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Pog on a mission.
Here we go again... 🙄
Regardless of the winner, Vingegaard looks borked.
Remco did very well.
Vingegaard looks borked.
He won the Giro in pretty dominant fashion.
And now, Pogacar is doing to him what he was able to do to everyone else, it's a proper morale sapper. He just looks bewildered. Poor guy.
Remco had a remarkable comeback there, bloke is a machine.
Just caught the last 20km or so, how did Pidcock crash?
Just looked like his front wheel slid out on a corner..... Prudhomme had had a similar thing on the same corner a few moments earlier but saved it. Ive not seen any comments from Pidcock yet though
Just caught the last 20km or so, how did Pidcock crash?
Some talk on commentary that he'd clipped his inside pedal, some discussion about whether all that white on the road was paint that had been washed off or chalk dust and how slippery it was... No-one really seemed sure, it wasn't captured on camera as the initial moment of fall was out of sight around the bend.
I suppose it's conceivable that he clipped a wheel or braked / swerved to avoid a wheel clip too - perhaps the rider in front of him braked a bit more sharply or took a different line to what Tom was expecting. He did a good job to jump on and chase back into the group though, it clearly didn't affect him that much.
I wonder what the biggest lead by the eventual winner after day 1, week two is? He's not going to sit back and just defend it is he?
Bids for number of stages he'll have won by the end of the tour?
Gripping stuff 🥱
Bids for number of stages he'll have won by the end of the tour?
Well so far he's won Stages 3, 6 and 10 (and he would have won Stage 2 if he hadn't gifted it to del Toro).
The next 2 stages are flat so unlikely.
Stage 13 is hilly but with a descent to the finish so that's probably less likely.
Stage 14 and 15 are mountain, 15 with a summit finish up a HC so I'm going to say he'll win one of those.
Then it's a short (26km) TT - I think he'll be top 3 but it might go to Evenepoel or Ganna.
17 is flat, another for the sprinters.
18, 19 and 20 are all mountain stages, 19 and 20 both finishing on Alpe d'Huez. I think he'll win at least one of those.
21 is into Paris but it uses the Montmatre circuit again so that's possible. He was fairly close last year but beaten by WvA.
So I think either 14 or 15.
At least one, probably 2 of stages 18 / 19 / 20.
So another 2 stage wins for sure, maybe 4 possible to give 7 stage wins in total.
I like Jonas, but today was not his day at all. In fact unless he improves, I think he may struggle to podium. His team look no better. When pog went Jonas had nothing. If he improves, Pog only has to mark him. Great comeback from Remco who will want to win the ITT. I thought he was toasted. Watched the C5 summary despite having TNT. Same studio and coverage. Not bad at all.
Just caught the last 20km or so, how did Pidcock crash
TNT team (Adam Blythe I think) suggested a pedal strike, s as mentioned above, but since another q36.5 rider aka went down at the same place (can’t recall who offhand, will check. EDIT: Chris Harper, who came off worse and had blood all over his hands) the SBS commentary team were wondering if the tyres used by the team might have been an issue. Tom especially was in the middle of a line of riders, and the repeated clip I saw on the highlights didn’t seem to show any jolt as of a pedal strike, it sudden braking, just the front wheel washing out
Tom Pidcock said in an interview it was "white shit" they'd put down on the roads, which made the corner very slippy. His interview is on the TNT cycling instagram.
I like Jonas, but today was not his day at all. In fact unless he improves, I think he may struggle to podium.
I thought the same while watching the race, then in the highlights programm I saw that pre-race he was masked up. This suggests that there's something going round the peloton or maybe even round the team, and they're concerned. It does seem more and more common that there's an bug sweeping throug the riders but Jonas' performance makes me wonder if he might have something already
Tom Pidcock said in an interview it was "white shit" they'd put down on the roads, which made the corner very slippy. His interview is on the TNT cycling instagram.
Hannah Walker mentioned "lime milk" had been put down over melting tarmac.
UCI reverse a relegation decision. That must be a first.
I thought the same while watching the race, then in the highlights programm I saw that pre-race he was masked up.
He almost always is. Prevention better than cure etc. A lot of teams are still really careful about respiratory stuff, especially given how hot and cramped it is around the start / finish areas, how many people are trying to interview them, breathing in the riders faces as they ask the same inane questions.
There's reports that Matteo Jorgenson is unwell and is being effectively quarantined from the rest of the team (separate meals, vehicles, etc) so no big surprise that Jonas is masking too. If Jonas is ill himself I'd be surprised if we hear about it until either he leaves the race or the race ends. Otherwise the other teams racing for podium spots* are likely to turn the screws on him.
*Maybe UAE too just to be on the safe side but I'm not sure how that would differ from how they're riding already.
Apparently today was the fastest ever stage of the Tour, average speed (tailwind assisted) was 50.9kph (31.6mph). Lovely to see a relatively 'quiet' name get the win too, he sounded so thrilled by it.
For comparison, I've just descended a local hill, a lovely long gradual descent, only about 3.5% average gradient but enough that you can wind up a fairly big gear and hold a good speed - and my average down that segment was 29.2mph. Pro speeds are just bonkers!
I think most of the stage was headwind. The first couple of hours were at around 56kph.
For comparison, I've just descended a local hill, a lovely long gradual descent, only about 3.5% average gradient but enough that you can wind up a fairly big gear and hold a good speed - and my average down that segment was 29.2mph. Pro speeds are just bonkers
On the other side I was looking on Strava a Kwiakowski averaged 198watts for the stage. Now I couldn't do that for 4 hours but I could for an hour or so (not that simple I know with surges etc) and I doubt my nerves would take more than 2 mins at those speeds in a bunch...but still
On the other side I was looking on Strava a Kwiakowski averaged 198watts for the stage.
I think it was Chris Froome who said that sitting in the wheels, especially on flat stages, you'd save so much effort just being towed along by the draft of the peloton that you could actually end up losing fitness.
There's a recent GCN video where Ollie Bridgewood goes for a ride with two Lotto pros on one of their zone 2 days. Now for an amateur, he's actually very good plus he's got access to things like heat training, wind tunnels, all manner of free nutrition etc but he's hanging on throughout, he admits that the effort he's putting in to simply stay with them is near enough his threshold. Then they just cruise away from him on the final hill. 😂
Then they just cruise away from him on the final hill.
And I think one of them was even eating a Callipo just to rub it in. All relative though, I am fairly good at riding up hill so can go pass some cyclists like they are not moving which is exactly what would happen to me if I came across a pro.
I am the cyclist everyone cruises past when the ground goes up 😀
Anyway, today's stage is mostly flat with a few lumpy rolling bits towards the end. One for the breakaway?! Probably unlikely given the relative lack of sprint stages, everyone will be keen to bring this back together...
https://inrng.com/2026/07/tour-de-france-stage-12/
Oi, I resemble that comment!
Says the man who has dropped me on almost every ride we've been on, and who was mortally offended enough when I took his KOM to rope in a domestique to tow him to the start of the segment so he could reclaim it 😀
Absolutely mental start, 65kph as they try to get a breakaway established
15km to go, it all came back together and it's just exploded - attacks flying left right and centre, no organisation or coordination, everyone chasing every move. It's flat out!
Nasty crash at end
I've enjoyed the last couple of stages - exciting sprint action and not just Pogo pedalling off the front. Merlier gets such acceleration - I'm surprised his tyres don't melt!
I've enjoyed the last couple of stages - exciting sprint action and not just Pogo pedalling off the front.
Flat stages in recent years have been pretty good. Much more action than the previous script of "let break go - pull break back - have sprint".
It's all go now, everyone is on a fairly level playing field, there are tactics and interest throughout. That was a great stage, just a shame about that crash in the last few hundred metres. That's been a relative rarity so far this Tour as well.
I've enjoyed the last couple of stages - exciting sprint action and not just Pogo pedalling off the front. Merlier gets such acceleration - I'm surprised his tyres don't melt!
So 3 sprint wins better than 3 climber wins?
Flat stages in recent years have been pretty good. Much more action than the previous script of "let break go - pull break back - have sprint".
Though as we saw today if the break is kept too close some riders will throw the towel in. Ultimately the danger there is you have no break, a long, slow, boring procession, and a sprint.
So 3 sprint wins better than 3 climber wins?
At least with a sprint win it's in the balance until the last second. Watching Pogacar ride alone for 40km to a dead cert win is hardly riveting stuff...
Tomorrow is an interesting one. Long stage (205km), first 3/4s flat then with a 3rd Cat and 1st Cat climb then a descent to the finish.
My velogames team has risen up the ranks from almost last thanks to Merlier and Girmay
I really enjoyed everyone taking lumps out of each other from about 40km to go.
The TNT/Channel 5 commentators are dreadful. So many examples make me shout at the tv. One of the ongoing worst examples is the pronunciation of /micro pause "Gan-Na"
Is it my old ears or can I hear booing when the yellow jersey is on the podium ?
Is it my old ears or can I hear booing when the yellow jersey is on the podium ?
He got booed a lot on the climb where he won the stage the other day. People are bored of his constant dominance.
The TNT/Channel 5 commentators are dreadful. So many examples make me shout at the tv. One of the ongoing worst examples is the pronunciation of /micro pause "Gan-Na"
Sean Kelly is the worst. Pogger-Char and Vinner-Go, lots of riders in difficulty on dis difficult day but dey just need to carry on for de remaining noomber of killer-meeters.
Little Jules Merlier was the star today when his father was being interviewed.
One of the ongoing worst examples is the pronunciation of /micro pause "Gan-Na"
Carlton's Garner is the worst. I do quite enjoy playing Carlton Bullshit Bingo.
"Got his Gander up" and "Bouche Amuse" are two of his best.
It's interesting how sprint stages have evolved in recent years. As speeds have increased, the relative effort required to close any gaps has gone up so now the sprinters teams can't give too much gap or they won't be able to close it. It gives rise to stages like today where after the break was caught the sprinter teams were too cooked to keep the pace up so the speed kept dropping, encouraging more attacks. Great fun to watch, although I am starting to miss the traditional slow procession followed by a building of tension in the last 10 mins of old style sprint stages.
scrolled through the TNT Breakaway last night looking at the Events filter. Huge number of punctures for a flat stage. Don’t run zero puncture proof time trial tyres tubeless when the roads are damp! And there was me thinking about swapping to some GP5000 TTs on the race bike! Sadly no team car 🚘 in our club!
the sprinter teams were too cooked to keep the pace up so the speed kept dropping, encouraging more attacks. Great fun to watch,
looked like every 4th cat race in the run in to the finish. It was very funny
Huge number of punctures for a flat stage. Don’t run zero puncture proof time trial tyres tubeless when the roads are damp!
There was a GCN video the other day looking at TdF Tech and expressing surprise at the kit choices that some teams were using.
I know that teams will always push the limits looking for ever lighter or faster but you're not going very fast when you're standing at the side of the road awaiting a spare bike because your paper thin tyres have punctured again...
Some teams are apparently using tubeless tyres without sealant to save weight. 🙄
Breakaway today SURELY
Well, that's definitely a massive breakaway with a substantial gap.
Fred Wright and Tom Pidcock both in it.
