The Sport Matrix: Saturday 28 February 2015

One hour to write another great Storey

Dame Sarah Storey will today attempt to break the women’s hour cycling record held by Leontien van Moorsel since 2003.

Storey’s attempt to go further than the Dutchwoman’s 46.065km will take place in the Velodrome in London, the scene of her 10th and 11th Paralympic gold medals in 2012.

She already has 73 world records to her name in swimming and cycling, but she acknowledges the toughness of today’s task.

“It’s never something I intended to do; it seems a crazy thing to do,” the 37-year-old said. “But it’s a physical challenge and I’ve spent the last 24 years of my international career taking on physical challenges. This is one I’ve never attempted before.”

Rutherford pulls out of indoor Euros

Greg Rutherford has withdrawn from the Great Britain team for the forthcoming European Indoor Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, which begin next Thursday, as the Olympic, European and Commonwealth champion has not recovered from last week’s Grand Prix event.

Federer sets up Djokovic final

Roger Federer faces Novak Djokovic in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships today after thrashing Croatian teenager Borna Coric – who beat Andy Murray in the quarter-finals – 6-2, 6-1 in just 57 minutes. Djokovic, the world No 1, needed more than twice as long to beat Tomas Berdych in three sets, prevailing 6-0, 5-7, 6-4.

Marussia named on entry list

Marussia have been named on a 10-team Formula One entry list, subject to conditions that included full compliance with the 2015 technical regulations.

The list, which does not include the failed Caterham team, said that the revived Manor Marussia F1 team would compete with Ferrari engines.

Marussia have named Britain’s Will Stevens as one of their drivers.

Astana must lose licence – UCI

Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, will ask its licence commission to revoke the licence of Astana following an independent audit, putting the Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali in limbo. The audit was ordered after a number of anti-doping infringements by Astana and its feeder team.