Critérium du Dauphiné 2025, June 8 - 15

[Tim Cahill]

Milan is just here for conditioning, Groenewegen and others sometimes do the same trick where they turn up here looking like they can't get over a motorway bridge before the tour, never been that good at this sort of hill anyway.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I don‘t think Milan looks bad here, he‘s nominally a bottom 5-10 climber in a Dauphiné field, a lot of other bad climbers just don‘t do this race.

 

[SafeBet]

I don‘t think Milan looks bad here, he‘s nominally a bottom 5-10 climber in a Dauphiné field, a lot of other bad climbers just don‘t do this race.

Milan is not that bad of a climber. This is indeed worrying unless he just came down from altitude or he's suffering from the heat.

 

[Heston]

Milan is just here for conditioning, Groenewegen and others sometimes do the same trick where they turn up here looking like they can't get over a motorway bridge before the tour, never been that good at this sort of hill anyway.

I mean with the amount of work Trek have done already in these 2 stages, he is not just here to ride into shape.

 

[Samamba]

Milan is not that bad of a climber. This is indeed worrying unless he just came down from altitude or he's suffering from the heat.

He's definitely worse than normal, but it's 4 weeks till the Tour. He's fine. And yes he just came down from his first altitude camp ever. So yeah...

I mean with the amount of work Trek have done already in these 2 stages, he is not just here to ride into shape.

You can try to win while also being here to get better

 

[QueenStagiaire]

This is some really dumb fight for positions again

 

[Brullnux]

Mads should have been in the Tour over Milan.

Given the opening week of the Tour, I agree. That said, in a flat stage Pedersen doesn't come top five (especially this year's version), so in a normal Tour I think Milan is a better bet to win more stages.

 

[Samamba]

If we talk about someone being bad... Magnus Cort...

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Some Cyclocross action there

 

[Brullnux]

Milan is not that bad of a climber. This is indeed worrying unless he just came down from altitude or he's suffering from the heat.

In all honesty, his climbing performances have (so far) been worse this year than last. Had better performances in Dwars and GW last year, though Dwars was raced much harder this time around.

In my head, the upper end of climbing level is what we saw in the Giro stage to Napoli last year. He's been worse than that this year, but obviously he may still improve in the coming month.

 

[Potomac]

Where is @Tricycle Rider with the gushing posts about the scenery? It's easier for me to just like the posts, now I feel like I need to be writing them myself.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Where is @Tricycle Rider with the gushing posts about the scenery? It's easier for me to just like the posts, now I feel like I need to be writing them myself.

Sleeping I guess.

 

[SafeBet]

In all honesty, his climbing performances have (so far) been worse this year than last. Had better performances in Dwars and GW last year, though Dwars was raced much harder this time around.

In my head, the upper end of climbing level is what we saw in the Giro stage to Napoli last year. He's been worse than that this year, but obviously he may still improve in the coming month.

Gualdo Tadino in last year's TA was probably better than Napoli.
And AlUla Tour in 2023 albeit in a much weaker field.

I agree he's been climbing worse than expected in 2025.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Time for a second home in the southern hemisphere

He was obviously spoilt by the balmy climes of County Wicklow as a child: not like the frozen norselands.

 

[Boehmand]

Given the opening week of the Tour, I agree. That said, in a flat stage Pedersen doesn't come top five (especially this year's version), so in a normal Tour I think Milan is a better bet to win more stages.

Not top 5 is a bit far.

I'd concede Philipsen and Merlier - but who else would beat him consistently in flat bunch sprints at the Tour (of which there are only 2 - the other 3 sprints are uphill)?

Just for clarity, I know it's a moot point, they are not suddenly bringing Pedersen instead, that ship has sailed.

 

[Potomac]

I love those random buildings you just see in the middle of a field. Why was it ever built?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

He likes to live in Copenhagen because of his wife and kids -

I was expecting to read that they live nowhere near...

 

[Boehmand]

If we talk about someone being bad... Magnus Cort...

Apparently he is supposed to ride lead out in sprint finishes this race, which is a horrible idea given his lacking ability for positioning.

(and then Wærenskjold wins after a brilliant Cort lead out, just you wait )

 

[dobrien]

This finale has the potential to blow up very nicely!! We can hope...

 

[Boehmand]

Look at the grass, not a single blade moving in the wind - and yet they all ride as IF there was crosswinds

 

[Tim Cahill]

They are just going stupid fast

 

[Sciatic]

What was that crazy charge to the front by Visma about?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Nils Politt really making the most of actually being where he should be for the very first time this season by starting an argument.

 

[Andre]

come on Remco move up a bit!!!

 

[Brullnux]

Not top 5 is a bit far.

I'd concede Philipsen and Merlier - but who else would beat him consistently in flat bunch sprints at the Tour (of which there are only 2 - the other 3 sprints are uphill)?

Just for clarity, I know it's a moot point, they are not suddenly bringing Pedersen instead, that ship has sailed.

Just look at the Giro, he didn't finish on the podium of a flat bunch sprint and ended up behind proper second/third tier guys like Zijlaard, Moschetti, and Van Uden. Also Paris-Nice, where he came 3rd on one stage thanks to the relegation of Hugo Page (!). He's not as fast as he used to be, but boy is he a better all round cyclist.