The Grand Boucle will start this Saturday in Florence and, for the first time in its history, will end outside the gates of Paris. The best version of Pogacar will face the uncertainty of defending champion Vingegaard, who is coming back from a serious crash in April. 21 stages, 3,498 kilometres, two crossings of the Alps and a final time trial in Nice. A plot worthy of Alfred Hitchcock.

IBA President Umar Kremlev met with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and agreed to the organisation of a sporting event that would showcase some of the country's young talent. The IBA also pledged to support the grassroots of national boxing by improving facilities and providing equipment to facilitate training.

It is now official. This Wednesday, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Executive Board ratified the proposal to add Para Climbing to the LA 2028 sports programme. This is the first time a sport has been added to the Paralympic programme by an Organising Committee. It will join the 22 sports already included.

The mayor has been critical of President Emmanuel Macron's decision to call snap elections "without consultation with anyone". Hidalgo proclaims that this could "undermine this beautiful moment", referring to the potential impact the elections could have on the Olympic Games.

IBA President Umar Kremlev and the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu, exchanged ideas and projects during a meeting. Kremlev also expressed his desire to help restore gyms and facilities. Nigeria will host a boxing tournament in August.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in France has projected a video onto the Eiffel Tower and other iconic landmarks in the French capital. The video shows the results of an investigation into the mistreatment of animals for their skins. PETA is targeting parent companies such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi directly.

The Montenegrin city of Budva will be the venue for the competition, which will take place from 20 October to 6 November 2024. This will be the first time the event has been held in the Adriatic city. It will be the fifth edition to feature both men's and women's boxers together since the merger in 2014 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The Olympic Village restaurant welcomed athletes, politicians and journalists for a trial run on Wednesday with vegetarian dishes, local cuisine and not a fast-food restaurant in sight. To combat the sweltering heat, the aim is to provide healthy food options.

GAMMA Director General Peter Stafford, at a meeting in Lausanne dubbed the 'Host and Federations Summit' of the Major Event, invited bids for the hosting rights and publicly opened the bidding process.

The team will reach half a century next season. It has launched several initiatives to celebrate with its fans. A microsite has been launched to share the emotion and passion. Several commemorative 50th anniversary logos have already been unveiled. They will appear on equipment and on the ice at the Capital One Arena.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has reported that the IOC, through its respective NOCs, is interfering in the activities of the federations with the threat of "funding cuts as a result of their affiliation to the International Boxing Association". The IBA adds that it will "take appropriate action".

The IBA Board of Directors has given the green light to the members of the newly established Professional Boxing Committee for 2023. Ten of the 27 proposals were approved and will now undergo a review process before the final decision is announced.

The resurgence of Caeleb Dressel and Regan Smith, and the omnipresence of Katie Ledecky, herald a fierce battle for medals with the formidable Australian team that dominated the 2023 World Championships in Japan. China, Canada, Great Britain and hosts France will all be looking to spring a surprise.

Next Saturday's Grand Boucle will see a duel between the Slovenian with two victories and the Dane with two. Pogacar will be in top form and aiming for a Giro-Tour double. Vingegaard, on the other hand, is recovering from a serious crash. For the first time, the Tour starts in Italy and doesn't end in Paris. Everything is new in the world's greatest race after 11 editions.