heywoodu

Checking Wikipedia for the schedule, but the 25k seems to be missing?

Do they want that though? I always feel like especially in the east of Europe there's a ton of countries who like to criticize everything about the EU, but then do want to end up becoming a member (for the money, one would assume) And about NED - BUL in this case it's at least not because of nothing, Netherlands still has a bit of an issue with the tons and tons of insurance money that a group of Bulgarians frauded us out of

Wait, the upper ring will be an actual running course? I don't know how to imagine that but it sounds awesome

The Dutch cabinet has fallen last week, and now in the past minutes Mark Rutte has announced he will not be his party's leader at the next elections (probably in November or so), meaning he will leave politics. In favour or against him, it is absolutely the end of an era after almost one and a half decade. Interesting to see even someone like far-right populist Geert Wilders talk about him with a degree of respect. Not so much for his political views obviously, but for his overall authority and demeanor, specifically mentioning his handling of Russia's crime of shooting down the MH17 plane.

According to said uncle, pigeons are smart enough to keep getting water and food and only leave when they feel they're strong enough to go back home (he said he'd had pigeons return after three months or so ) You got used, buddy. By a bird.

The EuropeanGames.TV website has no kickboxing videos at all? I thought I'd give it a try just to see how far away it is from the pro sport, but seems like there isn't anything available.... Edit: I see WAKO's YouTube account has the whole finals day

Talking to my uncle who has 30 years of experience with pigeons, and suddenly got curious how your pigeon is doing

Today is the Raymond Poulidor memorial stage, starting in the town he spent most of his life (until his death three years ago). Which also means without a doubt Van der Poel is going to try something, Poulidor's last dream was to see Van der Poel (his grandson) ride the Tour....that didn't happen, but Van der Poel did get the yellow which had eluded Poulidor throughout his entire and incredibly impressive career. Also, finish on the mythical Puy de Dôme, with a deservedly awesome podium being set up

Are those names references to those US thingies where they stick three random Greek letters together and then act all super cool when they meet someone who happens to have had the same three letters in their school period? No idea what this 'sport' is though Edit: I thought it was remotely operated for the downhill part, but there's actually a small person laying inside it

The thing is Philipsen always does this. But if nobody falls, there is no punishment, whereas a less dangerous move resulting in a mostly unfortunate fall often does lead to punishments. There is no consistency in the decisions whatsoever.

Kickboxing would add a new group of fans if it's the 'real' professional kickboxing, the big names that headline big events. That's definitely never going to be an option (for one because there is no way you can make them fight a bunch of fights within two weeks in a responsible manner), so one would be stuck with the amateur version, which indeed would add....well, nothing. No fans, no money, nothing really indeed.

What's with this random count and then waving the fight off by the referee at roughly 8 minutes in the video? https://europeangames.tv/videos/3564114/boxing-mens-80kg-final-bout

No, this is now the event in swimming and WE rule it

I really doubt it's different in many other countries I do read on this forum and only now I realized this event is even going on. If I was an avid swimming enthusiast, of course I'd have known, but it's not like swimming is so massively mainstream that even continental junior championships are anywhere in the news (I think the only sport for which a junior worlds would be news here is speed skating and mostly only if the Dutch get some special kind of medals there - like a 16-year old dominating the event) Still happy someone on here follows it though, now I can check the results

Although control is a bit of a tricky use of words in this case. Once again, Philipsen relied on shoving others out of the way in a manner which would lead to being thrown down the ranking if it didn't affect the stage result (like if you make the moves he makes, but you end up 15th anyway, then they might push you down to last place, but the judges don't have the balls to do that for someone in the top). Yesterday he just shoved Girmay towards the barriers to get into Cavendish's wheel for a second, which wasn't the first time even this Tour (although in Philipsen's case, endangering everyone around him has always been his way of sprinting). It's a shame, really, since he really doesn't need all that incredibly dangerous riding - he is far and away the world's fastest sprinter right now, without all kinds of shenanigans.

Surprisingly large amount of well-regarded drivers.....and then there's Ragunathan, of course

Specifically the way organizers set things up towards the finish. If you set things up right, spectactors reaching over so far that they can touch riders is not possible...plus that weird little corner in the middle of the sprint. Seems like ASO's rules might not count for ASO

Yep. Just give a penalty every time and they'll learn the correct speed for the turn fast enough.

Everyone has their strawberries and cream ready?

Yeah, sprint stages (especially the long ones) always have entertaining endings, because after 180km of not much happening, suddenly things explode Plus those kilometers get into the legs as well later on. All in all this opening weekend was already more enjoyable and saw more attacking than the entire Giro d'Italia this year, which is interesting to see considering some years ago it was usually the exact opposite.

Boy how I wish you were able to read Dutch now, Belgian media (and the comments) is absolutely comedy gold at this moment, Vingegaard is basically enemy number one because he didn't pull in front to get Van Aert to the sprint I'm quoting the main (former) commentator in the world of Belgian cycling: "This was Vingegaard's moment to show he is a true leader, his time to pull his weight. This is a loss for the personality of the Danish rider."

Yep, finally it's public I'm assuming (and hoping) she'll be back for the season if all goes well.

Fantastic opening stage in terms of the fight, and twins battling for the stage win, but yeah...a serious podium candidate being out with a rare level of a thousand yard stare on his face (like the Dutch Eurosport commentator said: "If you put him back on the bike now, he's going to cycle the wrong way"....), and with Carapaz we also lose someone who could have brought some attacking fun in the mountains Well, on to another day in between the madness of the Basque fans for the rest of the riders

And in of all places, the most cycling crazy region in the entire world and it's already showing Definitely one of the best Grand Departs ever!

Dutch racing driver Dilano van 't Hoff has died, aged 18, after a horrific crash in the Formula Regional European Championship at Spa this morning. Got sideways in the rain at the top of Raidillon and then T-boned by someone who had absolutely no chance to avoid him (if he even saw him at all with all that spray)... Super dominant Spanish F4 champion two years ago, and second in the UAE F4 winter championship in between a whole bunch of well-established talents.