There was no room to hide on this week's episode of 'The Amazing Race' (Sun., 8PM ET on CBS) when the Racers visited the European Parliament Building in Brussels, Belgium. Sadly for them, they weren't there to learn about the political machinations of the European Union, or to sample such Belgian gastronomic delights as beer, or mussels and fries with mayonnaise.

Instead, the teams got a taste of the favorite pastime of Belgium's most famous son -- no, not Tintin or Jacques Delors -- Jean-Claude Van Damme: Bodybuilding! It was time to break out the shaving foam, breathe in and strike a pose wearing nothing but a smile and a ridiculously small and shiny posing pouch.

As Andy gamely applied bronzer to fellow snowboarder Tony's lower regions he sighed "Our friendship has hit a whole new level." Former NFL tight end (no pun intended) Marcus may have been the only one who actually enjoyed the experience, saying "I really got into it." He was rewarded for his efforts with some very enthusiastic whistling from the ladies in the crowd.

No matter how great your performance is over the long haul, in the end, all that truly matters on 'The Amazing Race' (Sun., 8PM ET on CBS) is the final sprint to the finish line.

After leading most of the way, engaged couple Ernie and Cindy started to flag as they neared the end point (possibly because Ernie was also carrying Cindy's pack), but unlucky for them, pro-snowboarding team Andy and Tommy were hot on their heels.

In the end, it came down to a matter of inches between the winning team and second place, which made it all the more frustrating for the losers.

['The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business' - 'I've Never Looked So Foolish in My Whole Entire Life (Outback)']

Instead of such a lengthy episode title, perhaps Zev's quote, "Ow! My tail!" would have been more fitting for last night's episode of 'The Amazing Race.'

We last left our teams with Jet and Cord caught in a cliffhanger. As Phil didn't specify that all of the teams would continue racing, there was a chance we'd say goodbye to Jet and Cord, the Cowboys.

And we're back for the penultimate installment of 'The Amazing Race' (Sun., 8PM ET on CBS). Which is exciting, because how often do you get to use the word "penultimate"? (Only once per season, as it turns out). We had four teams left, but only three spots for the final episode. So, who would make the cut? Well, that depends on your definition of the term.

Tonight's Detour involved a speed-skating race in Seoul, South Korea, and no one really "made the cut," ice-skating-wise. The teams had to complete 24 laps of the stadium course, but there was no time-limit -- which was a good thing, as no one was particularly good at skating. So we were treated to an endless montage of the contestants stumbling and falling on the ice.

It was a fight to reach the finish on 'The Amazing Race' (Sun., 8PM ET on CBS). One team kept getting slower and slower. But hey -- speed isn't everything. And a wise man once said this: "The race is not to the swift." On the other hand, the race isn't won by the cranky, either. And it's hard to win if you quit in the middle of things.

Couple Nick and Vicki were fighting -- and it kept getting worse. To start with, Vicki really doesn't like Chinese food, which is a problem if you're visiting Hong Kong, China, the location for this week's leg of the race.

It was here that Vicki's hatred of Chinese cuisine made her lose an eating-related challenge, giving her and Nick a time penalty. Then, the couple got on a boat -- and Nick's grouchiness kicked in.

On 'The Amazing Race' (Sun., 8PM ET on CBS), the teams traveled from Norway to St. Petersburg, Russia. This was a distance of over 1,200 miles. But sometimes, it's not the journey -- it's what you have to face at the destination.

[Warning: Spoiler alert.]

In St. Petersburg, the teams faced a "Roadblock" challenge. As part of the Russian theme, contestants had to dress up as "basbushkas." This is a Russian term for "grandmother" -- and for a traditional scarf that is tied under the chin.

The male and female players had to dress up like scarf-wearing grandmas. No one was pleased with the task. As "basbushkas," each team member had to plant a row of 50 potatoes, then cover those potatoes with ... manure.

Against all odds -- a fundamental misunderstanding of the rules, the inability to locate Ghana on a map, not realizing the Arctic Circle isn't located in Africa -- Nick and Vicki have managed to stay alive on 'The Amazing Race' for five weeks now.

That truly amazing feat deserves a heartfelt congratulations because, although this is the 17th iteration of the CBS reality series, Nick and Vicki have distinguished themselves as the most clueless team to ever appear.

Gretchen. It's an old fashioned, salt-of-the Earth name. Of German derivation, it means "reality show star." OK, it means "pearl," but are we the only ones who've noticed that some of reality's highest profile provocateurs over the years have gone by the name "Gretchen"?

We don't know if producers actually seek out potential cast members with this admittedly memorable name (not as memorable as "Mondo" or "Omarosa", but pretty memorable). Whether or not Gretchens have an inside track when it comes to casting, they almost always deliver the drama.

Attention-grabbing Gretchens. Fetching Gretchens. Designing Gretchens. Here's a list of some Gretchens whose lives you may have have followed on network TV or basic cable.

We had a bad -- and weird -- injury on tonight's 'Amazing Race' (Sun., 8:30PM ET on CBS). Would the player in question manage to power through? And would it all be worthwhile?

[Warning: Spoiler alert.]

On the previous episode, the players had to travel from the equator to the Arctic Circle. This time around, the goal was a lot easier. The contestants went from Sweden to Norway -- two countries that are right next to each other. But a shorter trip didn't equal fewer problems.

TV home shopping hosts Claire and Brook quickly ran into trouble. While rushing to the Norwegian marina -- the final pitstop for the day -- Brook suffered possibly the oddest injury in reality show history. She cut herself on the face, somehow slashing her eyelid while slamming down the door of a car. Ouch!

It's been a week of ups and downs for fans of CBS's long-running hit reality competition 'The Amazing Race.' The down? On Sunday night, the show failed to win the Outstanding Reality Program Emmy for the first time in eight years. The up? Today CBS finally announced the new cast members for the upcoming 17th season.

We have to say that, as per usual with 'The Amazing Race,' the good far outweighs the bad.

Now that the teams are announced, we can begin the speculation. Who will suit up this year for a chance at one million dollars and memories of a lifetime? Will an all-female team finally take first place? Will the token old couple last past the first episode? Are we in store for any more shocking relationship meltdowns on the finish mat this year?

They may not have snagged the $1 million purse but, as brothers Jet and Cord McCoy, a.k.a. "the cowboys," said at the end of Sunday night's 'Amazing Race 16' finale, "there's more to life than money."

And, just because they didn't finish first (that honor went to the other brothers, Jordan and Dan Pious), that doesn't mean the McCoys aren't winners. The professional cowboy and bull rider ran the race with spirit, integrity and joy, and racked up some pretty awesome prizes -- and a fervent fan base -- while they were at it.

Did seeing the world change the self-professed "Okies"? Is it true that Cord had never seen an episode of the race before he embarked on it? And, what on earth will they do with the sailboats they won?

(S16E12) Aha! That's why 'The Amazing Race' seasons always seem so short! Although they pack in a whirlwind tour of the world, we're talking only twelve episodes and that's all she wrote. Even in these days of shorter television seasons and oddly spaced out seasons, we're not talking an epic run.

Yet, each season in itself is indeed an epic run despite the number of episodes. The countries, the challenges, the relationships of the teams ... definitely epic! Going into the finale, we have cowboys, brothers and models. Judging on Internet reaction, the cowboys (who are also brothers) are the fan favorites, the other two teams not so much. So, who's bringing home the million? Read on.

Contestants on 'The Amazing Race' (Sun., 8PM ET on CBS) met the world's shortest man, He Pingping, during a "Road Block" to make one kilo of noodles. Caite Upton, one-half of the cycle's "Dating Models" team, wanted to take the 2' 5" man home with her.

Watch the video after the jump.

Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times Eastern).

• At 7, CBS has a new '60 Minutes,' followed by new episodes of 'The Amazing Race,' 'Undercover Boss,' and 'Cold Case.'
• NBC has a new 'Dateline' at 7, then new episodes of 'Minute To Win It' and 'Celebrity Apprentice.'
• At 7:30, FOX has a new 'Til Death.'
• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour 'Extreme Makeover.'
• PBS has a new 'Nature' at 8, followed by a new 'Masterpiece Classic.'
• Discovery has two new episodes of 'Life' at 8.
• Food Network has new episodes of 'Challenge,' 'Ultimate Recipe Showdown,' and 'Iron Chef America.'
• Also at 8: ESPN2 has the Yankees/Red Sox season opener.
• At 9, A&E has a new 'Gene Simmons' Family Jewels,' then a new 'Kirstie Alley's Big Life.'
• At 9:30, FOX has a new 'Sons of Tucson.'
• At 10, AMC has a new 'Breaking Bad.'
• HBO has a new episode of 'The Pacific' at 9, followed by a new 'How To Make It In America.'
• History Channel has a new 'Ax Men' at 10.
• At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force.'
• At 12:30AM, Cartoon Network has a new 'Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job.'

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S16E05) Brave soldiers marching as to war ... or maybe it's just a team from 'The Amazing Race' hoping to make the pit stop without interference from the Red Baron. The episode started off on a new and different note. After arriving at the last pit stop, the teams were taken to an undisclosed location. They didn't know; we didn't know. Mais oui, we all figured it out. It turned out that the lack of whereabouts knowledge wasn't what affected this leg. It was all about over confidence. That can end up biting you in the butt.