AsensioWillemsen

Well, we can certainly say this was 'historic'. Sometimes that's a word one really doesn't want to hear.

At least can still finish in fourth... we cannot finish at all.

Totally agree. Tried to block off Tsegay and gets home with nothing. Karma.

Like always.

What is Hassan even doing?

This kinda happened with Pilz, who could only be beaten by Garnbret afterwards if I recall correctly?

Oh yeah, now we will get that 'coming home' stuff again. Tired of that really.

They should have won last Olympics and they didn't really play all that defensive there, but that was one of the first times really.

Spain didn't learn much from last friday it seems.

Finally. Paralluelo should be in the starting XI.

I feel like Sweden is going to win this one. Spain isn't able to overpower them enough to create serious chances, while Sweden is dangerous once they get to the goal. But this could all change on a whim.

Nice for France and stuff, but it isn't great for the sport when the top 6 consists of five French riders if you ask me.

If they think it will be a walk in the park against a very solid Swedish team that should have won the Olympics, then surely Spain will be out just like Japan did. Sweden are doing a good job at tournaments for eight years straight.

I agree that it won't be any case of walk-over, but I don't think the danger on the counter is as large. However, the danger with corners is substantial, if you will play good enough to get any of them. It also helps on the mental side to not play a team you just lost 4-0 to.

I think Spain will have an easier time against Sweden. This is great.

Ah sure, Beerensteyn has been toxic so now everyone American feels like it is their turn to be toxic against all that's Dutch on the great platform 'X'. Sure, it wasn't smart of Beerensteyn to say stuff like that (although I feel like she kinda has a point that US media and sportsmen/women have the tendency to look at finals way before they have reached them and the US ), but it is a bit sad to use it as an excuse to be toxic against everything Dutch. It is a bit of just desserts foor Beerensteyn who not exactly performed great, however. Oh well, 'X' is such a great place to be anyway.

I don't see Spain getting thrashed by Japan again. Hope they can win it all really. But again, against a tough opponent there are just too much troubles.

Kinda weird match. Spain was very dominant in the first ~60 minutes, but then the Dutch kinda get the better of it, without taking much chances. Then they just give away a silly penalty, but they come back when you do not expect it. But they actually are pretty good when they went 1-0 behind. Spain never was as dominant as in those first 60 minutes though, but I think the better team won nonetheless.

What are the general rules for individual qualification? Team qualification is pretty clear, but how many spots are reserved for what type of individual qualification? Or is this one of those 'we just choose whatever makes us happy'-situations? Only thing I notice is that there is no additional individual qualifying for athletes in already qualified teams. No 4-6 rule this time, just 5 team athletes.

When I read Irland without the 'e' somewhere (so not Ireland or as in Dutch: Ierland), I always think of Irlande Douze Pointe That was one of the best novelty songs in Eurovision, surely.

I liked the women's keirin final and Leitaos performance in the omnium (which was obviously pushed to the background because of the farce that was the points race that evening)

We still have lead to go.

It ticks me at at least a few sports. Any team sport shouldn't have this "X number 3's go through" stuff. It's dumb and especially with small groups just helps the teams drawing a weak fourth. The 'lucky loser round' in Beach is a bit better than how it works in other sports. For individual sports, soms rosters are just crazy small and cycling is one of the sports that hurts the most from it. I would say alongside Gymnastics and Fencing. Team sizes of four are a bit too small for me. I mean, I understand why the top teams don't need eight, but who can control early breaks when the maximum team sizes are four? Especially when everyone but a few top nations have even less spots. I feel it is just ridiculous.

Belgium had a poor lineup of youngsters, not unlike the netherlands. Raaijmakers is not it to me

What was the initial format again? Scratch, Flying Lap, Elim race, KM TT, something individual pursuit-like and Points Race, right? I don't mind the Points Race format in itself, it makes for a more exciting finish, but now we have four very similar races (only Elim race is kinda different), which is not great. I'd rather have one of the TT's back but they are not really exciting for the crowd.