has reflected in a letter sent to all Hondarribitarras the tension that has been experienced this year around the Alarde de Hondarribia "I've suffered a campaign full of lies and hatred Rumours and lies have spread in order to stir up coexistence among all citizens threats -- somebody's tried to play," he says Abotsanitz took the witness last year in a town ruled by the PNV for many years which has caused some changes in the big day of the Hondarribia festivities the joint company Jaizkibel has had the municipal permission to parade as a company and for the first time has been recognized the trajectory of the traditional Alarde which has departed from the same place and has been able to finish the parade through Calle Mayor More than one of the traditional scares has been angered by these steps and proof of this is that all the traditional companies came voluntarily late to the place where the parade began not to coincide with the joint company Jaizkibel the mayor has transferred to the citizens of Hondarribia through a letter he has sent to all households the tension experienced during those days and the campaign "full of lies and grudges" suffered by some neighbors "It's a lie I haven't been through my head." The letter states that throughout the year he has held discussions with different agents to seek consensus: "We shared that we were going to celebrate the Alarde all the Hondarribitarras together but not together." Conversely festivities have taken place far from consensus Mayor states that: "Some colleagues may have told you that the mayor has decided to ban activities related to Alarde It’s not true (…) You may have been told another falsehood: that on 7 September I banned entry to the HAOSE in the Plaza de Armas because I don't get through my head or my head Or you've heard that I didn't treat agents equally You may have been reluctantly told that bars had to close at midnight because the same permits have been given as in the past few years." "I have received the support of many of you and the messages of encouragement have been endless," said the president Maroto has stated that he will continue along the same path to resolve the Alarde issue "in order to find an agreement to live the Alarde among all Hondarribiarras" At ARGIA we announced this year’s Alarde de Hondarribia: Uxoa Anduaga: "We will have to start sharing the spaces that until now occupied the exclusionary alarm" Something starts moving in Hondarribia Men are missing at the Alarde de Hondarribia “What’s behind this dark operation that is economic nonsense and an attack on the environment?” says Amigos de Bidasoaldea, which is made up of several environmental groups It is recalled that the project would damage the ecological corridor of Jaizkibel-Aiako Harria which is located between the two Kaldunborda It is also stressed that the project’s drivers are companies in the oil sector among them the former mayor of Hondarribia The Popular Assembly of Abotsandos in Hondarribia was the first to put the issue on the table considering that "the unilateral attitude and the blind and incorrect decision of the municipal government only causes concern the Irún City Council has just approved the motion of Sí Se Puede Irún asking the Hondarribia City Council to stop the project Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The route for the 2024 edition of the X-Pyr has been announced It covers a distance of 592.5km from Hondarribia on the Atlantic coast Pilots will be taken from the north side of the Pyrenees to the south and back again Organisers say the section to TP5 (Pic des Trois Seigneurs) is probably the most complicated part of the route Vall de Núria is in a hanging valley with no road access so supporters will get a free ticket for the rack-and-pin railway which is the only access by motorised transport Simon Oberraunder and Pál Takáts – all well-known sRed Bull X-Alps athletes – among the favourites to win in the absence of four-time winner Chrigel Maurer After getting off to winning ways in the Premier League opener they appear to have sealed a transfer for Mikel Merino there are some final stages for the Spaniard to complete before his Arsenal transfer There has been some brilliant news heading into the weekend for Arsenal fans With personal terms agreed already and an agreement between Arsenal and Real Sociedad being struck last night it is now down to Mikel Merino to complete a medical and sign his relevant paperwork This stage of transfer proceedings is always exciting since it means that (barring any anomalous hiccups) how quickly will Arsenal progress to the next stage of Mikel Merino's upcoming Arsenal transfer According to Spanish journalist Matteo Moretto the plan is for Mikel Merino to travel to London today Mikel Merino will undergo all of the relevant medical tests be introduced to the training facilities and meet the backroom staff El plan es que Mikel Merino viaje mañana a Londres All it took for Arsenal fans on Twitter was to be told about the flight plans They then (obviously) tracked down all of the revelant information Mikel Merino is set to travel from Hondarribia at 14:10 local time to London where he will then be tasked with completing his deal 🚨 The idea is for Mikel Merino to catch a plane at 14:10 in Hondarribia to head to London (Northolt). He will undergo medical tests before signing as a new Arsenal player.(@adursarasua_ ) pic.twitter.com/HrXCAUL2QX ever since terms were agreed with the club yesterday considering Arsenal have been excited to get this deal over the line Mikel Merino has been an Arsenal transfer target for a long time Mikel Arteta would have been instrumental to getting the deal over the line as Arsenal would not have been the only club interested in singing Mikel Merino Do you think Mikel Merino will be a worthwhile signing for Arsenal © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"62","src":"63","url":"64"},{"type":"61","value":"65"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"68","url":"69"},{"type":"67","value":"6a"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands Kian has been part of the FanSided team since 2017 and has both written and edited thousands of articles across the division Grab your chosen beverage while reading his work as he's not shy to share his soccer opinions and encourages his readers to share their own With personal terms agreed already and an agreement between Arsenal and Real Sociedad being struck last night According to Spanish journalist Matteo Moretto 🚨 The idea is for Mikel Merino to catch a plane at 14:10 in Hondarribia to head to London (Northolt). He will undergo medical tests before signing as a new Arsenal player.(@adursarasua_ ) pic.twitter.com/HrXCAUL2QX So, ever since terms were agreed with the club yesterday, progress has been sharp. It is easy to see why, considering Arsenal have been excited to get this deal over the line. Mikel Merino has been an Arsenal transfer target for a long time. Without a doubt, Mikel Arteta would have been instrumental to getting the deal over the line as Arsenal would not have been the only club interested in singing Mikel Merino, the EURO 2024 winner. Do you think Mikel Merino will be a worthwhile signing for Arsenal? According to a trusted journalist, Mikel Merino is set to travel to London today to complete his upcoming Arsenal transfer. Menu.page-309938488{--slot4:#1f7c1d;--slot7:#1f7c1d;--slot11:#1f7c1d;--slot13:#1f7c1d;--slot14:#1f7c1d;--metaColor:#1f7c1d;--navColor:#1f7c1d}(Travel) are enough to kick one’s wanderlust into overdrive Based on flight patterns and airport size, most travelers visiting the Iberian Peninsula nation will fly into either Barcelona or Madrid and spend a few days exploring the respective metropolitan areas before jetting off to Baleric hotspots like Ibiza and Mallorca Spain is full of unique and loq-profile places to discover small towns entice travelers with local culture Some of the country’s best-kept secrets are the perfect spots to escape hordes in June Scroll on for seven under-the-radar towns in Spain to visit this summer @turismo_hondarribiaWhile San Sebastián continues to garner international accolades as a culinary hotspot, nearby Hondarribia flies under the radar. Located near the border with France, the medieval walled town was the site of some of the most important historic battles in the Basque Country it’s a charming destination with cobbled lanes historic landmarks (check out the Castle of Emperor Carlos V and Iglesia del Manzano) and a mix of Spanish and French cultural influences ShutterstockA pretty-as-a-postcard white-washed village on the Andalusia border with Portugal Sanlúcar de Guadiana is home to just a few hundred residents and gives off perfect-place-for-a-siesta energy there’s one thrilling attraction in store for travelers: a high-speed zipline that runs across the Guadiana River to Alcoutim Not in the mood for a high-altitude return trip ShutterstockTucked away in a less-trammeled corner of southern Spain Setenil de las Bodegas is a lost-in-time village with whitewashed houses built into the undersides of cliffs and the remains of a hilltop castle that dates back to Moorish rule aka “Shade Street,” sits under a natural boulder that creates a rocky ceiling @turismovillajoyosaSituated along the Mediterranean coast of Alicante, to the south of Valencia, Villajoyosa, simply known as La Vila, is a photographer's dream with brightly colored facades painted by local fishermen and a beautiful beach. Recently named the “best hidden gem in Europe 2024” by European Best Destinations this charming seaside town won’t stay a secret for long Book a trip to admire the colorful architecture and go for a seaside stroll before the crowds descend Liz Leyden/iStock Unreleased/Getty ImagesTarifa across the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco lays claim to the title of the windiest destination in Europe The blustery coastal conditions give rise to some of the best swells and recreational gusts on the continent And yet this coastal treasure flies under the radar for most travelers who aren’t actively Googling “surf spots in Spain” or “best windsurfing destinations.” Besides riding waves visitors can catch some rays on the beaches ©fitopardo/Moment Unreleased/Getty ImagesWhile everyone else is chasing down sun and sea The quiet and endlessly enchanting hideaway town of Potes in Cantabria in northern Spain will steal your heart with its rolling hillside and medieval architecture and historic bridges that give the impression of stepping back in time The laid-back pace beckons in-the-know vacationers to slow down with a glass of wine and some tapas on a shaded terrace by the river Flottmynd/Moment/Getty ImagesWhy should you visit Getaria an unassuming fishing village on the Urola coast of the Basque Country It offers idyllic scenery from the coast to the rolling green hills and a powerhouse gastronomic scene with delights like freshly caught grilled fish that goes from sea to plate in a matter of hours and txakoli It’s also home to an unexpectedly cosmopolitan attraction a museum dedicated to fashion designer and homegrown talent Critsóbal Balenciaga Inicio | News | Technology | Aena and Cellnex bring 5G technology to San Sebastian airport The pilot project involves rolling out the first private network of these characteristics in an airport in Spain which ranks number one in global passenger volume and telecommunications infrastructure and services operator Cellnex Telecom have brought into service the first private network based on 5G technology in Spanish airports The pilot project is itself one of the first on the European airport scene In the wake of the alliance struck between both companies Cellnex was responsible for installing and rolling out this 5G network at San Sebastian airport on which various use cases related to drone operations will be developed mainly in terms of security and advanced monitoring collection and secure processing of environmental data (gases and particles in suspension humidity and noise) through the Cellnex SmartBrain Platform The fifth generation of mobile communications will revolutionise digital transformation processes thanks to its high-speed data transmission capacity to manage a high density of connected devices and 5G will be a turning point when applied to airports laying the foundations for the future development of the airport itself and serving as the basis for a wide range of new applications and functionalities that will allow a more efficient and sustainable service Cellnex will enjoy the collaboration of Nokia as its partner for the 5G network while Inetum will supply and operate the associated drones Aena has identified 5G as one of the key technologies for its digital transformation process Although connectivity has been a reality in airports for a few years the leap to this new technology will make it possible to develop new applications in important fields such as security and operations 5G will help to further advance the Internet of Things (IoT) and help to implement Big Data virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence and its relevant applications and functionalities will also foster the sustainable management of airport activity making it compatible with local nature conservation and environmental management Head of Ideation & Entrepreneurship at Aena underlined “the importance of having a private 5G network at one of our airports that allows us to test specific airport use cases that require high capacity as well as a new connectivity layer that provides the airport community with a highly reliable and readily available data transmission service.” He went on to state that “performing these tests will allow us to identify the degree of maturity of 5G technology and to see to what extent it can be adapted to Aena’s needs to improve our internal connectivity services.” Enterprise Sales Manager at Cellnex Spain highlighted “the importance of telecommunications infrastructures and technologies such as 5G in contributing to optimise processes in complex environments like airports where security and operational efficiency are key above and beyond connectivity for passengers” and was “satisfied to work with Aena in this pilot that will serve to lay the foundations for future deployments of this type of network —and its multiple use cases— in Spanish airports; in addition to being able to demonstrate Cellnex’s capabilities as a neutral telecommunications infrastructure operator and its expertise in assisting the deployment of critical networks” Located in the municipality of Hondarribia 22 kilometres north-east of the city of San Sebastian it is one of Spain’s main airports in the north of the Iberian peninsula Various reforms have been undertaken in recent years to provide the airport with better infrastructures and services The installation serves mainly regular domestic and international flights with 383,000 passengers on a total of 5,600 flights in 2022 Aena is the number one airport manager by passenger numbers with over 243 million passing through Spanish airports in 2022 The company manages 46 airports and 2 heliports in Spain and participates directly and indirectly in the management of a further 23 airports: one in Europe (London Luton airport in which it holds a 51% stake) and the rest in the Americas (airports in Brazil Aena has recently signed a concession contract for a further 11 airports in Brazil It is a leading company due to its experience capacity and professional team in airport service management Aena airports are among the most modern and functional in the world and are equipped with the most advanced technologies aware that it must play its role as an economic driver in the areas of influence of airports and has an ongoing commitment to development and sustainability For further information, visit www.aena.es The efficient deployment of next-generation connectivity is essential to drive technological innovation and accelerate inclusive economic growth Cellnex is the independent wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructures operator that enables operators to access Europe’s most extensive network of advanced telecommunications infrastructures on a shared-use basis helping to reduce access barriers for new operators and to improve services in the most remote areas Cellnex manages a portfolio of around 135,000 sites – including forecast roll-outs up to 2030 – in Spain Cellnex’s business is structured in four major areas: telecommunications infrastructure services; audiovisual broadcasting networks security and emergency service networks and solutions for smart urban infrastructure and services management (Smart cities and the “Internet of Things” (IoT)) The company is listed on the continuous market of the Spanish stock exchange and is part of the selective IBEX 35 and EuroStoxx 100 indices It is also present in the main sustainability indexes Aena and Cellnex bring 5G technology to San Sebastian airport Transformative solutions for urban connectivity Connectivity as a legacy: Barcelona and Cellnex transform the seafront Female empowerment and leadership at Cellnex relevant information or receive our newsletter ¡Thanks for subscribing!¡You have successfully subscribed! Thank you for your interest.Within a few moments you will receive an email with a link to the whitepaper/brochure. ¡Thanks for the confidence!We have correctly received your request This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page ACCIONA Service has been chosen by the Basque Regional Government's Department of Health to deliver specialised and conventional cleaning services in Bidasoa Hospital and the health centres in Irún is worth 4.9 million euros and covers the specialised cleaning of consulting rooms ACCIONA will also handle conventional cleaning of administrative areas The Basque Department of Health chose ACCIONA (over eight other companies) based on its commitment to sustainability by using energy-efficient equipment and environmentally-friendly cleaning products with the intention of phasing in the use of biodegradable products The Department of Health highlighted ACCIONA's technical organisation and process optimisation approach which will improve the efficiency of the service This contract strengthens ACCIONA's position in the area of specialised ancillary services; the company already services hospitals and health centres elsewhere in Spain (Madrid Castilla & León and the Canary Islands Catalonia and Aragon) as well as in Portugal I accept Information on data protection In compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on Data Protection and with other Data Protection regulations in force you are hereby informed that your personal data shall be processed by Acciona whose identification data are as follows: Tax ID No (NIF): A08001851; Address: Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza No.: +34 91 663 28 50; email: protecciondedatos@acciona.com Your data shall be processed in order to send you information through the subscription to our Newsletter through electronic means activities and news pertinent to our activity sectors The consent given by the data subject by indicating that they have read and accept this data protection information comprises the lawfulness of processing the subscription Request cannot be satisfied We may also process your satisfaction or preferences Data shall be stored until the elimination is requested we may give access to your data to service providers (such as technology service providers) who assist us in fulfilling this purpose may be located outside of the European Economic Area in territories that do not offer a level of data protection that is comparable to that of the European Union we transfer User data with appropriate safeguards and always ensuring the security of the same The data subject can exercise their rights of access to or rectification and/or the restriction of or objection to the processing of such data by writing the Department of Data Protection located at Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza 28033 (Madrid) or by sending the form available in the link: FORM If we consider it necessary in order to be able to identify you, we may ask you for a copy of an identity document. Furthermore, at any time the data subject may withdraw the granted consent by contacting the aforementioned address and file a claim to the Supervisory Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos www.aepd.es) You can also unsubscribe from the Newsletter communication For any further information you can visit the Privacy Police on the website https://www.acciona.com/privacy-policy/ Primoz Roglic has won the first stage of the Itzulia Basque Country The 32-year-old rider of Team Jumbo-Visma completed the individual time trial in Hondarribia the fastest and secured the yellow leader's jersey the riders left one by one for their race against the clock over 7.5 kilometres started last and had an excellent start to his time trial the reigning Olympic champion time trial recorded almost the same time as Remco Evenepoel but Roglic managed to make the difference in the second part It proved enough to secure his third win of the season held on a technical course with many corners I had good legs today and could fight until the end his victory gives no guarantees for the rest of the week Of course it is always better to be ahead than behind Roglic's time trial victory is the ninth win on the road in 2022 Subscribe yourself for the Team Visma | Lease a Bike newsletter and receive previews for races The night of version that is held in the Psilocybenea room in Hondarribia at the turn of Christmas is a reference festival for the musical association Psilocybe many musicians take advantage of the appointment as an opportunity to meet and create common projects a party like the night of version allows the exchange of musicians and the exploration of new fields The association has highlighted that the P30 musical collection was born from it with musicians and technicians organized around the Psilocybenea on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the association in which Mono and Mikel Iturria participated and in which Joseba Baleztena also collaborated The mastering has been carried out by Karlos Osinaga Txapelketa the first collection of self-produced discs The album had the participation of prestigious groups such as Dut and Lif referents in the creation of the association the Psilocybe 10 collection was carried out on the pretext that the association was celebrating its decade The groups that were on the previous album were joined by some news and other older ones This bellows, according to the association, also called for a space for concerts, in addition to the self-managed test rooms. They say to put music in the middle. Anyone who wants to know more about the process of taking this great step can read the report by Lander Arretxea on the occasion of the 25th anniversary. Festival PTP or Depart from Psilocybe Groups The appointment will be on Saturday from 17:30 in the Psilocybenea room It is an event as a night version of the version highlighted at the beginning of the news The groups stabilized at Psilocybean will take the stage and take advantage of the night to present the P30 collection BY: Sonia van Gilder Cooke The 2005 European anchovy season in Spain began like any other small fishing fleets motored into the Cantabrian Sea – the inshore regions of the Bay of Biscay – on the hunt for schools of the small blue and silver fish Among the 200-odd boats was the 100-foot Itsas Eder Basque for “beautiful sea.” It departed from the sleepy town of Hondarribia nestled against the French border in the heart of Basque country The boat’s captain was 44-year-old Eugenio Elduayen burly man whose family had been fishing for at least four generations Elduayen had witnessed many changes since he first started working with his grandfather in the 1970s: the introduction of fishing licenses boom years when their boats overflowed with fish and storms that lashed the sea and kept them land-bound however: the schools of anchovy that gathered at the surface of the sea at night which Elduayen’s crew would encircle and scoop up with nets He and two-dozen other captains from Hondarribia crisscrossed the bay’s inshore waters checking their sonar screens for signs of anchovy they were forced to give up and return to shore “We had always seen the anchovy,” Elduayen said These weren’t just unlucky fishing trips; they were the telltale signs of a fishery collapse. The story could have ended there, with the demise of the local anchovy population, but a strategic fishery closure helped revive this important species. According to a study published in December 2019 a closure like the one that was ultimately implemented – after campaigning by Oceana – could have prevented the anchovy collapse in the first place but science-based fisheries management saved Spain’s anchovy it put fishers back to work and preserved an important part of Basque culture and cuisine The anchovies from Spain’s Atlantic coast are considered one of the world’s great delicacies Chefs say the Bay of Biscay’s cool waters give these succulent complex fish an added layer of fat that makes them tender The secret to their greatness isn’t just the anchovies themselves but also the way the locals cure and prepare them encased in olive oil and packaged in colorful tins These anchovies make their way around the world is not just a vital part of Basque cuisine between five and six inches long when caught also feeds the marine ecosystem in the Bay of Biscay an 86,000-square-mile body of water almost half the size of Spain itself the anchovy filters plankton and fish eggs from the water The anchovy in turn are feasted on by many species “It gives life to Cantabria,” Elduayen said things were meant to unfold much as they had for the last 100 years After fishing at night and through the early hours the fishermen would have been met at the town docks at 7 a.m by local buyers who would inspect the crates of anchovies and bid on the catches The fish would then be whisked to a factory to be cleaned and packed into barrels with salt for nine months of curing fishermen in the Bay of Biscay had managed to catch just 1% of their normal haul The European Union called it “a complete crash of the commercial fishery.” Oceana had also been fearing trouble for some time made up of ministers from the 28 European Union member states repeatedly voted to set yearly catch quotas far above the limits recommended by scientists “If you disregard the scientific advice for too many years you have a huge problem,” said Javier López Fisheries Campaign Manager for Oceana in Europe When the Bay of Biscay anchovy started to falter, the independent scientific body advising the EU recommended a total allowable catch (TAC) of 11,000 metric tons for 2003. The Council voted to set it at the same amount they had since 1995: 33,000 metric tons Similar scenarios played out in 2004 and 2005 with the TAC double or triple the scientific advice and the actual catch The fishermen couldn’t have hauled in their TAC of 30,000 metric tons if they had wanted to They could hardly find a single anchovy in the sea but there were also environmental stressors a renowned Spanish fisheries expert who has monitored fish in the Bay of Biscay since the late 1980s and water temperatures all play a role in how many larvae and juveniles survive to become adult anchovies by removing adults that otherwise would have spawned When one year’s larvae fail to grow into adults the total number of anchovy can sink to dangerously low levels the adult stock had declined to the point that the catch set for that year – 30,000 metric tons – was two to three times the amount of all the remaining adult anchovy in the bay particularly smaller operators that were more dependent on anchovy and local canneries had replaced Biscay anchovy with imports from abroad the fishermen of Hondarribia supported this closure “We realized we were facing a catastrophe,” Elduayen said Many involved thought the closure would only last for a year but it dragged on as the anchovies struggled to recover There was bickering and discord as the region tried to deal with the crisis this is getting better; it’s recuperating,’” Elduayen said “the quota had always been just something written on a piece of paper,” Elduayen said “Even if there were no anchovies in the sea the politicians would write 33,000 metric tons the Basque fishermen’s attitude to this “changed radically,” Elduayen recalled “We made the decision that we must always go with biological facts.” They started by reaching out to Uriarte and his team from AZTI Uriarte and the fishermen decided to set up a plan It would have one hard-and-fast rule: That catch limits be set according to the number of anchovy in the sea But they could never take more than 33,000 metric tons bringing on board scientists and fishermen from Spain and France to begin formalizing the new management plan the fish began to show signs of a real comeback and by spring 2010 the fishery had reopened with a TAC of 7,000 metric tons the Basque fishermen headed out into the bay for the first time in four years once again hauling up nets full of wriggling Elduayen and his compatriots had brought home their 5,400 metric tons scooping up their quota of 1,600 metric tons The plan devised by Uriarte and the fishermen has worked well “We go hand in hand with the biologists,” Elduayen said Now we set the quotas instead of having the paper quotas telling us [what to do].” The annual catch has climbed in step with rebounding anchovy populations. In 2016, the catch jumped to a little over 18,000 metric tons, and in 2019, it swelled again to roughly 26,600 metric tons The biomass of all spawning-age anchovies last year was the highest it has ever been since the Biscay anchovy surveys began in 1987 A 2019 study also confirmed the benefit of giving fish the chance to recuperate. The researchers, including lead author Juan Bueno-Pardo, wrote that the recovery of the anchovy population “was mainly triggered by the closure of the fishery for five years,” coupled with favorable seasonal conditions Oceana’s López said that despite a “history of mismanagement,” the fact that the anchovy were given time to recover is a great achievement “It is not very common that you are able to convince the EU to close a fishery,” he said Elduayen and his community are “rejoicing” now that the anchovy are back “It’s a beautiful sight to see the Cantabria so healthy,” he said But his community’s years without the fish helped them grow in unexpected ways “What I want to carry with me to the next generation A version of this story was originally published in November 2017 It was updated in April 2020 to reflect new data Q&A with Beth Lowell: Campaigning in Challenging Times   We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people Protect Habitat Bycatch Plastics General Inquiries+1(202)-833-3900info@oceana.org Donation Inquiries+1(202)-833-3900wavemaker@oceana.org Press Inquiries+1(202)-833-3900press@oceana.org Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done PressOceana StoreMarine LifeBlogCareersFinancialsPrivacy PolicyRevisit ConsentTerms of UseContact I'm not yet in fabled foodie heaven of San Sebastián on a lawn chair halfway up a mountain at a pokey food shack eating what is essentially an omelette sandwich Only mountain biking can bring such intense delusions When you've been through as many ups and downs – literally and metaphorically – as you can be put through on an off-road bike route Nothing tastes better than some well-earned food and drink The day begins in mellow fashion in the lovely harbour at Hondarribia, right on the French border east of San Sebastián. My biking buddy Ed and I fuel our bodies with caffeine, breakfasting mainly on powerful but strangely sweet cortados (a kind of mini-cappuccino) in one of many pretty cafes. Our heart rates sufficiently jumpy, we head off to meet Doug, our guide. Doug runs Basque MTB which typically offers week-long riding holidays here or in the Pyrenees and a coastal path is bound to be pretty flat though blissfully brief road climb starts us off then we zip and flow along a smooth roller coaster of a path Pungent aromas from trailside flowers and bushes waft over us as Doug churns up the air ahead The sea is dotted with little fishing boats The rugged coastlline east of San SebastiánThe route Doug is taking us on is a version of the Camino del Norte – more usually trodden by hikers following the approximate route but adding some great cycle trails and avoiding some of the worst climbs Mountain biking is unparalleled in its ability to take you through a landscape To cover this distance on foot would probably take a couple of days; to do the trip on roads wouldn't be anywhere near as immersive We ride through bamboo copses and lush meadows We reach the top of a particularly stiff peak and Doug points at something in the distance According to Doug it will probably be open And they will give us food and drink in exchange for money From nowhere we suddenly find a well of energy and high-tail it down a sinuous sliver of a path I think there are gorgeous ocean vistas on either side and ancient watchtowers dotted along the ridgeline It's here I enjoy the aforementioned omelette sandwich. I shall never forget it. The cafe, called Cantina de Jaizkibel sits above the fishing town of Pasai Donibane on more fun trails along beautiful coast – though now with a more downhill trend where we board a tiny ferry for a two-minute journey over the Oyarzun river with the Atlantic beating at the mouth of the estuary Bar IrrintzA lengthy climb through juicy woodland takes us to the final stretch One second we are hacking through swoopy forest having a caña (beer) with the surfers at Cervecería Monpas (Paseo de José Miguel Barandiarán) flabbergasted that such a wild landscape can sit so close to a big old place like San Sebastián We celebrate our mini adventure by visiting some of the city's famous pintxos bars This is the typical way Doug ends guided rides He knows his way around the fabulous bars just as well as he knows the trails No one bats an eyelid as we lean the bikes up against walls or tables feasting on different small plates of deliciousness at each one And although the omelette sandwich will live long in my memory what we eat in San Sebastián is even more mind-blowing We feast on blue cheese and anchovy creations in the family cubby-hole of Bar Irrintz (Calle Pescadería 12); enjoy the drama of lobster with dry-iced rosewater at modern Bar Zeruko (Pescaderia 10); move on to baked cheesecake from Bar La Viña (Calle 31 de Agosto 3) with a snifter of raisin-y Pedro Ximenez wine; and sup real ale at Never Stop (Reyes Catolicos 6) But the solomillo (sirlon steak) at super-busy Gandarías (31 de Agosto 23) .. now that probably is the best meal I've ever had The trip was provided by Basque MTB (basquemtb.com). One-day rides cost €50pp, or €60 with pintxos tour, excluding food and drink. It's also available as part of a week's holiday, from €695. Easyjet flies from Manchester and Stansted to Bilbao and from Gatwick to Biarritz one of the world’s premier hike-and-fly adventure races is set to kick off on Sunday 23 June 2024 drawing pilots from around the globe this year the X-Pyr route spans approximately 600km (592.5km) starting from the beach at Hondarribia in the Basque Country in the west and culminating at the Mediterranean Sea at el Port de la Selva Pilots will combine hiking and paragliding skills to traverse the Pyrenees from west to east and tactical acumen to outfox their rivals and the elements Race director Íñigo Redín said: “We are thrilled to host the X-Pyr 2024 and to witness the incredible feats of endurance and skill that define this event The Pyrenees offer a stunning backdrop for this race and we are committed to ensuring it remains a challenging and memorable experience for all participants.” They include high profile pilots like Maxime Pinot One notable absence is Chrigel Maurer: the multiple Red Bull X-Alps and X-Pyr champion is not taking part this year Instead he is on a multi-week adventure in the Alps aiming to hike-and-fly all 4,000m peaks in the Alps in one season Other high profile names have also withdrawn Red Bull X-Alps legends Toma Coconea and Pál Takáts Toma is recovering from surgery after breaking his leg earlier this month while Pál withdrew following the tragic death of young French pilot Timo Leonetti last week Posting on social media Pál explained: “After days of battling emotions I came to the conclusion that I’m simply not in the right headspace for any demanding high-level flying so therefore I cancel my participation in the X-Pyr.” Michal Gierlach was also a last-minute withdrawal – the well known pilot has been diagnosed with pneumonia Organisers said they wished all the pilots who have had to withdraw ahead of the race well that still leaves more than 40 pilots getting ready to line up at the start on the beach at Hondarribia on Sunday although there are lots of women supporters in this year’s race Organisers said they would have loved to welcome women into the race but they simply did not have the applications and we always welcome applications from women We were extremely sad that we didn’t get any this year and we hope that will change for the next edition in 2026.” Current world champion and fresh from winning the FAI Paragliding European Championships in Spain he has been on the podium of the X-Alps and the X-Pyr twice Each team consists of a pilot and a supporter Pilots must tag seven turnpoints which will take them across the main mountain chain and means they have to criss-cross between Spain and France Start: Hondarribia (Spain)TP1: Larun (France)TP2: Val d’Azun (France)TP3: Boí Taull (Spain)TP4: Monte Perdido (Spain)TP5: Pic des Trois Seigneurs (France)TP6: Vall de Núria (Spain)TP7: Santa Helena de Rodes (Spain)Goal: El Port de la Selva (Spain) a trip of 15km with an altitude gain of 870m This is the first point where the athletes can take their equipment out of their bags and can finally fly The first long leg (the largest in this edition) is the 122.2km leg to Val d’Azun From there they go southeast into Spain and visit the Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes they go to the edge of the Monte Perdido in the Ordesa National Park there is a large cylinder (7km) around this turnpoint From there the race heads northeast to the Arriege which may be the most difficult part of the route After this more complications await the teams: they will head to a sign-board where they have to land (or arrive on foot) – there is no turnpoint radius The special thing about the Vall de Nuria is that it is in a hanging valley at 1,962m which can only be reached by rack and pin railway Team assistants have a free ticket to ride as there is no access road to the monastery From there it is 75km as the crow flies to the end-of-race point at Santa Helena de Rodes Spectators can follow the race action live as all athletes and supporters carry a live tracking device X-Pyr has grown to become one of the most prestigious hike-and-fly competitions in the world The race attracts top pilot-athletes who are drawn by the challenge of navigating the Pyrenees’ diverse and demanding landscape The X-Pyr is renowned for its combination of physical and mental challenges requiring competitors to not only be in peak physical condition but also possess exceptional paragliding skills and strategic planning abilities Follow the race at x-pyr.com When Oliver Glasner was growing up in the small Austrian town of Riedau the Bavarian border was just 32km (20 miles) to the north It meant three of the five of the channels available to him on television were German ones “I could see a little more than the regular Austrian,” the Crystal Palace manager, 50, told The Athletic ahead of his team’s draw with Leicester City last weekend.  Glasner admitted he did not realise it at the time but his geographical place in the world opened his eyes and by extension his mind to wider possibilities He was also exposed to broader European football in a way many other Austrians were not — the country’s domestic teams were not as successful as those from neighbouring Germany and therefore there were fewer matches on TV to watch It surely increased his understanding of the game he came to love “I was always crazy about football…” he concluded Glasner is not an outlier in this season’s Premier League: nine of the division’s 20 managers were either born or raised within 50 kilometres of a national border Kieran McKenna and Julen Lopetegui completing the list a region which has long sought autonomy from Spain while one more — Nuno Espirito Santo — hails from Sao Tome and Principe an island nation off Africa’s Atlantic coast which has been independent for less than 50 years It all suggests that this is the season of the frontier manager or a trend which reveals something about the characters of those in charge of many of England’s elite clubs Of the four managers in this season’s Premier League to hail from the Basque Country Unai Emery is perhaps the quintessential frontier coach He grew up in the border town of Hondarribia separated from France by the Bidasoa river and his career is a good one to reflect upon because of all the managers with connections to borders he has managed the most clubs in the highest number of countries this qualifies him as an itinerant coach.  Emery played just five games for Real Sociedad and would spend the majority of his playing career in Spain’s second tier Perhaps his path was one of necessity: he had to make a living Yet maybe the travel involved in this process was made slightly easier by the fact that as a child Though he would see planes swoop over the estuary of the Bidasoa just west of San Sebastian landing at Donostia airport (another reminder there was a world waiting to be explored) the details of the geography surely matter: Hondarribia blurs into another Basque town called Irun just to the south which then merges into Hendaye — also Basque The area was one of the busiest crossing points between the two countries and travellers were sometimes able to make the journey by train without showing their passports It is tempting to think this made Emery more intellectually curious and made it more straightforward for him to work with people from other cultures yet psychologists suggest this kind of upbringing had the potential to send him the other way which may explain other facets of his management including languages and various traditions can help with adapting to new environments and being sensitive to differences,” says sports psychologist Marc Sagal who has worked with several Premier League clubs this could contribute to a bit of entrenchment and solidification of a person’s identity there is a desire to protect and preserve one’s way of doing things “Border regions often have unique identities that are very separate from the countries they belong to which can lead individuals to cling tightly to their local culture The desire to preserve one’s unique cultural heritage might manifest in football managers as an exceptionally tight attachment to a playing style who seems quite keen on creating an environment best suited for the players and both are likely impacted in part by geography and experience.”  Emery’s relationship with France would surely have been different to Ten Hag’s and Slot’s relationship with Germany for the two Dutchmen their experience of frontier territory was rural.    Drive in the area around Haaksbergen and Bergentheim and you may not even realise you have crossed from the Netherlands to Germany and back again as The Athletic discovered when visiting both towns in May residents in these bible-belt towns felt very Dutch indeed and would only hop over the border to buy cheaper fuel for their cars Slot, however, is far from closed-minded. Dan Abrahams, a sports psychologist who worked with him for two seasons when he was manager of Rotterdam club Feyenoord before this summer’s move to Liverpool describes his former colleague to The Athletic as “very open-minded” and a coach who is willing to “challenge perceived notions about Dutch football” yet Slot developed more of a burgundy lifestyle as he pursued a playing career which drew him closer to the other end of the country Abrahams references the “biopsychosocial model” first conceptualised by American psychiatrist George Engel in 1977 which suggested that to understand any person’s medical condition biological factors should not be the only consideration but also the psychological and social ones “What people experience is the product of complex interaction,” Abrahams says “Our social environment is a significant mediator in who we become.” He identifies Slot as a “critical thinker” The coach gave Abrahams permission to be straight with him yet he would check and challenge what he had to say Quite how much of this was down to his experiences in Bergentheim was difficult to gauge (his conversations with Slot did not extend to his background) but ultimately Abrahams believes living close to another country with an identity as strong as his own must have had an effect “Such proximity has the potential to make a person more inward looking It seems obvious that any place’s location might influence its industry and subsequently the employment opportunities that exist there Big business gravitates towards big cities but very few of the current crop of Premier League managers had metropolitan upbringings Only four were raised in major conurbations — Fuham’s Marco Silva (Lisbon) after being born in Athens) and Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler (Munich tend not to be built near other countries for the simple reason that rulers feared losing them to invasion Beyond the no-man’s land on either side of any frontier a requirement among the residents for grafting Neither Slot nor Ten Hag had manual labour in their blood While Slot’s parents were teachers and considered lower middle class Yet a strong work ethic was still fundamental to their ethos and has informed each manager’s way of working.  Though the geography around Guardiola was different he shares attributes with obsessive figures such as Ten Hag and Slot if you listen to those who know him most Catalonia and the Basque Country are not poor regions but claims for independence are related to their economies and how people believe they should benefit from local resources Guardiola grew up in Santpedor, 70km north of Barcelona. According to the writer and film director Dave Trueba, when he spoke to the BBC in 2018, what defines the Manchester City manager is his willingness to get his hands dirty rather than any alternative way of thinking which sometimes manifests in his football teams “When it comes to analysing or judging Guardiola you must bear in mind that underneath the elegant suit with Guardiola having managed in Catalonia Germany and now England’s north-west en route to becoming the most celebrated coach of his generation.  has learned to appreciate the value of looking past his horizon to the wider world beyond.  (Top photos: Getty Images; design: John Bradford) Simon Hughes is a senior writer who joined The Athletic from The Independent in 2019. His latest book Chasing Salah was released in 2024. He has also written There She Goes, a modern social history of Liverpool as a city Follow Simon on Twitter @Simon_Hughes__ The architect Miguel Garay was born in 1936 in San Sebastián where his career unfolded and whose architecture school he designed and taught in Shortly after completing my studies I got a call from him with the proposal for the creation of a Culture Commission within the Basque-Navarrese Institute of Architects So from 1973 to 1976 we organized the San Sebastián Architecture Weeks and visited medieval cities of the Basque Country with Julio Caro Baroja as guide My relationship with him strengthened in the course of several projects such as the Fuenterrabia school and the Mendigorria dwellings He was a complete practitioner of the building craft who had also worked as a quantity surveyor in Luis Peña Ganchegui’s office With him I took my first steps in the profession there arent any match using your search terms Former Arsenal head coach has a desire to return to the Premier League after leaving Villarreal for a ‘very good challenge’ Read moreThe 2021 Europa League title – their first, his fourth – is why he leaves with a job unfinished but also with his work there done Emery walking out was a “surprise”, Roig Sr admitted, and not one he welcomed. The president made a point of describing Emery’s departure as a “unilateral” decision, Villa paying the €6m (£5.25m) release clause. Unlike when Newcastle came last season Roig described the situation Villarreal had been left in as “screwed” referring repeatedly to being caught “wrong-footed”; at one point he stopped himself saying something stronger because all the media will use it,” he said “And because what really matters now is to thank him for the time he was here.” Villarreal are in Europe this season and should be back next year At the end of last season when Villarreal took the Conference League place not to compete on the continent after so many years it is a step down but he will believe that only in the short term and he had felt his time by Spain’s east coast was coming to a close at the end of the season anyway it is legitimate to wonder whether other options might not have opened Unai Emery (right) and the Villarreal president embrace during his farewell press conference Photograph: Domenech Castello/EPA“We were happy to get a coach with his cachet a curriculum like his,” Roig Jr had said when Emery joined Villarreal and those are words Villa would surely echo They will feel they have secured a genuinely elite manager Asked directly why he was heading to 15th-placed Aston Villa every context is different; it’s not better or worse I leave a project still alive in Europe and there I will have a different one When you take on a project you have to have a wider perspective.” Emery talked about the emotional ties at Villarreal and at one point his voice cracked But he said decisions have to be taken “cold” that managers have to be “mentally calculated” and opportunities have to be taken of course: it would be naive to overlook a three- or four-fold salary increase There is something simple at play too: it’s the Premier League Asked why he had not taken the Newcastle job this time last year Weighing it all up last year I decided ‘no’; this time I decided ‘yes’.” ShowVillarreal have appointed former Barcelona head coach Quique Setién as manager following Unai Emery's departure to Aston Villa has signed a contract until the end of next season "Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with Quique Setién for the Santander-born coach to take charge of the Yellows for the remainder of the current season and the entirety of the following one," the club said in a statement a former midfielder with several teams in Spain started his managerial career with his old club Racing Santander before stints at Las Palmas where he was sacked in 2020 after just seven months at the helm who are seventh in La Liga with 18 points from 11 games on Monday after "unilaterally terminating his contract" Setién's first game in charge will be at home to Israeli side Hapoel Be'er-Sheva in the Europa Conference League on Thursday Photograph: X80003Was this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.The biggest difference was a simple one: back then he thought he was going but had not expected resistance and had not been prepared to fight to leave; he was not going to push back when Roig effectively closed the doors On Tuesday he made reference to “respecting the contracts we sign” the payment of his release clause clarifying everything Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football “This profession is inside me,” Emery said. His father was a goalkeeper. His grandfather was too, conceding the first goal scored in La Liga. And although Unai was, in his own words, “a humble player”, he was always likely to be a coach, a journey he embarked upon aged 32, at tiny Lorca. From there he took Almería up for only the second time “I did it because I liked it; I felt the same then as a I do now,” he says driven by a feel for achievement and the experience He has succeeded almost everywhere – although in Moscow he lasted two months – but in the Premier League there is something to put right The desire to return has been there almost from the day he left Arsenal Look at this line from May 2020: “Football is pure emotion This sentiment in football brings people together In England that identification with your team brings the game alive I was born in San Sebastián and my team is Real Sociedad That feeling is in my heart and that’s what you find in England if someone wants me and is prepared to get behind me “When the opportunities come you have to consider them All the action from the hilly opening time trial Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the opening stage of the 2022 Itzulia Basque Country The racing here in Hondarribia got underway just over 15 minutes ago and we've already seen several riders cross the line after their efforts.  It's mostly minor names at this early stage Volta ao Alentejo winner Orluis Aular (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) is the early leader with a time of 10:37 and Daniel Navarro are next quickest at the finish at the moment It's a short time trial at just 7.5km but it's a tough one with several hills along the way including two separate short climbs (500m and 200m) at a 9 per cent gradient Michael Woods is the first big GC name to start his ride A 10:19 from Omar Fraile puts him top of the standings so far Marc Soler lies four second down at the line with Lucas Hamilton at 10:26 4:57 for Woods at the intermediate checkpoint puts him seventh quickest there so far Here's a look at the start times today.  Geoghegan Hart all come at the end of the day after 5pm local time Hamilton and Lastra are the top five at the moment Clément Champoussin is the only non-starter today He's out of the race before the start due to "family reasons" A look at Fraile finishing his strong rider to go top so far.. 💪 @OmarFraile daukagu liderra oraintxe bertan! 💯 Omar Fraile mejora el tiempo y se coloca en la primera posición provisional. 🏆 GP @BancoSabadell #Itzulia pic.twitter.com/yhh1il5cw6April 4, 2022 Ben Tulett and Nelson Oliveira have produced two fast times in quick succession Tulett's 10:09 puts him 10 seconds up on Ineos teammate Fraile Ineos duo Cristian Rodriguez and Adam Yates off in the next 10 minutes AG2R's Andrea Vendrame has gone quickly at the checkpoint to go fourth with a time of 4:44 Adam Yates is down the start ramp and out on course.  Here's what Michael Woods said about his time trial effort – "technical and complicated" but one to open the legs up for the rest of the week's racing Mike Woods reporting on his ITT opener in #itzuila “It was so technical and complicated that it left me with very little time to think. It was a time trial to open up the legs for the rest of the week and I accomplished that."#YallaIPT pic.twitter.com/zpkKKrDqcIApril 4, 2022 That's eight seconds up on the next quickest time there.. Dries Devenyns' 4:41 puts him second at the checkpoint A 10:06 for Yates at the finish puts him top And Devenyns just crosses the line in fourth place A chain problem for Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Asier Exteberria on the early climb sees him switch to a road bike for much of the ride A 44.6kph average speed for Yates shows how hilly this course is today 2019 race winner Ion Izagirre is off in a few minutes Etxeberria getting plenty of TV time as he races up the cobbled streets to the finish in Hondarribia cheered on by large crowds at the team's home race Izagirre heads out in his Spanish TT champion jersey 4:38 for Izagirre on top of that first climb He's just three seconds down Yates at that checkpoint Thomas goes through a minute later and matches Yates' time of 4:35 Izagirre neck and neck with Yates at the moment Now he heads onto the cobbled streets of Hondarribia as he edges towards the finish 10:08 for Izagirre to just miss Yates' time by two seconds 1 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 10:06 Ninth place for Mauri Vansevenant at 10:18 He adds that he's aiming to work for his team this week and hopes for a "good week of racing in the legs" Aleksandr Vlasov heads out in five minutes Dani Martínez and Rémi Cavagna start a few minutes later Bruno Armirail (Grouapama-FDJ) goes third quickest at the line having pulled back quite a lot of time in the second half of the course Vlasov closing in a few seconds on the descent 4:37 for Martínez at the top of the climb Cavagna within a second of the quickest time on the climb Vlasov has caught Bauer as he closes in on the finish line Martínez approaching the finish now 10:12 for Gorka Izagirre as Cavagna closes in on the line.. Now his compatriot and teammate Julian Alaphilippe sets off.. 4:51 on the climb for Ineos' Carlos Rodriguez He won't be threatening the top of the leaderboards Rigoberto Uran also out on course at the moment Vingegaard goes through the checkpoint eight seconds down in ninth 38th at 10:32 for Alaphilippe at the finish Vingegaard finishes seventh with a time of 10:08 Not long now until Roglič rounds the time trial off Mikel Nieve heads down the start ramp for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA Nobody else threatening the top 10 since Vingegaard passed through the finish News coming through that Alaphilippe had to change his bike on the climb Starters separated by two-minute intervals now 4:38 and fifth for Latour at the top of the climb Geoghegan Hart and Mas the next to start followed by Evenepoel Higuita 22 seconds down at the top of the climb 10:13 for Latour puts him just outside the top 10 at the finish And now it's Remco Evenepoel starting his ride Can he top the timing charts in about 10 minutes' time 26th at 4:45 for Geoghegan Hart at the check on top of the climb leaving just Pello Bilbao and Primož Roglič left to start Evenepoel heads over the top of the climb and he's a mammoth eight seconds up on Yates Evenpoel 12 seconds up now according to the live timing as he heads down the descent Roglič rolls down the ramp in his gold helmet and gold bike as Olympic TT champion 9:53 means he goes 11 seconds quicker than Cavagna Roglič just half a second slower than Evenpoel at the checkpoint over the climb Formolo comes to the finish with a decent time of 19:30 Just Pello Bilbao left to come and then Roglič.. Can Roglič overturn that half-second deficit Live timing showing Roglič a second up at the moment Bilbao finishes 24 seconds down with a time of 10:17 Roglič races up the cobbled climb in the final kilometre Some decent time gaps between the GC contenders already Roglič is five seconds up on Evenepoel Ion Izagirre and Vingegaard at 20 seconds down Geoghegan Hart is 32 seconds down along with Gaudu Here's our brief report for the opening stage of Itzulia Basque Country Here's what Roglič had to say after the finish.. You can't have super big differences but I always say it's always better to have some advantage than disadvantage "It's just the start but it's a great start We'll have news coming from the race this evening so keep a watch out for that on the way Be one of the first to try our new activity feed Speculation swirled around Marc Hirschi's transfer to UAE Emirates Now equal uncertainty hangs over his form ahead of major spring targets Marc Hirschi was one of the stars of last summer The Swiss sensation flooded headlines last summer after he clocked up victories and harvested podium placings at the Tour de France and Ardennes classics Hirschi has only made news for speculation about his mega-money the silence over his shift from Team Sunwb (now DSM) Also read: Marc Hirschi shrugs off questions about transfer Hirschi transitioned from megastar to mystery man With a highly anticipated start at Amstel Gold Race on tap for this weekend and a title-defense at La Flèche Wallone next week now is the time for Hirschi to let his legs do the talking – or not After a delayed start to his season due to nagging injuries and imbalances the 22-year-old kept his powder drier than dry in his races to date and his form for the upcoming Ardennes races remains an unknown The Marc Hirschi mysteries only seem to deepen “This winter I was unable to train properly due to problems with my right hip,” Hirschi told l’Equipe last month I even thought about having an operation … As I changed my bike and shoes in the off-season I had to adapt my position very precisely and at first I didn’t feel well My workouts weren’t effective and then I had to have two wisdom teeth removed.” It’s been a far from ideal start to what was one of the big-news transfers of the off-season Also read: Marc Hirschi looking to conquer the classics in 2021 Much was expected from Hirschi after his high-profile and reportedly high-budget transfer to UAE-Team Emirates from Team Sunweb over this winter, and the Ardennes were where he was expected to deliver. Hirschi was poised to rule the classics, and UAE-Emirates was prepared to give him with its full bench of talent in support. A post shared by UAE Team Emirates🇦🇪 (@uae_team_emirates) and there’s a sense the Emirati outfit may have to wait for its big investment to hit maturity after Hirschi’s subdued showings at the Volta a Catalunya and Izulia Basque Country in the past month “He’s getting along well at the team but he needs time,” said Fabian Cancellara Hirschi’s long-time confidante and manager in a new environment and with new equipment And he has been sick as well for a few days These are lots of small things that many outside people don’t have any ideas about.” Will Hirschi rule the Ardennes in the way he did last fall Based on his late start to the season and anonymous performances so far it seems unlikely that he’ll be enjoying the same harvest when he lines up for his “A-races” of Amstel and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the next 10 days who is already in the team and knows everything and is set up and this and that just train and race,” Cancellara told VeloNews He has to get back on top of all these small things and then he will be back up there again It’s just patience that’s all.” Will Hirschi make good on a reported $1 million contract in the next block of racing or will UAE-Team Emirates have to wait a little longer before it can cash in on its investment At least one element of the Marc Hirschi mysteries may be solved in the coming weeks Izagirre wins the stage as late attack leaves Roglic Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) finished third and did enough to move into the race lead after a break of six formed on the final descent of the stage and put time into a group of GC favourites that included Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) After four stages of racing McNulty now leads the race by 23 seconds over Roglič with Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) third at 28 seconds and Vingegaard formed the winning break after the final climb of the Erlaitz with Chaves and Bilbao the first to make their move A combination of strong riding and a lack of cooperation within the chase behind saw the gap move their advantage out to 30 seconds and then almost a minute on the flat run-in Buchmann attacked with 1.6km to go but was quickly brought back before Chaves kicked for home with 800m remaining It looked as though the BikeExchange climber would take the second win of his season but with 200m remaining he was dragged back by Buchmann before Izagirre struck out with a long sprint Bilbao almost edged the Astana Premier Tech rider on the line but the Bahrain rider just came up short coupled with a long downhill section soon after ensured that the opening hour of racing was run off at a near breakneck speed There were several attempts to form a break with even Roglič and Carapaz jumping free from the peloton but it took a full 110km of racing before a four-man group was eventually allowed to go clear Omar Fraile (Astana-Premier Tech) and Jon Barrenetzxea (Caja Rural) and before them Simon Geschke (Cofidis) and Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck-QuickStep) were among those to attack on the first climb of the Deskarga but it was on the next climb of the Alkiza when Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën) and Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo) finally moved clear They built a slender lead over a rampant bunch and on the lower slopes of the Jaizkibel The quartet held just over a minute with Astana and then Bahrain setting a furious pace on the familiar climb Once again Bauke Mollema found himself going backwards on the early slope as up ahead the break began to attack each other with just under 50km to go Lopez and O’Connor moved clear and formed a new alliance with the peloton at 1’05 with 45km remaining but the pace from Mikel Landa’s team and then from BikeExchange was enough to bring back Cepeda and Martin before the summit and reduce the remaining riders’ advantage to 38 seconds by the summit with Ineos Grenadiers taking over at the front of the peloton UAE Team Emirates took over the descent and the approach towards the final climb of Erlaitz At the foot of the climb with 26km to go Lopez and O’Connor’s slim margin evaporated with a group of fewer than 50 riders still in contention Roglič and Pogačar put their remaining teammates on the front with Jakob Fuglsang were the first team to try and up the pace but it was Landa who put in the first serious dig with 24.7km to go Esteban Chaves initially lead the chase but then jumped across to the Spaniard alongside Brian McNulty third overall at the start of the stage pushing clear with Landa on his wheel Jumbo-Visma’s Vingegaard dragged the pair back just before the summit less than 15 riders were still in contention with 22km to go Pello Bilbao and Chaves linked up with an attack on the rolling descent with McNulty and Vingegaard joining them to make a dangerous group of six They built up a lead of 26 seconds with a group of 13 that included Roglič and Pogačar leading the chase Alejandro Valverde took charge of the chase group with 11km to go in a bid to bring the leaders back but as the road briefly flattened out with 10km to go the six upfront had 35 seconds of an advantage With 5km to go the leading six had 52 seconds with the stop-start nature of the chase allowing them to build on their gap and when Jumbo-Visma finally began to work it was on the understanding that McNulty had all but secured the race lead for stage 5 The race is now tightly balanced with two stages including a summit finish on the final day he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France With the help of the excellent editorial team he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Explore the source of inspiration for pintxos bars like New York City-based Huertas greater interest in this culinary capital has grown around such recognized restaurants as these Miller leads us to two neighborhoods: the Old City and Gros where he recommends ordering “the clam and salsa verde croquette.” Marguerite Imbert writes about restaurants and global food trends for the MICHELIN Guide website and elsewhere The New Yorker and foodie enjoys writing and testing recipes and encourages everyone to cook without them From listening bars to neighbourhood restaurants explore all the top recommendations from Chishuru’s Adejoké Bakare One of the most prominent chefs serving Indian cuisine talks India and his New York these splurge-worthy hotels have the design and prestige to rival even that most historic of city landmarks The first hotel on this list is just 20 minutes from Florence From vineyards to infinity pools and farm-to-table restaurants every one of these 14 Tuscan classics is within two hours of the city The Levha sisters of Le Servan and Double Dragon restaurants share their Paris dining picks and favorite gourmet food spots Blackbird’s celebrated pastry chef Nicole Guini shares her favorite destination in Argentina Chicago’s daring chef Iliana Regan provides an unexpected take on this Caribbean hotspot Pérez applies gastronomic techniques to dishes that he describes as “Mediterranean with an international flair.” Famed chef Masa Takayama shares his favorite gems from this coastal sake and seafood haven Momofuku Ssäm Bar's Max Ng highlights his favorite bites and sights in Southeast Asia’s great Lion City The celebrated modern British chef gets his fix of English pork sausages whenever he is back home in the British capital Try your hand at Manuel Berganza’s winning paella dish in Netflix’s The Final Table which comes with the essential crunchy layer at the bottom of the pan Ralf Schlegel recommends his favorite places in the picturesque border region of Southern Germany The traditions and cultures of Catalonia live in not only Spain Sunday in Brooklyn's Jaime Young explores Turkey’s eclectic city with a local chef The "master carver" has worked with the prized item for over a decade Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels where he recommends ordering \u201cthe clam and salsa verde croquette.\u201d Joan edukira The prestigious travel magazine Condè Nast Traveler has published its selection of the "top ten" towns in the Basque Country The magazine notes that the Basque Country¿s "culture essence and grace" resides in "the small towns which line its valleys It adds that many of the towns "have managed to preserve their beauty and their monuments" and that these constitute "a gift for visitors" The list includes two towns from the Rioja Alavesa: Elciego ¿ which the magazine claims is "much more than just the Marqués del Riscal hotel" ¿ and Laguardia which is praised for its rich heritage as well as the wineries which have made the region so famous The Basque Coast is represented by Elantxobe Getaria (recommended by The New York Times and home to the Balenciaga Museum); Lekeitio (with a special mention for its spectacular beaches); Hondarribia which boasts both a sea port and medieval sights of interest; and Mundaka which the magazine claims "will win the hearts of everyone who visits it" The Basque Country¿s areas of natural beauty are also featured on the list including Azpeitia (in particular the Loiola Sanctuary); Oñati (specifically "its succession of monuments and palatial homes" as well as the University of Sancti Spiritus and the Arantzazu Sanctuary); and Elorrio whose heritage is defined as "astonishing and original" Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Web Zerbitzuak garatutako eta kudeatutako webgunea The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999 and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling Check out our 15 things you didn't know about the Spanish legend 15 Things You Didn't Know About Jose Maria Olazabal Jose Maria Olazabal is one of the very few golfers to have won The Masters twice But by no means are they the only milestones in his career Let's take a look at 15 things you didn't know about the Spaniard The day before, Real Golf Club de San Sebastian opened right next to the family home father and mother all worked at the club so he spent a lot of time there as a child He hit his first golf ball aged 2 and started playing full rounds at six years old His career was nearly cut short after considerable back and foot pain At its worst he could barely walk and he was forced to withdraw from the 1995 Ryder Cup as his condition worsened after a series of misdiagnoses In 1984 he beat Colin Montgomerie in the championship match of the British Amateur Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts record-setting partnership with Seve Ballesteros during the Ryder Cup It was known as the Spanish Armada and they combined to win 12 points together with an overall record of 11-2-2 in four balls and foursomes He turned pro at the age of 19 and won the 1985 European Tour Q-School tournament He would go on to win Rookie of the Year honours Between 1989 and 1999 the Spaniard put together a brilliant stretch at The Masters - he notched two victories a 2nd place and four other top-12 finishes During his 1994 victory he had 30 single-putts chipped in twice and 100 per cent sand-save record He is currently 9th in the all-time list for most DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) wins with 23 Olazabal inspired the 2012 Ryder Cup team to a momentous come-back at Medinah With only the singles matches to come Europe were 10-6 down and yet the next day they emerged victorious He played on seven Ryder Cups and was on the winning side three times He was induced into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 In 2012 he was also awarded the coveted Prince of Asturias award in recognition of his career successes and the exemplary manner in which he conducted himself as a professional This takes the form of creating and updating Buying Guides and finding bargain prices for deals content Working with golf gear and equipment over the last seven years Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for Additionally Sam oversees Golf Monthly voucher/coupon content which seeks to find you the best offers and promotions from well-known brands like Callaway, TaylorMade and many more. Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a single-figure handicap. Johnny starts a new series this week looking at managers in the media. First up is a man who many are rather glad isn’t Arsene Wenger. That’ll be Unai Emery He was described as a ‘modest’ player which that’s rather fashionable for managers these days when actually being any good at managing beats being A Big Name where he achieved promotion to the Segunda División at the first attempt Then he joined Almería and got them promoted to the top flight for the first time a brief terrible spell at Spartak Moscow and then Sevilla where he won the Europa League three times on the spin: a huge achievement somewhat disregarded in some quarters of the English press who believe the competition is nothing but a distraction to clubs that are trying to qualify for the Europa League more broad-minded souls at PSG saw this as a sign he was actually an excellent manager so snaffled him for two seasons where he won all the domestic cups and a title So far he’s got 10 major trophies to his name in 13 years in the dugout/perspex shelter and so was an obvious choice for Arsenal to approach Or at least he was unless you were an ex-player in the media in which case you used this as an opportunity to bemoan the fact that whichever English manager they are pals with didn’t get the job feeling that anyone could win Ligue Un with PSG but you have to be a really good manager to finish 20th in the Premier League and get relegated Sometimes has an intense semi-squint when asked a question as he tries to understand it accurately which does briefly make it look at though he is weeing out of his eyes Will occasionally turn to an interpreter to better understand a question posed to him Can cleverly turn a question against the questioner by saying something along the lines of “You will know that better than me.” This is crafty way of not answering a question you don’t want to answer he refers to how scared he was as a player and how damaging this was to his career on the pitch and when I became a coach I read a lot more about psychology in order to overcome all the weaknesses I had as a player.” Is obviously a quite intense guy with an all-consuming passion for football once said: “We called him enfermo de futbol (sick with football) because that’s what he is and we wondered whether he didn’t f*ck football.” especially if you had to go to extra-time and penalties to get the job done he does have a playful side which was on display when he answered a journalist’s phone during a recent press conference There’s a touch of Fawlty Towers Manuel about that Easy to imagine him saying “eez not rat you’ll notice his eyes are constantly shifting through different emotional gears: one moment smiling Indeed he has quite a boyish sort of tone to his voice Not light as such but it’s not a basso profundo big bollocks brown voice letting all his emotions out as the ball hits the net other times like a plain but friendly physics teacher Still comes over as quite boyish and much younger than his 47 years Not an especially sartorial clothes horse of a man He has been spotted wearing some sort of zip-up sports top/cardigan over a shirt and tie but under a tailored jacket which always makes you look like you got dressed in the dark and have no idea what clothes you’ve actually got on I live in hope one day a manager may once again turn up for work dressed like this: Now obliged to always wear a red tie which almost no-one actually suits nor likes Can’t help but be suspicious that there’s a drawer full of them in the manager’s office at the Emirates which Arsene was glad to leave behind Also wears one of those nice short coats that go just above the knee the sort Andres Villas-Boas made his own fashion statement Owns admirably lush black hair without a hint of grey and a flat stomach anyone approaching 50 might look upon with jealousy The results being good – first two weeks aside – has helped but he’s given few hostages to fortune and by all accounts has managed to keep the media at arm’s length outside of basic pressers The tabloid press instinct is to downplay a foreign manager’s achievements is a given One can’t help but feel if Eddie Howe had got the results Emery has to date he’d have already been hailed as a superhero but Emery will be held to the always tougher Foreign Standard even though it was to two of the best sides in the league Tony Adams was already kicking him after the opening day loss to Manchester City saying: “I don’t know what he has been doing for the last five or six weeks.” Which was a bit rich Talking of not knowing what you’ve been doing Paul Merson was very eager to tell us after three or four games that nothing had changed from under Wenger Last month he said that they’d take a hammering at some point – as soon as the upcoming Liverpool game – because they’re defensively “all over the place” we’re still waiting for that to happen We were also told that he could be the first manager to be sacked this season, while Neil Ashton had a strange rant at him on Friday The need to make snap judgements is one of modern media’s worst traits There’s no way an English manager would’ve been talked about in such a way we’re only three months into his reign and he’s unbeaten since mid-August Lord knows what a beasting he’ll get if he loses some games He appears to be employing an increasingly popular tactic for non-British managers which is to basically not indulge the press You don’t grant them any more access than you are contractually obliged to and basically ignore them and their byzantine ways while saying you respect everyone’s opinion There have been very few UK newspaper interviews with him extracts from a biography in the Telegraph apart at the first opportunity history suggests some in the press will turn on him as payback for not being toadied to They’ve got vast amounts of paper and website space to fill they’ve got to write ‘revealed’ in capital letters they’ve got to report on what footballers are eating and then they’ve got to objectify and dehumanise their girlfriends and wives and if you’re not helping them fill space with trivial nonsense nor giving them a chance to twist your words to mean something totally different Look at how some of them were quick to be so sad sorrowful and headshakingly disappointed in Pep Guardiola when he didn’t instantly sweep all before him in his first season at City And the Premier League is so hard and regardless of what the stats say though I have a strong sense that this will not last very long Will never be pushed through the hallowed PFM hall of heroes tequila worm and fermented mice wine largely because … ‘He’s been a breath of fresh air nice to see him make bold changes during matches ‘Has an incredibly squeaky voice and I had to do a comedic double-take when he first appeared on MOTD.’ ‘Enthusiastic new Headmaster at minor public school in the Home Counties he’s joined the Masonic Lodge and The Governors are hoping they have made the right decision.’ ‘It makes me laugh when the way he says eesssssssssplain He’s been very uncontroversial so far ‘Has a funny way of starting every TV interview with ‘good afternoon/good evening’ before answering the first question ‘Have to give him credit for trying to speak English from the off He’s obviously still learning so difficult to judge his media skills so far Touchline antics show a more interesting side Very animated with some interesting facial expressions A touch of an Iberian Alan Partridge about him I’d say ‘Looks like he’ll be a gravelly voiced Spanish lothario but speaks like Lee Evans.’ ‘The phrase “Arsenal manager Unai Emery” doesn’t stick in the throat/brain in the same way that “Manchester United manager [not Alex Ferguson]” does ‘I admire his consistent ability to say nothing memorable without being offensive He might be onto something – being interesting increasingly looks like a bad career move for managers.’ ‘I liked it when he answered that journalist’s phone at the presser I’m a sucker for manager press conference lightheartedness ‘His spoken English is now excellent and conducts himself well the players are buying into his hard work ethos H/T team talks are usually working a treat happy to hand younger players plenty of responsibility & treats every opponent with the respect they deserve.’ considering he spoke none (or at least very little) when he first arrived  Always comes across as polite and well-mannered.’ ‘Comes across as a thoroughly nice chap ‘Not afraid to make bold subs to change games & they’ve usually worked Stuck to principles of playing out from the back even when costly errors were made Seen improvements already in scapegoated players.’ Like…Wenger left after a 2000 year reign of terror/gormlessness and the new bloke should be a much bigger deal He will obviously be subjected to the usual PFM moaning about why a Brit isn’t in charge and the first sign of any loss of form will be greeted with exaggerated eye-rolling from the usual suspects such voices have never had less power and resonance with all but the most medicinally sedated phone-in crowd There’s a chance he may prove too cerebral He may need to keep the fun factor to the fore because it’s worth bearing in mind that the Klopp effect means that all other managers can seem a bit dull on TV and in post-match interviews by comparison That doesn’t have much importance when you’re winning but in tougher times it can actually matter rather beta male figure in our media and many of us already love him for that If you enjoyed this, feel free to give us and Johnny some love in the the FSF awards. Head here to vote… © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved Arsenal have announced Unai Emery as the club’s new head coach left Paris St Germain at the end of the season having won the domestic treble and will replace Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium The Spaniard emerged as the shock favourite earlier this week after it had seemed former Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta was in line to land the job who won three successive Europa League titles with Sevilla before moving to PSG in 2016 These are  the 16 things you should know about the new Arsenal coach: but never really broke into the first team (aged 24 he appeared in five La Liga games scoring against Albacete Balompié in an 8–1 home win) he resumed his career mostly in the Segunda División amassing totals of 215 matches and nine goals over seven seasons He retired with Lorca Deportiva CF at the age of 32 after one season in Segunda División B Unai Emery is married to Luisa Fernandez since 1998 They have a son Lander (born March 29 2003) Unai Emery is only the second non-British manager of Arsenal in their history Emery will take charge of his seventh club and his sixth in the top-flight since he moved into management back in January 2005 with third-tier side Lorca Deportiva Emery won the French Ligue 1 title in 2017-18 with Paris Saint-Germain after finishing second to Monaco in 2016-17 His spell at PSG was his most successful in terms of league performance – it was his first ever top-flight league title and saw him achieve his best points per game (2.37) and win ratio (74%) He became the first-ever Spanish manager to win the French Ligue 1 title with his 2017-18 success with Paris Saint-Germain Emery had never finished higher that third in a top-flight league season (in both 2010-11 and 2011-12 at Valencia) Unai Emery’s 73.7% win ratio and points per game ratio of 2.37 is the best ever seen in Ligue 1 by a Paris Saint-German boss Emery has won 10 major honours as manager: One top-flight league title and three UEFA Europa League titles in addition to two Coupe de France two Coupe de Ligue and two Trophée des Champions titles He’s won a major competition in each of his last five seasons as a manager In winning the UEFA Europa League in 2013-14 Unai Emery shares therecord for the most UEFA Cup/Europa League titles with Italian manager Giovanni Trapattoni (3) But he is the only boss to have won it three seasons in a row Unai Emery won seven of the eight domestic competitions he has managed with Paris (Trophéedes Champions x2 Coupe de la Ligue x2 Only Laurent Blanc (11) won more trophies at the club He’s never won a competitive game against Pep Guardiola (10 games) or Jose Mourinho (5 games) UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now earn US Dollars through domain flipping buy domain names for cheap and have it resold to earn up to $15,000 Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.