With no other candidates declared, the incumbent Sénéchal is reconfirmed for another term.
Thank you, sincerely

Quote from: xpb on Today at 12:21:53 PMagreed I read both and; the novella has the hard SF detail the Faith of Beasts lacked on that topic.  Overall seems well set for the 3rd book but maybe there will be another interim novella (strange dogs for the expanse was another good on by this/these author(s)

Did a quick check and it does appear there is a currently untitled second novella to be released in mid-May 2027.

Quote from: þerxh Sant-Enogat on Yesterday at 10:41:58 AMI candidate for the election of le Sénéchal de Cézembre.
A few hours left for other candidates ?

I support your nomination

I declare my intention to seek a to be newly created office as liaison of foreign affairs

agreed I read both and; the novella has the hard SF detail the Faith of Beasts lacked on that topic.  Overall seems well set for the 3rd book but maybe there will be another interim novella (strange dogs for the expanse was another good on by this/these author(s)

Yes, congrats to Naziun Cjovani! (Update later)

Final points still to come, but congrats @Iason Taiwos for winning TCAT Spain 2026! Commiserations to BdC and Velociposse, who finish on the podium, and congratulations to the Manilows for the final stagewin and a best-ever fourth place in the edition.

It briefly seemed like there was some hope for BdC, with Visma going for Brennan instead of van Aert, and Widar also featuring at the front - but not only Brennan missed the opportunity to join the three riders who attacked last and sprinted for the win, only finishing fourth, Cjovani's Tobias Johannessen was also somehow able to recover from his effort yesterday and managed a stunning stage victory.

I candidate for the election of le Sénéchal de Cézembre.
A few hours left for other candidates ?

Brief update on electoral certification: as of a couple days ago, one member has wrapped up his job and voted to certify with no concerns raised, while I haven't heard anything back from the other two (one of them has not engaged at all beyond confirming his willingness to serve, almost two months ago).

We will wrap up on the 15th as per the default deadline. I'm sorry to say that the recurring problem of inactive commissioners, despite specific pleas from myself at the beginning of the process, is noted and will be addressed in time for the next General Election.

The final stage, later today, is a short, Montmartre-like final stage which will favour punchy sprinters. Wout van Aert is the likely favourite.

Position battles when accounting for End of Tour points follow.

The podium is basically set in stone:

• BdC needs approximately 270 stage points more than Cjovani to keep the lead. This necessarily implies WvA being tired and Visma-LAB's efforts shifting to Brennan instead. Not impossible, but also Cjovani can score assist points with Kuss, WvA and Armirail, so even Brennan winning would not be enough.
• Velociposse is basically guaranteed third place - wide virtual gaps in front and back. It currently sits amidst a podium fight group of four, but is going to score way more EoT points than MAN, GHS and CHX.

Bit muddier for fourth to eighth:

• Fourth place is likely either going to REX or MAN. As above, REX is going to score way more EoT points than MAN, GHS and CHX - actually, the second most of anyone, just 85 fewer than Cjovani. Both REX and MAN have Brenner so he's not going to factor in; MAN has Brennan (as above), REX has Bilbao (a surprise attempt in his last career Vuelta stage?)
• Sixth to eighth, 125 points behind MAN, we find PTM, CHX and GHS in little more than 100 points. Any permutation is possible depending on how today goes. CHX is the other team with Van Aert - if he wins, maybe with some Camprubi points, and there's little going for the others, they may well finish fifth or even fourth.

Ninth, tenth and eleventh, DED, CFA and MMM, almost certainly in this order. Unless Vermaerke saves MMM!

Stage 20  »  La Calahorra  ›  Collado del Alguacil

The queen stage of this edition saw a stunning reversal of fortunes, as Naziun Cjovani almost entirely made up its current points gap to BdC while simultaneously getting a significant boost in End of Tour points.

It wasn't a TCAT rider who won today, but Tobias Halland Johannessen (CJO/MAN/VFL) came second, in a first significant boost to the Belacostan team's fortunes; and also significantly, eighth came Sepp Kuss (CJO/PTM/REX), who had been losing time in GC lately but managed to attack midway through and to get assisted by teammates Van Aert and Nordhagen in making back as much time as possible. His efforts were rewarded with a 6 places bump in GC to 5th, which will more than double his EoT points intake.

This also means Oscar Onley (BDC/CHX/DED/PTM) and Jakob Omrzel (BDC/PTM) get bumped down a place in GC; they finished 19th and 20th, but way down on time, as they got dropped from the GC leaders group midway through. No changes in the remaining top spots of GC: Enric Mas (BDC/MAN/REX/VFL, 14th in the stage) is confirmed to be the winner of the 2026 Vuelta, despite losing a little time to Felix Gall (CJO, 13th). The Austrian also gained more time on Primoz Roglic (CJO/PTM/VFL, 15th), but not enough to replace him at second place. Fourth will remain Richard Carapaz (GHS/REX, 18th), who tried to attack numerous times throughout the stage in an effort to make a bid for the podium, but was unsuccessful.

Naziun Cjovani is of course far and away the winner of the day (9th stagewin this season and 24th overall - now alone at third most ever).

Standings after stage 20:

Pos	±		Team	Pts Ove	Pts Today
1st	(=)		Cézembre Caçeirs dals Mailintzarăs (BDC)	6903	+224
2nd	(=)		Naziun Cjovani (CJO)	6827	+573
3rd	(=)		Cyclohexane (CHX)	5573	+121
4th	(+2)		Velociposse Florencia (VFL)	5496	+373
5th	(=)		The Manilows (MAN)	5453	+310
6th	(-2)		Gordon Hiatus Support Team (GHS)	5335	+98
7th	(=)		Port Maxhestic AC (PTM)	4743	+190
8th	(=)		Els Talossaes Rexhital (REX)	4737	+205
9th	(=)		Dirnalaiset Mortescu (DED)	3444	+68
10th	(=)		Maritiimi-Maxhestic Mençeis (MMM)	3422	+77
11th	(=)		Cézembre Fieschā (CFA)	3326	+33