Cycling Thread

[Gavster]

Pogi hit an estimated 8.43w/kg for over 4 mins in his attack today

[Gavster]

Big GC stage again today, it's a long stage with a huge amount of climbing too, finishing on a big hors categorie climb.

[Jobbo]

Hmm, wonder who will win today’s stage…?

Be nice if Pidcock could get into a front group and bounce back up to the podium but I don’t think it’ll happen.

[8Ball]

I feel today might be a GC day. It's all pretty close in the places behind Pogacar, that they'll be battling it out to take time from each other. Pogacar will probably just follow them for the most part, and maybe attack at the end if he fancies it. It's a rest day tomorrow, so an extra recovery day if they extend a lot of effort today

[Gavster]

Definitely a big GC day, those podium places are very tight right now and today's stage could blow it apart.

There's only 1m20s between Vingegaard and Del Toro in 7th. In fact, only 46 seconds between Remco in 3rd and Del Toro in 7th. It would be easy for any of them to lose more than a minute if they have a bad day today. That's definitely where the fight will be today, which of those guys can hang onto Jonas.

[Gavster]

Remco finally showing some real grit at the tour. His performance on Sunday was particularly impressive, that iceman persona all the way up the mountain was an incredible poker face, he didn't blink the whole way! Didn't give anything away and still had some in the tank too. Very shrewd but great racing too. Although I'm sure Pogi could have taken the stage if he'd really wanted to launch at the end.

Big week of racing this week, especially Thurs, Fri, Sat all being mountain stages, with Saturday's being an absolute belter with 5,500m of climbing. That's got to be on Pogi's hitlist for a win to seal his victory. Up until then, I wonder if he's going to turn domestique to try and help get Del Toro a bigger gap clear of Seixas.

[Jobbo]

Pog gave the impression that he could have beaten Remco on Sunday, and that's consistent with his respect for Jonas crashing out and not taking advantage, but who knows really. The ITT was excellent yesterday. I don't think Evenepoel can really challenge Pog for the win but he can make it a fight for GC, possibly more so than Vingegaard would have. Yes, the race is very back-end loaded this year but based on Remco's performance on Sunday it may not be a totally foregone conclusion.

The race itself is making 5's coverage tolerable at least.

[Gavster]

Now I understand the point of going to watch the tour in person lol

[unzippy]

Now I understand the point of going to watch the tour in person lol

That clip looks more like the prep for N24!

I accidently saw it in 2009, I was in Nice when it passed through. Felt like it was done and dusted in 30 mins - two days prep for 30 mins action is mad!

[8Ball]

We rode through, and then stopped one bend up from these guys when we watched in 2019. It's a full on party atmosphere for the days leading up to it.

Alpe d'Huez will have been rocking in the days leading up to it, and a lot of the fans will be shit faced long before the race comes through

[Gavster]

Carapaz really deserved that win today, he was totally relentless and never gave up, he's been riding like a madman for the last few days in the mountains, just unstoppable. I don't think Kuss would've held him off, even if he didn't have those offs in the corners, he looked like he was fading, and somewhow Carapaz always seems to find enough energy for one more attack.

I'm curious about whether Pogi will go for the stage win tomorrow. He seems to enjoy new challenges, and it's very rare for a the rider in yellow to win the final stage. After getting dropped by Wout van Aert last year, he might feel there's unfinished business.

[Gavster]

Ohhh today’s stage has been shortened from 133 down to 88km. It’s more like a criterion race at that length, with being laps. It will be intense and very fast paced, and could suit a different set of riders, it might not be the kind of race that suits Pogi, it’s too short and not enough climbing. Also MVDP has been quiet the last week or so, just chilling in the grupetto, he could be on strong form to attack during those last few laps and he’s very well suited.

[8Ball]

Agree with all of that. I think Pog will wat the win, and Montmarte probably ok to launch an attack like last year, but MVDP will be looking at it as well as Pederson I think. Or if teams can control it a bit someone like Michael Matthews is capable of getting over and he's got a fast finish

[Gavster]

That's the thing, Montmarte is the laucnhpad but at only 1km long it's not long enough to grind people down for a few km, like Pogi normally does before an attack on a climb. Sure he's got three laps of it to drop people, however a bigger stronger rider could have the upper hand if it comes to raw power on the last lap. It will also be a more dangerous race, because at 88km the average speed will be ferocious.