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Getty Images35 minutes agoMemorial Tournament final leaderboard-10 S Scheffler (US); -6 B Griffin (US); -5 Straka (Aus); -4 Taylor (Can)Selected others: – 1 Spieth (US) Fowler (US); +3 S Lowry (Irl); +4 X Schauffele (US); Full leaderboardWorld number one Scottie Scheffler continued his stunning form with a four-shot victory at the Memorial Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.The American shot a two-under-par 70 to beat compatriot Ben Griffin, whose challenge faded on the back nine.After bogeys on the 12th and 13th, Griffin eagled the 15th and birdied the 16th to move to within a stroke of Scheffler.But he double-bogeyed the 17th to ease the pressure on his rival, who went on seal his third win from his previous four tournaments.The victory follows his triumph in the PGA Championship in May, Scheffler’s third major win.He dropped just one shot in his final round when he bogeyed the 10th hole, but made birdies on the seventh, 11th and 15th. Scheffler’s victory makes him just the second player to win the Memorial in consecutive years, following Tiger Woods’ victories in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Related topicsGolf

Getty ImagesSam DruryBBC Sport journalist36 minutes agoFrench Open 2025Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland GarrosCoverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app”Last year the guy is 40 in the world, this year he is top four, that’s a crazy achievement.”Alexander Bublik is certainly not the first to take notice. Jack Draper has been turning heads all year.The British number one’s rise has been impossible to ignore.Draper has surged up the rankings in the past 12 months after following up a run to the US Open semi-finals last year with a series of impressive results in 2025, including claiming his first ATP Masters title at Indian Wells.Having progressed to the fourth round at French Open, Bublik is the next to try and stop the soon-to-be world number four.”Jack, for me, is insane,” said Bublik. “I saw him first day here. I’m like, are you getting ready for UFC?”How can I beat him? I don’t know. I will just go there, enjoy the time, show what I’m capable of showing.”In 23-year-old Draper, British tennis fans believe they may just have found their next serial Grand Slam contender.British former world number four Tim Henman told BBC Sport recently that Draper’s best attributes – his left-handed serve and crunching forehand – could “work on any surface”.Prior to this year, though, Draper had never won a match at the clay-court major with most of his success coming on hard courts or grass.However, he has made huge strides on the surface this season and reached his first clay final in Madrid in April.Managing to avoid the injuries that have plagued him in the past has enabled Draper to reach a significantly higher level of fitness, which has been key to his improvement on the slower surface.Now just the world number 62 stands between him and another Grand Slam quarter-final.And while Draper has enjoyed the best year of his career, Bublik fell from a high of 17th in the rankings in 2024 to as low as 82nd in March.That prompted a radical change of approach that led to the Kazakh taking a trip to Las Vegas that month to blow off some steam.”My fall was not linked with lack of attitude and lack of practising,” he said.”It was the exact opposite. I just burned out because I was waiting for the results to come.”I was like, if I practise more, if I hit better forehands, it will come. It didn’t, and then I got to the point of ‘OK, why am I sacrificing so much? For what?'”Asked if the trip to Nevada was a training trip, Bublik added: “No, Vegas, Vegas, like a hangover thing Vegas.”It was a good three days. I had just let it all out. I said, I’m useless now, I can’t win a match, so let it be, let’s see how it goes.”It worked as Bublik won his next event, the Challenger tournament in Phoenix, Arizona, having arrived from Vegas three hours before his first match. He also triumphed on clay in Turin last month.The 27-year-old is slowly climbing the rankings again – but Draper will be keen to ensure a first Grand Slam quarter-final appearance has to wait.Norrie enjoying tennis again before Djokovic testGetty ImagesFor the first time since 1963, two British men have reached the fourth round at Roland Garros.Cameron Norrie is the other after victory over compatriot Jacob Fearnley set up a last-16 clash with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic on Court Philippe Chatrier on Monday.World number 81 Norrie has struggled through a tough couple of years having risen to as high as eighth in the world in 2022.But the win over Fearnley means Norrie, 29, has now reached the fourth round at every Slam.”To make the second week for the first time is so, so good and at a time where I was not really stringing a lot of matches and a lot of wins together,” he said.”I was able to build from the momentum that I’ve really struggled to get from the last year and a half, for different reasons.”I’ve just been enjoying my tennis, and I think I wanted to do that again. It’s another chance to play a really competitive match against one of the best players in the world.”Related topicsTennis

Getty ImagesJack SkeltonBBC Sport senior journalist2 hours agoIndian Premier League, Qualifier 2, AhmedabadMumbai Indians 203-6 (20 overs): Suryakumar 44 (26), Varma 44 (29); Azmatullah 2-43Punjab Kings 207-5 (19 overs): Shreyas 87* (41), Wadhera 48 (29); Ashwani 2-55Punjab Kings won by five wicketsScorecardPunjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer hit a sparkling unbeaten 87 to lead his side to their first Indian Premier League final in 11 years with victory over Mumbai Indians.Chasing 204 to win, Shreyas clattered eight sixes in his 41-ball knock, smacking Ashwani Kumar into the stands to seal a five-wicket win with an over to spare.After the match started over two hours late because of rain in Ahmedabad, Mumbai posted 203-6 in their 20 overs, with Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav both scoring 44 and Jonny Bairstow making 38 off 24 balls.Kings will meet Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Tuesday’s final, also taking place at the Narendra Modi Stadium.A new IPL champion will be crowned, with both sides having never won the tournament.”I love such big occasions,” said player of the match Shreyas.”I always say to myself and to my colleagues in the team that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, you get the big results.”Punjab won the toss and elected to bowl before the rain arrived, although no overs were lost.When play eventually started, Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis removed India opener Rohit Sharma for just eight, before Varma and Bairstow combined for 51 runs.Another strong partnership worth 72 between Varma and Suryakumar put Mumbai in a decent position before both fell in the space of three deliveries.However, Naman Dhir’s 37 off 18 balls boosted the five-time champions to a challenging total.In reply, Australia wicketkeeper Josh Inglis sparked Punjab with 38 off 21, including 20 off one over from India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.But Mumbai hit back as captain Hardik Pandya removed Inglis and were marginal favourites when Nehal Wadhera fell for 48, with Kings needing 48 off 26 balls.However, Shreyas kept his side in contention and, requiring 23 runs off the last two overs, he flicked the switch to smash four sixes in the 19th over in a clinical finish.The final is a repeat of the first qualifier match, in which RCB thrashed Kings by eight wickets.Both sides scored 19 points in the group stage, with Kings narrowly topping the table on net-run rate.Punjab were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders in their only previous final appearance in 2014, while RCB have lost the showpiece in 2009, 2011 and 2016.Related topicsFranchise CricketCricket

Getty ImagesMatthew HenryBBC Sport Journalist3 hours agoFormer England bowler Stuart Broad will work with South Africa in the build-up to the World Test Championship final against Australia later this month.Broad, 38, will work for one day as a consultant at training on 9 June – his first role in coaching since retiring at the end of the 2023 Ashes.Broad took 604 wickets in 167 Tests, putting him second on England’s all-time list behind long-time team-mate James Anderson.He took 153 of those wickets against Australia – the most by any player in Test history.Since retiring he has worked as a TV pundit but will help South Africa prepare for the World Test Championship final begins at Lord’s on 11 June.The Proteas begin a warm-up match against Zimbabwe at Arundel Castle Cricket Ground in Sussex on Tuesday.Australia are defending champions, having beaten India at The Oval in 2023.Related topicsEngland Men’s Cricket TeamSouth AfricaAustraliaCricket

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFfion WynneBBC Sport journalist in Cardiff4 hours ago110 CommentsEngland captain Harry Brook’s assessment that Joe Root “is only getting better with age” is likely to send shivers down the spines of bowlers all around the world. Root surpassed World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan to become England’s leading run-scorer in one-day internationals during his epic 166 not out against West Indies in Cardiff, a title he also holds in Tests. He came to the crease in the first over, and withstood all of West Indies’ pressure when England were on the ropes at 133-5 in pursuit of 309 to win. A 98-ball century was raised having barely broken a sweat, reaching it in style with a six and a four, before the Yorkshireman glided into the next gear in his stand of 143 with Will Jacks which saw the helpless bowlers at his mercy. “He’s unbelievable and he’s only getting better with age as well,” said Brook, who made 47 and added a counter-attacking 85 for the third wicket with Root, who stayed in his skipper’s slipstream in a perfectly paced knock.”He’s someone I look up to, he’s such an amazing player, such an amazing bloke. He works the hardest out of anyone I’ve seen.”Nothing’s ever right and he’s always trying to get better – he’s the perfect role model for any young cricketer out there.”Upon reaching 42, Root bettered Morgan’s tally of 6,957 runs and with typical modesty said it felt like “a sign of getting old” when asked about what the milestone meant – before adding there is plenty more in the tank as far as his future in the format is concerned, though he is still some way from reaching Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 18,426.”Until that desire, that want to turn up and get better every day and add to the group – the want to be not out at the end of a chase like that – when that’s not a burning desire for me any more, it’ll be time to stop,” said 34-year-old Root.”But that’s not the case at the moment and doesn’t feel like it’s anywhere near the case. I will keep just trying to do my part in helping us win games and hopefully win series.” Much of the second ODI belonged to West Indies: England spilled three catches inside the first 20 overs, missed two run out chances and then Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler all made ducks in the chase. But Root’s class prevailed, his 18th ODI century almost certainly one of his finest. “We are running out of things to say, he’s just on this constant journey of ticking everything off before him,” former England fast bowler Steven Finn told BBC Test Match Special. “Now he’s head and shoulders above the rest and the innings he played today signified his position in that. “He was so determined to be there at the end and the way he read the situation, soaked up pressure, saw people fall around him – West Indies had no answer.” CricViz/BBCA genius at work – the numbers behind Root’s magnificenceAnalysis by CricViz analyst Soham SarkhelTicking the strike overSince his debut in ODIs, only two batters have a higher non-boundary strike-rate than Root (minimum of 2,000 non-boundary runs). Off non-boundary balls, Root has a strike-rate of 59.89, England’s Jos Buttler is second with 63.77 and at the top is South Africa’s AB de Villiers (65.70).High controlSince the start of 2018, Root has a false-shot percentage of only 11.1% in ODIs. In matches between Full Member nations, only one batter in world cricket has a lower false-shot percentage than Root – New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (11%).Great against spinRoot averages 70.3 against spin in his ODI career – the next highest English batter is Buttler (52). In ODI history, only five batters average higher against spin than Root for a minimum of 1,500 runs – Mike Hussey (Australia), MS Dhoni (India), Michael Bevan (Australia), Shai Hope (West Indies) and Babar Azam (Pakistan). Of these, only Dhoni has scored more runs against spin than Root, while none of them have scored at a higher strike-rate than Root’s 90.Scores runs off good ballsIn his ODI career, Root averages 47.7 against deliveries in the channel outside off stump and scores at a strike-rate of 77 against them. The average right-handed batter averages only 33 on this line. When the ball is wider than that, Root cashes in on the width, scoring at an average of 94.5 and striking at 109.Master of the middle oversBetween overs 11-40, Root averages 66.6 at a strike rate of 87. Only two batters in world cricket have scored at an average and a strike-rate higher than Root’s for a minimum of 2,000 runs – India’s Virat Kohli (ave 70.7, S/R 93) and De Villiers (ave 68.9, S/R 97).Always evolvingIn ODIs until the end of 2015, Root had seven dismissals playing the reverse sweep at an average of just 7.4. Since the start of 2016, he has averaged 158 with the shot. Previously, he used to reach out well in front while playing the reverse sweep, with an average interception point of 2.10m from the stumps. Since the start of 2016, that has come much closer at 1.77m.Related topicsEngland Men’s Cricket TeamCricket

29 minutes agoBarcelona want to sign Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, Liverpool are ready to submit a bid for Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, while Everton eye Brighton’s Matt O’Riley. Barcelona have opened talks with Arsenal and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 31, over a free transfer when his contract expires in June. (Sun)Liverpool are preparing to make a formal bid for Bournemouth’s Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez, 21, who has already agreed to the move and is valued by the Cherries at more than £40m. (GiveMeSport)Liverpool have failed with two offers for Bayer Leverkusen’s German playmaker Florian Wirtz, 22, and may have to offer England Under-21 pair Harvey Elliott, 22, and Jarell Quansah, 22, in part-exchange. (Kicker via Mirror)Ipswich and England Under-21 striker Liam Delap, 22, has completed the first part of his medical over a £30m move to Chelsea. (Fabrizio Romano)Everton are interested in Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley, 24, but are unsure if the Seagulls will sell the Denmark international (Sky Sports)Former Napoli, Chelsea and Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri, 66, is close to returning for a second spell as Lazio head coach. (Fabrizio Romano)Bayer Leverkusen have agreed a fee worth 10m euros (£8.43m) to sign 31-year-old Netherlands goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Brentford. (Sky Germany)Brentford have agreed an initial £12.5m deal, rising to £18m, with Liverpool for Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, 26, to replace Flekken. (Sky Sports)Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi, 49, will make a decision by Wednesday at the latest on whether to accept an offer to become Al-Hilal boss in time to lead the Saudi Pro League side at this month’s Fifa Club World Cup. (Rudy Galetti)Barcelona sporting director Deco said they are not looking for a new striker after links with Sporting’s Sweden forward Viktor Gyokeres, 26, who is also being tracked by both Arsenal and Manchester United. (A Bola via Mirror)Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, 33, says he is “not worried” about his position at Barcelona, who have been linked with Espanyol’s Spain stopper Joan Garcia, 24. (Forbes)Related topicsFootball

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFfion WynneBBC Sport Journalist1 June 2025, 19:16 BST362 CommentsUpdated 36 minutes agoSecond ODI, CardiffWest Indies 308 (47.4 overs): Carty 103 (105); Rashid 4-63England 312-7 (48.5 overs): Root 166* (139); Joseph 4-31England won by three wickets; lead series 2-0 ScorecardJoe Root became England’s leading run-scorer in one-day internationals as his sparkling unbeaten 166 secured a three-wicket win over West Indies in Cardiff.Root, who is also his country’s highest run-scorer in Tests, finished with 166 from 139 balls as England reached their target of 309 with seven balls remaining to take the three-match series with a game to spare. He surpassed World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan’s tally of 6,957 runs on the way to his highest ODI score, leading England’s recovery from 93-4 which included ducks for Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler.Root combined with Harry Brook for a third-wicket stand of 85, before a masterful partnership of 143 with Will Jacks put England within touching distance of victory. A fierce spell from Alzarri Joseph, who finished with 4-31, accounted for Jacks for 49 and Brydon Carse for two to keep West Indies interested, but Root and Adil Rashid calmly ticked off the remaining 21 runs, sealed in style by a classical Root drive down the ground.Earlier, West Indies’ 308 was set up by Keacy Carty’s 103, bookended by half-centuries from Brandon King and Shai Hope – and with plenty of assistance from England’s sloppy fielding.Carty and King added 141 for the second wicket but the former was put down on by Duckett on one and Saqib Mahmood on 41, while Duckett also dropped King on 11 and somehow squandered a run-out opportunity when both batters were stranded in the middle of the pitch in the 21st over.The innings fell away from 205-2 when Carty fell three balls after reaching his century, with Rashid taking 4-63 and Mahmood’s three late wickets mopping up the tail.The visitors were left to rue wasting 14 balls of their innings as the last five wickets fell for 50 runs, the lower order offering Hope little support as he was last to depart for 78 from 66 balls.The third and final ODI takes place at The Oval on Tuesday.Carty punishes sloppy EnglandTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedEngland seamers Carse and Mahmood were lively in their opening burst – the former had opener Jewel Andrew caught at cover with some unexpected bounce in the second over – only for three dropped catches to follow.Carty continued his rich run of form with a third ODI ton in his past four matches, punishing England’s numerous errors. The first was a difficult chance which popped out of Duckett’s hand as he dived full stretch at second slip, but the next was a sitter, the batter sweeping straight to Mahmood at short fine leg off Jacob Bethell.Duckett should also have taken his chance off King, fielding in the same position as the ball burst through his hands after a flashing drive.The missed run-out followed before the two batters settled down, steadily taking West Indies to 146-1 at the halfway stage before King holed out to long-on off Rashid.Carty continued to flourish, and reached his ton from 102 balls in the 35th over, combining with the ever-classy Hope to score freely as England’s seamers leaked runs from their short ball plan.But Carty’s wild swipe off Jacks was the first of many loose shots as West Indies failed to capitalise on the platform. Shimron Hetmyer was pinned lbw to Rashid, before Justin Greaves, Matthew Forde and Gudakesh Motie were all caught trying and failing to clear Cardiff’s short straight boundaries.In a fittingly messy end to the innings, Root dropped Hope at long-off on 73 and then caught Motie in the same position next ball. Joseph’s three-ball knock then went six, four, out before Hope, who had earlier clubbed two enormous sixes out of the ground, showed little faith in number 11 Jayden Seales and miscued a Mahmood slower ball to Brook at mid-off.Record-breaking Root a class apartTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedComing to the crease after top-order failures is not unfamiliar territory for Root, who exemplified remarkable calm and assuredness from ball one.Smith played a loose drive in the first over and was caught behind off Seales, and Duckett’s miserable day concluded with being caught at deep third off Forde in the next.Root was able to ease into his innings thanks to Brook’s counter-attacking approach, whacking 30 from his first 16 balls before he took on Joseph’s short ball and was caught three runs short of his half-century. Buttler then dragged on to his stumps off the same bowler two overs later. Root was fortunate to survive an lbw shout off Forde when he was on six, given not out and the Windies’ review showing it was clipping the bails but umpire’s call. A patient stand of 40 with Bethell followed, the youngster making 17 before he was lbw to Roston Chase to leave England teetering once more at 133-5.But Root and Jacks consolidated by hitting the gaps smartly, the latter reining in his attacking instincts with just two boundaries struck in his first 50 balls as he allowed Root to dominate, launching a four and six to go to his 98-ball century in style before effortlessly going up another gear.He peppered the straight boundaries with ease and swept the spinners both sides of the wicket as he went from 100 to 150 in just 31 balls, manipulating the field at his will as West Indies’ wilting bowlers could only wait and hope for him to make a mistake which never came.’Head and shoulders above the rest’ – reaction West Indies captain Shai Hope: “We certainly did [leave runs out there]. The position we were in around 30 overs, 35 overs, we should’ve put on 30 to 40 more runs at least. “We fell away at the end and didn’t dominate with the bat. But we have to commend the bowlers for the fight they showed to keep us in the game until the end.”England captain Harry Brook to BBC Test Match Special: “We probably weren’t clinical enough in the field to take those chances and we probably could’ve kept them to 250.”Joe was unbelievable and he’s only getting better as well. He’s someone I look up to, he’s such an amazing player, such an amazing bloke and works the hardest out of anyone I’ve seen.”Former England fast bowler Steven Finn on BBC Test Match Special: “Joe Root is just on this constant journey of ticking everything off before him and now he’s head and shoulders above the rest.”His average is way higher than anyone else who’s played ODI cricket for England. He was so determined to be there at the end and the way he read the situation, soaked up pressure, saw people fall around him.” To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedRelated topicsEngland Men’s Cricket TeamWest IndiesCricket

Getty ImagesSam DruryBBC Sport journalist7 minutes agoFrench Open 2025Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland GarrosCoverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and appDefending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a battle “in the mind” to reach the French Open quarter-finals after an entertaining four-set win over American Ben Shelton.The 22-year-old Spaniard produced his best performance of the tournament so far to claim a 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.After three hours and 19 minutes of high-class action, a thumping forehand down the line sealed Alcaraz’s 100th clay-court win on the ATP Tour.”Honestly, today I fought against myself in the mind,” Alcaraz said. “I just tried to calm myself – in some moments I was mad.”I was angry with myself, talking not good things. I’m happy that I didn’t let that thought play against me.”I tried to calm myself and tried to keep going.”The second seed will face another American, Tommy Paul, in the last eight after the 12th seed beat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-3 6-3.Having said he “didn’t enjoy” his battling win over Damir Dzumhur in the third round, Alcaraz was far closer to his best on Sunday and he had to be against the big-hitting Shelton.The first set headed to a tie-break after only one unconverted break point for Alcaraz but it was Shelton who initially gained the upper hand.With the crowd roaring their approval as the pair played out a number of stunning points that saw both players at the net, Alcaraz was forced to stave off three set points.Having done so, the four-time Grand Slam champion took the tie-break but was immediately under pressure in the second set.Shelton earned six break points in the opening game but was denied each time by Alcaraz, who turned it on late in the set to claim the crucial break.But Shelton was far from done and after the duo exchanged breaks early in the third set, the 22-year-old from Atlanta saved a break point for a big hold at 4-4.A helpful net chord gave him two set points in the next game and he took the second to pile the pressure on his Spanish opponent.Alcaraz quickly regrouped though and broke for a 2-1 lead early in the set. While the pair continued to exchange eye-catching shots, this time Shelton was unable to find a way back.”Every time we face each other I said we brought the level to the top,” Alcaraz said.”We entertained the people. He is a really powerful player. He can make any shots.”I think we played really great tennis. Drops, coming to the net, big shots, and we stayed there the whole match.”For me, it is great having Ben around, a great energy for tennis and for the people. I love watching him play.”Later, American 15th seed Frances Tiafoe defeated Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4).He will face Italian eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti or Denmark’s 10th seed Holger Rune – who play in Sunday’s night session on Philippe Chatrier – in the quarter-finals.Related topicsTennis

Getty ImagesJack SkeltonBBC Sport senior journalist1 June 2025, 18:13 BST188 CommentsUpdated 37 minutes agoBritain’s Simon Yates sealed his first Giro d’Italia title by safely crossing the line on the final stage in Rome.The Bury-born rider, 32, took the leader’s pink jersey for the first time in the race on Saturday’s stage 20 with a sublime attack on the penultimate climb, having started the day in third.Yates celebrated with his Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates in a processional ride around the Italian capital following a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican.Yates’ team-mate Olav Kooij sprinted to his second stage win of the Giro and Visma’s third overall, capping a superb race for the Dutch outfit.Yates won the title by three minutes 56 seconds over Mexico’s Isaac del Toro, with Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz 47 seconds further back in third.Del Toro, 21, won the white jersey for best young rider, Denmark’s Mads Pedersen claimed the mauve points classification jersey and Italy’s Lorenzo Fortunato took the blue mountains classification jersey.It is Yates’ second Grand Tour title following his victory in the 2018 Vuelta a Espana.He is only the second British men’s cyclist to win multiple Grand Tours after Chris Froome, who won seven.Yates is the third British rider to win the Giro, after Froome (2018) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (2020).His victory comes seven years after a dramatic collapse in the 2018 Giro when he led the race for 13 days only to crack when Froome seized the lead with an astonishing long-range attack two days from Rome.Yates returned to the Giro in search of victory over the next four consecutive years but fell short, his best finish third place in 2021.After a two-year break from the race, during which he finished a career-high fourth in the 2023 Tour de France, Yates has finally won the Giro at his sixth attempt.He is set to ride this year’s Tour in support of team-mate Jonas Vingegaard, who is targeting a third Tour title.This is Yates’ first season riding for Dutch outfit Visma, having previously spent all of his professional career with Australian team Jayco–AlUla.Pope addresses pelotonGetty ImagesIn superbly overhauling a one-minute 21-second deficit to the 21-year-old Del Toro on Saturday, Yates effectively guaranteed overall victory, with tradition dictating that the race leader is not attacked on the final day.Yates enjoyed the familiar spoils of the final day, linking arms while riding alongside his team-mates to pose for photographs and drinking a glass of champagne on the bike.However, this final 143km route around Rome also featured the race passing inside the Vatican walls for the first time in its 107-year history.The race entered the Vatican during the neutralised section before the official start, with Yates and the three other classification winners shaking the Pope’s hand before the pontiff addressed the peloton.”You are role models for young people all over the world,” he said. “Congratulations to all of you. May you know that you are always welcome here in the Vatican.”The pace ramped up when the peloton entered the final circuit where they would complete eight laps of a 9.5km course.A six-man break gave the sprinters’ teams some concern as they established a 30-second lead but they were reeled in, as were other late attackers.Pedersen was hunting his fourth stage win but was boxed in as Visma delivered Dutchman Kooij perfectly to the line.Australia’s Kaden Groves took second, with Italy’s Matteo Moschetti third and Pedersen fourth.Stage 21 resultsOlav Kooij (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) 3hrs 12mins 19secsKaden Groves (Aus/Alpecin-Deceuninck) Same timeMatteo Moschetti (Ita/Q36.5)Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek)Luke Lamperti (US/Soudal-QuickStep)Max Kanter (Ger/XDS-Astana)Filippo Baroncini (Ita/UAE Team Emirates-XRG)Orluis Aular (Ven/Movistar)Enrico Zanoncello (Ita/VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane)Giovanni Lonardi (Ita/Polti-VisitMalta)Final general classificationSimon Yates (GB/Visma-Lease A Bike) 79hours 18mins 42secsIsaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +3mins 56secsRichard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost) +4mins 43secsDerek Gee (Can/Israel-Premier Tech) +6mins 23secsDamiano Caruso (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) +7mins 32secsGiulio Pellizzari (Ita/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +9mins 28secsEgan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) +12mins 42secsEiner Rubio (Col/Movistar) +13mins 5secsBrandon McNulty (US/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +13mins 36secsMichael Storer (Aus/Tudor Pro Cycling) +14mins 27secsRelated topicsCycling