Men's Road Cycling UCI World Tour 2025 (Tour de France)

[Michael Scott 10]

Seems odd that the sport is heading in a direction of trying to make things safer but then a stage like this happens where even a clueless idiot like myself expected this to happen. 

[heywoodu 15,997]

2 hours ago, Michael Scott said:

Seems odd that the sport is heading in a direction of trying to make things safer but then a stage like this happens where even a clueless idiot like myself expected this to happen. 

Yeah, with a stage like yesterday they really missed out on trying to balance things. They made it so boring that people were just tuning out and you're not going to get viewers with stages like this, while at the same time making the peloton take it so easy that they're going into the - already somewhat unwise looking - last 20 kilometers absolutely hyper-energized. Yeah, that's going to go wrong....the main Dutch preview I read every morning was already quite clear about it yesterday before the start

 

Loosely translated ('three out of three' points to the sentences before, where he was talking about Alpecin hitting two out of two):

 

Quote

"It could even become three out of three now, because the next stage might suit Philipsen once again. No longer in yellow, but now in green. And he’ll be able to defend that jersey just fine, because what’s coming is an utter embarrassment of a stage. A route that should be banned. Everything that could go wrong does go wrong here — this is a blunder of the highest order. What did we ever do to deserve being subjected to this stage?"

 

Quote

"Stage 3 of the Tour de France is the one that hurts my soul the most. After finishing in Boulogne-sur-Mer, we suddenly find ourselves in Valenciennes the next day — and I honestly don’t get it. It’s 80 kilometers from yesterday’s finish to today’s finish, but from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Valenciennes it’s 170 kilometers. So the riders have to spend twice as long on the team bus just to get from one stage to the next. What a waste of time — and in this case, also a waste of potential.

If they’d just made life a bit easier and started the stage in Dunkirk, we could’ve had an amazing cobbled stage around Valenciennes. Instead, we’re going in the wrong direction and skipping the cobbles altogether. Makes zero sense.

Sure, a cobbled stage is risky, but the last two stages were just as dangerous. We’re being robbed of some serious fun here — and the riders are being made to travel even longer. More CO2 emissions from the extra transfer too. This stage sucks on every possible level.

Honestly, I’d prefer to waste as few words on this mess as possible, and I’ll try. This stage should have started in Dunkirk and should have finished in Valenciennes, with a few sectors from Paris-Roubaix and the GP Denain in the finale. The fact that we’re missing out on that is a disgrace.

Shame on you, ASO."

 

[Gianlu33 5,276]

Pogacar is an alien 

100th victory for him.

Edited July 8 by Gianlu33

[Grassmarket 4,026]

 Oscar Onley into White!  

 

2027 Tour will very likely pass through his home town - it's one of the very regular venues on Scottish stages of world class races.  

Edited July 8 by Grassmarket

[Federer91 3,020]

100th win for Tadej  18th down in the Tour, 18 left 

[heywoodu 15,997]

Awesome stage  

 

Pogacar and Vingegaard were unreal on the Rampe, as someone specialized in analyzing climbs and efforts noted, it may be the best ever 2-minute effort in professional cycling, absolutely insane  

[ChandlerMne 1,202]

Again, I'm speachless. Having a cardio like that. Just unbelievable.

[Olympian1010 8,228]

9 hours ago, Grassmarket said:

 Oscar Onley into White!  

Definitely looking like someone who challenge for a podium place if he stays on his bike and healthy for the next few weeks. 

 

Vauquelin  still in white, however, as he's also in good form at the moment.

Edited July 9 by Olympian1010

[Alessandro22 2]

Really enjoying all the insights here—especially the talk around how the time trials and mountain stages might shape the GC this year. With how unpredictable the peloton has become, even the early stages could spring surprises.

 

Looking forward to seeing how the race unfolds and who takes yellow in Paris!

Edited July 9 by Sindo

[heywoodu 15,997]

4 hours ago, Alessandro22 said:

Really enjoying all the insights here—especially the talk around how the time trials and mountain stages might shape the GC this year. With how unpredictable the peloton has become, even the early stages could spring surprises.

 

Looking forward to seeing how the race unfolds and who takes yellow in Paris!

To be fair, chances are the GC is done and dusted since yesterday  

 

Pogacar might lose it for a bit in the time trial today, but it is kinda feeling like yet another one of those one man shows where we can mostly just hope for some nice individual stages..