Tour de France Tour de France 2021, Stage 18: Pau – Luz Ardiden, 129.7 km

[BlueRoads]

What an awful way to use Ala.

 

[spalco]

What an awful way to use Ala.

Why, what else is he supposed to do today?

 

[glassmoon]

I hope Pog gets KOM jersey as well - he is after all clearly the best climber.

 

[BlueRoads]

Why, what else is he supposed to do today?

I meant when he was involved in the blocking and neutralizing.

 

[spalco]

Ala seems to be a really popular breakaway companion.

 

[sir fly]

It's RhD's chateau...

 

[TourOfSardinia]

They've let Ala go

 

[sir fly]

Doesn't look like the breakaway will be of any use to the teammates later on.
... if the bunch doesn't sit up soon.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Donovan attacks

 

[Kangaridoo]

When Alaphilippe grows up he wants to be like Pierre Latour!

 

[Big Doopie]

Add 60km of TT and the same 12 guys would be in the top 12

The 2 best / most consistent climbers are also the 2 best time trialists.

Pogacar the best climber and best TTer of the GC guys
Vingegaard 2nd in both categories

And that's with Roglic crashing out.

on a more ITT-heavy route Uran (usually not a great TTer) could beat Carapaz for 3rd place , but that's about it.

Bernal is not a better climber than Pogacar, Vingegaard and Roglic IMO, except maybe at altitude. I don't think it would change much, although I get the usual argument that it could lead to more aggressive racing in the mountains. But with the current crop of GC specialists... I dunno.

think u may have misunderstood my post.

no complaints about Pog and vingo tops in both skills.
My point is that the riders who are mostly one dimensional would be far enough back as to put them out of contention in GC. This would serve the mountains competition as those riders (like Van Impe, Chiappucci and Virenque before them) would then target the polka dots and have the leeway from the pogs and rogs to do that.

the other thing to consider is how the imbalance towards climbing has also put added emphasis on unhealthy weight loss for all riders in recent times…

 

[BlueRoads]

I guess Bahrain want the stage more than the polka dots, otherwise they would let the other two get to them more easily?

 

[spalco]

Is the peloton going fast or are the (wannabe)-escapees slacking off?

 

[Rollthedice]

Wiggo thinks Teddy Pagacha will win again.

 

[Oliver]

Small break, didn't expect this. Another win for the GC guys coming up?

 

[sir fly]

I guess Bahrain want the stage more than the polka dots, otherwise they would let the other two get to them more easily?

Too hard for Mohorič, I think.
He was among the first to drop in Andorra.
I still think it's about the jersey. Although not a promising gap.

 

[Eclipse]

Wiggo thinks Teddy Pagacha will win again.

not a day for michael mikel hirschi!?

 

[saganftw]

Wiggo thinks Teddy Pagacha will win again.

he will be challenged by david carapaz tho

 

[spalco]

Small break, didn't expect this. Another win for the GC guys coming up?

Looks like it. I have no idea what half the peloton is thinking here, try to win the KOM in the TT? Maybe another group will try again when the road goes upwards? Or they are all just too exhausted already.

 

[spalco]

not a day for michael mikel hirschi!?

I think you mean Mr. Hershey, right?

 

[sir fly]

Look at Voigt's t-shirt...

 

[Tim Cahill]

Look at Bahrain, fuelled by rage and last nights snacks, gunning it because they want to get back for a massage and some sleep.

 

[will-10]

Bahrain keeping the break close for Poels on Tourmalet?

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Do Bahrain just want to hog all the attention? Mohoric is in the break, more Bahrain on the front of the peloton and Bilbao off the back.

 

[Rollthedice]

Bahrain just heard Contador's prediction for Theuns winning and started chasing Mohoric.