Tour de France 2025 (CONTAINS SPOILERS!)

[No Ta Doctor]

Bear in mind this comment was made some kms from the finish, not in hindsight.

Fair enough, and if Lipowitz hadn't upped the pace he'd have had to make a decision a lot earlier, but him and Pog were in a huge game of chicken, and if he blinked first he was pretty much guaranteed to lose.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

That’s harsh, he’s tried numerous times. He had a go from a long way out yesterday but he plainly hasn’t got it in the tank. Him and Pog are like two heavyweight boxers who smashed each other for the first few rounds. Pog got a few knock downs but they are now in a clinch waiting for the final bell as they’re out on their feet and exchanging a few half-hearted jabs every now and again.

This

 

[M.R.M]

Other than the first TT and Hautacam - genuine bad days - his legs have been pretty good, just not good enough to beat Pogacar. They've absolutely annihilated some of the climb times again this year. He's spent the entire tour trying to find a weakness, trying to wear Pog down, trying to catch him on a bad day and it never happened. No amount of hail Marys would have helped that.

I didn't mean it that way. I don't think his shape is bad. His shape was excellent coming to the Tour. One only needs to look at the gap from second on GC to third. I just think they are both fatigued from racing the Tour and his legs aren't so much better than Pogacar's, that he can make a meaningful difference on a long climb.
Also, when you're tired you might know you should be attacking at a specific moment, but you simply can't because you know you would blow up like Roglic did today. He won the Tour twice, he knows how to race. You do what you can and if nothing further is possible, you have to accept it and go back to training and try again next year.
I think Vingegaard did what he could and Pog was just better this year. Pogacar has made a substantial leap in the last 2 seasons. That should be evident to everyone considering his level of dominance in all types of races over the entire season.

 

[Cathryn]

Can’t see if this has been discussed before, apologies if so.

Is there any chance Onley can still claw back that minute to get on the podium? Is it over or does he still have a day (or two) to fight?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Can’t see if this has been discussed before, apologies if so.

Is there any chance Onley can still claw back that minute to get on the podium? Is it over or does he still have a day (or two) to fight?

Very unlikely barring illness or misfortune, or perhaps insanity for Lipo I'd say. There's just no way of opening up that kind of gap on the remaining terrain.

 

[M.R.M]

In theory yes, but unlikely. Lipowitz has to stick on him. Onley could in theory try to drop him towards the end of tomorrow's stage, but that shouldn't be possible. He could try to drop him on the Mon Martre climb in S21 though.

 

[Legs]

In theory yes, but unlikely. Lipowitz has to stick on him. Onley could in theory try to drop him towards the end of tomorrow's stage, but that shouldn't be possible. He could try to drop him on the Mon Martre climb in S21 though.

The last time there was a GC change on the last stage of the TDF was Vinokourov taking the stage win and overhauling Leipheimer in 2005.

 

[DeadCalm]

If the stage hadn't been shortened they would definitely have tried something along the lines of what they've been doing before. It would have been a bit desperate, but Pog is finally looking a bit tired so today might have been the day when they could make something stick at last. It's a shame that with a strategy of attritional fatigue they've been trying all Tour fate chopped a load of the last big mountain stage off.

The strategy of attritional fatigue had done for half his team. Kuss, Jorgensen and WVA all struggled yesterday. They didn't have the legs to drop Pog even had the stage not been shortened.

 

[Pross]

The last time there was a GC change on the last stage of the TDF was Vinokourov taking the stage win and overhauling Leipheimer in 2005.

The final stage is very different this year though. The problem is the gaps are too big

 

[ktmbiker58]

I don't understand this. Vingos playbook is sitting on the wheel and not attacking.....he did again today ....and yet people are surprised.....not attacking is what he does.

I think we were all waiting for the much vaunted Visma Plan B -

 

[phreak]

Merckx famously refused to wear the maillot jaune after Ocaña’s crash in the 1971 Tour.

As did Salvoldelli after Pantani was disqualified from the 99 Giro.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Another poor day of weather forecast, with temperatures mostly under 20C.

 

[Aravis]

I wondered about something being up. He just didn’t seem his normal self to me.
I put it down to 3 weeks racing and the previous stage.
I think you are closer to the truth.

From his demeanour and statements, I'm wondering if he might be suffering from depression.

 

[Pblakeney]

From his demeanour and statements, I'm wondering if he might be suffering from depression.

Pressure from being top dog?
Not just racing but the whole corporate thing and not being allowed to be a loose canon on the road.

 

[mididoctors]

The strategy of attritional fatigue had done for half his team. Kuss, Jorgensen and WVA all struggled yesterday. They didn't have the legs to drop Pog even had the stage not been shortened.

It was poorly executed across the three weeks . Tour was then lost comprehensively at the "débâcle dans la Soulor"

There was no way back saving some outlandish event