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

The outsiders/midpack contenders

VFL: The second of three teams without Pogacar, it nevertheless holds the current 2nd, 3rd and 4th riders in GC, which would justify the gamble. Though the other riders have to start doing better for them to have a chance, with Philipsen so far winless and outscored by three cheaper or equal sprinters, van der Poel fresh off a stage win but a long way from 100 ppc still, and the other three unclassed riders mum. In particular, Abrahamsen hasn't featured at all so far, but hopefully we'll see the Norwegian get some breakaway action soon.

EVC: The final team without Pogacar, it does have a trio of GC riders in the top 5, plus the already mentioned Pedersen, but Jorgenson being low in the Vingegaard helper pecking order is not helping his points tally - an expensive miss given he is 10 credits. Pidcock had an okay first week with a third place yesterday, and is still just outside the top 10 in GC, meaning he has a shot at 100 ppc, unlike, IMO, van der Poel. As with VFL, Abrahamsen might come alive later, but Bittner, a sprinter wildcard pick, will probably not be worth it with the few sprint opportunities left.

CFA (actually one position lower currently): A very interesting team on account of holding Paul Seixas, young French talent at his first TCAT edition. Fieschă at the moment is hampered by their unclasseds and climbers not doing much so far - both are understandable, given climbers haven't had many chances and picking unclasseds is usually a lottery. I wouldn't read too much into Bauhaus scoring little so far - this edition was never going to be about costly sprinters scoring 2000 points - but the credits saved here really need to be worth it elsewhere. Final position will heavily depend on whether the expensive Seixas, an unique pick, can do even better than his current 6th place in GC, and whether at the very least Rubio and Paret-Peintre will get a few top tens in the mountains.

Brief restday thoughts before we wait for the Stage 9 update. (spoiler: in order of current standing, but you can check those on Velogames anyway.)

The candidates for the win

REX: A very strong team so far, with none of their picks performing poorly, REX - sporting two sprinters, a versatile unclassed-sprinter in Godon and the two most expensive unclassed stagehunters in Pidcock and van der Poel - made the most of this first week featuring three sprints and a few breakaway stages. It will have to be seen whether this carries into the harder stages, but even there all of their four allrounders and climbers are still in contention for the GC top 5 (3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th currently). Could a team without Pogacar and Vingegaard surprise us with a shocking win?

MMM: Off the top of my mind, the second team to ever go heavily for the favourite IRL trade team, that being Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG. And the first time it happened, it went well, with Banqeu de Cézembre winning the 2023 TCAT Spain leg. This time too, the initial results are promising, with Pogacar and del Toro winning a combined three stages and two podiums alongside a third place for UAE in the team time trial; and it certainly helps that MMM also selected Pedersen, who is already 83% of the way to 100 points per credit, our usual benchmark for a great pick. The problem in the end might be the dearth of riders placing high in the final GC, with only Pogacar, del Toro and Skjelmose left to score meaningful End of Tour points. Maybe Vingegaard crumbles and MMM gets 1-2, or maybe Yates climbs up a bit?

GHS: I would characterise GHS's first week as "consistently okay". Just one stagewin, but usually ranked high when it mattered. Kooij did win a stage, but failed to score on the next occasion, which given there's just one clear sprint opportunity left, plus three "maybe"s, feels like too little - especially given Pedersen would have cost the same amount of credits. Still waiting for Paret-Peintre to make his mark as well once the terrain gets hillier. A team well placed for later, but without breakout moments so far.

CHX: Similar to GHS, given they share five riders, but with a better and cheaper sprinter in Kanter. Unfortunately the extra credits did not bear fruit so far, with Carapaz very delayed in GC (where, if it ends up being GHS vs CHX, he will have to square up against Johannessen to make the difference) and Vacek seemingly hamstrung in having to support Pedersen. Also waiting for Paret-Peintre to get to the mountains, and who knows, maybe Wellens is as good a candidate as any to be allowed by UAE to go for a stagewin later. Again a team well placed for later, except obviously, for the moment, Carapaz < Johannessen means it should be at a slight disadvantage to GHS.

Group 1

3 - Johnny Cash Ring of Fire
2 - Queen Don't Stop Me Now
1 - Foo Fighters Walk

Group 2

3 - Metallica Nothing Else Matters
2 - Johnny Cash Hurt
1 - Tom Waits Hold the Line

-Txec R