Tour de France Stage 6: Bayeux – Vire-Normandie (201.5k)

[Wright Stuff]

I used to imagine that being a Pogi fan would be some sort of blissful, dopamine-infused experience: relaxing with a brightly-hued cocktail in front of the tv as win after win is delivered, rivals and rival fans are humiliated, the occasional mishap swamped by all the triumphs and outbursts of "GOAT!"-related gloating.

But I've come to realise just how childishly wrong I was. Every stage is actually a hellscape of irritations, betrayal and anger. Teams that ride when they're not permitted to, deals that aren't respected, fans that talk about cannibalism or Mr Gianetti. Being a Pogi fan is actually a tough, tough gig. All those supporters of Rogla, Tibopino or random breakaway specialists don't know how lucky they have it.

 

[Rou]

Pogacar decided today who the jersey goes to. Like it or not. This is reality.
If he wanted he could have won. UAE let Yates in the break and didn't chase him. They let the gap go to 6 minutes because they did not expect this dirty move from Rabobank.
Maybe next time give the break 15 minutes and force the bees to pull from 100km out.
Nobody can stop Rabobank doing what they wanna do but it makes them look pathetic in my eyes.
That's it.

 

[Heston]

Pogacar decided today who the jersey goes to. Like it or not. This is reality.
If he wanted he could have won. UAE let Yates in the break and didn't chase him. They let the gap go to 6 minutes because they did not expect this dirty move from Rabobank.
Maybe next time give the break 15 minutes and force the bees to pull from 100km out.
Nobody can stop Rabobank doing what they wanna do but it makes them look pathetic in my eyes.
That's it.

He can decide his own actions all he wants. No one else in the peloton has to do what he says.

 

[Rou]

He can decide his own actions all he wants. No one else in the peloton has to do what he says.

That's very true but if you remember for 7 years a certain Texan was telling the Peloton what to do. Merckx was bossing the Peloton. Froome and Sky were bossing the Peloton.
Whether we like it or not whoever the Top Dog is - the Peloton respects him.
EL Patron is not an empty phrase.

 

[scribers]

I used to imagine that being a Pogi fan would be some sort of blissful, dopamine-infused experience: relaxing with a brightly-hued cocktail in front of the tv as win after win is delivered, rivals and rival fans are humiliated, the occasional mishap swamped by all the triumphs and outbursts of "GOAT!"-related gloating.

But I've come to realise just how childishly wrong I was. Every stage is actually a hellscape of irritations, betrayal and anger. Teams that ride when they're not permitted to, deals that aren't respected, fans that talk about cannibalism or Mr Gianetti. Being a Pogi fan is actually a tough, tough gig. All those supporters of Rogla, Tibopino or random breakaway specialists don't know how lucky they have it.

That’s beautiful literature right there

 

[scribers]

That in a stage with no importance you don't break the deal that other teams formed. A deal that does not concern you. UAE and Alpecin made a deal and Rabobank knew that very well.
They chased because of spite and not sporting merit.

Did they though? I didn’t get to see any of it. And PCS was of no use.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

That's very true but if you remember for 7 years a certain Texan was telling the Peloton what to do. Merckx was bossing the Peloton. Froome and Sky were bossing the Peloton.
Whether we like it or not whoever the Top Dog is - the Peloton respects him.
EL Patron is not an empty phrase.

And was it good that the Texan dictated what was happening? No

 

[Rou]

Sorry for bringing the harsch reality. Riders are not treated equally. Benjamin Thomas did a clown move and crashed Verscher and noone cares about it. Coquard was involved in a racing incident and the whole cycling media torched him because he DNF-ed Philipsen.
If anyone here thinks that Pogacar or Vingegaard are equal to the other riders I can't help you.

 

[red_flanders]

Pogacar decided today who the jersey goes to. Like it or not. This is reality.

Yes.

If he wanted he could have won. UAE let Yates in the break and didn't chase him.

Yes. But Visma tried to get about 5 guys in the break. UAE were OK with Yates.

They let the gap go to 6 minutes because they did not expect this dirty move from Rabobank.

No. Not a dirty move. Racing. Trying to put pressure on the opponent. Trying to win.

Maybe next time give the break 15 minutes and force the bees to pull from 100km out.
Nobody can stop Rabobank doing what they wanna do but it makes them look pathetic in my eyes.
That's it.

This is a weird hill to die on.

 

[Rou]

Did they though? I didn’t get to see any of it. And PCS was of no use.

They did. Pogacar mentioned it in an interview. I heard Christoph Roodhooft also mentioned how the Peloton suddenly sped up in the last 20 kms.

 

[scribers]

I notice wellens aomehow gained mountain points again. No idea how that happened

 

[Hugh Januss]

That next time Vingegaard takes a p*** Pogacar can go full gas. Nice rule. Do you like it?

Right, because that's exactly what happened today.

 

[scribers]

Logically and according to the interview linked above, pogi/uae is thinking stage win for pogi tomorrow + yellow. So they controlling breaks tomorrow anyhow. If anything visma fooled around with matches needlessly today.

 

[scribers]

The biggest sporting event in the world (according to ASO) and they can’t put cameras on the actual GC race today. It seems like it was very compelling

My next hurts watching Healy for the last two hours

 

[Hugh Januss]

So let's say, hypothetically that 2 riders from a breakaway are nearing the finish and one stands to move into the yellow jersey and has promised the other rider the stage win if he cooperates all the way to the line thereby increasing the new Yellow's margin. Would that mean it would be morally reprehensible for say a third rider from the break to catch them on the line and take away the promised win?

 

[AmRacer]

So let's say, hypothetically that 2 riders from a breakaway are nearing the finish and one stands to move into the yellow jersey and has promised the other rider the stage win if he cooperates all the way to the line thereby increasing the new Yellow's margin. Would that mean it would be morally reprehensible for say a third rider from the break to catch them on the line and take away the promised win?

The deal is off, then

 

[Rackham]

So let's say, hypothetically that 2 riders from a breakaway are nearing the finish and one stands to move into the yellow jersey and has promised the other rider the stage win if he cooperates all the way to the line thereby increasing the new Yellow's margin. Would that mean it would be morally reprehensible for say a third rider from the break to catch them on the line and take away the promised win?

If the two riders who made the deal for the stage and yellow have a lot of fans on the internet and the third rider is Rui Costa, then yes, it's a felony.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Logically and according to the interview linked above, pogi/uae is thinking stage win for pogi tomorrow + yellow. So they controlling breaks tomorrow anyhow. If anything visma fooled around with matches needlessly today.

Visma needs to keep burning matches, can't beat Pogi with one big attack. Only chance is to wear him down over 3 weeks. The question is who runs out of matches first.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I very much doubt JV pullled on the final climb to put Pogacar in yellow. Pretty sure it was to test the legs of the opponents to see if anyone had a bad day. Its a game of seconds.

One does not negate the other.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Ok, I have to say, that is a stupid comparison.

Not really any dumber than Rou's original "unwritten rule" so on that basis alone it is apt. The Judges will allow it!

 

[Cookster15]

Congrats to Ben Healy for his first Tour de France stage win. Well deserved.

Was there a tail wind today, very fast for such a lumpy stage route?

 

[CyclistAbi]

If Rogla had a team to mess with UAE and Visma plans, day in day out, i would support that. Ultimately today Visma failed, keeping Pogi in yellow. So team Pogi won another battle in between this two rival teams, Rogla having a laugh.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

I used to imagine that being a Pogi fan would be some sort of blissful, dopamine-infused experience: relaxing with a brightly-hued cocktail in front of the tv as win after win is delivered, rivals and rival fans are humiliated, the occasional mishap swamped by all the triumphs and outbursts of "GOAT!"-related gloating.

But I've come to realise just how childishly wrong I was. Every stage is actually a hellscape of irritations, betrayal and anger. Teams that ride when they're not permitted to, deals that aren't respected, fans that talk about cannibalism or Mr Gianetti. Being a Pogi fan is actually a tough, tough gig. All those supporters of Rogla, Tibopino or random breakaway specialists don't know how lucky they have it.

yeah ..its a hard life indeed being a Pogi fan. . Your rider is wining everything and yet rather than laughing all day every day you spend your waking moments hating on the opposition that you simultaneously believe to be inferior and unworthy of note but also deserving of chastisement for perceived slights and the audacity to race their own race whatever it may be. You are unhappy unless Pogi is in the limelight all the time deeming every other riders achievements as redundant and feel it necessary to remind everyone all the time of his GOAT status incase anyone should forget

Yes indeed its a tough old station

 

[zlev11]

Visma riding like that is definitely bush league (especially what Jorgenson did, he's just a tool) but Pogacar is probably the last guy on earth who should be complaining about it

 

[tobydawq]

If you have a couple of euros to spend, place a bet for Dylan Teuns in yellow after today's stage. I would bet it's either him or VDP in yellow today.

Teuns finished last on the stage.