Tour de France Tour de France 2021, Stage 8: Oyonnax – Le Grand-Bornand, 150.8 km

[Salvarani]

The prospect of watching this dominance for an unknown amount of years to come is pretty awful tbh.

I enjoy watching greatness.

Surely someone will come around also and it still a race and sport where unpredictable things can happen. Even to the best.

There will come a bad day/race for someone like Pog too. For now I enjoy watching one of the best riders of his generation. We dont know what will happen in the future.

 

[sir fly]

wrong. Contador simply crashed out. He was so far above everyone that year.

But then again, the ability to not crash is important

Not as I remember the cobbles.
Far more terrified there than anyone I ever saw riding them.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Carapaz 1"03' from Pogacar (handclocked).

 

[Rollthedice]

More like Contador 2009.

At least he had the decency to pretend that he's following the Schlecks. This Pog raid is hard to compare to anything in recent memory.

 

[woodburn]

Pogacar just casually glancing at fans as he motors past. Like catching sights on Sunday ride.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

They may have gone a bit overboard with the Nans spraying

 

[BlueRoads]

Yes. Certainly far closer to Pogi than Carapaz.

I don't know how much closer, but I can't imagine Roglic going with Pogacar here. It's not just Carapaz behind, someone like Gaudu can climb pretty well as well and is a nobody compared to Pogacar.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Intimidating though it is, I don't know that this is TOO unmatchable for a peak form Bernal or even a peak form López - however, despite on his day being the bar none best climber in the world, Supermán has yet to be able to climb at his peak level for a complete GT, and both of them would be absolutely brutalised by Pogačar in an ITT. The Bernal of the first 2/3 of the Giro would have been very interesting to see here, I think Bernal's ceiling is a little above Carapaz', but don't know if it would realistically be sufficient to bridge the gap from him to Tadej.

 

[T-Nielsen]

Sport relies on, even revolves around competition. That is nonexistent right now and potentially for years to come too.

This is ONE race.

There has been fantastick competition in just about every race the last years.

So painting the devil on the wall may be a bit premature.

 

[Big Doopie]

lol at carlton saying woods is a good descender -- he is horrible because he started cycling so late... horrible.

 

[SafeBet]

Is Van Aert seriously that close to Carapaz?

 

[Eclipse]

The prospect of watching this dominance for an unknown amount of years to come is pretty awful tbh.

I dunno, New riders will emerge, routes will be adjusted, teams will adjust tactics.

It's not like he's a boring rider either.

---

anyyway, stage win on offer. Will Poels unchained climb faster than even Pogawatts?

 

[Izzyeviel]

But it should be really clear why they did it yesterday.

That should be easy to understand by now.

can't tell if you're being serious or joining in the pisstaking.

 

[Netserk]

I enjoy watching greatness.

Surely someone will come around also and it still a race and sport where unpredictable things can happen. Even to the best.

There will come a bad day/race for someone like Pog too. For now I enjoy watching one of the best riders of his generation. We dont know what will happen in the future.

Agreed. While competition is important, exhibition is also great.

 

[Volderke]

But it should be really clear why they did it yesterday.

That should be easy to understand by now.

No, until the end of days (and we are near with all those thermo.... attacks), I won't understand why Movistar were so eager to catch Carapaz, unless ofcourse it was revenge.

 

[JosefK]

Pogi is smiling. lol

 

[SoreleyBoy]

First post. And only moved to do so because of what I’m witnessing. Truly awful implications for cycling. This is a day that will go down in infamy. I had truly hoped that cycling was mainly free of this crap, but it would seem not. What we are witnessing is an absolute insult to our intelligence.

 

[lenric]

I hope this stage ends by 'I believe I can fly' kicking in in the final 500m with Pogacar crossing the line and taking off into the sky. Followed by an end credit montage of him flying about the world helping those in need like Moe Szylack in his flying paraglider thing.

 

[Big Doopie]

Intimidating though it is, I don't know that this is TOO unmatchable for a peak form Bernal or even a peak form López...

but not if there are any TT kms at all...

that's why Lopez and even Bernal are not truly traditional GT winning material.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Is Van Aert seriously that close to Carapaz?

I doubt it. It looks like they think Van Aert is in the Vingegaard group.

 

[bigcog]

In the short -term, we can only hope Evenepoel gets better at descending, and Pidcock makes good on his promise as a climber?

Can't see it but we'll see.

 

[lenric]

froome also crashed out. after beating contador in both the opening TT and first MTF of the dauphine.

and then there is the unfortunate fact that nibali already had close on 3 minutes on contador when contador crashed out...

contador had dropped nobody. you are making silly fan-crazy statements.

contador dropped nibali.

 

[Netserk]

I don't know how much closer, but I can't imagine Roglic going with Pogacar here. It's not just Carapaz behind, someone like Gaudu can climb pretty well as well and is a nobody compared to Pogacar.

Roglič in Itzulia is the only one who has put up a fight, and won.

 

[houtdffan]

Not as I remember the cobbles.
Far more terrified there than anyone I ever saw riding them.

Cobbles yes. He road like a grannie.

Not the climbs though

Pogacar today reminds me of the TA stage in 2015 where Conta went from a very long way out and stomped the field

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Pog only just over 2 minutes off Woods.