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.