e race], he added. Nicos going to be fast. Tyres, strategy, a

Lewis Hamilton says he has been left bemused by criticism of his performances - and lifestyle - in 2016. After claiming his third pole in five races for Sundays Spanish GP, the Mercedes driver launched a robust defence of his form after suggestions from some quarters of the media that he may have allowed his focus to drop since winning a third world title last year.Nico Rosberg has won all four of this seasons opening races, but Hamiltons title defence has been afflicted by a series of reliability problems and first-corner collisions. Conclusions from Spanish GP qualifyingWhen you look at the season so far I had two poles and two [grand prix] where I didnt have a qualifying session because I had two failures, now another pole, and issues have got in the way [at other times], yet people would say Im not focused, Hamilton said. Lewis Hamilton takes pole position for the Spanish GP, edging team mate Nico Rosberg into second Its just a strange conclusion that a grown up would come to because its clearly not the case. Every time Ive been in the car and had the opportunity Ive performed.The first three races I didnt have a full car [after first-corner contact], so I did the best job with what I had and I think the last race [in Russia] was great considering where I came from [10th]. So its very early days to say those kind of things. My performance, Im very, very happy with it and today is another showing of that. I rest my case.Hamilton declined to comment on wild rumours he could even take a year out from F1 in 2017, simply stating: I generally let my results do the talking. Lewis on pole as Bulls shock Lewis Hamilton on pole in Barcelona The Britons results in the opening stages of the Barcelona weekend had suggested he might struggle to beat Rosberg to one of the most crucial poles of the whole season, before he spectacularly turned the situation around mid-way through qualifying.He topped Q2 by 0.6 seconds and then, despite making an error on his first flying lap in the final stage, beat Rosberg by nearly three tenths of a second to claim his 52nd career pole.Hamilton though reckons a front-row place would have been in jeopardy had mechanics not cured his set-up problems from Friday practice. Lewis Hamilton discusses a difficult 2016 season so far and his F1 future with Sky F1s Martin Brundle When you are doing practice it is about building blocks. Its one step at a time, he explained. P1 you dont want to make too many changes because track temperature is always different when you get to P2. When youre making those changes its like chasing your tail. Then you discover something and the next day its completely different.Youre kind of at a loss - you dont know what foot youre going to be starting on the next day. But I got in the car this morning with a good frame of mind, I know the engineers and mechanics worked hard overnight, and I got in and immediately the car was underneath me, which was a relief.If it hadnt been there is no way Id have been in the position Im in right now. I wouldnt have been on the front row and Id have potentially struggled to be on the second row. So thats a great feeling when you do muddle through the maze and come out the right end.On a track where 19 of the previous 25 races have been won from the front of the grid, Hamilton said pole was the only option to kick-start his attempts to reign in Rosberg.All I know is that its going to be hard work [in the race], he added. Nicos going to be fast. Tyres, strategy, all these different things are going to come into play. Watch the Spanish GP live on Sky Sports F1. The race starts at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up underway at 11.30am. Or watch the race without a contract for £6.99 on NOW TV. Also See: Qualifying report: Hamilton on pole Conclusions from qualifying Anton Lindholm Jersey . Nainggolan scored his first Italian league goal at Bologna, in October 2010, and he also opened his Roma account there following his January move from Cagliari. The Belgium midfielder volleyed home Miralem Pjanics cross from close range eight minutes from time. Tyson Jost Avalanche Jersey . Belfort was originally schedule to fight Chris Weidman at UFC 173 on May 24, but a Nevada State Athletic Commission ban on testosterone replacement therapy forced the former light heavyweight champ to withdraw. http://www.hockeyavalanche.com/authentic...alanche-jersey/. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Cale Makar Avalanche Jersey .com) - Robert Upshaw made a putback jumper to put 17th-ranked Washington ahead with 1:27 remaining in the game and the Huskies held on to beat Eastern Washington 81-77 on Sunday. John Wensink Jersey .The surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.Letestu had three goals and two assists in nine games before being injured in late October.The 29-year-old has 54 goals and 65 assists in 273 career NHL games, including 39 goals and 51 assists in 188 games with the Blue Jackets.VIGGIANO, Italy -- A powerful final burst from Diego Ulissi helped the Italian cyclist win the fifth stage of the Giro dItalia on Wednesday, while Australian rider Michael Matthews retained the overall leaders pink jersey. Ulissi came from behind with 150 metres to go to cross the line solo, with his arms raised high in celebration at the end of the 203-kilometre (126-mile) leg from Taranto to Viggiano. Australias Cadel Evans was second, with Julian David Arredondo Moreno of Colombia third, both of them in a group which crossed a second behind Ulissi in the first uphill finish of this years Giro. "Starting as the big favourite is always difficult. I showed I was ready," Ulissi said. "So Im enjoying this moment. I wanted this win too against the big names who were up there in the finale of the stage." Weather again played a part, with wet and windy conditions, although there was sunshine on the five-kilometre (three-mile) climb to the finish. Matthews fought hard to stay near the front in the final kilometre and finished sixth. He will wear the pink jersey for a fourth day, a record for an Australian cyclist. The Orica-GreenEdge rider extended his lead to 14 seconds, with Dutchman Pieter Weening moving into second spot. Evans is third. "I think the boys rode really well alll day, they worked hard to keep me out of the wind and of problems," Matthews said.dddddddddddd "I still havent won a stage, which I really wanted, but Im still in the pink jersey and well try again to fight to win tomorrows stage." Former champion Ryder Hesjedal of Victoria is 69th while Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., is 171st. There was an early break of 11 riders and, although their lead rose and fell at several points, the Orica-led peloton was happy to control the gap to an average of four minutes. There were several attempted breaks up front with 30km (18.6 miles) to go, but none stuck and the group was back together on the penultimate climb -- the first ascent up to Viggiano -- just before the slippery roads caused the first big crash of the day. There were several more crashes as the rain made the tight and technical descent even trickier. Gianluca Brambilla attacked bravely on the descent, opening up a 30-second advantage, but Joaquin Rodriguezs Katusha team chased him down and he was caught on the final climb, setting up the scintillating finish. Thursdays stage is another hilly finish, up to Monte Cassino, the site of a major World War II battle. At 247km (153.5 miles), it is the second longest stage of this years race. The Giro ends in Trieste on June 1. ' ' '