Tour de France 2026 ***Spoilers***

[No Ta Doctor]

So, what made the 2026 tour really special? What was it that made Christian Prudhomme's chest swell with pride? What really drew the fans to the roadside?

Why, it was the 10th Tour in succession to have featured Guillaume Martin, of course! That's a cause for celebration!

Sadly for fans of le Grimpeur Philosophe he was 31st, his lowest placing apart from his 2022 DNF.

But, all the same, hurrah!

Who is this rider of which you speak? I do not recognise him. Perhaps you mean to refer to philosopher and enemy of the patriarchy
Guillaume Martin Guyonnet?

 

[Dogtrousers]

They’re people who came to cycling in the 00s and believed all the stories of derring do trotted out by the likes of Rapha and Rouleur magazine. There seems to have been a confusion between not starting racing when an opponent has a mishap and stopping racing when it happens.

Preaching to the converted and off topic I know, but it irks me.

Pidcock waited for Pog in last year's SB because it was in his own interest, he didn't want to wear himself out in a futile attempt to stay ahead. But if victory had been within his grasp he would not (and should not) have waited.

Did MvDP wait for Pog in last year's Roubaix? Of course not! He just muttered "this is how to ride the cobbles" as he disappeared off down the road.

Jonas waited for Pog on that descent 2022 because it was all over, and he'd won.

People moaned when Bertie attacked Andy Schleck when the latter dropped his chain and in that case they may have had a point.

Armstrong waiting for Ulrich was a deliberate flex. He wanted to rub Ulrich's nose in it when he beat him, which he did. That's my completely unreliable memory. I could be wrong there but anyway if you're holding Armstrong up as an example of sportsmanship you've lost the plot.

 

[phreak]

Preaching to the converted and off topic I know, but it irks me.

Pidcock waited for Pog in last year's SB because it was in his own interest, he didn't want to wear himself out in a futile attempt to stay ahead. But if victory had been within his grasp he would not (and should not) have waited.

Did MvDP wait for Pog in last year's Roubaix? Of course not! He just muttered "this is how to ride the cobbles" as he disappeared off down the road.

Jonas waited for Pog on that descent 2022 because it was all over, and he'd won.

People moaned when Bertie attacked Andy Schleck when the latter dropped his chain and in that case they may have had a point.

Armstrong waiting for Ulrich was a deliberate flex. He wanted to rub Ulrich's nose in it when he beat him, which he did. That's my completely unreliable memory. I could be wrong there but anyway if you're holding Armstrong up as an example of sportsmanship you've lost the plot.

Ullrich waiting for Armstrong in 2003 is arguably the most well known one.

 

[kingrollo]

Yes, I think you must have. I'll await your alternative interpretation of why Jonas was pulling a bunch of podium hopefuls around France even though they weren't contributing, why he went to the front on Le Markstein and why he had his team lined out pacing toward the foot of Plateau de Solaison when he crashed out. I'm sure it'll make interesting reading

Depends if you what you describe amounts to challenging Pog. YMMV

 

[M.R.M]

Will they though? If Pogacar retired tonight, he'd have one more Grand Tour win than Roglic. Heck, Vingegaard is currently level with Roberto Heras. I think we all know who the better cyclists are out of those pairings.

Well at present Jonas has 2 wins at the Tour + 1 Giro + 1 Vuelta. 4 total.

Say he wins 3 Giri and 3 Vueltae (?) to get him to 10 GT's with 2 Tour wins. I'm fairly certain he would be considered an all time great, first ballot hall of famer or whatever.

Say instead he focuses on the Tour and beating Pogacar (honourable), but does not succeed & stays at 4 GT's. I'm certain that will negatively affect the perception of his career down the line (outside of this forum 😉).

 

[Dogtrousers]

. I'm certain that will negatively affect the perception of his career down the line (outside of this forum 😉).

But surely perception outside this forum is trivial and irrelevant.

 

[Legs]

There is no random soft break transition stages won by Fabio roscioli or Sergey utchekov anymore

*Bruno Cenghialta has entered the chat*