Tour de France 2025 (CONTAINS SPOILERS!)

[T4tomo]

Its back to "new normal" for a even numbered early stage.

MVDP & the GC leaders duking it out over a tough uphill finish.

 

[T4tomo]

Kevin Vauquelin racing on home roads today

I can see a scenario where him and MVDP (and maybe others) go up the road and Pogi lets the break go to give up all 3 jerseys in one fell swoop

I doubt Vauquelin will be allowed any leeway, except maybe 30 seconds to scoot ahead thru his own village as long as he promises to sit up afterwards

 

[mrushton]

UAE can sit back now. let the breaks go, let others have some glory. If Visma want it they have to do something. No one gives a minute away. he had a bad day but the mountains are yet to come. Good to se Vauquelin get some action. Off to Ineos apparently.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

It's a far cry from this...
https://www.tntsports.co.uk/cycling...ssy-combloux_mtc1407112/live-commentary.shtml

My quoting got broken somehow, stage hunter didn't say the above - he was quoting that - he said this below:

Peak Vingegaard meets Undercooked Pog, with Pog on a bad couple of days.

Those few days look increasingly like an outlier.

I think it's a bit revisionist to claim Pog was having a bad couple of days. He certainly had a bad day the day after, but he came second here, taking over a minute out of Wout - who was superb in '23. There's moree time between Pog and Wout's third place in '23 than there is between Pog and Vingegaard's 13th yesterday. That's why it's been described as one of the greatest TTs ever ridden.

Here's a graphic from PCS about it - showing time gained to runner up per km of world tour TTs over the last decade

As a further note, if Vingegaard hadn't raced that TT, Pog's gap to Wout would have been highest on that graph, at 3.3 seconds per km.

I think it's probable that Vingegaards obliteration of Pog here was one of the prime causes of Pog's bad day the day after. He was broken mentally before he was broken physically when he said "I'm dead".

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

I doubt Vauquelin will be allowed any leeway, except maybe 30 seconds to scoot ahead thru his own village as long as he promises to sit up afterwards

He was given 3 minutes of leeway in the Tour de Suisse. Appreciate it's unlikely, but I don't think VLAB and UAE would chase KV fearing what he could do overall

 

[No Ta Doctor]

He was given 3 minutes of leeway in the Tour de Suisse. Appreciate it's unlikely, but I don't think VLAB and UAE would chase KV fearing what he could do overall

I doubt they'd want a young French hope in yellow though, where he could get a bit of a boost, while they could face some hostility trying to unseat him.

 

[KingstonGraham]

Kevin Vauquelin racing on home roads today

I can see a scenario where him and MVDP (and maybe others) go up the road and Pogi lets the break go to give up all 3 jerseys in one fell swoop

Not after the Tour de Suisse. Won't give Vauquelin anything unnecessary.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

From Jonas's interview with DK TV2 yesterday evening, paraphrased:

• It was a bad day (no shoot!)
• Far less watts than the Dauphine TT
• Is in fantastic shape in general, but felt uncomfortable on the bike and couldn't find rhythm
• No change in setup, doesn't know what happened
• Has made a big step forward since Dauphine
• Went deep the day before but not enough that he'd expect this effect
• Looking at nutrition etc to see if there was something there
• Has a plan for today, no he's not telling
• Still thinks he can win as he's in best ever form

He looked pretty chill, relaxed on the sofa he kicked his Birkenstock sliders off under the table.

 

[mididoctors]

Kevin Vauquelin racing on home roads today

I can see a scenario where him and MVDP (and maybe others) go up the road and Pogi lets the break go to give up all 3 jerseys in one fell swoop

Infiltration by Gregóire in that mix is my PTP guess. They won't let Kevin go though . The podium contenders will neutralise that ... Bora especially.

 

[mididoctors]

Having the green jersey de incentivises sprinter control and theres not a lot left for the sprinters

 

[mididoctors]

He was given 3 minutes of leeway in the Tour de Suisse. Appreciate it's unlikely, but I don't think VLAB and UAE would chase KV fearing what he could do overall

Bora will shut kev down .

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

Not after the Tour de Suisse. Won't give Vauquelin anything unnecessary.

I would imagine KV will be at least an hour down by the time we get to Paris, so I would image VLAD and UAE think he can have all the time he wants

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

Bora will shut kev down .

Potentially

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

My interest in KV's chances today have absolutely no connection to betting on him to win at 28/1 👀

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Just a reminder that ITV4 have coverage from the start, today.