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

[Samu Cuenca]

I think it depends on how you determine the surprising nature really.

That Giro was incredibly unexpected and for pure surprise factor it's unequalled, but it ended up being a function of basically all the favourites imploding, and in a way became everyone's game.

If you told me before this tour that only Roglic of the big favourites was going to have a major issue I'd not believe for a second that JV was going to be on the podium, and this was certainly not the option I'd have jumped to if you told me they managed it

I certainly didn't expect Jumbo to make the podium without Roglic either, but it was pretty clear to me that Van Aert, Kuss and Kruijswijk would have a worse chance than Vingegaard to achieve it even before the race started.

 

[BlueRoads]

I love van Aert's outfit with the bike, goes great together.

 

[glassmoon]

Jensen was *** completely

 

[glassmoon]

LOL Matthews

 

[spalco]

LOL Matthews

Lol Morkov too. I honestly think he could be one of the top 5 sprinters in the WT himself if he wanted.

 

[sir fly]

8 sets of points on summits.
The gap's narrow, though.

 

[burning]

Morkov reminds me of Renshaw tbh, and neither of them did not win a lot of races as a sprinter too.

 

[Red Rick]

Guys be riding like juniors

 

[ontheroad]

If Pogacar really wants the polka dot jersey then he will have it before the end of the day. I really hope it goes to one of the other riders who have been actively chasing the points.

 

[Red Rick]

Juul Jensen fighting for the comedian points.

 

[JosefK]

Pog relaxing before the demolition begins. Will be another nice addition to the palmares.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Juul Jensen fighting for the comedian points.

He's always been a funny guy.

 

[BlueRoads]

I want Pogacar to win the stage to punish all the guys who don't seriously try today. So far this has been a (weird) tactical battle, when so many guys should have been going all out (in my eyes... spoken from a chair...)

 

[yaco]

ITV saying that Vingegaard is the most surprising podium in a GT since 2011...

Have they forgotten Jai Hindley? It was only 9 months ago for goodness sake.
Or Damiano Caruso literally a month and a half ago?

Or Tao Geoghan Hart

 

[Red Rick]

I want Pogacar to win the stage to punish all the guys who don't seriously try today. So far this has been a (weird) tactical battle, when so many guys should have been going all out (in my eyes... spoken from a chair...)

Tbh the stage is sooo bad for a breakaway to succeed.

 

[ruamruam]

Carlton Kirby is a like a drunk bore in a pub who insists on telling long winded boring stories.

 

[spalco]

If Pogacar really wants the polka dot jersey then he will have it before the end of the day. I really hope it goes to one of the other riders who have been actively chasing the points.

It looks like he'll have it regardless just by everyone else not doing anything.

 

[Eclipse]

Carlton Kirby is a like a drunk bore in a pub who insists on telling long winded boring stories.

I feel like that's kind of what you need in a cycling commentator tbh.

So much of their time is effectively filling dead air while waiting for something to happen

 

[Leinster]

Is the team thinking that Mohoric and Ala can gain 5 minutes on the descent of the Tourmalet and then hold out climbing Luz?

Juul Jensen caught again. Having climbed both, I can confirm that this one is a little bigger than the Long Road through Kilmacanogue.

 

[Escarabajo]

Oh dear, same thing as yesterday but from further away.

 

[ruamruam]

I feel like that's kind of what you need in a cycling commentator tbh.

So much of their time is effectively filling dead air while waiting for something to happen

I can only listen to him for a few minutes before I have to mute the sound.

 

[SafeBet]

I feel like that's kind of what you need in a cycling commentator tbh.

So much of their time is effectively filling dead air while waiting for something to happen

Sometimes it's ok to let me hear the fans cheering or the wind blowing or even riders cursing in whatever language.
Cycling is cycling, they don't need to make it a sitcom.

 

[Escarabajo]

I want Pogacar to win the stage to punish all the guys who don't seriously try today. So far this has been a (weird) tactical battle, when so many guys should have been going all out (in my eyes... spoken from a chair...)

If Bahrain does not win anything today they should have a special prize given by Chris Horner!

 

[jarvo]

Cav off the back straight away, i am nervous for his time cut today

 

[Leinster]

Cav off the back straight away, i am nervous for his time cut today

Don't be. Less than 50km to go, he'll be comfortably inside.