Tour de France Tour de France 2022: Stage 12 (Briançon – Alpe d’Huez, 165.1k)

[Cookster15]

39:07

Wow. For Thomas that is quicker time than when he won on the Alpe in 2018 (>40mins?). He’s in great shape for an old dude. Great ride by him to stick with the big two.

As for those why say it was boring well when two are closely matched that is simply just how it is. But grand tours are also about who recovers best. The 3rd week hasn’t started yet. Pogi bounced back today and Vingo knows he can’t relax.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

If you only look at climbing times you're just looking at overall population tendencies in climbing times.

It's like saying zomg the current #500 ranked tennis player is a greater player than Rod Laver.

I don’t think that applies in quite the same way over a shorter timespan in this sport. the climbing times very much do not show a smooth upward slope over the last few decades. And it’s only four years ago that Thomas won this race, he’s hardly Bahamontes.

 

[75Driver]

The tour isn’t over but Ving and JV have closed some doors. There are opportunities for Pogacar on Peyragudes, Hautacam and the TT but it would be difficult to imagine JV losing their grip on the peloton. Maybe Pog can draft Ineos if they go for it as it might be his only chance. His team can not do it.

 

[HelloDolly]

So Pogacar was right when he said Vingegaard was the best climber in the race

The Slovenian needs a plan on how to attack

 

[postmanhat]

Pidcock seemingly not living up to his potential all spring makes sense because he clearly has refocused himself as a GC rider rather than a Classics rider. Huge potential.

Sorry, but the only the reason he underperformed in the spring was illness, which also meant he didn't ride the Giro. All of this might have contributed to his performance in the Tour, but it certainly wasn't the plan. I doubt he'll be fully focussed on GTs till after the next Olympics?

 

[Sciatic]

Mas will rue yesterday's suffering, good legs today, continuing his Carlos Sastre tradition. Actually kind of disappointed at Pidcock and Pogačar ruining the day's epic trolling of me. We needed to have Meintjes win ahead of Froome, then no attacks while everybody watches Kuss sit second wheel doing nothing all the way up to the summit even when he's the only other Jumbo rider left, then Thomas sprinting away from the heads of state at the top.

Sagan might at least still pull a wheelie when the autobus gets there though. He did on PDBF.

That’s very fun of you

 

[Red Rick]

I don’t think that applies in quite the same way over a shorter timespan in this sport. the climbing times very much do not show a smooth upward slope over the last few decades.

2020-2022 vs like 2010-2019 is a pretty stark contrast.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Wow. For Thomas that is quicker time than when he won on the Alpe in 2018 (>40mins?). He’s in great shape for an old dude. Great ride by him to stick with the big two.

As for those why say it was boring well when two are closely matched that is simply just how it is. But grand tours are also about who recovers best. The 3rd week hasn’t started yet. Pogi bounced back today and Vingo knows he can’t relax.

You have to wonder if people are bored by the Tour de France if they ever watched the Tour de France before.

This is what you get when you watch the Tour de France.

Pro tip: Do other things while watching the race.

 

[MartinGT]

I turned Eurosport over to ITV to try and escape Blythe.

Kennaugh and Deignan.

If I speak I am in big trouble.

Especially as 'our Lizzie' is from darn t'road from Pidders. Spaffing British spaff everywhere.

 

[HelloDolly]

Vingegaard has no spacial awareness, he almost crash Thomas in the sprint

its just he gets so tired

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

2020-2022 vs like 2010-2019 is a pretty stark contrast.

Yeah, because these guys are riding at a higher level and even when a winner from just four years ago also rides at a higher level he’s still not good enough

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Especially as 'our Lizzie' is from darn t'road from Pidders. Spaffing British spaff everywhere.

Oh, I thought you meant Phil.

Yikes.

 

[Scarponi]

The story has been that Pogacar is a level above previous champions like Froome and Contador. Yesterday, Quintana and GT put 2 minutes into Pogacar. Today, Pogacar and the new Pogacar, Vingegaard, finished in the same time as GT who, at his absolute peak, Tour-winning form, narrowly nipped Dumoulin and Froome at the line on the Alpe, despite them having already ridden the Giro. So...they're actually not a level above previous champions like Froome and Contador?

Verbier contador and PSM froome would rip these slowpokes hehe

 

[klintE]

He won the Giro dell'Appennino a couple of months ago though?
I mean, yes, an argument can be made that 2nd on a TDF queen stage is better than that (it obviously is, actually), but a win's a win.

Not even that.
Stage implicates "don't risk, look after GC" consequence.
So stage win is more meaningful here, IMO, than one day event

BTW, I don't think this was a queen stage.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

This TdF is far from over. Remember, 48 hours ago, Pogacar was considered clear winner of this 2022 edition!…

The Pyrenees and a long ITT are still to be ridden. Do not forget that it is Pogacar who has to be beaten by Jonas. We know what Pogi is capable of on good days.

Covid, crashes/mechanicals and Jonas‘ achilles tendon could endanger everything. Do not forget the curse of Rabofail also, especially in TdF.

Most of all, what worries me most, is that Pogacar is so strong. He very well could attack in the Pyrenees, and drop Vinge clearly. If Pog is second behind leader Vinge before final ITT, Pog could still beat Vinge in final GC, as he did to Primoz in 2020.

Do never, ever, underestimate Pogacar…

 

[HelloDolly]

now I know why Carapaz is leaving Ineos....he's afraid of becoming Pidcock's domestique .

Roglic will be Vingegaards domestique

 

[MartinGT]

Pogi not learning anything is he. Sprinting at the end for nothing.

 

[Miha81]

He doesn't need to be inside half a minute to stand a chance, the TT is 40km long and if Vingegård has a bad day he can definitely lose more than one minute to Pogačar there. Still Pogačar needs to take at least minute before the TT to have a realistic chance to win.

I don't believe he can do it with minute behind. But again I did not believe he can take minute+ out of Rogla in 2020 TDF and was totally shellshocked that day. Off course it was different type of ITT but for fun sake let's hope he can close some of the gap next week. Otherwise the remaining of this years tour will be boring as f***

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It’s the ages old question but what if Pogacar had a team like JV? He’s been horribly hampered by his team. its almost zero support.

He takes the big bucks to ride for a badly run team that exists to sportswash the reputation of a grim regime. If the team expensively sucks, that’s part of the deal.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Kinda boring stage honestly. Would have preferred Jumbo trying to win, but plan for Vinge all along was obviously just to shadow Pogacar and well, all he needs to do is simply just shadow him and then he won the Tour. But as we learned in 2020, that might be a risky strategy to rely upon if you have just one off-day. Oh well.

 

[yaco]

Pidcock's victory was a thing of beauty - Making up two minutes on the descent to catch the break with flawless riding.

 

[HelloDolly]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1547625092959481858

View: https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1547625092959481858?s=20&t=c7h4aivSlIUfNhP5Cxgzfg

 

[Bolder]

Just watched on a bit of delay. What a ride by Pidcock -- did all the pulling and still won. I think he might have a GC future although he could be more of a Yates type who has good and bad days. And nice to some redemption for Froome.

Pogacar bounced back impressively but Vingegaard and Team J-V are still too strong for him. And this was clearly the one day when Kuss was being the Kuss we all know and love.

The crowds on the Alpe on Bastille Day really bring home why cycling is so great. Nothing better, and I'm just glad no one got hurt.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pidcock finally showing some climbing legs. Good show. Especially after a hard chase. I wonder if he's going to try and stay close in GC, or go for another stage.

 

[Extinction]

This TdF is far from over. Remember, 48 hours ago, Pogacar was considered clear winner of this 2022 edition!…

The Pyrenees and a long ITT are still to be ridden. Do not forget that it is Pogacar who has to be beaten by Jonas. We know what Pogi is capable of on good days.

Covid, crashes/mechanicals and Jonas‘ achilles tendon could endanger everything. Do not forget the curse of Rabofail also, especially in TdF.

Most of all, what worries me most, is that Pogacar is so strong. He very well could attack in the Pyrenees, and drop Vinge clearly. If Pog is second behind leader Vinge before final ITT, Pog could still beat Vinge in final GC, as he did to Primoz in 2020.

Do never, ever, underestimate Pogacar…

True, but Vingegaard is stronger then ever before. If he doesn't have a bad day, then it will be difficult for Pogacar to drop this Vingegaard in the Pyrenees. Plus Vingegaard has the strongest team. As I see it, based on the Tour thus far, Vingegaard wins if he doesn't have a crisis or, put differently, he will have to have a crisis (or crash or mechanical in a bad moment) for Pog to beat him now.