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Remember I don't get the paper, Malone - if no -one tells me, I don't know!
So feel free to rant away.....!

Hello, Elle,
It is pretty dreich here today and the forecast is not encouraging.
Got a bit wet going for my paper.
Yes, I am looking forward to the cycling.
My cycling hero, Cancellara, is in his last year and today his home tour starts, the Tour of Switzerland.
Today's stage is a very short time trial and he will go close to winning it.
Jamie is more pleasant than Andy, yes.
So is Judy. I like her.

Hi Pigale
Yes. outside is a bit like a glasshouse just now, hot and a bit humid. Though I need to water mysandy soil already!

Elle
I always listen to the chalengers introduce themselves. I have never seen a team of students win yet, or even any 20 year olds. They just haven't been alive long enough to have acquired the general knowledge and look totally aghast if asked a question about the 1960s or 1970s. Also those Daphne's age (who has wisely retired while still on top form). I often know I know the answer, but can't summon it up quickly enough (like Nick Hornby yesterday).
I can never do pop music, films or TV but am quite a whizz at chemical elements and would bone up on flags, countries, currencies and capitals were I to apply to be on the program!

Hello, Elle!
Now what do we make of this?
Seb Coe's ex-right hand man, Nick Davies, has been suspended by IAAF, pending investigation into claims that he took money to cover up accusations of Russian doping in 2013?
Not so good!
Who watches the watchers!

Hi, Rusty!
Goodness, whatever next?
Yes, it is being said that Nick Davies took bribes principally to delay naming the Russian dopers until AFTER the 2013 World Championships had taken place.
His wife has also been suspended.
I believe that Nick Davies was also a close personal friend of Seb Coe's as well as being a close working colleague?
I feel that Seb will inevitably become "tarred with the same brush" here?
(I am going to order a huge heap of sand for the express purpose of therein burying my head!)
I cannot cope!

Hello, Elle!
Your sand idea could be a sound one!
I do not know what the solution is, but I've always thought these committees were gravy trains for those elected on to them.
It was the case in cycling, and certainly in football, corruption abounds.
Major surgery required methinks.

Hi, Rusty!
Is it still raining with you?
Here the sun is hiding now, and the sky has become very grey and dull.... I think "they" could well be correct about the rain......
I have missed the beginning of the Athletics!
(This is the highlights of the Diamond League that you watched last night.)
My elder daughter phoned for a chat, just as it was about to start.
Sod's Law!
Fortunately, I had set the recorder. So I shall watch it once the TV transmission has finished.
What time does your cycling start?

Hello, Elle,
I will not spoil it for you other than to say Laura Muir is going the right way with Rio looming!
Great work by Jenny Meadows, too!
Dull and dreich here. Has summer passed?
Tennis on both Eurosport channels just now, then Eurosport 2 is showing the Criterium de Dauphine, followed by the Tour of Switzerland. Plenty cycling!

Hi Rusty,

I did not realise that the Criterium du Dauphine and the Tour of Switzerland overlapped - has it always been the case? I thought that riders might want to take part in both events;

Hello, Pigale!
I am not sure if they have overlapped before, but Tour de Suisse starts today and the Dauphine finishes tomorrow.
Years ago they moved the Tour of Spain to the back end of the year. It was crowding the calendar with a 3 week tour at this time of year.