Tour de France Tour de France 2021, Stage 7: Vierzon – Le Creusot, 249.1 km

[Rollthedice]

The Shark is way too hungry for UAE, Ineos, EF, Movistar to give away that amount of time to. They would rather force Pogacar to lose than win? Nibali will make mincemeat of the others in the break over the next few weeks if he has the chance.

I'm not sure 5-6 minutes would be enough for 2021 Nibali to stand a chance against Pog and he won't have close to that at the end of this stage.

 

[DanielSong39]

UAE, Ineos, EF, and Movistar refreshing Betfair odds as we speak
Nope, Pogacar still odds-on to win
When Van Aert is at lower odds than Pogacar they will chase

FYI that's roughly how 2006 Stage 17 went down, they only helped the chase once Landis was roughly at same odds as Pereiro

 

[Leggitte]

Van Aert is not in last year's form, so obviously TJV should not ride for his GC as endgoal even if he had a big gap.

Not in the first week, but he can ride himself into top form.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Last year stage 7 was the first one with any real action too, the maillot vert competition obviously triggered that but you then had some contenders being caught out and teams dithering over how many domestiques to commit with back to back mountain stages to come. This is similar, with back to back mountains at the weekend, UAE don't want to commit too heavily, other GC teams are not willing to help, and they're locked in a game of chicken over controlling this break and allowing people who had been out of contention back in, introducing potential wildcards to the mix and giving several teams other things to work with and/or play for. I think it's vital to put a stage which has some kind of platform for selectivity on the day before the real mountains begin because it creates this kind of uncertainty - although last year they put it after the real mountains began, but the péloton neutralised the mountains.

 

[Gargamel35]

If Van Aert does manage to take 5-6 minutes on Pogacar today, should TJV change their tactics and ride for Van Aert? Or will Roglic still be their man?

Probably riding for both. Van Aert would defend the lead and Roglič for long range attacks to put time on Pogačar.

 

[perico]

UAE, Ineos, EF, and Movistar refreshing Betfair odds as we speak
Nope, Pogacar still odds-on to win
When Van Aert is at lower odds than Pogacar they will chase

They give Nibali 6 minutes; which gives him a 3 minute advantage on GC leaders, they will regret it. Pogacar likely the only one who could make that time up.

I don’t care how old he is, you never let a former TDF winner back into contention- and Nibali is not just any former winner, he’s probably the smartest tactical GC rider in the peloton, and 2 of the next 3 mtn stages finish after a long descent.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

6"52' behind Mohoric
6"32' behind Van der Poel
at the top of the climb

 

[jarvo]

They give Nibali 6 minutes; which gives him a 3 minute advantage on GC leaders, they will regret it. Pogacar likely the only one who could make that time up.

I don’t care how old he is, you never let a former TDF winner back into contention- and Nibali is not just any former winner, he’s probably the smartest tactical GC rider in the peloton, and 2 of the next 3 mtn stages finish after a long descent.

they could give Froome 10 minutes and still be ok

 

[Eclipse]

Then put Valverde and Tao in it. You force UAE to chase either way.

Think it's super easy to say this, but not so easy to actually achieve given the strength of the attackers forcing the break today.

slight reshuffling over the summit in the bunch?

 

[perico]

I'm not sure 5-6 minutes would be enough for 2021 Nibali to stand a chance against Pog and he won't have close to that at the end of this stage.

It’s enough against anyone else besides. I don’t think Nibali will beat Pogacar, but he will podium if he has a 3 minute advantage over the rest of them.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

loooooooool

 

[Volderke]

wt... is Tony Martin doing?

 

[Billie]

"keeping your leaders in front of the bunch" truly is the most cancerous thing in the peloton lol

 

[Eclipse]

Hahahahahhahahaha jumbo????

 

[Lequack]

Are Jumbo really chasing their own man? What the hell is this tactics. And Ineos as well. UAE will surely be thankful.

 

[Skalman]

Jumbo Visma chasing Jumbo Visma

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Jumbo v Jumbo
Rogla scared of Squalo?

 

[broppo]

haha lol

 

[perico]

And just like that... INEOS, Jumbo, and Movistar go to the front.

 

[jarvo]

Jumbo ruining my day

 

[Netserk]

wt... is Tony Martin doing?

They are approaching narrow(er) roads.

 

[JosefK]

Jumbo knuckleheads.

 

[glassmoon]

They give Nibali 6 minutes; which gives him a 3 minute advantage on GC leaders, they will regret it. Pogacar likely the only one who could make that time up.

I don’t care how old he is, you never let a former TDF winner back into contention- and Nibali is not just any former winner, he’s probably the smartest tactical GC rider in the peloton, and 2 of the next 3 mtn stages finish after a long descent.

still TJV will have 3m on Nibs with Wout who I think is able to hold against him. + one TT still as a bonus.

 

[MartinGT]

WTF Jumbo? Why are they riding?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Jumbo deserve to lose