heywoodu

Cyclo-cross, much as I would like it, would be ridiculous. If you think Nordic combined isn't international, enjoy the regular 1-2-3-4-5-6's for Belgium in the top level races (and even worse in the women's races, but with the flag instead of the flag). Which is not odd, since Belgium is kind of the only country in the world where it's really, really a big deal (Flanders, actually, so only even half of one country), with maybe a few small patches here and there in the Netherlands, Spain, France, Czech Republic Ice cross would be amazing to have at the Olympics, but not exactly an easy sport to just host somewhere given that you need quite a long track that is only useful for that one specific event.

Agreed. Because of this now plays which feels like a match-up has lost for a hundred times in a row now

Speed skiing will certainly be one of the most boring things to watch? I mean, the speeds are amazing, but as a viewing sport it is just almost entirely nothing. Like, literally go down a straight line in a set position and brake after the finish. Undoubtedly Nordic combined has a (way, way) higher fanbase and honestly a more international field.

So it also takes away the absolute need to bring your max every single time (unless you compete against one of the continental spot climbers that are 5-6 seconds slower), which I think is unfortunate. Smaller chance for surprises as well. I do have an idea they might use in the future. If you make the wall twice as wide, you can have Speed 8, which sounds like an awesome and exciting new urban format.

A daily reminder in an app would be fine, but also: there are things I need to do every day as well, I simply set a daily alarm for it and the problem of forgetting (which I very easily do) is solved.

Depending on the situation, one can imagine the first one can be forgiven instead of being called dumb (like, if 'short notice' meant a call that something had been very wrong with a person close to you or something like that). The other two however....ouch, especially that last one How can you not put the full address there when being asked about the address?!

But honestly, that is entirely part of being a professional athlete nowadays, thank the many, many, many actual dopers for that. If you take your five minutes a day for it, it should not be too much of a problem. Like, you can literally keep it updated if you make bringing your phone to the bathroom a habit and do it there

And especially if you're already on two strikes (it's not like you are living your life having no clue you are at two strikes, you will be aware). As always, it is absolutely beyond me how athletes who are on two strikes can NOT wake up every morning without first checking their whereabouts for the day are still in order. Only yesterday I heard of an athlete who had a training camp suddenly cancelled, luckily changed their whereabouts right in time and immediately got a doping control officer at home for the first day of what would have been an out-of-country camp. Would have been a strike without changing the whereabouts. Then there's of course also athletes who are simply....well, dumb, and are the main case for why doping tests are sometimes also IQ tests. Like a certain male Latvian biathlete who missed a test because he wrote his address simply as "Bormio" and they couldn't find him (he was actually in "Hotel Bormio", but thought just "Bormio" would be a clear enough address....). And then later, after being told this was not detailed enough, missed another test because of....well, the literally exact same thing No idea what exactly happened to Egle, whether it was outright dumb or forgetting (which is dumb, but another kind of dumb).

With almost a month to go, I would assume they simply haven't registered yet, but there should still be time and I'd certainly expect them to be there. Unless @Griff88 has read anything else in Indonesian media

Fine. If it's possible to date someone's doping-related ban in between two Grand Slams in tennis so he isn't bothered, this should absolutely be fine too

I highly doubt that. There is still a (rather big) difference between team management deciding something, or actual full-on state-sponsored doping ordered, orchestrated and directly paid for by the actual national government.

Hopefully those will be harsher. Lindvik and Forfang have basically accepted that they should have questioned the changes more (and got a ban which certain top level athletes in sports like tennis get for doping offenses...), whereas the idea to make the changes and actually do them is of course a much worse offense and should result in a 1-2 year ban or something.

More importantly than Lindvik and Forfang: how about the people guilty of the suit cheating scandal itself?

Absolutely. With Pogacar, we would probably have a Tour de France-like snoozefest in terms of the GC, now it can actually be somewhat interesting (perhaps, unless Vingegaard simply takes over that role).

Yeah that is the other thing, indeed. The Vuelta was the last GT to mostly start inside it's own country, but that's also gone by now.

Peloton is ready for the start in Venaria Reale, let the Giro d'Italia begin

Just saw this now, but apparently it came from Swedish ringboll, which was apparently influenced by the early forms of basketball. A Dutch PE teacher saw that, came back home and adapted it a bit and korfball was born. The mix of men/women, which was there since the beginning, apparently worked well and there you go. I have no idea about statistics and it is certainly not like the Dutch team is full of well-known players or anything (go out on the street, ask 100 people to name one single current international, and I'd be surprised if 5 people manage to do so), but it is somewhat popular locally. Like, I remember from my early school times that even in my small town there was an annual 'korfball tournament', with the local schools playing each other (outdoor, on the grass, which was apparently slightly different than indoor). I don't remember ever playing, but it was a somewhat big deal and the one moment in the year to meet the other schools

Right, after months of battle, we get the finals on a random Thursday night instead of a Friday/Saturday night.

I had my doubts about the mixed 4x100m, but now am totally in favour of it, lovely event!

Salim Sdiri was quite decent at it.

I'm having a Weissbier at this very moment Discovered beer basically this year, so far the German Weizen are certainly nice. My admittedly small experience with Belgian beer consists of a work day where first we had the office Christmas thing, immediately followed by someone's goodbye party. My boss kept handing me La Chouffe Triples all night. The next morning I was fighting the vomit in front of the webcam, much to his delight.

I would absolutely be in favour of the standing long and high jump coming back But yeah, no idea what the thought process was behind this. Maybe one too many Westvleteren for the organizers.

But it won't At least, the lights are on 4:25 which is supposed to be the WR, but they're quite a bit behind it now. Not sure if there really is a WR, or if 4:25.00 was just what they assumed.

The ever prestigious one mile steeplechase, a staple of top-level athletics meets ever since that one day in August 2025.