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Hello, Elle,
No, I prefer cycling to watching other sports.
I do not feel I missed anything.
Froome is still in yellow and tomorrow is a rest day.
Contador has abandoned and so has Mark Renshaw.
Weather conditions were awful towards the end.
But I loved Andorra!
I am very pleased for Heather, and Andy.
Very hard work being successful at tennis.
I saw a bit earlier where one Russian lady has been accepted for Olympics but the rest were turned down.
We shall see!
Hello, Pigale!
I have my fingers crossed for France in tonight's football game!

Hi, Rusty!
I think that the woman athlete who has been cleared to compete in Rio is Darya Klishina.
She is a long jumper who trains outside Russia - I wonder whether this is what has led to her being excluded from the ban?
The jury still seems to be out on Stepanova..........
She is the one who "blew the whistle" on all the Russian drug-taking, and as a result was supposedly to be allowed to compete as a "neutral".
I think she was passed "clean" by the IAAF, but is awaiting on a decision by the IOC?
Do I have that right?

Hello, Elle,
You certainly do have it right!
I could not remember the lady's name.
Yes, Stepanova is awaiting clearance from IOC.
Bit of a carry on, all these organisations making decisions.
Hard to follow what is exactly going on, for me, anyway.
136 Russian athletes applied for clearance and two were granted it.
One Russian female athlete has made a statement saying they should be allowed to take drugs!
This is what we are up against.
Klishina is a model as well as a long jumper.

Hi, Rusty!
One wonders how 136 Russian athletes would have the sheer effrontery to apply to compete as "clean", knowing the drug taking situation in Russia?
It passes belief, doesn't it?
Let us hope that the powers-that-be stick to this refusal to allow them to compete.
It wouldn't be the first time we have heard of such decisions, and then a loophole appears and hey presto, the decision is suddenly reversed!
Our younger daughter and family go on holiday tomorrow, did I say?
They are going to Poole in Dorset for a week.
Baby's first holiday!
We are in charge of the cat whilst they are away.

Hello, Elle!
This drug business has been going on for ever in certain countries.
Why are Spain, Kenya, Jamaica, not banned too?
That is what I can not understand.
Bernard Lagat qualified today to run 5,000 meters for USA, yet he is a Kenyan? And he is 41!
And the Olympics are only 3 and a bit weeks away.
You did not say about your daughter's holiday, no.
Will you be able to visit them?
My English geography is hopeless.
Is Poole, Dorset, far away?
I think you should go too.

Good morning, folks!
I have finished Times cryptic but am foxed by one.
4 down,
Dull London market with no room for meetings (6)
L?a?e?
I have "leaden" for dull.
I know two London markets.
Covent Garden and Billingsgate.
How does this clue parse, presuming it is "leaden"?

Leadenhall

Leaden (hall)

Good morning, Rusty!
It's a chillier start to the day - and looks like rain! a more invigorating walk though which was nice!
Your market place is "Leadenhall", minus hall (room) gives "leaden"(dull) -
though how you would be expected to know that, I really don't know!
You need to have another word with Mr. R!

Thank you, Jazzgirl.
A new one to me!

I know it as I used to work in that part of London for a shipping company .