Men's Road Cycling UCI World Tour 2023 (Tour de France)

[heywoodu 14,897]

14 minutes ago, Jinzha said:

What else could Vingegaard do except for following? We all know Pogacar is more explosive on the attacks. I feel like as soon as it was clear they were going for the stage win, this was the logical outcome.

 

The Pinot climb was incredible, I wish he had won as well.

Vingegaard had nothing to lose, there was no way he was going to lose 7 minutes (yet he kept looking behind nervously as if Pogacar could somehow close the 7 minutes any moment). He did have something to win, a nice stage (entirely without any risk for his yellow jersey). To do that, his only chance was to go full on the climb and try and break Pogacar there, he had 6-7km to do so. Not doing anything and almost going for a sur place was basically just Vingegaard telling Pogacar "No, I do not want to stage, please take the stage win".

 

It feels a little like a typical ending for the Tour, which was won by easily the strongest rider/team, but also an equally boring rider. I am fully aware the result is the only thing that counts in the end, so one can hardly blame them, but let's say as a fan the heart rate does not go up a single beat when watching Vingegaard and 'Jumbo-Sky'/'US Postal-Visma'/etc. Sort of a Louis Meintjes in course tactics (wait, wait, wait, wait, finish), just a ten times stronger version  

Edited July 23, 2023 by heywoodu

[frantic13poland 55]

Stage 21

[frantic13poland 55]

[hckošice 14,768]

Last 10km in cycling competition of Peter Sagan are about to come

 

Thanks for all legend !

[heywoodu 14,897]

What a sprint by Meeus

 

Jasper Disaster beaten at last

[Olympian1010 7,935]

Phenomenal win by Meeus. I think even he was surprised to have won the stage 

[heywoodu 14,897]

2 hours ago, hckošice said:

Last 10km in cycling competition of Peter Sagan are about to come

 

Thanks for all legend !

Apparently ending his career in a team that's so unprofessional, they were/are riding with (partially) two year old bikes/equipment...

 

https://sporza.be/nl/2023/07/22/verbijstering-over-2-jaar-oude-cranks-van-peter-sagan-wraakroepend-in-2023~1690056185058/

 

He deserved a better ending than disappearing into nowhere at one of those anonymous French teams, but at least there is the memories of a whole lot better than this (specifically the solo wins ).