Tour de France Tour de France 2023, stage 15: Les Gets - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc, 179.0k

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Yes, but perhaps that's too simple a conclusion for some who like to imagine more layered situation.
I didn't know if I was right, but after the Yates dummy at that time I felt Pog exaggerated his tiredness in many ways possible - swerving, losing wheel - but he couldn't fool Jonas, who in the end just become more - maybe even too - cautious

This is how I interpreted what I saw, once Yates attacked. Pog was sitting on, and he kept drifting back a little less than a bike length, and it seemed to me that was an attempt to try to get Jonas to attack, but Jonas was having none of it. That he didn't go over the top, and that Pog was unable to drop hm with his attack, maybe shows that neither was feeling super strong. I think Jonas putting a wheel ahead on that last steep bend, before the line, was a message, and them crossing together without either really pushing the issue, seemed to suggest that they were both on equal terms.

Weird question: Is it possible that you can steal the data from a rival's head unit, using some bluetooth trickery?

 

[Kwibus]

No. Being only 49, I can't claim 40 years, but I'm definitely not new to it. But what I do know is that I've never seen anyone ride so passively who after 2 weeks had only a 10 seconds gap. Not that that we've seen that often, especially in the dark days.

D. Pecher has never seen anyone as passive as Vignegaard who is constantly being attacked and pressed by his rival Pogacar who with the exception of 1 stage everytime had the edge on him. Remarkable that you've never seen that.

 

[Red Rick]

Vingegaard just let himself get dropped for fun yesterday. He let his team ride all day to try and break Pogacar that's true, but Pogacar didn't break and he even attacked and dropped Vingegaard. Then when he finally manages to catch Pogacar you expect him to just attack. Sure, that's what I thought as well. If you can you must attack now, but he obviously couldn't. He just chased Pogacar for 4km up the Joux Plane with everything he had.

This is not a videogame.

To be honest, with Pogacar being more explosive, I was actually thinking letting him swim 5s in front of you would actually be a genius move if you're actually a bit better.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Ratio

Ratio

Ratio

#GetRekt

It's kinda like llmaestro99 is the Pozzato of the posters on this forum.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Yates pace was enough that the whole top-10 was spread out on the entire mountain. It was a fast pace, and it would be a real shame to miss an attack at that moment. I personally couldn't care less about the break at that point, Poels won, now the suspense was elsewhere and I think the crew captured that very well. I do agree that Burgodeau got more time than Poels, unlucky, and if it was me directing, I wouldn't even have shown him. Doesn't matter at all if he finished 3rd, 10th or 130th, irrelevant to me and irrelevant to the race IMO, but no problem showing a glimpse of all the riders finishing across the line in top-10.

OK might be a bit OT here and maybe there's a special thread for this topic in general (haven't searched).

In follow-up to my previous take on why I've been so intertained is that when finally having time for watching (and not being disturbed by busy world around me) is in the details - cheering for the breakaway tryouts, feeling with riders down or left behind, the unknown unknowns when late week 2 natural body breakdown really starts in taking its tolls and the effect is different for each rider, not only speaking GC guys but all the way down. I understand if watcher's focus is solely on GC obvious you couldn't care less. However, for me each stage is a road race and even though breakaways are sucked up by GC teams, my emotions have been fully involved meanwhile.

Maybe it's downto I nowadays have so little time for watching, but when finally have the time, my emotions are a 100% game on.
For instance the win of Wout Poels was very emotional for me, but also the 'unknown unknowns' of the other Wout, Pogi, Vingo and their backup guys, time limit guys and everything, besides the scenary itself and incidents happening underway, writing yet another chapter of cycling history.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

How long have you been watching cycling? Three weeks? You can't ride defensively if your entire gap amounts to the bonus seconds for a stage win. Riding the way Vingo rode today means he's either a) a coward b) stupid c) tired or d) simply not any better than Pogacar but exactly on the same level. Chose one.

The dude is a pro tour level rider who could drop you by 10 minutes, going up your driveway. He prepares all year to ride this race. His entire focus in his life right now is winning the tour. He is actually out there, turning pedals over at 300-800 watts, hour after hour. You aren't qualified to tell him the type of stem bolt to use. How long have you been watching cycling? Sit the f**k down.

 

[Elos Anjos]

The dude is a pro tour level rider who could drop you by 10 minutes, going up your driveway. He prepares all year to ride this race. His entire focus in his life right now is winning the tour. He is actually out there, turning pedals over at 300-800 watts, hour after hour. You aren't qualified to tell him the type of stem bolt to use. How long have you been watching cycling? Sit the f**k down.

Marc Soler of the Forum here ^.

 

[RedheadDane]

You know what? Today seems like a good day to use his full name!
Congratulations to Wouter Lambertus Martinus Henricus Poels.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Can people stop calling the top cyclists in the Tour de France engaging in probably the most difficult sporting event on the planet physically, mentally, and psychologically "cowards" or "stupid" when it comes to doing their jobs? You're just embarrassing yourselves.

 

[Red Rick]

Anyone else had a laugh about Pogacar spinning extra hard in the final 20m to pass the finish first with nothing on the line?

 

[Elos Anjos]

You know what? Today seems like a good day to use his full name!
Congratulations to Wouter Lambertus Martinus Henricus Poels.

I can't believe it!

 

[Andy schleck]

His confidence was completely dented in Cauterets though. Not even one try of attacking Pogacar since then (despite mamooth work by JV yesterday and subpar looking Pogacar today).

He will attack again on wednesday.

 

[Salvarani]

Anyone else had a laugh about Pogacar spinning extra hard in the final 20m to pass the finish first with nothing on the line?

Nice bait, go fish.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Marc Soler of the Forum here ^.

Jacky Durand of the forum here^.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Anyone else had a laugh about Pogacar spinning extra hard in the final 20m to pass the finish first with nothing on the line?

I think most cycling fans realize that a psychological advantage can be on the line even when a time bonus isn't.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

You know what? Today seems like a good day to use his full name!
Congratulations to Wouter Lambertus Martinus Henricus Poels.

Don‘t you feel old being the same age as someone with the name of a renaissance nobleman?

 

[Red Rick]

Nice bait, go fish.

Yes. I can never find anything legit funny.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Anyone else had a laugh about Pogacar spinning extra hard in the final 20m to pass the finish first with nothing on the line?

I noticed that, and chalked it up to his personality. Jonas was clearly signaling a stalemate, but Pog had to get that tire width...probably an unconscious response on his part.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He will attack again on wednesday.

If he's behind in the GC then surely.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I think most cycling fans realize that a psychological advantage can be on the line even when a time bonus isn't.

I think the half wheel ahead on the last steep bend, was more of a psychological statement.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Anyone else had a laugh about Pogacar spinning extra hard in the final 20m to pass the finish first with nothing on the line?

It's mental war, man. Every detail counts. This tiny thing will reinforce Vinge's fear to attack

 

[Salvarani]

Yes. I can never find anything legit funny.

Do you mean like this?

For some reason, it is all I could imagine.

 

[RedheadDane]

Don‘t you feel old being the same age as someone with the name of a renaissance nobleman?

No.

 

[Salvarani]

It's mental war, man. Every detail counts. This tiny thing will reinforce Vinge's fear to attack

It looked to me like Vinge leaned over and said something to Pog in the last 10-15 meters or so.

Probably "have a good rest day, buddy".

 

[Kwibus]

To be honest, with Pogacar being more explosive, I was actually thinking letting him swim 5s in front of you would actually be a genius move if you're actually a bit better.

It wouls be indeed, but you only do this if you feel comfortable. Dont think Jonas was comfortable yesterday 😁