Tour de France 2026 ***Spoilers***

[mididoctors]

Soo... the mountains competition. I must admit I had the rules wrong, and I've never been very interested. I thought there were extra or double points at mountain top finishes. But there aren't. It's quite simple. All 25-15-12 ... down to 2 for 10th for HC climbs. Less for the others. That's it. No extras for the highest point of the race or for finishes.

The top 3 are: Carapaz 91, Pog 90, VPP 86. Next is Remco but he's way down.

There are 3 HC climbs tomorrow, worth 25-15-12... each and a cat 1 worth 10-8-6... I think we can assume that Pog will win tomorrow, because he always does, and that will involve winning the final HC climb. We can probably also assume that Pog doesn't give a hoot about the mountains comp so he probably won't score on the other climbs. So Pog will end the day on 115.

So if Carapaz can score 25 ot more points he'll stay the jersey. Failing that, if Paret-Peintre scores 29 or more he will take it.

Then on stage 21 there are four passages over cat 4 Montmatre. But they are worth only 1 each. So if either of RC or VPP is in the jersey after tomorrow, they would do well to have a lead of at least two, because there's a high probability of Pog taking at least one.

Exciting innit?

No? How about mildly diverting?

Pog may incidentally pick up.s few. Carapaz needs to get the Galibier

 

[mididoctors]

Anyhow, I don’t see Pogačar getting back to back wins without the help of the other podium contenders. His team did a great job today, but still needed some help.
Tomorrow is a lot longer and a lot harder.
A strong breakaway could make it, as long as there are no short, Work-shy French blokes in it.

If Pog GC group got to the
Alpe 20 sec later ? It was close

 

[mididoctors]

Based off of today, Red Bull has every incentive to help UAE. Remco is in the form of his life and even able to attack a group he'd normally be dangling off of. Controlling the stage should cement his P2.

The time gaps are pretty big but you don't want some escapade , red bull will drop a rider in the break and pace behind

 

[mididoctors]

Pidcock has a 9 min gap to 11th to defend ... He's going to take a kicking I think

 

[Pblakeney]

Honestly not surprising. Pog was waving people to get out of the way & dodged a large flag during his chase, moto was in the way of Remco after his attack. Half a meter more on each side would still deliver all the atmosphere and not infringe on the competition.

Carapaz nearly got taken out by one "fan". They were too close today.
I know there is a history of such actions but the "sea" used to part earlier, and wider.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Remco, del Toro and Seixas started the climb in the same group as Pog did they not? (If not, ignore me).

If so, Remco's time would be 37:56 putting him 7th between Ullrich and Armstrong's lower time.
del Toro and Seixas, at 38:08 and 38:12 would slot in between Zulle and Virenque at 11th and 12th.

Ahem....

They slot in between Zulle and Virenque at 11th and 13th.

Skjelly slots in at 12th. I don't know where Fred Wright comes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Ahem....

They slot in between Zulle and Virenque at 11th and 13th.

View attachment 816100

Skjelly slots in at 12th. I don't know where Fred Wright comes.

I deliberately excluded Skjelmose because, while I was fairly sure that Remco, DT and Seixas were in the same group as Pog at the base of the climb I didn't know if he was ahead of them or not.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I deliberately excluded Skjelmose because, while I was fairly sure that Remco, DT and Seixas were in the same group as Pog at the base of the climb I didn't know if he was ahead of them or not.

They were all in the same group. Exactly which order I'm not sure. So unless there's evidence Seixas was bike lengths behind him 12th is Skjelly's, and I'll put anyone who denies it on the naughty list.

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

There's 2 separate lists aren't there? The naighty list, and then an extra special list for those "denying Viking greatness"?

 

[wakemalcolm]

Seixas is only a bad day away from not being the best Frenchman on GC, although I can't see Martinez being offered the same sedan chair ride opportunity as he did today.

 

[Binky]

Pogacar ride just extraordinary. We all knew he'd probably do something like that on Alpe D'Huez but the manner of it, the sheer speed compared to the rest was just incredible. He also didn't look as stressed as the others were, likes of Carapaz would attack then grimace 20secs later and have to ease off whilst all the time Pogacar was pounding onwards. Of all his victories and dominance this was the one for me.

As for the idiots on the roadside, absolutely nuts. It's fantastic to have such an atmosphere but it's too much, too dangerous.

 

[Pross]

Pogacar ride just extraordinary. We all knew he'd probably do something like that on Alpe D'Huez but the manner of it, the sheer speed compared to the rest was just incredible. He also didn't look as stressed as the others were, likes of Carapaz would attack then grimace 20secs later and have to ease off whilst all the time Pogacar was pounding onwards. Of all his victories and dominance this was the one for me.

As for the idiots on the roadside, absolutely nuts. It's fantastic to have such an atmosphere but it's too much, too dangerous.

Carapaz had been in the break as he had in previous days including bridging to the break before winning the previous day. Pog had a ‘day off’ on Stage 19 and sat in the group for much of yesterday. It’s hardly a surprise Carapaz was grimacing, I was actually surprised him and Martinez held Pog’s wheel so long, not many do that.

Having said that, the chase was incredible and rarely for Pog actually created some excitement on whether he would make it or not (helped by dodgy timings) and then whether he could break them. It was like watching Pantani’s famous chase in the ‘99 Giro.

 

[Binky]

Carapaz had been in the break as he had in previous days including bridging to the break before winning the previous day. Pog had a ‘day off’ on Stage 19 and sat in the group for much of yesterday. It’s hardly a surprise Carapaz was grimacing, I was actually surprised him and Martinez held Pog’s wheel so long, not many do that.

Having said that, the chase was incredible and rarely for Pog actually created some excitement on whether he would make it or not (helped by dodgy timings) and then whether he could break them. It was like watching Pantani’s famous chase in the ‘99 Giro.

Oh I'm not criticising Carapaz and I just used him as an example, all the others were well into the red as well. My point was the comparison to Pogacar from everyone else. He is head and shoulders above them.
I was hoping the 3 man break of Carapaz, Kuss and Martinez would compete for the stage at the end but you have to admire Pogacar, he is a phenomenon.

TdF 2028 and he breaks tour stage wins record at this rate.

 

[roadrash]

There really are some selfish pricks at the roadside.

they arent "fans" any true cycling fan would not risk interfering with the race, they are simply piss heads with hardly a brain cell between them

 

[Blazing Saddles]

The weather forecast doesn’t look great. I hope we get a safe race and not a repeat of 2019.