heywoodu

Publicly.

Needing a certificate to be outside still sounds so surreal to me, but yeah, nothing seems to be too crazy this year so I'm not gonna say "I don't see that happening here" anymore

Delegation location 6 - Garderen Starting back in Apeldoorn, we travel down the road westwards and reach the town of Garderen, home to a little over two thousand people. It's a real fest, because nearly all of them are as famous as their neighbours: not at all. Like so many of these places on the Veluwe, it's old and in this case was already mentioned nearly a thousand years ago - which is not too special for a major city, but is old for a small town. Garderen never really gained too much significance, it didn't help that a third of the town burned down in 1811: eight out of 25 houses. It does serve as sort of a central hub for a few smaller towns around, whose people generally work in or around Garderen. There's a mid-19th century windmill and there's a centuries old church, the fun in Garderen never ends! American cyclist Tejay van Garderen, nowadays mostly making sure the peloton has enough people in it, might have his roots here, although his father is from Amsterdam, so who knows. There's even some light hills in the forests around Garderen Leave Garderen by bike, mostly towards the north, and you'll find yourselves in the Speulderbos and Sprielderbos, two local and old forests that are combined together and originated somewhere during the last ice age. Cycling or walking through it is an interesting experience by itself, the shape of the trees makes the locals call the forest the 'dancing forest' and even though it might not be that special, it's just a really nice ride/walk. Autumn in the forests near Garderen As has been mentioned here before, one of the main reasons to go to Garderen is the Zandsculpturenfestival: the Sand Sculptures Festival. The president of the Dutch TOISC delegation used to think this was for old people only, but a visit proved to be very much worth it. The theme changes every year, builders and artists are brought in from all over the world and the result is a huge show where one can easily find themselves walking around for three or four hours enjoying the lifelike sand sculptures. Operation Market Garden, but in sand sculptures Last, but certainly not least, a reason for one of the delegations to be stationed in Garderen: in April 1919, the municipality raised a Serbian war monument. A big group of Serbian soldiers were stationed at a Dutch army camp nearby, 29 of them died due to the Spanish flu right after the First World War. Garderen gave them a monument to be remembered, and in 1938 the victims were brought together and transported to the mausoleum in Jindrichovice, where they were finally laid to rest. The monument in Garderen is still taken care of, meanwhile. The Serbian monument in Garderen Delegations in Garderen Serbia Bulgaria Kazakhstan China

Meanwhile apparently Macron has announced some big stuff in France, with strict rules being in effect until at least mid-December. I won't pretend to have a list of everything because French, so hopefully @Bohemia or @De_Gambassi could shed a tiny bit of light on his announcements

Thank the lord for choosing Wednesday as my default day off at work, I already was very happy with that choice (2x2 aaaaand it's weekend) but now even more!

And just to clarify and maybe widen the options a little: it doesn't really matter much (for me) if it's Saturday at the specific time, it can be Friday as well or even Sunday morning or something (or later on the day although then I won't be able to do much).

Apparently the plan is to race in a little over an hour, but I haven't looked for a weather update the past few hours

Froome finishing in the grupetto with the likes of Jasper Philipsen and Mihkel Räim, lol. And that's going to get millions of euros from Israel next year

[hide] Week 2 - Stages 7-12 Stage Top 3 Riders Vitoria-Gasteiz - Villanueva de Valdegovia Stage 7 October, 27th 1st: Omar Fraile 2nd: Alex Aranburu 3rd: Jonathan Lastra Robert Power Tim Wellens Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz Remi Cavagna Guillaume Martin Nans Peters Dan Martin Jetse Bol Rui Costa Primoz Roglic Willie Smit Omar Fraile José Herrada Enric Mas Luis León Sánchez Alejandro Valverde Logroño - Alto de Moncalvillo Stage 8 October, 28th 1st: Primoz Roglic 2nd: David Gaudu 3rd: Enric Mas Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz David Gaudu Guillaume Martin Dan Martin Davide Formolo Wout Poels Rui Costa Aleksandr Vlasov Primoz Roglic Enric Mas Marc Soler Alejandro Valverde Sepp Kuss B.M. Cid Campeador. Castrillo del Val - Aguilar de Campoo Stage 9 October, 29th 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Jasper Philipsen Gerben Thijssen Magnus Cort Mihkel Raim Lorrenzo Manzin Emmanuel Morin Pascal Ackermann Max Kanter Sam Bennett Jakub Mareczko Matteo Moschetti Dion Smith Jon Aberasturi Castro Urdiales - Suances Stage 10 October, 30th 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Jasper Philipsen Gerben Thijssen Magnus Cort Mihkel Raim Lorrenzo Manzin Emmanuel Morin Pascal Ackermann Max Kanter Sam Bennett Jakub Mareczko Matteo Moschetti Dion Smith Jon Aberasturi Villaviciosa - Alto de La Farrapona. Lagos de Somiedo Stage 11 October, 31st 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Felix Grossschartner Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz David Gaudu Guillaume Martin Hugh Carthy Dan Martin Davide Formolo Wout Poels Aleksandr Vlasov Primoz Roglic David De La Cruz Enric Mas Mikel Nieve Marc Soler Alejandro Valverde Sepp Kuss La Pola Llaviana/Pola de Laviana - Alto de l'Angliru Stage 12 November, 1st 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Felix Grossschartner Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz David Gaudu Guillaume Martin Hugh Carthy Dan Martin Davide Formolo Wout Poels Aleksandr Vlasov Primoz Roglic David De La Cruz Enric Mas Mikel Nieve Marc Soler Alejandro Valverde Sepp Kuss [/hide]

Moldova and Portugal have voted, I just didn't have the time to update that yet Several others have answered saying they're expecting to vote in time.

Delegation location 5 - Harderwijk From Elburg we go westwards for around 20 kilometers, much like traders did centuries ago we're travelling to another Hanseatic League city: Harderwijk. In fact, after receiving 'city rights' from the local ruler in 1231, Harderwijk officially became the Veluwe's very first city. In this 13th century, Harderwijk already made brick buildings and developed into a trader's city, with their ships being spotted in Flanders, Germany and England, often carrying wool, herbs, herring and wood. In 1316, the Danish king Eric VI gave Harderwijk's citizens sort of a trading colony in Skanör-Falsterbo in Sweden, go figure how big of a deal this city was in the Hanseatic League! In 1648, Harderwijk became the fifth Dutch city with a university, which existed until 1811 - nowadays 'he must have studied at the University of Harderwijk' oddly means that someone has a questionable scientific reputation. The Harderwijk University, some buildings of which still exist, had some big names though. Jacob Roggeveen, the guy who 'discovered' Easter Island from a European point of view and professor David de Gorter, who went to Russia in 1754 and became the personal doctor of Elisabeth Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great. The biggest name by far though is Carl Linnaeus of Sweden, the father of modern taxonomy and an absolute scientific legend. Anyhow, Harderwijk - they have a Vischpoort ('Fish Gate') too, much like Elburg. It's not big, but well worth a walk through the old city center. Also, the French tried to burn the whole thing when they left after their occupation, but quick reactions meant only a school and about thirty homes were lost. There's also the Dolfinarium, which some might find controversial and others find useful in teaching children an interest in living beings. A street in Harderwijk, with in the back the Linnaeus Tower of 1570 - obviously it was named after the famous scientist only later, Harderwijk has no crystal ball Harderwijk's Vischpoort, with a little lighthouse on top of it...added in the 19th century, but since the sea was blocked off in the 20th century it's rarely turned on anymore Eels being dried, with Harderwijk being a fishing town more than anything, you'll easily find a place to sit down for an eel or a raw herring Delegations in Harderwijk Brazil India Moldova Tunisia

Large scale protests and riots are idiotic as well in these days, yes. Don't riot, don't listen to Trump's never-ending lies, don't gather in large crowds. Easy.

Oh no, small crowds in a time when gathering in large crowds is quite literally idiotic.

My entire top-3 for today is in the lead group. That's the good thing, the bad thing is they're with 33 others.

That's Bjoerndalen you're talking about, this was about M Fourcade.

So that goes to Martin Fourcade now or what? I had hoped it'd be an interesting winner, not the one who already won a gazillion of these things

Hell no, and just to be sure there won't be any saws or blowtorches nearby

I thought it was some political thing I'm still thinking about where to place Slovakia, there are two options

Wait, what did I screw up?

Don Vegni needs a vacation.

And Trump will because he's known to have no good connections with China and Russia at all?

Delegation location 4 - Elburg We travel a little to the north of Epe, where we find the small and historic city of Elburg. Home to a little over 23.000 people, with a whopping three Olympians originating here: Anne van Schuppen (athletics, 1996), Kira Bulten (swimming, 1992) and Dick Boschman (shooting, 2000 + 2004). Elburg is an old city: apart from ancient Roman finds around the area it was a part of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. It's position at the sea made it an important trade and fishing harbour and Elburg greatly flourished in these times, as was for example shown by the fact they made some impressive defensive fortifications around the city. In the 20th century, the sea was closed off and with Elburg now being next to a lake instead of a sea, the fishing industry - while still existing - got way smaller, due to the changes in the types of fish that could be caught. Nowadays it's mostly tourism that keeps Elburg standing, although that's not necessarily a negative thing at all. When walking around in Elburg, one really can feel like going back to medieval times, large parts of the centuries old wall are still there, for example. A great attraction would be to go there around Christmas time to 'Winter in de Vesting' ('Winter in the Fortress'), and walk around in a cold, dark and happy little ancient town. It's just not big, but it's definitely worth it. No, it doesn't look that old, but this is the city centre with a street pattern laid out centuries ago - the church in the top left is the 14th century St Nicolas Church The Vischpoort ('Fish Gate'), the only remaining gate that was built into the defensive wall half a millenium ago Houses have been integrated into the city wall during the centuries Delegations in Elburg Czech Republic Hungary Romania

[hide] Week 2 - Stages 7-12 Stage Top 3 Riders Vitoria-Gasteiz - Villanueva de Valdegovia Stage 7 October, 27th 1st: Omar Fraile 2nd: Alex Aranburu 3rd: Jonathan Lastra Robert Power Tim Wellens Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz Remi Cavagna Guillaume Martin Nans Peters Dan Martin Jetse Bol Rui Costa Primoz Roglic Willie Smit Omar Fraile José Herrada Enric Mas Luis León Sánchez Alejandro Valverde Logroño - Alto de Moncalvillo Stage 8 October, 28th 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz David Gaudu Guillaume Martin Dan Martin Davide Formolo Wout Poels Rui Costa Aleksandr Vlasov Primoz Roglic Enric Mas Marc Soler Alejandro Valverde Sepp Kuss B.M. Cid Campeador. Castrillo del Val - Aguilar de Campoo Stage 9 October, 29th 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Jasper Philipsen Gerben Thijssen Magnus Cort Mihkel Raim Lorrenzo Manzin Emmanuel Morin Pascal Ackermann Max Kanter Sam Bennett Jakub Mareczko Matteo Moschetti Dion Smith Jon Aberasturi Castro Urdiales - Suances Stage 10 October, 30th 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Jasper Philipsen Gerben Thijssen Magnus Cort Mihkel Raim Lorrenzo Manzin Emmanuel Morin Pascal Ackermann Max Kanter Sam Bennett Jakub Mareczko Matteo Moschetti Dion Smith Jon Aberasturi Villaviciosa - Alto de La Farrapona. Lagos de Somiedo Stage 11 October, 31st 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Felix Grossschartner Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz David Gaudu Guillaume Martin Hugh Carthy Dan Martin Davide Formolo Wout Poels Aleksandr Vlasov Primoz Roglic David De La Cruz Enric Mas Mikel Nieve Marc Soler Alejandro Valverde Sepp Kuss La Pola Llaviana/Pola de Laviana - Alto de l'Angliru Stage 12 November, 1st 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Felix Grossschartner Michael Woods Esteban Chaves Ricardo Carapaz David Gaudu Guillaume Martin Hugh Carthy Dan Martin Davide Formolo Wout Poels Aleksandr Vlasov Primoz Roglic David De La Cruz Enric Mas Mikel Nieve Marc Soler Alejandro Valverde Sepp Kuss [/hide]

Every nation that hasn't voted yet, has received a message to remind them

And that's now 20 nations that are officially in, since at least one jury member has sent in their votes. A little bit of intermediate statistics about the preliminary results: - More than 11 nations can already cheer for at least one point, that's almost a third of the entire list of participants! - There is at least one (1) leader at this very moment, but it could also be either more or not! - At least 20 times has a selection of 12 points been sent! - So far, not a single country has managed to collect more than 240 points!