119th Paris - Tours Elite (12-10-2025)

[Sciatic]

I tuned into the Gravel Worlds and they’re riding on asphalt, and I switch over to Paris-Tours and they’re riding on gravel.

Perfect!

 

[Sciatic]

What the hell was that?

My favorite type of forum commentary! Only half joking, because think about it, how often do we hear a broadcaster just say what is a very natural response out loud?

 

[Danskebjerge]

Cycling is still alive!

It felt like an anachronism.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Got the chance to rewatch the final 2 hours of Paris tours, great racing, lapeira the absolute clown made a great attack and was on the limit for 30+km only to waste it in 200m, genuinely couldn't believe what I was watching

 

[Hugh Januss]

Got the chance to rewatch the final 2 hours of Paris tours, great racing, lapeira the absolute clown made a great attack and was on the limit for 30+km only to waste it in 200m, genuinely couldn't believe what I was watching

The podium was all the guys who worked in the chase group.

 

[tobydawq]

Lapeira threw it. Gruel was put in a losing position and rightly didn't tow the better sprinter.

Lapeira is a better sprinter than Gruel?

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Got the chance to rewatch the final 2 hours of Paris tours, great racing, lapeira the absolute clown made a great attack and was on the limit for 30+km only to waste it in 200m, genuinely couldn't believe what I was watching

Watching that I was like, just when I think I understand cycling a little bit I see this and I feel like I'm right back to where I had started. Entertaining race though, even though the finale was an amusing headscratcher served up by the two Frenchmen.

 

[chiocciolis_calves]

I agree with the unfortunate degrading of this race's status, but on the other hand, folks still read the CN headlines or use the home page? I haven't bothered in years.

Regardless, even within the sport, it has been demoted, which makes no sense. An age-old race with a verifiable who's who of the history of the sport as winners, which consistently produces exciting racing, and is a perfect capstone for the season, and it's relegated to 1. status. If you ask me which classic is the biggest yawner, year-in-and-year-out, it's Fleche Wallone. Wait five hours for the last half-kilometer to see who times it right.

 

[tobydawq]

Trentin still got it. First podium for Fat Albert in a big one day race? Also lol at the average speed.

He was second at Tre Valli Varesine this Tuesday.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I won’t leave Gruel blameless. Lapeira must’ve told him “I have a guy behind, I’m not leading out” and Gruel decided in that moment that finishing 5th was better than 2nd.

Gruel could/should have replied "And that guy is Stefan Bisseger: do you want to leave your team's chance in a sprint to him?"

 

[Peter von]

sometimes both loose in a game of chicken and that what happened yesterday, both blinked too late.

Obviously they should have just kept racing until 200 m to go and just do the sprint and see who had the most gas left in the tank, but alas they probably both felt the other guy was the strongest.

 

[Netserk]

Lapeira is a better sprinter than Gruel?

Not emphatically, but in a two-man sprint in PT, I'd definitely favour him.

 

[tobydawq]

Not emphatically, but in a two-man sprint in PT, I'd definitely favour him.

The sprint did support that but that would've been difficult to say before, I'd say.

 

[Sciatic]

Regardless, even within the sport, it has been demoted, which makes no sense. An age-old race with a verifiable who's who of the history of the sport as winners, which consistently produces exciting racing, and is a perfect capstone for the season, and it's relegated to 1. status. If you ask me which classic is the biggest yawner, year-in-and-year-out, it's Fleche Wallone. Wait five hours for the last half-kilometer to see who times it right.

I agree it's sad that it has lost so much status and its old position on the calendar. It also used to make an interesting fall "double" to win Paris-Tours and Lombardia since they were usually withing a week of one another.

 

[Leinster]

Gruel could/should have replied "And that guy is Stefan Bisseger: do you want to leave your team's chance in a sprint to him?"

Gruel can’t possibly have known that.

But yes.



Bisseger should have attacked the chase group. Sitting on Trenton/Laporte’s wheel was doing nothing to help the other 2 stay clear.

 

[Leinster]

Trentin still got it. First podium for Fat Albert in a big one day race? Also lol at the average speed.

Fastest average speed in P-T since Trenton won it in 2015!

It’s always been one of the fastest races. Even with the gravel roads, it’s not much slower now that the riders are used to it.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Gruel can’t possibly have known that.

No team radio?

 

[Leinster]

No team radio?

Maybe. But in the final 20km of a classic, how clearly can you communicate that from the car to the rider? “If they try to play games, don’t buy it, they have a diesel behind.”