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

[JimPanzen]

Today we all got a serious glimpse of what this TDF would have been like without Pogacar.

The Tour needs him as a rider. And maybe (hopefully) with Remco and other guys on the horizon GC battles will be between more than two riders in the future.

 

[ppanther92]

Tell that to the people who thought last year was just an anomaly. There's a lot of them. And this year there's the wrist to point to, or today's crash. I think, and I hope, that UAE are wiser and go for a different approach next year.

I mean, they have to. And the biggest change they can try is a full peak for July only. But I am not sure if thats what Pogacar would find joy/motivation in. I actually think it adds comparably less to his palmares to get a 3rd Tour win rather than continuing winning a broad range of races. And, maybe most important point, I doubt there is so much upside left to match Vingegaard even with full July focus.

 

[tobydawq]

I said many times but Pogacar needs to dropped cobbles classics, and just do enough to win (or just get results) during early season. Riding like madman is not the way to prepare for modern Tour de France, especially with someone who is as strong as you, but just doing traditional modern Tour de France prep.

No he doesn't.

 

[Tim Cahill]

What was he supposed to do? Stop and let them go by?

Was the fistpumping, tbf though devils elbow might be right he might not have known they were just behind

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I cannot check Twitter for the sake of my health, but the homerism right now is pretty mild compared to Sky or Lance days IMO.

This is absolutely true. The Yanks and Brits were insufferable d-bags when it came to Armstrong and Froome. Plus Vingo is infinitely more likeable than those two.

 

[Unchained]

Fantastic race by many, Pog not so much. Was impressed that he went back inside his head, sat down and put together a decent finish. You could see for many riders their body hit some cement truck going up the hill, many barely able to turn over the pedals. The winner looked to be riding regular 2x12 w a 2 speed rear hub..guy had leg speed like crazy, turning over the gear on a 10% plus grade and he looked like he was on flat road!!! Very impressive, well deserved victory.
I ran Vingegaard's comments while talking to his daughter " Daddy destroyed everyone, daddy needs to go talk to the motorcycles and cars that blocked his path during the TDF,daddy is very very angry with those bad people "

 

[dobrien]

No he doesn't.

Agree 100% with this. He's a racer who loves all types of racing, and I for one would not be interested in seeing one of the most exciting riders in the world try to go full monk-mode just to try for one more Tour.

 

[Poursuivant]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681695560430911489

View: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1681695560430911489

 

[RobertCrawley]

Geschke makes the time cut by 1:20!

 

[T-Nielsen]

It was a great tour last year, and this year it was great at least until this stage.

And next year they will be back and it will be another great tour.

Lets appreciate instead of winging.

Dont you guys/girls/whatever you feel like remember how boring the USP years were?

 

[Escarabajo]

No he doesn't.

I am sure (~>90%) that they will drop the classics except for the later ones like Liege. Whether we like it or not it is almost a must for them to change something in the program after watching Vingegaard racing like this. There is no way they ca go back to the drawing board and blame everything on the wrist. That is too high of a risk at this moment. I hate it but it will happen.

 

[tobydawq]

I am sure (~>90%) that they will drop the classics except for the later ones like Liege. Whether we like it or not it is almost a must for them to change something in the program after watching Vingegaard racing like this. There is no way they ca go back to the drawing board and blame everything on the wrist. That is too high of a risk at this moment. I hate it but it will happen.

Of course it can be blamed on the wrist.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Tomorrow looks like a day for Jasper Disaster Philipsen.

 

[T-Nielsen]

Geschke makes the time cut by 1:20!

Happy about it but that aint possible without something very sticky

 

[RobertCrawley]

Happy about it but that aint possible without something very sticky

Ha ha. Yeah, probably.

 

[Escarabajo]

Of course it can be blamed on the wrist.

Your opinion.

 

[jimmy_8888888]

Agree 100% with this. He's a racer who loves all types of racing, and I for one would not be interested in seeing one of the most exciting riders in the world try to go full monk-mode just to try for one more Tour.

Awesome, yes. Practical, no. Vingegaard fully, (or almost fully) commited for Tour de France. Pogacar with multiple front will from now on come in the Tour at disadvantage. Also, he can try those races later on in his career, does not need to do it now. His priority now is to retake Tour de France crown back. If he still like this, then he should ride Giro/Vuelta plus classics before then.

 

[tobydawq]

Your opinion.

Of course. And the contrary is your opinion...

 

[Escarabajo]

Geschke makes the time cut by 1:20!

He had a push of luck!!!

 

[Ulle97]

We've seen many examples of riders in the past who have been so impressive that they have heralded as future dominators of the Tour.

Ullrich was probably the most notable.

We thought Egan Bernal would surely win a couple more Tours but it doesn't look like he will win another one.

We were sure that Pogacar would go on to dominate after his impressive 2nd Tour win. Suddenly, he is longer the dominant GC rider in the world.

Vingegaard is all but certain of his 2nd Tour crown now and I believe he has the potential to win 5. He is the best climber and time trialer on the planet.

The only way I can see him being beaten is if they have shallow climbs, less mountainous routes. Maybe Remco could challenge. Maybe Ayuso...... Tadej has taken a heavy beating from Jonas for two years in a row.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

I think we can now safely say that Jumbo have cracked the code regarding Pogacar. There are those who will put it down to the crash, and of course that won't have helped, but this is what Jumbo were betting on for the whole Tour and they've done it. Just perhaps a bit more successfully than even they would have expected.

It wasn't very enjoyable to watch though. Granon was just a blip compared to this. I'm pretty sure we'll see a different Pogacar next year, with a different preparation. Unless he decides to go full classics mode and forgets about winning the Tour.

I'm just hoping he will continue filling the calendar with his goods.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

The Tour needs him as a rider. And maybe (hopefully) with Remco and other guys on the horizon GC battles will be between more than two riders in the future.

Think you speak for the majority of cycling fans.

 

[red_flanders]

Well it was a great Tour, but I'm bummed. Hated to see it end like this with either cracking. Was hoping for a last battle on my favorite col name, the Col du Platzerwasel! But I guess hoping for something as close as the Lemond/Fignon race was too much to ask. Also bummed for Pogačar, but he seems resilient and a guy with the best attitude, he'll be fine. I just find domination boring. Hope we have a wide open race next year.

Maybe he recovers and goes for a Contador-style raid on stage 20.

 

[Red Rick]

Have to give a shoutout to Marc Soler. We often act like he's the clown of the peloton, but today he was definitely a bro

 

[Red Rick]

Also, Col de La Loze + Courchevel Altiport is pretty great - as long as it's not the queen stage. Should just be the first Alpine stage, and you can basically take out some of the earlier climbs too.