Tour de France Tour de France 2021, Stage 17: Muret – Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet, 178.4 km

[ChewbaccaDefense]

So, if he had pulled it would mean that he's riding to win the Tour? I can't follow the logic here...

No, if he pulled, he would not have been an a$$hole. I can understand your confusion...

 

[staubsauger]

Vingegaard likely secured 2nd place overall today. Of course he was always the one to pull in that group. If he doesn't, why would Pogacar dare to with 5 minutes advantage? Carapaz played it smart, but also because all his other moves kinda backfired on him. Vingegaard simply had to work and be happy that Pogacar pulls as well. No need to get into the games Carapaz tried to play. Uran might have been able to rejoin in the worst case.

Like I said earlier today, if Vingegaard doesn't blow up tomorrow he might get some freedom from Pogacar. Kinda like Rominger allowed Berzin to make his move at the 1995 Giro d'Italia!

IMHO Pogacar already made the Armstrong boss move up towards Tignes. If it was up to him and UAE, then O'Connor would've gotten the leaders jersey. Ineos destroyed the planned storyline for no apparent reason, but a weak attack from Carapaz. So Pogacar countered the move simply to prove a point and show who's taking the decisions in this race. There probably wasn't as much thought going on of course, just a demonstration of power.

 

[Breezy1985]

After all the drama with the soccer on Sunday I am glad to see that the flare is in the fans hand on this occasion

 

[75Driver]

Did Pogacar really get booed? I find that hard to believe and it would be disappointing. The French seem to be generally respectful of the riders. I hope it didn't happen.

 

[Escarabajo]

Did Pogacar really get booed? I find that hard to believe and it would be disappointing. The French seem to be generally respectful of the riders. I hope it didn't happen.

I saw one guy booing Vingegard and Pogacar. Not sure what his purpose was. Victor Hugo Peña and other ex-riders tell me that the French people boo a lot of riders. So not sure it is related to clinic stuff or just go a boo whoever is the leader.

 

[Breezy1985]

Did Pogacar really get booed? I find that hard to believe and it would be disappointing. The French seem to be generally respectful of the riders. I hope it didn't happen.

Was the fan a bald middle aged English man ?

 

[movingtarget]

In terms of GC I think you are right, Carpaz looks to have enogh time on Uran now to hold his position on the podium after the TT. Uran had 36 seconds on Carapaz in the first TT and is therefore very unlikely to overhaul the time deficit to lepafrog Carapaz into third. He was the big winner on the day. Once Vingegaard had dropped Uran he didn't need to ride for Pogacar as he will put time into Carapaz on the final TT.

The main battle of interest tomorrow will be for KOTM. I don't think Pogacar will ride for the jersey after getting his stage win today so I think the stage could well be one for the breakaway tomorrow. Expect Woods, Poels, Van Aert and Quintana all to have a go. Quintana looks incapable of sustaining any form of long attack so I would rule him out now.

I think Poels will win the KOM, he seems to have the edge on the others at the moment but its been a better KOM battle than usual. Quintana seems to have lost his explosive power he used to have. He needs a long attack now to win some points and can't seem to do it regularly enough.

 

[hfer07]

Poga was laughing at Carapaz on the last 300 metres - I mean.....


TBH Poga could have gone solo for the last 3K if he truly wanted, but I bet for "appearances/optics" he put up with Cara & Vine for the "spectacle"......

 

[Volderke]

IMHO Pogacar already made the Armstrong boss move up towards Tignes. If it was up to him and UAE, then O'Connor would've gotten the leaders jersey. Ineos destroyed the planned storyline for no apparent reason, but a weak attack from Carapaz. So Pogacar countered the move simply to prove a point and show who's taking the decisions in this race. There probably wasn't as much thought going on of course, just a demonstration of power.

I thought it was clear that Ineos wanted Pogacar to keep the jersey, to wear him and his UAE team more out, in the (idle) hope that it would result in a more tired Pogacar in the 3rd week?

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Was the fan a bald middle aged English man ?

No it wasn't me!

 

[IndurainsTdF1994]

LA about Carapaz: "You can't trust him as far as you can throw him."

True words, even if not by Mr Trustworthy.

Never forget about Movistar.

 

[saunaking]

No, if he pulled, he would not have been an a$$hole. I can understand your confusion...

So after the overnight analysis of the stage..

Carapaz is a *** - ChewbaccaDefense, Lance Armstrong and lots of other posters on here
Carapaz great racer, great tactics - Chris Horner, George Hincapie, Sean Kelly, LRCP, Cycling Podcast, Johan Brunyeel,

Curious what the verdict is from other nationalities