A Sunday of sporting victories and civic actions in Belgium and around the world
Lewis Hamilton made history this Sunday at the Catalonia Grand Prix. The British driver secured his very first victory with the Ferrari team, creating a surprise ahead of George Russell and Lando Norris. This performance revives the international competition, as championship leader Kimi Antonelli was forced to retire during the race.
In football, attention is focused on the Belgian national team. Kevin De Bruyne seems very motivated for the rest of the season and is happy to let young talent Jeremy Doku take the spotlight. However, road safety is worrying experts: the Waze app has launched an initiative deemed dangerous by offering real-time notifications for every goal scored during the World Cup, which could seriously distract drivers.
Cycling also offered highlights this weekend. Mexican Isaac Del Toro won the general classification of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes after an impressive attack on the final climb of the day. In Switzerland, Belgian Liam Slock experienced an incredible situation during the GP Gippingen: he fell off his bike while celebrating his first professional victory, but was still declared the winner of the race.
On the tennis courts, American Ben Shelton continues his rapid rise. He won the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Stuttgart on grass by defeating his compatriot Taylor Fritz. This is already the young player's third title of the year, following his previous successes at the Dallas and Munich tournaments.
In Belgium, the social situation is tense in the municipality of Anderlecht. Residents of the Cureghem district dumped a mountain of waste in front of the town hall in protest. Through this spectacular action, they are denouncing the municipality's decision to reduce cleaning services in their area, forcefully stating that their neighborhood must not become a dumping ground.
Regarding heritage and culture, Mons' archaeological collections will ultimately remain in the city. Despite the sale of the Casemates building to a private developer, the Walloon Region is looking for solutions to keep these historical treasures locally. Furthermore, the municipality of Dour received the "My municipality says Yes to regional languages" label for its efforts to promote Borain in official documents and performances.
Finally, on a more original note, the Belgian Air Guitar Championship was held in Ittre. Lenny Rocket was crowned champion this year thanks to a technical and entertaining performance. This success allows him to qualify for the world final of the discipline, which will take place soon in Finland.