Federer91

Pretty much, even with the awful song... Also i expect them to poor big points to Australia, because they loooove Australia. Bjorkman giving them the pimp spot once again...

Yay Poli

Poli amazing.

Ireland was better than the minimum expectations. Still it will be a shock if it qualifies.

Rykka on fire, literally

Almost time

My predictions for the second semifinal. A lot more open than the first and bar 2-3 songs, anyone can qualify. That is why i'm also a little bit nervous for Poli. I hope everything goes as planned and all the possitive feedback she has gotten is transfered into votes. The obvious qualifiers are Ukraine, Australia, Serbia. The fairly secure ones i could say are Israel, Latvia, Belgium and us hopefully. The last 3 spots are a real battle and i'll put my money on Poland (very good singer, even if the song isn't anything special, but the big polish diaspora will qualify the song i suppose), Lithuania (energetic sond and the staging is good, so i think it will get through) and Belarus, which may surprise many, but the publicity he has gotten and visual staging will help him even if the song is awful. But like i said a very open semifinal and some of the rest could very well sneak in.

Yup, Dumoulin is here just for the TTs. He is doing the same like in the Vuelta, chalking up time in the early stages, before the real mountains hit. And after sunday he will have a very good lead 1:30, maybe 2 minutes from the rest of the favourites, so he is definately not just walking around. Maybe he won't have the legs in the big stages to keep a podium finish, but a top 6 position like in the Vuelta is quite possible. Speaking of podium finishes Zakarin and Chavez are looking very good for me and i think they can make a big surprise by the end. Nibali still in no form, poor performance today, but maybe it is a good thing to not peak early.

Well, that is very good for Iliev, he deserved it after being so close at every tournament. 11 quotas is still one shy of what i would have like, but it is still an improvement from London. Now if one (or more ) of them can get a medal it will be awesome. I am not surprised of the "polish" wrestler Gadziev being DQ after the way he man-handled Novachkov out of nowhere...

You and me both With our awful track record anything is possible.

If they look like Samra, i'm afraid i have to ditch you guys.

Well missed Croatia and Austria. Croatia has their best performance from the rehearsal to now, so maybe that clinched it, but not on the expense of Iceland..

Nooo, Iceland

Yes i was shocked how good Montenegro was with the camera and lights. I would still prefer Cyprus, but Montenegro really made a push from the bottomless pit. Still i wouldn't give it much hope, because it will murdered by the juries.

I swear people and Eurovision. In the last decade with all the coocky and crazy songs and stages people were saying that Eurovision is a circus and so all. Now the last 3-4 years it is more song oriented with "modern" style graphics and performances and know people bitch that it is not so unique, cheez...

I wish Ira was better vocally, but still should be a qualifier.

Uggg, Bosnia could still a spot, it is actually decent...

"From the inside of the arena Russia feels like the winner with Armenia a close second." Expected.

Montenegro is better than what i expected, but it will be at the bottom nevertheless. Very chaotic camera angles.

Samra still couldn't sing. But it will probably qualify, because it is Azerbaijan...

Gabriela sang the best, deserves to qualify 100%!! Cyprus is awesome too.

Sergey was flawless. If the juries don't screw him, just because it is Russia, he has got this in the bag.

What, Russia has send very different songs over the last 10 years...

Douwe Bob was good, should qualify, for heywoodus reluctance.

3 countries in and neither sing very good. Time for Hungary to change that.