Connect with us
DAPA Banner

Sports

Ex-champ exhorts local bets to form alliance vs Russian Tour leader

Published

on

Nikita Shulchenko: Peerless —TOUR OF LUZON PHOTO

Nikita Shulchenko.—TOUR OF LUZON PHOTO

PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—After getting a much-needed recharge, Filipino riders in the MPTC Tour of Luzon will enter the second half of the fabled summer odyssey on wheels on Thursday, trying to chop down the formidable lead the Russian Nikita Shulchenko has built after the first seven stages.

The remaining 77 out of the original field of 89 will leave this scenic beachfront for a 142.6-kilometer journey towards another landmark in this province, Paoay’s San Agustin Church, with the local aces seeking to put a dent in an imposing gap of more than four minutes Mervin Corpuz is staring at in third spot.

Article continues after this advertisement
Advertisement

While admitting that the odds are stacked against him and the rest, Corpuz vowed to give a determined fight to the end nonetheless. But a former champ knows that Corpuz won’t be able to do it alone.

“It’s going to be tough taking that yellow jersey [from Shulchenko] because they already have the advantage,” Corpuz said in Filipino during a mid-race press conference here. “But if given a chance plus some added luck, I don’t think it’s an impossible task.”

While Corpuz acknowledged the giant task ahead, MPT Drivehub coach and former Tour winner Mark Galedo wants something to happen so that local pride is toasted at the end of the 14-stage event in Baguio in a week.

“I’ve said before [this] started that our riders won’t win if they go their own ways instead of helping each other,” Galedo said in Filipino. “Sometimes we need the cooperation of each rider in order to beat these foreign riders.”

Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement

Corpuz talked in plural form when he referred to the lead, as Shulchenko’s LCW UAE Cycle teammate and main protector, Ibrahiem Alrefai, is running second, more than two minutes ahead of Corpuz.

The two foreign aces have thwarted all challenges thrown at dislodging them, with Shulchenko padding his overall lead to this formidable figure after winning the 23-km individual time trial here on Tuesday with a lot left in his tank.

“I do believe that I can keep my lead and stay on top,” Shulchenko, the five-day leader with a total time of 19 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds, said before cooling his heels on Wednesday.

Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement

Galedo, a former national team mainstay, was the 2014 Le Tour de Filipinas champ after a successful climb to Baguio via Ambuklao. He definitely knows what he’s talking about.

“In the end, it’s every man for himself towards the finish line,” he added. “But if there’s cooperation in order to catch up on the overall standings, everyone will benefit from it. So why don’t [the Filipino riders] do it?”



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Advertisement


Your subscription has been successful.

Corpuz had his opportunity in Stage 6 when he was part of a lead pack that held a nine-minute lead over Shulchenko and the rest of the peloton going from Tuguegarao to here, only to fade in the final 40 km.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

Is Rue trapped with the DEA agents?

Published

on

In Euphoria season 3, Rue Bennett is placed under a DEA informant agreement after being detained during a traffic stop and confronted with evidence tied to her drug-related activities. The episode, titled “Kitty Likes to Dance,” shows her operating under federal surveillance while continuing to move within criminal environments linked to Laurie’s network.

Episode 4 also builds tension at the Silver Slipper club, where a violent raid further complicates Rue’s position. By the end of the episode, Rue is effectively trapped between DEA monitoring and criminal suspicion, with limited ability to disengage from either side.


Euphoria season 3 episode 4 recap: What does Rue’s DEA deal mean?

Euphoria season 3 (Image via Prime Video)Euphoria season 3 (Image via Prime Video)
Euphoria season 3 (Image via Prime Video)

In the third season of Euphoria, Rue is challenged by DEA agents after evidence links her to several narcotics enterprises that are part of Laurie’s network. In episode 4, she is questioned with specific evidence of her involvement, which means she doesn’t have many legal choices. The agents give her a choice that is not framed as voluntary participation but as a way to avoid a long prison sentence in federal prison.

Advertisement

Rue agrees to become an informant. This is a big change. This choice means that she is always being watched. Her phone has been changed so that it may be monitored, and she has been told to keep in touch with drug dealers while also giving information to federal authorities. This arrangement makes it possible for Rue to work in a criminal ecology while also reporting on what is going on there.

The episode shows that this setup isn’t stable. Rue is now working between two systems that both punish failure. If she is caught in the drug network she’s trying to get into, she could get hurt. If she fails the DEA, she could face legal problems. This dual pressure determines her future position.


How does the Silver Slipper raid change everything?

After Laurie and her friends get into a fight with Alamo’s gang, the end of Euphoria season 3 episode 4 takes place at the Silver Slipper club, where they break in and start a fight. In season 3 of Euphoria, things become worse and Rue, Magick, and Big Eddy become hostages.

The attackers want to get into a secret safe that has money and narcotics in it. The group shoots Big Eddy and makes him tell them where it is before taking the stuff and running away. The raid in Euphoria season 3 shows that factions are no longer just threatening each other; they are now using violence against each other.

Advertisement

After the event, the video from the CCTV cameras is looked at. Even though the identities are covered, a detail about the getaway driver links Faye to the robbery. Rue reacts to this knowledge at the review, which makes Magick even more suspicious. The event makes the dispute worse by including more groups instead of fixing it.


Is Rue trapped between the DEA and criminal networks in?

In Euphoria season 3 episode 4, Rue is caught in both the DEA’s investigation as well as the criminal networks. While the DEA requires details from her, she cannot share any because Laurie’s crew would kill them off for doing that.

In addition, the fact that she continues engaging with people associated with drugs in the midst of DEA observation increases the chances of being exposed. She is put into a difficult position through the raid at Silver Slipper because she is now connected to another network of criminal organizations through knowledge.

Having knowledge of influential people, she is put in a difficult position where it is hard for each group to determine her loyalty to them. Magick’s suspicion as well as DEA observation puts her under increased pressure, while at the same time the threats posed by the criminals continue increasing.

Advertisement

Watch Euphoria season 3 on HBO Max to follow how Rue’s situation continues to develop in the next episodes.