Two strikes and you are out (depending on when you pick up the strikes)

When you make it up as you go along, you get to move the goalposts.

The two strike rule in the Tour de France has been modified. It seems there is a time period defined from a rest day (Monday) through Sunday where two COVID -19 positives in your team bubble will get the team removed from the Tour. The nominal plan though is to test on the two rest days, so that’s really only two tests on two days where two people need to test positive. That’s a lot of twos in that sentence. If they test midweek, and if a total of two people test positive for that period then the team is out. The Tour has taken a Trumpian approach – if you don’t test then no one will test positive. I suspect the only reason they will test midweek is if someone is symptomatic.

I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about this. On one hand, I think holding the tour is crazy. So much logistics, even on a reduced “show.” There’s a lot of opportunity for spreading if the virus finds the right person. However, the teams are doing their best to manage their bubble so is the infection risk that high? Or am I just feeling lenient because I’m craving some entertainment?

I’ll keep watching and hoping that they make it to Paris safely.

Fantasy Game

I had Thomas De Gendt today as my winner, assuming the winner would come from a breakaway. He’s usually in the breakaways, but alas not today. While the winner did come from a breakaway, it was Marc Hirshi who won and everyone seemed very happy. He was so close to a previous breakaway victory and really put in a big effort to win today.

With today’s scoring, I’ve moved all the way to 52,049th.

Tour de France week 1 – the show continues

The Tour de France actually made it through the first week without any teams being kicked out with the “two strikes” rule. No rider tested positive for COVID-19. Unfortunately, the Race Director, Christian Prudhomme, did! He says he’s not part of the bubble so no big whoop. He’ll just hang out somewhere for a week and then join again. Hmm, OK.

It seems the rule remains that if any two people test positive for COVID-19 from the same team (riders and support), that team is out. Unfortunately Ineos Grenadiers, Mitchelton-Scott, Cofidis, and AG2R staff did have a single positive each. Therefore, as it currently stands, they are one more positive away from expulsion.

TdF Fantasy Team

And how is my fantasy team doing? Two of them crashed today, and one broke his collarbone and won’t be continuing. I’ve already had to have five rider changes due to injury and performance issues. I’m now down to three more changes and then I’ll have no more changes left. I’m killing it though, I’m ranked 53474th. I have no idea how many are in the contest, but I have been as low as approximately 68,000th.

TdF Fantasy Team
TdF Fantasy Team at Stage 11

Come hell or high water (or pandemic)

According to IOC Vice President John Coates, it’s on!

It will take place with or without Covid. The Games will start on 23 July next year

Ah, OK. At least according to this post from a website I’ve never heard of before in India. 

The Japan Times reports almost exactly the same thing. And by “almost exactly” it’s pretty much word for word with a little stylistic treatment.

The story was picked up by both sites from Agence France-Presse.

I’m glad John Coates is so optimistic. At the moment, Japan won’t even allow me to enter the country, so a lot of things will need to change between now and next July for me to see the games. What about all the American athletes? Will they be allowed in? Time will tell.

Seiko Hashimoto, Japan’s Olympic Minister, seems to agree with Mr. Coates.

I think we have to hold the games at any cost. I want to concentrate all our efforts on measures against the coronavirus.

Pretty bold words.