What happened with the title?
Jonas got a butterfly tattoo, and then he was suddenly able to ride outside again. Or maybe he's been replaced by someone with a butterfly tattoo.
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What happened with the title?
Disagree. Tratnik + Jorgenson>>>>Van Baarle + NVH in the high mountains. They might be weaker in the flat-ish stages but they're deffo stronger for the multi col mountain stages.Vingegaard's team is an issue.
Even with Vinge at 100%, he doesn't have the teammates to drill the hardest multi col mountain stages like in 2022 & 2023. The loss of Van Baarle is a serious blow in that regard, meanwhile others (like Laporte, Van Aert & Kuss) are nowhere near last year's levels for various reasons.
It means UAE will dictate the pace.
And that's something they missed on col du tourmalet last year before Kelderman and Kuss take the front in the last 4.5 km of Tourmalet. The pace was too low with Nathan, van baarle, benoot, laporte.Disagree. Tratnik + Jorgenson>>>>Van Baarle + NVH in the high mountains. They might be weaker in the flat-ish stages but they're deffo stronger for the multi col mountain stages.
Nathan will also be a big loss on wrap Jonas safely.Though, quite a blow with Van Baarle out, the 'invisible role' in Capitain de la Route guidance with steady hand should not be underestimated in relation to the ability to "wrap Jonas safely".
(Nota Bene; Le Tour does not just go uphill all the way the 3 weeks from Florence to Nice)
At Visma Lease a Bike there is no certainty about the selection for the Tour, since Van Aert and Vingegaard are not yet at the top level. “We’re still in doubt about both Jonas and Wout. There were all kinds of scenarios, but there was no concrete scenario. [...]”
And then there is the theme of Van Aert-Vingegaard: what about the two? Niermann is clear: “They are not what they should be, no. Otherwise it would be clear. They have both fallen hard and are not at last year’s level. We need to look at how much sense it makes. They prepare them and that is going well, but it is not the level that they reached exactly one year ago. It is certainly achievable, but we make decisions.”
Logic suggests he's honest about them...but there's also possibility he's playing mind games. 50-50 in my opinion
Logic suggests he's honest about them...but there's also possibility he's playing mind games. 50-50 in my opinion
Vingo's training shortcomings are obvious so I think he's honest there. However, I do think they are doing whatever they can to improve Vingo as quickly as possible and decide in the last moment. With crushes of their top stars hampering the season maybe they are being a bit desparate here wanting to make an impact at the Tour.
I can't be sure 100% he will start the Tour in top shape, but i'm sure he will be there. I don't believe he will be one month in Tignes to comeback to Denmark.Skeletor's Tour participation would feel like a big plot-twist, really. Most people have already accepted that he probably won't be present/competitive there. It's thought that Teddy's only rival will be himself (crash or potential post-Giro fatigue) and then...boom, his kryptonite is back! They will be delaying the decision as long as possible...I'll believe it when I see it.
I think that's too good of a shape to realistically hope/believe for him to start with.I believe he can still start the Tour in a shape similar with the last week of the Vuelta 2023 in thr worse scenario
I believe he will start in a good shape, otherwise they wouldn't be confident on going to the Tour with him. If he is staying one month in Tignes, they believe he will finish the training camp in good shape.I think that's too good of a shape to realistically hope/believe for him to start with.
That's almost a GT winner shape. I'd say that finishing the Tour in such a shape would be success, let alone starting it with such.
I think it's normal for a defending Tour winner to try and build the best possible shape for the Tour,I believe he will start in a good shape, otherwise they wouldn't be confident on going to the Tour with him. If he is staying one month in Tignes, they believe he will finish the training camp in good shape.