Points scored in Round of 16
Lüc 20
Glüc 15
Braneu 15
AD 0
þerxh 10
Danihel 20
Breneir 10

Overall score so far:
Lüc 99
Glüc 88
Braneu 86
AD 58
þerxh 83
Danihel 96
Breneir 84

Potential Top 3s:

1. France beats Argentina in the Final
1. Lüc 128 points
2. Glüc 109 points
3. Danihel/þerxh 104 points

2. Argentina beats France in the final
1. Lüc 115 points
2. Danihel 104 points
3. Glüc 96 points

3. France beats England in the final
1. Lüc 120 points
2. Glüc 109 points
3. þerxh 104 points

4. England beats France in the final
1. Lüc 120 points
2. Glüc/Danihel 96 points

5. Spain beats Argentina in the final
1. Danihel 125 points
2. Lüc 107 points
3. Glüc 96 points

6. Argentina beats Spain in the final
1. Danihel 112 points
2. Lüc 107 points
3. Glüc 96 points

7. Spain beats England in the final
1. Danihel 117 points
2. Lüc 99 points
3. Glüc 96 points

8. England beats Spain in the final
1. Danihel 104 points
2. Lüc 99 points
3. Glüc 96 points

Stage 9   »   Malemort  ›  Ussel

The stage was shortened yesterday because of the extreme heat. A short stage usually means a lot of activity however, and the hilly terrain favoured attackers, so everyone wanted to be the in the break, thinking an attack would likely be succesful. It would take a long time before a definite break was formed, eventually including Van der Poel (REX/VFL), T.H. Johannessen (GHS/VFL), Pidcock (REX/EVC), Baudin (GHS/CHX), and a couple others. Only these four reached the finish before the peloton, where some riders never quite gave up the fight and made it a close race until the very end. Van der Poel won the sprint, followed by Johannessen and Pidcock.

A much reduced peloton finished only 6 seconds behind the quartet with Pedersen (MMM/REX/EVC) finishing in 6th place overall. The only rider from the top 10 GC not to be present in the peloton and dropping out of contention for top 10 was Vacek.

It was a big score for Els Talossaes Rexhital, who take over the lead from the Menceis in the standing.

Standings after stage 9:

Pos	±		Team	Pts Ove	Pts Today
1st	(+1)		Els Talossaes Rexhital (REX)	4063	+777
2nd	(-1)		Maritiimi-Maxhestic Mençeis (MMM)	3784	+416
3rd	(+1)		Gordon Hiatus Support Team (GHS)	3711	+583
4th	(-1)		Cyclohexane (CHX)	3683	+398
5th	(+1)		Velociposse Florencia (VFL)	3633	+681
6th	(-1)		Esqipă Velocostă (EVC)	3554	+505
7th	(=)		Cézembre Caçeirs dals Mailintzarăs (BDC)	2742	+160
8th	(=)		Cézembre Fieschā (CFA)	2504	+206
9th	(=)		Naziun Cjovani (CJO)	2090	+170

Today is a much needed restday. Tomorrow, we will go into the Massif Central for a stage with a lot of vertical meters spread out over many climbs. A day for the more punchy climbers and gc guys, with Pogacar realistically being the big favourite.

Quote from: Baron Alexandreu Davinescu on Yesterday at 10:43:57 AMThe heat is absurd... I saw a story on it and how everyone is basically swaddling themselves in ice when they're not competing.

Yeah it's wild. I get nauseous just thinking about having to physical exercise for more than 10 minutes at 40C, and these guys just do 150-200 km of cycling at high speed in those temperatures day after day. How do they even think about stagewins or classifications? I'd only be concerned with not actually dying...

GROUP 1
3. Foo Fighters - Walk
2. Talk Talk - Such a Shame
1. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
HM: Dave Brubeck - Take Five

GROUP 2
3. Renato Zero - Triangolo
2. Toto - Hold the Line
1. Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
HM: Stromae - Papaoutai

The heat is absurd... I saw a story on it and how everyone is basically swaddling themselves in ice when they're not competing.

GROUP 1
Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (3)
Dave Brubeck - Take Five (2)
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now (1)

GROUP 2
Johnny Cash - Hurt (3)
Tom Waits - Step Right Up (2)
MGMT - Boogie Down (1)

GROUP 1
3- Talk Talk - Such a Shame
2- Dave Brubeck - Take Five
1- Queen - Don't Stop Me Now

GROUP 2
3- Johnny Cash - Hurt
2- Stromae - Papaoutai
1- Toto - Hold the Line

The unlucky ones

BDC (actually one position higher currently): Where to start. The only team going for both Pogacar and Vingegaard, which usually is a good call, but is extraordinarily expensive this time around, and would require everything else going right. Sadly hardly anything is, with Carapaz out of GC, Uijtdebroeks having to withdraw with an illness, and Kooij doing too little as already mentioned. None of their four 4 credit unclassed riders delivering any miracles so far either, which isn't really going to make the difference on its own anyway.

CJO: Features the other abandon so far, sprinter Arnaud de Lie - speaking of which, it's a miracle we haven't had more riders quit given the unbearable heat. In Cjovani's case, though, this has made them toothless in a week where 3/9 stages went to a bunch sprint. It didn't help of course that both Carapaz and Arensman are out of GC top 10 contention already. It's a team that had potential, but most riders haven't shown it yet, including for instance usually exciting stagehunter Ben Healy.

Quote from: Tric'hard Lenxheir on Yesterday at 08:41:39 AMGlad to be back, I am seriously considering a full return but probably staying out of politics [...]

Oh, I can relate.

Sincerely,
Ex-MC member.

Quote from: Tric'hard Lenxheir on Yesterday at 08:22:10 AMI sent an application for the landing pier to sort of test the waters and see if I want to return to full citizenship.

I hope you do come back. I have enjoyed our interactions over the years.

-Txec R