Tour de France Tour de France 2020 | Stage 21 (Mantes-la-Jolie - Paris, 122 km)

[Pantani_lives]

One more stage separates the riders from finishing in Paris. Usually it's a procession with some lame jokes and the jersey wearers on camera. There will be eight local laps with the classic images of the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. Traditionally it ends with a bunch sprint, although there are always attacks and once every so many years a strong finisher who stays away.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

At one point during yesterday's TT I thought Poga/Roglic would make the race on Champs-Elysees but 59 seconds is way too much.

 

[Lequack]

Ernesto Colnago displaying the winning frame.

Article:

ERNESTO COLNAGO ED EDDY MERCKX IN LACRIME PER TADEJ POGACAR

Grande emozione per il maestro che fornisce le bici al re del Tour de France

www.tuttobiciweb.it

Google Translated:
Ernesto Colnago cries tears of joy, celebrating yet another victory at the Tour de France at 88 . «I have won some with Merckx - he tells us in the throes of emotion after following on TV the feat of Tadej Pogacar in the time trial of the Planche des Belles Filles -. By the way: Eddy was the first to call me, we were both crying on the phone. What a thrill… ».

The master from Cambiago is happy as a child, who last night went to the company he founded and to which he dedicated his life, to personally make sure that a yellow V3Rs chassis was ready to leave for Paris. «Tadej is a family boy, raised by Andrej Hauptman, reported by Fabrizio Bontempi in Saronni, who was very good at putting him under contract when he was still an amateur. Then we did ours, but he took so much longer: this is one of the most beautiful talents I've ever seen. And I met some champions in my life »says one of the greatest artists in the world of cycling with a lump in his throat.

Before enjoying the final coronation of the new king of the Grande Boucle on the Champs-Élysées, he gives us a confidence that makes us understand the character and determination of Slovenian talent. "I gave him a brand new white frame for the time trial, he said to me in the morning: " If I go as I think, I will entertain her and then I will make her work harder, because she will have to change the color " . to answer him: “I am already happy like this”, but I did not know that true joy would come shortly after ».

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I wonder if Lopez will finish the ITT in time to sign in for this final stage.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

TJV all wearing yellow
now makes them look like
an unwilling entourage
for the UAE yellow jersey.

 

[SafeBet]

Fabio Aru reclaims his leadership role at UAE and pulls a Vino on the Champs Elysees.

 

[spalco]

At one point during yesterday's TT I thought Poga/Roglic would make the race on Champs-Elysees but 59 seconds is way too much.

I don't really think we'll ever see that.

It happened, what, once in the history of the Tour, or twice if you count 1989?

 

[IndianCyclist]

Will JV try something to split the peloton? i hope they do. they worked too hard for the last 20 stages not to try

 

[Pantani_lives]

TJV all wearing yellow
now makes them look like
an unwilling entourage
for the UAE yellow jersey.

That Slovenian national jersey with the yellow that isn't even in their flag will look a bit embarrassing now...

Will JV try something to split the peloton? i hope they do. they worked too hard for the last 20 stages not to try

If they turn it into an echelon stage they can surely take 1'20" on Pogacar? How's the wind today?

 

[F_Cance]

Mads Pedersen today. Last day in rainbow for him

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I don't really think we'll ever see that.

It happened, what, once in the history of the Tour, or twice if you count 1989?

It takes two fierce rivals and a tiny gap. Competitive spirit would prevail. For example Vinokourov gained a GC place in 2005 in Paris and surely would have gone for victory if close enough. It doesn't happen cause the probability of such a small gap is very low but it's bound to happen at some point. There would be no friendship stage if the gap was less than 10 seconds for example. Too high stakes.

 

[Red Rick]

At last

The flight of Landani is upon us.

What a glorious sight to behold.

 

[Bolder]

The false flat that starts just after the Adidas store on the Champs is a great place to launch a winning attack.

I personally hate the Champs stage. Why softpedal for 100 km? You might as well just hold a 2 km drag race from Concorde to the Arc.

 

[Lequack]

The false flat that starts just after the Adidas store on the Champs is a great place to launch a winning attack.

I personally hate the Champs stage. Why softpedal for 100 km? You might as well just hold a 2 km drag race from Concorde to the Arc.

Yes I am also not a fan that it's not raced and that "it belongs" to the sprinters. Technically it makes it a 20 day, not a 21 day race.

 

[Leinster]

Soren will be pissed off that somebody else in this race has more stage wins than him. Sunweb to line up an 8-man train for Cees Bol, with the whole field lined out behind, but 2km out, Hirschi to sit up from P2 and unleash The Kraghen for the hat trick!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Wind: ~6 km/h

 

[Red Rick]

The false flat that starts just after the Adidas store on the Champs is a great place to launch a winning attack.

I personally hate the Champs stage. Why softpedal for 100 km? You might as well just hold a 2 km drag race from Concorde to the Arc.

I don't like it either but I'm not sure what to do with it. Official ITT finish and then criterium?

I do kind of like celebratory laps in Paris, and I think it adds to the riders experience of finishing a Grand Tour.

 

[Eclipse]

The GF is convinced JV will attack because why wouldn't you after everything you've done?

I tried to explain that today is basically a non-event and traditionally processional but after telling her the race was done before yesterday I have lost all my authority haha

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It takes two fierce rivals and a tiny gap. Competitive spirit would prevail. For example Vinokourov gained a GC place in 2005 in Paris and surely would have gone for victory if close enough. It doesn't happen cause the probability of such a small gap is very low but it's bound to happen at some point. There would be no friendship stage if the gap was less than 10 seconds for example. Too high stakes.

But given the prestige of the stage among sprinters, it requires two fierce rivals who can challenge the top sprinters, which reduces the likelihood enormously. If there were still time bonuses at the intermediate, and the green jersey were a done deal, and it was a 2 second gap...

 

[Lequack]

The GF is convinced JV will attack because why wouldn't you after everything you've done?

I tried to explain that today is basically a non-event and traditionally processional but after telling her the race was done before yesterday I have lost all my authority haha

They could just have a picnic instead, as the last stage.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

But given the prestige of the stage among sprinters, it requires two fierce rivals who can challenge the top sprinters, which reduces the likelihood enormously. If there were still time bonuses at the intermediate, and the green jersey were a done deal, and it was a 2 second gap...

There's another option. If one of the rivals had a strong team and there was crosswind they would form a breakaway (in team time trial style).

 

[RedheadDane]

Soren will be pissed off that somebody else in this race has more stage wins than him. Sunweb to line up an 8-man train for Cees Bol, with the whole field lined out behind, but 2km out, Hirschi to sit up from P2 and unleash The Kraghen for the hat trick!

But Ewan and Van Aert won't?

 

[Leinster]

But Ewan and Van Aert won't?

Let’s be honest here. Caleb’s getting dropped on that climb up to the Arc. And Wout is shell shocked.

 

[hayneplane]

But given the prestige of the stage among sprinters, it requires two fierce rivals who can challenge the top sprinters, which reduces the likelihood enormously. If there were still time bonuses at the intermediate, and the green jersey were a done deal, and it was a 2 second gap...

I would like to think that the sprinters teams would put their egos to one side and not pull to curb dangerous moves if there was a true GC battle raging on the final day.

Sadly in reality I think they are far too selfish for that to happen.

 

[RedheadDane]

I would like to think that the sprinters teams would put their egos to one side and not pull to curb dangerous moves if there was a true GC battle raging on the final day.

Sadly in reality I think they are far too selfish for that to happen.

It's selfish to want to win? Isn't that basically the whole purpose of racing? By that logic you might as well say it would be selfish for the GC riders to curb the sprinters' chance on the Champs.