at the finish, I would have definitely have signed to agree to that,” he admitted. “Looking at the time gaps now, GC is definitely taking a bit more shape and if you think there’s just a 3km climb to the finish I can definitely be happy with that and the job that my team-mates did to set that up.” Thursday’s stage is another mountainous one – over 200km – from Vila-Real to Segunt. Source: Click

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Islamic aspirations to dominate the world are set to happen—if not through might of arms, then apparently through sheer numbers. In 1900, the Muslim population of the world was less than 200 million. Conversely, the Christian population of the world was almost 560 million—almost three times the number of Muslims. Times have changed. According to the findings of a Pew Research Center in America: For a better idea of what is in store for Europe, simply look to the United Kingdom’s “Londonistan”—the apt name for London and other regions with a notable Islamic presence: Already with a 10 percent Muslim population, Londonistan is a reflection of Europe 35 years from now when it too is projected to be 10 percent Muslim (and by which time the U.K. will likely have an even much larger Muslim population). The same sorts of anti-infidel violence and sexual abuse that is a daily fixture in Muslim majority nations is already a normal feature of Londonistan with its mere 10 percent Muslim minority. Put differently, if Islamic State and other Islamic groups regularly behead “infidel” men and sexually enslave “infidel” women in the Middle East—so are “average” Muslims doing so in the U.K.: Recall how in 2013, two Muslim men shouting “Allahu Akbar” beheaded a British soldier with a cleaver—in a busy intersection and in broad daylight no less. They even boasted in front of passersby and asked to be videotaped. Or recall how Muslims were recently busted for running a sex ring in Rotherham, England: 1,400 British children as young as 11 were plied with drugs before being passed around and sexually abused in cabs and kabob shops. It was at least at least the fifth sex abuse ring led by Muslims to be uncovered in England—Muslims who only make 10 percent. During the trial of an earlier Muslim-run sex ring “Several of the men on trial in Liverpool apparently told their victims that it was all right for them to be passed around for sex with dozens of men ‘because it’s what we do in our country.’” Pakistani Christians chant slogans during a demonstration demanding that the government rebuild their homes after they were burned down following an alleged blasphemy incident, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 10, 2013. The incident in Lahore began on Friday, March 8, 2013 after a Muslim accused a Christian man of blasphemy, an offence that in Pakistan is punished by life in prison or death. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) In fact, when a Muslim man savagely raped a 9-year-old Christian girl in Pakistan, he told her “not to worry because he had done the same service to other young Christian girls.” Commenting on this case, local human rights activists said, “It is shameful. Such incidents occur frequently. Christian girls are considered goods to be damaged at leisure. Abusing them is a right. According to the community’s mentality it is not even a crime. Muslims regard them as spoils of war.” Seemingly not a day goes by without Christian girls in Egypt, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, and any number of other Muslim majority nations being abducted, enslaved, raped, and/forced to convert (See “Crucified Again,” pgs. 186-199 for a sampling, plus the doctrinal justification.) Indeed, there is no end of patterns of abuse against Christian minorities in the Muslim world that are now occurring in the West. While many are now aware that Islamic State destroys churches and Christian cemeteries, few realize that Muslims—not Islamic State—just average Muslims—are doing the same thing in the West. Days ago in Canada, which has a small Muslim minority, a Muslim man vandalized and desecrated a church on several different occasions. Among other things, he covered the Christ statue in front of the church with black paint and broke its fingers and tore up Christian books inside the church. Weeks earlier in France, 215 Christian gravestones and crosses in the cemetery of Saint-Roch de Castres (Tarn) were damaged and desecrated by a Muslim man who “repeats Muslim prayers over and over, he drools and cannot be communicated with.” And last March in Germany, a potential jihadi attack on the cathedral and synagogue in Bremen was averted following action by police. In short, along with all the other forms of jihad to be wary of—the sword jihad (“terrorism”), the tongue jihad (deceit/propaganda), the money jihad (financial support to jihadis)—the West should also be aware of the baby jihad. If the same sorts of crimes being committed against Christian minorities in Muslim majority nations are already being committed in Europe and North America—despite the fact that Muslims are currently minorities—how then when, as projected, Islam becomes the most adhered to religion in the world? Source: Click

Islam is the only religion growing faster than the world's population, and it will be the largest in the world by 2070, research has found. US-based Pew Research Centre analysed demographic change among the world's major religions and found that the world's population of Muslims will grow by 73 per cent between 2010 and 2050, compared to 35 per cent for Christians, the next fastest-growing faith. The world's population will grow by 37 per cent over the same period. If those rates of growth continue past 2050, Muslims will outnumber Christians by 2070, the report found. It also says that Muslims will make up 10 per cent of Europe's population. In 2010 there were 1.6bn Muslims in the world, and 2.17bn Christians. By 2050, there will be 2.76bn Muslims and 2.92bn Christians - and if both religions continue at that rate of growth, Islam will have a larger number of followers than Christianity by 2070. Atheists, agnostics and non-religious people will decline from 16.4 per cent of the world's population to 13.2 per cent by 2050, the report added, despite growing in Europe and North America. The changes are partly due to the various fertility rates each religion has. Muslims have the highest, at 3.1 children per woman, followed by Christians, at 2.7. Islam also has a much younger follower-base than other religions, meaning believers still have childbearing years ahead. 34 per cent are aged under 15, compared to a global average of 27 per cent. Christianity is also likely to suffer as more converts leave to become non-religious or to join other faiths, the report predicted. Around 40 million people are projected to switch into Christianity globally, while 106 million are predicted to leave. The report also summarises findings from a survey last year into European attitudes towards Muslims. "Majorities in Hungary, Italy, Poland and Greece say they view Muslims unfavorably, while negative attitudes toward Muslims are much less common in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Northern and Western Europe. "People who place themselves on the Right side of the ideological scale are much more likely than those on the Left to see Muslims negatively," it said. Source: Click

Quick-Step Floors' Matteo Trentin took the Stage 4 victory at the 2017 Vuelta a Espana on Tuesday, finishing off a bunch sprint. The Italian got a perfect leadout by his team-mates and had just one man to beat after the final corner. Team Sky's Chris Froome remains the leader in the general classification. Here's a look at Tuesday's stage results, via the Inner Ring: Recap Tuesday's stage was one of the few in this year's Vuelta that profiled as a possible bunch sprint, with the peloton mostly descending throughout the day. Cycling writer Daniel Friebe did note the final kilometers were littered with tricky corners, giving some hope to lonely breakaway riders or puncheurs Stephane Rossetto (Cofidis) and Diego Rubio (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) were part of the early breakaway and fought together for much of the day, while the peloton mostly joined forces for a leisurely ride. Team Sky were mostly at the lead, with the sprint teams chipping in occasionally on a hot and sunny day. The two leaders had a two-minute advantage entering the final 25 kilometers, but with the sprint teams stretching their legs and pushing the pace, their ride seemed doomed. In the background, Mark Christian (Aqua Blue Sport) crashed just before the finale, and he had to ride for the finish line by himself. The leaders were caught with eight kilometers to go, and with headwinds kicking in, things became chaotic. Quick-Step kept things under control, however, dropping off Trentin in the perfect position, and the Italian did the rest. After Tuesday's easy ride, Wednesday should be another intense affair, as the stage toward Alcossebre is typical for the Vuelta. Short, steep climbs and a tricky finale will suit both the climbers and heavier puncheurs, who won't pull any punches in search of a stage win. Source: Click