State of the Peloton 2025

[Mayomaniac]

So according to Strava the whole gc group did a VAM of just over 1700 on the penultimate climb today (a bit higher for Poole and Storer) for 36min 20sec (gc group), for an 8.2% climb that's a high number for such a large group!
Source: https://www.strava.com/segments/39003858?filter=overall

 

[topcat]

So here's how it goes: I got worked up about doping and it was ruining my enjoyment of the sport. And then along came the Giro. Doping or not, it's exciting, close and we have competition and attacks. And no wtf performances yet. Having spent 4 days in Italy and attending one stage, I feel as much a part of this Giro as Luca Covili. What a beautiful race!

 

[houtdffan]

hoo boy!

Yates 5 minutes faster than Froome up the Finestre

The BANK ROBBERS are back on full form!

 

[Red Rick]

and yet ever moaner on here will be regaling us about how awful the standard of this Giro is ...sigh

The names are average to shite. The sauce, on the days they snort all of it, is AMAZING

 

[AnotherArmChair]

The names are average to shite. The sauce, on the days they snort all of it, is AMAZING

as perfect example of what I am talking about

Plus clinic stuff as an answer ...yet anyone else posts this and they are reprimanded

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Gee boomerang

 

[houtdffan]

BIG MIG!!!!

This year's TDF won't see any nukes (that may be the Dauphine). This is full on planetary or even galactic destroying weapons that will be deployed.

45-minute Ventoux incoming?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Mayo's record will be in trouble for sure. If Simon can ride like this, can't even think what Vingegaard will do.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Disgraceful by Yates and Visma!!!

 

[gregrowlerson]

So here's how it goes: I got worked up about doping and it was ruining my enjoyment of the sport. And then along came the Giro. Doping or not, it's exciting, close and we have competition and attacks. And no wtf performances yet. Having spent 4 days in Italy and attending one stage, I feel as much a part of this Giro as Luca Covili. What a beautiful race!

Yet. You spoke too soon

 

[Blobs]

Mayo's record will be in trouble for sure. If Simon can ride like this, can't even think what Vingegaard will do.

And don't forget Pogacar 2 minutes ahead of him!

 

[Froome]

Probably in the Tour we will see something like:

7.6 w/kg, 20 min effort on peyragudes.

Between 7/7.2 w/kg on Hautacam, 34 min effort.

6.6/6.7 w/kg on Ventoux, last 16 km, about 44 min effort.

7/7.2 w/kg, la plagne, 40/42 min effort.

6.4/6.5/w/kg, La loze close to 1 hour effort.

It's a bit annoying the conversation about w/kg, but the true is the Tour will be a w/kg festival.

 

[Blobs]

Probably in the Tour we will see something like:

7.6 w/kg, 20 min effort on peyragudes.

Between 7/7.2 w/kg on Hautacam, 34 min effort.

6.6/6.7 w/kg on Ventoux, last 16 km, about 44 min effort.

7/7.2 w/kg, la plagne, 40/42 min effort.

6.4/6.5/w/kg, La loze close to 1 hour effort.

It's a bit annoying the conversation about w/kg, but the true is the Tour will be a w/kg festival.

And that's from Pogi's bike alone! Then add to that what he'll be pushing himself

 

[Peyroteo94]

And that's from Pogi's bike alone! Then add to that what he'll be pushing himself

Ahahah

 

[Rou]

Is it possible that UAE and Visma struck a deal before yesterday's stage?
At the finish line del Toro is taking selfies with Pellizzari and smiling, Majka is smiling, Gianetti looks in good mood. It's like nobody cares.
This combined with the inexplicable behaviour of del Toro during the stage leaves me wondering what on earth is going on.

 

[Rou]

Let me go a step further and propose a realistic scenario.
An agent from Visma's team goes to Giannetti with the following proposition:
''Tomorrow you will let us have Wout in the break, you will ride passively, and you will ignore Yates. If we manage to win the Giro we will do the following for you:
''Jonas will not do the Vuelta this year (so Pog can win it with one leg). Maybe Jonas won't even do the World Championships.''
In Giannetti's mind winning the TDF + Vuelta + World's in one year would be miles above another Giro victory. He already had all the spotlight with a 21-year old Mexican in pink for a long time and on the final podium.
Stranger things have happened in cycling. This anomaly from yesterday needs to have an explanation.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Is it possible that UAE and Visma struck a deal before yesterday's stage?
At the finish line del Toro is taking selfies with Pellizzari and smiling, Majka is smiling, Gianetti looks in good mood. It's like nobody cares.
This combined with the inexplicable behaviour of del Toro during the stage leaves me wondering what on earth is going on.

Teddy (the real DS of the team) told them to let Adam's brother win the race. It was very important for Adam.

 

[noob]

How many of them look soooo tiewd today makes me think of glow up times...

 

[pastronef]

Disgraceful by Yates and Visma!!!

what? UAE gets defeated with a huge ride by Yates and WVA and it's digraceful? we have an amazing 20th stage and it's disgraceful? wtf

 

[Pozzovivo]

what? UAE gets defeated with a huge ride by Yates and WVA and it's digraceful? we have an amazing 20th stage and it's disgraceful? wtf

In the clinic, we can discuss these type of all time career performances by known 32 years old riders as very suspicious or disgraceful as I worded it. I don't believe that Simon Yates is clean (since joining Visma). UAE is probably the team in cycling with the least integrity - happy that they lost but not celebrating Visma either. Strange performance, but stage was epic.

 

[Tim Cahill]

In the clinic, we can discuss these type of all time career performances by known 32 years old riders as very suspicious or disgraceful as I worded it. I don't believe that Simon Yates is clean (since joining Visma). UAE is probably the team in cycling with the least integrity - happy that they lost but not celebrating Visma either. Strange performance, but stage was epic.

Yates has already been suspended for an anti-doping violation involving known doping doctor, Manuel Rodriguez Alonso (of ONCE and Mapei fame) in 2016. He likely hasn't just decided at the tender age of 32, and already a multi-millionaire to make the decision to start taking illegal stuff, he probably already made his mind up a decade ago. Different team different program, whether it's illegal or Gray-area who knows.

It's also not really a performance out of nowhere, he's been climbing at a very high level for 8 years and won a Grand Tour before this, it was the only 10% climb in the race, he's 4/8 kilos lighter than Carapaz/Del Toro and was saving everything riding around conservatively the entire race.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Yates has already been suspended for an anti-doping violation involving known doping doctor, Manuel Rodriguez Alonso (of ONCE and Mapei fame) in 2016. He likely hasn't just decided at the tender age of 32, and already a multi-millionaire to make the decision to start taking illegal stuff, he probably already made his mind up a decade ago. Different team different program, whether it's illegal or Gray-area who knows.

Well said.

It's also not really a performance out of nowhere, he's been climbing at a very high level for 8 years and won a Grand Tour before this, it was the only 10% climb in the race, he's 4/8 kilos lighter than Carapaz/Del Toro and was saving everything riding around conservatively the entire race.

Not out of nowhere of course, but certaintly way above his level for the 19 other stages and way above his previous best ever performance. At the age of 32 in a season he was struggling, no less.

He was dropped going all out on several stages - not sure the narrative about him saving energy is as accurate as it seems in hindsight. The climb suits him very well though, as you point out.

I still think this performance is very strange.

 

[Gratemans]

Well said.


Not out of nowhere of course, but certaintly way above his level for the 19 other stages and way above his previous best ever performance. At the age of 32 in a season he was struggling, no less.

He was dropped going all out on several stages - not sure the narrative about him saving energy is as accurate as it seems in hindsight. The climb suits him very well though, as you point out.

I still think this performance is very strange.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in this case. If there's anyone infamous for alternating bad days with very good ones, it's Simon. Add to that this stage just fits him really well, _and_ the way Del Toro and Carapaz rode and to me it looks like he had a very good day and the stars just aligned for him.

 

[Gratemans]

Just did a search about GW1617 and it led me to some Reddit threads that were quite depressing.
When people are rationalizing their balls shrinking, but not as much as with previous PED's, you know you're reading rock-bottom stuff.

 

[Cookster15]

Well said.


Not out of nowhere of course, but certaintly way above his level for the 19 other stages and way above his previous best ever performance. At the age of 32 in a season he was struggling, no less.

He was dropped going all out on several stages - not sure the narrative about him saving energy is as accurate as it seems in hindsight. The climb suits him very well though, as you point out.

I still think this performance is very strange.

Has anyone mentioned Carlos Sastre - 2008 Tour? I think it is similar. But like Sastre, Simon Yates has always been regarded as a top tier climber and this Giro S.Yates didn't do much before Finestre - a bit like how Sastre was hardly seen in the 2008 TdF before he won the Tour on the Alpe D'Huez.

On his age I don't see that particularly noteworthy either. 32 is still in the sweet spot for an endurance athlete. Cadel Evans was 34 when he won the Tour. Of course nothing beats Chris Horner who was just shy of his 42nd birthday when he won the Vuelta on one of the hardest climbs used in professional cycling.