Tour de France Tour de France 2023, stage 17: Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc - Courchevel, 165.7k

[Red Rick]

By the way, it's not a Tour if I don't cringe at them finishing at an altiport ramp apparently.

 

[Amazinmets87]

This stage is incredibly hard, maybe too hard, actually. The problem is that Loze is so difficult that anyone who attacks before the final 5 k better be sure they have the legs of a lifetime.

I think Pogi is cooked and will have to follow Vingegaard. The sad thing is that the field is now so far behind that any attack won't draw out the top 2.

Cooked? He just produced an elite ITT.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

By the way, it's not a Tour if I don't cringe at them finishing at an altiport ramp apparently.

This is the one time where the altiport makes for a better finish than them taking the long way round up the road. Means there's something at least somewhat relevant after the big climb.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

This stage was supposed to become one for the ages, now it was the TT that was of historic proportion. I really wish for devine intervention on behalf of Pogacar, as nothing else will work, but I don't believe in it.

Yet I think Pogacar will make this a very enjoyable stage by trying to gain back time somehow.

 

[Red Rick]

The really pessimistic part of me wonders if UAE will try harder to protect Yates' 3rd spot than attack Vingegaard......

 

[dobrien]

Cooked? He just produced an elite ITT.

I think when people use the word 'cooked' in this context it means relative to Jonas. Obviously if Ving wasn't in the race Pog would be laughing all the way to Paris.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

The really pessimistic part of me wonders if UAE will try harder to protect Yates' 3rd spot than attack Vingegaard......

The really curious part of me wonders if you‘ve watched last year‘s Tour. Although, Stage 17 also finished at an Altiport and Pogačar tried very little.

 

[Red Rick]

The really curious part of me wonders if you‘ve watched last year‘s Tour. Although, Stage 17 also finished at an Altiport and Pogačar tried very little.

They didn't have a 3rd place to piss away....

I guess Pog will attack but I don't think they'll make Yates do super stupid stuff.

Most likely Yates drops Rodriguez while pacing anyway

 

[Valv.Piti]

The really pessimistic part of me wonders if UAE will try harder to protect Yates' 3rd spot than attack Vingegaard......

Emil Axelgaard seems to believe that Jumbo will carry on with their tactics pre ITT and strangle the race for Vingegaard like stage 14 over Joux Plane, but this time with a clear Jonas-advandtage. I hope so, because I dont think UAE are up for the task to make a real bloodbath, but could be mistaken.

I think Pog has his eyes on stage 20 in particular

 

[HelloDolly]

Pog will work for Adam to secure podium

The really pessimistic part of me wonders if UAE will try harder to protect Yates' 3rd spot than attack Vingegaard......

Don't think so as I think UAE (the sponsor) want the winner of the Tour
If anything Adam Yates's podium could be sacrificed

Johan Bruyneel said the JV had this stage circled as the stage where they planned to win the Tour

Also said that Pog was tired today and Vinge cornering was so impressive he gained 3 seconds on Pog in the first corner alone

Simon Yates beat Pog's time on the climb ..

 

[SHAD0W93]

If it rains I think UAE comes out swinging right off the bat and we end up like last year with Pog and Vinge finishing together with Adam third.

 

[pelotonIQ]

Tomorrow is either the best stage you've seen in your life or a big disappointment, if no significant time gains are made for Poga it will be the end of watching the tour for me.

May the best motherf*cker win!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

People are writing like the weather knows what to do based on the ITT. Yeah, there might be a rain shower, but the weather doesn‘t care about your hopes and dreams.

 

[Martinstranger]

The really pessimistic part of me wonders if UAE will try harder to protect Yates' 3rd spot than attack Vingegaard......

I really hope you are wrong on that one..... but i'll not be surprised as teams tend to protect those positions.

On the other hand, Pogacar is a former winner and should not settle for less than being nr. 1 at his age - therefore he should try something. Of course he can try to gain a little at the end and go for stage 20 - but I believe he/they will have to suprise Jumbo, if they will give it a real try.

 

[Gigs_98]

Don't think so as I think UAE (the sponsor) want the winner of the Tour
If anything Adam Yates's podium could be sacrificed

Johan Bruyneel said the JV had this stage circled as the stage where they planned to win the Tour

Also said that Pog was tired today and Vinge cornering was so impressive he gained 3 seconds on Pog in the first corner alone

Simon Yates beat Pog's time on the climb ..

And Ciccone beat Vingegaard on the climb, so what? Yates and Pogacar clearly timed their effort differently. I just don't see how it tells us anything to point at one particular section of the route when altogether Pogacar beat Yates comfortably.

 

[Rob5091]

Maybe Sean Kelly was right and Pogacar will suffer in week 3. Unless Vingegaard has gone too deep in the TT, then this Tour is over. Let Pinot win a stage and France will have something to celebrate.

 

[Panda Claws]

He better channel that Fuente Dé energy. Though Vingegaard won't be surprised like Rodriguez was and mostly has a far far better team.

 

[SHAD0W93]

He better channel that Fuente Dé energy. Though Vingegaard won't be surprised like Rodriguez was and mostly has a far far better team.

The whole team bar Kuss would have to get dropped by the first climb for a Fuente De I think.

 

[jaylew]

And Ciccone beat Vingegaard on the climb, so what? Yates and Pogacar clearly timed their effort differently. I just don't see how it tells us anything to point at one particular section of the route when altogether Pogacar beat Yates comfortably.

This exactly

 

[Poursuivant]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681399565688160264

View: https://twitter.com/cycIingpics/status/1681399565688160264

 

[Tonton]

That bike race is on my birthday. A Pinot win would be a nice present...

Pog doesn't need to make it all up tomorrow, but if he can't get a big chunk back, game over. Vingo was amazing today, I can't see Pogacar turn the tide. But he'll try. The best spot would be with 4-5 km to go. How much does he still have in the tank, though?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pog is defeated. We all saw on his face, he is asking what he did wrong to lose again. Sooner or later, he will realize he doesn't have a chance of beating Vingegaard.

 

[Poursuivant]

That bike race is on my birthday. A Pinot win would be a nice present...

Pog doesn't need to make it all up tomorrow, but if he can't get a big chunk back, game over. Vingo was amazing today, I can't see Pogacar turn the tide. But he'll try. The best spot would be with 4-5 km to go. How much does he still have in the tank, though?

Bon anniversaire

 

[HelloDolly]

And Ciccone beat Vingegaard on the climb, so what? Yates and Pogacar clearly timed their effort differently. I just don't see how it tells us anything to point at one particular section of the route when altogether Pogacar beat Yates comfortably.

Because it demonstrates that Pog had run out of juice by the climb and its was not about any particular part of the TT . He didnt pace himself well
Ciccone was not a contender for overall and only road the climb fast so that is not a valid comparison

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Because it demonstrates that Pog had run out of juice by the climb and its was not about any particular part of the TT . He didnt pace himself well
Ciccone was not a contender for overall and only road the climb fast so that is not a valid comparison

Pogacar put 32 seconds into Simon Yates between the KOM (at T3) and the finish, which was still uphill, and 31 seconds on the climb overall (i.e. T2 to finish). The only thing that Pogacar losing time to Yates on the KOM itself tells us is that the bike change cost a fair bit of time, and maybe also that Yates paced himself a little too fast on the KOM given that he only had the 13th time split on the final section, hence explaining why he beat Pogacar on the KOM. Not that Pogacar had run out of juice, otherwise he wouldn't have been second-fastest for both the T2-finish and T3-finish splits.