Iconic rims from the 2000’s “The Assassyns” are reportedly making a comeback after being discontinued for over 15 years.
These were once one of the hottest rims on the streets. Last year’s ERC runner-up is far from the only rally driver to pull off such a heroic feat on the final stage though (even if his comeback has to be up there with the very best of them).
Here are 10 of our favorite final stage comebacks, all plucked from the World Rally Championship. For the purpose of this feature, the driver has to have taken the lead on the last stage and we’ve ignored examples like Rally Italy 2019 as it was mechanical drama that cost Ott Tänak rather than Dani Sordo’s driving.
The 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment–consisting of firefighters from Philadelphia–plays a key role in beating back Pickett’s Charge at the stone wall and copse of trees that came to mark ‘the high-water mark of the confederacy.’
Despite sweeping the road as the championship leader, Frenchman Sébastien Ogier was leading his two Scandinavian team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen on Rally Sweden seven years ago before he ended up in a snowbank and dropped to fourth.
That left him with 26.1s to recover to Mikkelsen who now led (as Latvala also went off) with Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Citroën’s Mads Østberg also in the mix.
Over the course of the second day, Ogier pulled himself back into contention but dropped a little bit of time to trail by 9.6s ahead of the final day. The then two-time world champion was duly fastest on Sunday’s opener and jumped past Neuville on the penultimate test, heading into the powerstage three seconds down on Mikkelsen.
Mikkelsen was on the cusp of a maiden WRC victory with Volkswagen but unfortunately the occasion got the better of him and he spun into a snowbank, dropping to third as Ogier – who monstered the stage to defeat next-best Neuville by 4.8s – earned one of his finest ever victories the hard way.
On this day, 1863, the decisive Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War concluded. The (Union) Army of the Potomac under General Meade met General Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
The 3-day battle culminated into the so-called “Pickett’s Charge”.
This battle together with the Battle of Vicksburg marked the turning point of the war.
PS: My background profile picture is from the “Gettysburg” movie, one of my most favorite movies of all times. Elite teams find ways to win when they are shorthanded. Elite teams find ways to win when their stars have an off night shooting the ball.
Wednesday night, Philadelphia was unquestionably shorthanded. The 76ers were without Tobias Harris (health and safety protocols, and Doc Rivers said he is experiencing symptoms and will miss some time), Danny Green (hamstring), and Ben Simmons (mentally not ready to play).
Philadelphia’s star and anchor Joel Embiid was held in relative check Wednesday by Chicago big man Nikola Vucevic, shooting 3-of-9 in the first half and finishing the night with 18 points on 18 shot attempts, although Embiid added nine rebounds and seven assists. Elite teams find ways to win when they are shorthanded. Elite teams find ways to win when their stars have an off night shooting the ball.
Wednesday night, Philadelphia was unquestionably shorthanded. The 76ers were without Tobias Harris (health and safety protocols, and Doc Rivers said he is experiencing symptoms and will miss some time), Danny Green (hamstring), and Ben Simmons (mentally not ready to play).
Philadelphia’s star and anchor Joel Embiid was held in relative check Wednesday by Chicago big man Nikola Vucevic, shooting 3-of-9 in the first half and finishing the night with 18 points on 18 shot attempts, although Embiid added nine rebounds and seven assists.
