Teams & Riders Everybody needs a little bit of Roglstomp in their lives

[Extinction]

I dont really get the Entertainment of admiring generational Talents in cycling. I agree pogi is a Landslide more entertaining then the skytrain and the July Battles with vinge were great, but Like they say: attacking is easy If you are Just stronger and that was all there was this season. Not boring, but gets old. A generational Talent like Federer in Tennis, Messi in football can be admired because they do beautiful things, in cycling thats not really the case. Entertainment value lies in no small part in outsuffering others and overcoming adversity like someone in the clinic pointed out, and pogi didnt seem to suffer once this year.

Pantani did beautiful things, because he was a "Picasso on a bike" (Indurain). I get the sense that the ineffable aspect, the artistry, is lost in the age of hyper-science sport

 

[Cassirer]

Pantani did beautiful things, because he was a "Picasso on a bike" (Indurain). I get the sence that the ineffable aspect, the artistry, is lost in the age of hyper-science sport

Of course there are Style Points, contador scored a lot, froome not so much, I did not see pantani. But at the end of the day kicking the pedals hard does not give you that much room for finesse ana awe inspiring movement patterns as other sports. Of course its highly predictable that Simone biles wins, but even with no idea about the sport I can be stunned by her skills. Getting a calculator and realizing guys are doing incredible numbers is kinda mew in comparison, the fun lies elsewhere!

 

[CyclistAbi]

Rogla does beautiful things on the bike, for as long as he stays on it. Full scale.

 

[CyclistAbi]

So puncture today, due to hole in the road, quickly exchanging bike with Dani and having situation under control. For tomorrow plan A being both Rogla and the team to go all in.

 

[tobydawq]

The races weve had in July have been wildly overstated

No.

 

[Valv.Piti]

People should have enjoyed Armstrong while he was still in his prime. Once in a generation level dominator.

Froome was trying the same, but realized that wasn't possible outside of 2013 and one stage in 2015. But even people like me that really, really, REALLY don't like Froome still look back fondly on MTFs on Ax-3-Domaines and LPSM. Always loved full carnage MTFs like that, and Armstrong was a guarantee for that.

 

[bNator]

This year was just clicking the "I win" button every time apart from having a slight malfunction one time.

Are you saying that after stage 11, you fully believed this is going to turn out a Pogfest? After stage 11, I would bet my money on Vinegaard. I don’t think it was clear at all who was the strongest until at least stage 14…

 

[dazaau]

I am saying it took like 50 meters of action on Plat d'Adet to realise any tension had been completely imaginary

But it took until stage 14. And it's been an ongoing battle for years back and forth between them. The tour has more often than not been highly predictable and one sided since 2000 at least, right? So it's hard to complain.

 

[Peyroteo94]

But it took until stage 14. And it's been an ongoing battle for years back and forth between them. The tour has more often than not been highly predictable and one sided since 2000 at least, right? So it's hard to complain.

Yeah but Pogacar won every high mountain stage in the Tour and we had suspense until there because after Galibier, we didn't have a proper mountain stage. It wasn't like 2023 where Pogacar was really putting Jonas on the ropes until the TT.

 

[topcat]

This year was just clicking the "I win" button every time apart from having a slight malfunction one time.

Will Rog click the "I win" button in the last 3 km today? It's likely but not definite which gives neutrals a reason to watch.

 

[AmRacer]

Will Rog click the "I win" button in the last 3 km today? It's likely but not definite which gives neutrals a reason to watch.

Rog will click the "The Red jersey is mine to keep" button.

 

[MLKarlos]

Will Rog click the "I win" button in the last 3 km today? It's likely but not definite which gives neutrals a reason to watch.

I don’t see why he should do anything else. Just follow Mas etc. until 3km and then release the stomp.

O’Connor will have struggles with his own performance anyway, so I would just concentrate on Mas and Landa

 

[Divergence]

I am a bit worried about stage 20 after what I saw today. It seems that if there is a single climb he is flying, but if the stage is hard he is kinda on par with Mas at least. Hopefully he can have an uptick in relative form by next Saturday.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I think Roglič went too hard with Lipowitz on the first kilometer of the steep section and it cost him later on the climb, but he wasn‘t dominant regardless.

 

[Rackham]

Overrated climb. It's 15km of a wide road followed by a 3km goat path.

Maybe they went too hard at the foot of the 'inhumane ramp' section but all things considered he appears in better shape today than he did last Sunday. So there's that.

 

[JosefK]

It feels like, overall, there has been an uptick in Rog's form as this Vuelta has gone forward.

 

[zlev11]

and that's why he doesn't attack sometimes

still in good shape though, might be able to take 43 seconds in the TT alone

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If I was a Roglic fan I would pretty comfortable with the current situation, has 1:40 on Mas and more than 2 minutes on everyone else, all of whom he can beat in TT. And he keeps making inroads into the lead of o Connor, the 43 seconds is a good TT + one attack/bonus seconds on a MTF

 

[Oldermanish]

and that's why he doesn't attack sometimes

still in good shape though, might be able to take 43 seconds in the TT alone

Stages 16,19 and 20 offer opportunity as well. He and Bora have done a great job of keeping their eye on the prize: a 4th Vuelta is legendary. Halving the GC deficit and keeping the other podium seekers at bay wasn't easy on this stage; too many guys had an easy ride up to the steeper stuff like some suggested.

 

[Rackham]

The organizers weren't happy home boy Mas didn't manage to drop Rog so they've added a 20 second penalty to Rog for drafting behind his team car after the bike swap.

I'm only half kidding as well (about the dubious nature of the penalty). I've never seen this sort of stuff 'enforced' like this.

 

[Sciatic]

The organizers weren't happy home boy Mas didn't manage to drop Rog so they've added a 20 second penalty to Rog for drafting behind his team car after the bike swap.

I'm only half kidding as well (about the dubious nature of the penalty). I've never seen this sort of stuff 'enforced' like this.

I think the time loss is appropriate: not for the drafting but to penalize the stupidity of the tactic, forcing Roglic to chase back on right before the start of the climb

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Were the rules around drafting toughened up this year? Nico Roche on comms was suggesting there would be a penalty when he saw he was behind the Bora car, that it was "no longer allowed" to use your own car that way. But I'm trying to think of other time penalties for that recently, perhaps Cav in the Tour after a mechanical (not that 30s to a sprinter is the same thing anyway).

 

[Rackham]

Lets never enforce a rule until its specifically time to *** someone over

This right here is the truth.

 

[zlev11]

whatever. he just has to attack more now. let's enjoy the show.

 

[Berniece]

I don’t think it matters, he’ll win this rather easily knowing where he’s coming from