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apologies. I was just analysing if Roglic could have taken more time, and if he should have taken more time.
Should he have taken more time: yes from a mental point of view (more security). No from all indications earlier in the race (Pogacar climbing very well but seemed to fade slowly in the Alps).
Could he have taken more time: yes, but maybe not the time he lost in the TT, and maybe, if he was more agressive, it could actually have laid bare that Roglic was often on the limit, and maybe Pogacar would have countered him. So it could have backfired.
In the end, nobody expected such a big gap in the TT. Even if Roglic did a good TT in line with his performances in the previous days (and weeks), he would still have probably lost the Tour with half a minute.
Froome has used this tactic again and again for the last decade - and what does he have to show for it? Nothing! Contador the same, rode stupidly in 2015 at the Giro to try to take time from rivals at all time and he lost it all.
Didn't have the legs on stage 8. He didn't tell his team to ride, the DS did. He told his team to ride on other stages. Didn't have a gap on Pogacar once on stage 9. Didn't have a gap on him on stage 13, and he was emptying the tank to drop Bernal there anyway. On stage 15 he got beaten by Pog. Stage 16 nothing happened. Stage 17 he dropped Pog. Stage 18 he's suppose to risk more on a descent?
Contador, Froome, etc all have defended much thinner leads without attacking, and nobody then pretended they rode like Rodriguez in the 2012 Giro.
Contador 2015 is actually quite a good example - unexpected pretender comes strong week 3, Contador loses time and form last stage, but because he had a buffer he won the Giro. Why did he have a buffer? Because he'd taken time at even very small moments (like up to Monte Berico) and attacked from range as early as stage 5. Despite knowing he had the strongest TT of the favourites.
ofcourse you know that. Have you ever been in a race? You immediately feel who is better and who isn't.
According to Roglic, he did. Just didn't want to follow him because he didn't want the yellow jersey, or so he claimed.
JV after the day "Nothing has been lost today". For them, that stage counted as a win.
Stage 8 is the only case and it largely rests on assigning Roglic record shattering legs when we simply don't know.
This is nonsense. Stage 8 might have been the only time when Jumbo inexplicably let a threat up the road.
But Roglic had a much stronger team all race. And all Jumbo used it for was to maintain their time gap and stop anyone from attacking. With better use of the team he could have gained time even with weaker legs.
It's weird feeling something other than 'meh' after the Tour.
To be completely honest, by what I said (you immediately feel who is better in the race...): maybe Roglic felt during some stages that Pogacar was better. So that could be a good reason why he didn't try to take time on him (or why he let him go on Peyresourde). The Meribel stage felt like Pogacar was about to crack though. But maybe (most probably) Roglic gave evertything he had, and that resulted in 15 seconds at the line.
Yates showed a sign of weakness before his collapse. He simply had nothing left in the tank.
I think Roglic was the strongest rider during first two weeks and didn't smash his opponents when needed.
I agree that Roglic could've attacked more but where exactly was he going to take more time on Pogacar? Grand Colombier was wasted no doubt but it was wasted by everyone in the race. He pushed very hard on Puy Mary and had Pogacar dying on his wheel, and then dropped him on Loze. He still loses the Tour if he follows him on the Peyresourde. Nobody on earth saw Pogacar putting 2 minutes into the field in the final TT.
So UAE got the yellow jersey on the first stage and they are going to wear it on the last stage.
Pogacar's ride today was one of the best 1 hour performances I've ever seen. Not only he crushed rivals on the climb (great VAM of 1850-1900 m/h) but also was on par with Dumoulin for the first 30 km 
I'm curious of his numbers today: especially average watts per kg for the whole TT. I mean if they had had an uphill TT on Alpe d' Huez today Pogacar's time would have been in Armstrong/Pantani league.
I'm curious of his numbers today: especially average watts per kg for the whole TT. I mean if they had had an uphill TT on Alpe d' Huez today Pogacar's time would have been in Armstrong/Pantani league.
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They had a couple chances, and that was with their team doing their most so that no chances came up. Nobody saw Pogačar putting 2 minutes into the field in the final TT but he would still have won the Tour if it had only been 1 minute. Or if it had been 30 seconds and Roglič had punctured.
The winning team
Kristoff looks like Pogs dad
Pogi-TGV leadout Kristoff ftw tomorrow in Paris (in a hi-viz jersey, if you may)
Choo-Chooooooo!
Valverde cruised his way around the course and out of the top 10.
I thought he had some record for top ten finishes. I wish he went for it.
I thought he had some record for top ten finishes. I wish he went for it.
Congratulations to Tadej Pogačar for wining stage 20, the Tour 2020 and everything else there was to win, except green years. I feel that the performance Pogačar made today, on TT, was enough, regardless of what would happen on some other stages. The difference Pogačar made today, it was just too massive. Hopefully we indeed have seen a glimpse of a new "Merckx" today and this was one of those Contador vs. Amstrong, Froome vs. Wiggins ... moments.
Personally, i have bitter sweet feeling about it. The sweet ones will for sure stay around and will only grow in the future. Especially is Pogačar will be able to keep this trajectory. As for bitter ones, my favorite was Roglič and he not winning Tour 2020, for me, that will always remain a sore spot.
Personally, i have bitter sweet feeling about it. The sweet ones will for sure stay around and will only grow in the future. Especially is Pogačar will be able to keep this trajectory. As for bitter ones, my favorite was Roglič and he not winning Tour 2020, for me, that will always remain a sore spot.
Early August I said that Roglic was peaking too early. But do they listen? Oh, no...
Admitted, after Wednesday I thought he had it in the bag...
Admitted, after Wednesday I thought he had it in the bag...
Really he dropped his main rival in stage 17, then was also probably better on stage 18.
Maybe he should've attacked, but peaking too early is one of the most absurd takes I've seen on this
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