Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund continued their battle for the Bundesliga title with convincing wins over Schalke and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively on Saturday. Leaders Bayern, who hold a one-point lead at the top, remain the favourites after thrashing Schalke 6-0 at the Allianz Arena with Serge Gnabry grabbing two of their goals. Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich, Mathys Tel and Noussair Mazraoui also got on the scoresheet for the Bavarians. Dortmund kept up the fight with a 5-2 home hammering of Monchengladbach. Donyell Malen pounced to put them ahead before Jude Bellingham added a penalty and Sebastian Haller struck twice. Gio Reyna wrapped up the scoring after Gladbach pulled a couple back with a Ramy Bensebaini spot-kick and Lars Stindl effort. Union Berlin moved into third place with a 4-2 victory over fellow European hopefuls Freiburg. Paris St Germain, with Lionel Messi back from his recent suspension, took another step towards the Ligue 1 crown with a thumping 5-0 win over Ajaccio. Kylian Mbappe scored twice after goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi had put PSG in command. The scoring was completed with a Mohamed Youssouf own goal but both sides ended with 10 men after Hakimi and Thomas Mangani were sent off late on. The victory lifted PSG six points clear of second-placed Lens with three games remaining. In Italy, AC Milan’s hopes of a top-four spot suffered a blow as they slumped to a 2-0 loss at relegation-threatened Spezia. Both goals came in the closing stages with Przemyslaw Wisniewski opening the scoring after 75 minutes and Salvatore Esposito adding a free-kick 10 minutes later. The result left Milan in fifth, four points behind fourth-placed Lazio, ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against city rivals Inter, in which they trail 2-0. Inter, meanwhile, moved up to third with a 4-2 win over Sassuolo. Romelu Lukaku wrapped up the win with his second goal in the 89th minute after Sassuolo had set up a grandstand finish by cutting the deficit to 3-2 through Matheus Henrique and Davide Frattesi. Inter had led 3-0 after an hour following Lukaku’s opener, a Ruan own goal and Lautaro Martínez strike. Real Madrid made eight changes for their derby against Getafe but still did enough to claim a 1-0 win that lifted them back to second in LaLiga. Karim Benzema and Rodrygo were among those to get a night off ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Manchester City while Luka Modric and Vinicius Junior came off the bench. Marco Asencio scored the only goal of what was a comfortable win at the Bernabeu. Fourth-placed Real Sociedad were held to a 2-2 draw by Girona while Villarreal tightened their grip on fifth with a 5-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Arsenal won’t stop digging for Premier League prize, Mikel Arteta vows Chris Rushworth fires Division One leaders Warwickshire to win over Essex Carlos Alcaraz back as world number one with win on Italian Open debut

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton says he’d welcome an 11th team joining the Formula One grid but argued for stricter criteria on improving diversity in the sport

With the Tour de France Femmes kicking off on July 23 for a week of thrills, cycling and entertainment, it will also be highlighting the women making this sport what it is. In its second official year as the Tour de France Femmes, races of this calibre have happened in the past, but never on such a global stage. So, what is happening in the women’s cycling scene, how did we get here, and why does it matter?The women changing the game Women are working hard to bring the sport to people of all backgrounds. “The Amy D Foundation, Black Girls Do Bike, Get Women Cycling and Little Bella’s are all fantastic organisations, helping and encouraging women – and young girls – to get into cycling in spite of age, race and background,” explains triathlon cyclist Kate Dunbar. This year’s Tour de France Femmes will have a determined line-up of women championing the sport. Who should we look out for? “Annemiek van Vleuten was a fantastic contender in 2022, and I expect her to do well again this year. It’s her final year ahead of retirement, so she will want to do well,” says Dunbar. “The course this year is suited to van Vleuten’s skill set and she will have a stronger Movistar team to support this target, including Sarah Gigante and Liane Lippert.”A growing sport There has, in recent years, been a marked increase in the interest of this sport. “There is, without a doubt, a rising interest in women’s cycling,” says Amanda Braverman, global director of brand marketing at cycling tech brand, Hammerhead. “With more events geared towards women’s cycling and growing viewership in the Tour de France Femmes year on year, we’re seeing measurable gains in both interest and access to the sport.” “But we can’t ignore the fact that The Women’s Tour in the UK was cancelled, even though sponsors saw a huge return on investment in 2022, and the Women’s World Tour race Vårgårda, West Sweden was cancelled permanently after 25 years,” says Dunbar. “Even though we are seeing bigger efforts from organisations and the industry as a whole, as with most women’s sports, the Tour De France women’s tournament is still vastly overshadowed by the men’s – we still need more support and encouragement to boost women’s cycling,” she stresses. Cycling as a tool for liberation There is an important link between cycling and women’s liberation, that goes back a long way, beyond racing, to basic transportation. “It gave women social mobility and allowed them to travel faster and further than ever before. They could cycle further for work opportunities, and it also advanced fashion, as women needed cycling-suitable clothing. It allowed women to take control of their fitness and health in an easy way,” says Dunbar. Women’s cycling also subverted norms. “Cycling challenged femininity in the late 19th century, and bicycles were used heavily to support the English suffragettes movement. The bicycle became – and to this day remains – a symbol and a tool of female empowerment, independence, freedom and opportunity,” says Braverman. Trailblazers Some hugely inspiring women came before today’s Tour de France Femmes stars. “Some of the first women to get involved in cycling were true trailblazers, cycling as early as the late 1800s,” says Braverman. “Montreal-based Louise Armaindo raced on the high wheel, also known as the penny-farthing, which was much more dangerous than the modern bicycle. Armaindo set the North American long-distance record in 1872, and was praised as “the champion female bicycle rider of the world”. She also credits ‘The Big Five’ – Lizzie Glaw, Helen Baldwin, May Allen, Tillie Anderson, and Dottie Farnsworth – an influential group of female cyclists who raced in the 1890s, fitting their racing careers into busy lives that often included their families and other jobs. Today, there’s no denying defending champion van Vleuten leads the modern ‘big five’, but who else will be in the mix? Lorena Wiebes is likely to have another great first stage, Elisa Longo Borghini will give it her best shot, alongside the phenomenal Demi Vollering, and maybe Juliette Labous will make even more progress this year. Whatever happens, we are surely in for an exciting week of women’s sport.

The Miami Heat are just one win away from the NBA Finals after a crushing 128-102 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

The International Tennis Federation has appointed Feliciano Lopez as tournament director for the Davis Cup Finals

England midfielder Jude Bellingham has completed his move to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund by signing a six-year deal

The arrival of new coach Luke Fickell has helped Wisconsin generate a rise in season ticket sales for the first time since 2017

After getting a second opinion on his sprained right elbow, Cleveland Guardians starter Triston McKenzie will continue his rehab program with the hope he can avoid surgery and return to the mound this season

The 2022/23 Premier League home and away tables.

Lewis Hall has joined Newcastle on a season-long loan from Chelsea with the option for a permanent deal for the defender...

Cowboys rookie Mazi Smith gave some very suspicious answers after his first preseason game on Saturday. Are we sure he's human?The Cowboys took an L against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason game which came with a great number of revelations. Deuce Vaughn looks like a bona f...

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd thinks his team would've won the AFC Championship against the Kansas City Chiefs if healthy.The Bengals lost out on a chance to make the Super Bowl last season, as their 'Burrowhead' comments came back to bite them. Considering that game...