Friday sports teaser

A SPORTS TEASER FOR YOU TODAY.....

What do the "lady" and "gentleman" pictured here have in common?    Answer below...meanwhile....

The SAUCONY rep was the latest to wheel his bags of 2011 offerings into the office yesterday.   Several colour updates and tweeks of your favourite models in the cushioning, stability and performance categories.

But addressing the increasing number of runners looking for lower profile, lightweight shoes they have introduced a new category with 4 shoes in it they are calling MINIMALISM,  featuring a 4 mm differential heel to forefoot as compared with the normal 10mm, . for that "lower to the ground feel".

  Nike fans have already had the Free to satisfy this minimalist need.   Saucony aficianados might check out the new GRID FLEX   at £60. Coming in at 253g it's light, flexible as the name suggests and ....minimal ! 

Need support?  Look out for the ProGrid Mirage (252g  !) .  No support?  Check out the ProGrid Kinvara and for trail fans they offer the ProGrid Peregrine.

Friday's Teaser?..........

Well, I'm sure many of you will have worked out the connection.  The cyclist is Australian MARK RENSHAW,  HTC -COLUMBIA  team-mate of Mark Cavendish. Renshaw's main role in the team is to toe the Briton through at the end of the stage if in contention so Cavendish can then launch his final sprint for a stage win. Yesterday, leadout man Renshaw overstepped the mark, headbutting Julian Dean three times to clear the way for  Cavendish just behind.  Within minutes, Renshaw was disqualified from the tour altogether. The "lady" pictured is NATALIA RODRIGUEZ of Spain.  She was disqualified having "won" the Womens 1500 metres in the World T.&  F. champs in Berlin for pushing past Ethiopian favourite Gelete Burka. there was no appeal from her federation.    By a strange coincidence the winner of today's stage in the Tour was a compatriot and namesake of Natalia......Joachin RODRIGUEZ!  As far as I know he won the stage fair and square!