Tour de France Tour de France 2023, stage 6: Tarbes - Cauterets-Cambasque, 144.9k

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I'm not saying anything is over. I merely watched Jumbo gamble with the lead they had this morning & lost half of it.

The situation is also now eerily similar to the 2020 TdF, when Jumbo held yellow for two weeks & Pog sat 25 seconds or so behind (& collected bonus seconds with stage wins). So Vingegaard needs to drop him again, or else this is going to be uncomfortable for Jumbo.

And last year Pog destroyed himself chasing two wheels. This year, he only has to cover one. Just like in the 2020 TdF.

And 2020, JV knew that they had the weaker rider. I do not believe they have that assessment right now, nor do I believe anyone can say that Jonas is clearly weaker. So, different tactics are logical.

EDIT: This was a bad post on my part. I will let it stand, becuase you have to eat the food you plant. Let it be a lesson to all that you need to think before you post...well, at least a lesson for me...

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

What Pog thinks of JV tactics: "Today, Jumbo didn’t miss the plan, but they tried it, and they didn’t succeed, because in cycling it’s so difficult to follow the tactics. There are so many circumstances you need to think of. And it’s difficult to predict if it’s going to work or not. That’s cycling."

Yep, pretty much spot on. He also indicated that he was at his limit today.

And maybe they lost half, but they thought they had an opportunity to double. Who knew that Pog was going to be this resurgent, one day after getting dropped?

I will also note that what I saw yesterday from Jonas was not total domination in any way. He was waxed at the end...as was Pog today. They're both showing the heart that they both have, and that will not change.

 

[Blanco]

Shame the finish was not at the top of the Tourmalet!

And what did you expect from Kelderman?

 

[Boehmand]

I'm not saying anything is over. I merely watched Jumbo gamble with the lead they had this morning & lost half of it.

The situation is also now eerily similar to the 2020 TdF, when Jumbo held yellow for two weeks & Pog sat 25 seconds or so behind (& collected bonus seconds with stage wins). So Vingegaard needs to drop him again, or else this is going to be uncomfortable for Jumbo.

And last year Pog destroyed himself chasing two wheels. This year, he only has to cover one. Just like in the 2020 TdF.

Last year he chased 2 wheels, on 1 stage the entire Tour, for 15 minutes on the flat.

People read too much into that being significant for the final result of the Tour.

As for the rest of this Tour, people tend to forget Vingegaard always comes good week 3, that is where his insane recovery ability really comes into play.

At this stage last year, Pogacar var 31 seconds ahead of Vingegaard, now he is 25 seconds behind.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

And 2020, JV knew that they had the weaker rider.

I think Jumbo felt confident that Roglic was the better rider in 2020.

 

[Blanco]

And 2020, JV knew that they had the weaker rider. I do not believe they have that assessment right now, nor do I believe anyone can say that Jonas is clearly weaker. So, different tactics are logical.

In 2020 Jumbo knew they had a weaker rider, wtf?! Whole planet Earth, including Pogacar thought that he was the weaker one...

 

[StryderHells]

...so, your assessment is that- JV: We know Pog is too strong, because he got dropped yesterday, so we should just follow his wheel!" You're clueless or just a JV hater...Uh, they rode to drop him today, but he was too strong to drop...but, how were they supposed to know that, after yesterday. Ridiculous post.

Just because it fun, much like this Tour so far

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I think Jumbo felt confident that Roglic was the better rider in 2020.

Probably correct, however Pog was much more unknown in relation to what he could do over 3 weeks. JV know much more about how Pog and Jonas both, can do over 3 weeks, so tactics this year will be an assessment of that, I do not believe Jumbo has ever felt confident that Jonas is the better rider in 2023, in the way they think Roglic was in 2020...and I think they underestimated Roglic in 2023...but we are where we are.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Just because it fun, much like this Tour so far

Fair enough

 

[RedheadDane]

In 2020 Jumbo knew they had a weaker rider, wtf?! Whole planet Earth, including Pogacar thought that he was the weaker one...

In 2020, Pogačar was just sweet little innocent Tadej, who was totally just there to learn, and ride in support of Fabio Aru.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

In 2020 Jumbo knew they had a weaker rider, wtf?! Whole planet Earth, including Pogacar thought that he was the weaker one...

I was actually referring to Jonas, not Roglic. It was a bad post on my part.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Narrative before the stage: Pog is vulnerable and Vinge can kill him today on fearsome Tourmalet.
Pog thinks: "Sh**, if it's like yesterday I can pack bags and go home"
Vinge thinks: "I will test him a bit again...and win the race!"
The scene is set: mighty Wout flexes his muscles in the breakaway, JV demolishes the competition on steep slopes, Skeletor fires a bazooka...it's over, right?
Not at all! Teddy today isn't a Fiat anymore but a Lamborghini that matches the Ferrari and overtakes it at the end! The race is on.

 

[Peyroteo94]

In 2020 Jumbo knew they had a weaker rider, wtf?! Whole planet Earth, including Pogacar thought that he was the weaker one...

This. Jumbo/Roglic rode a conservative racing because never in their minds, they thought Rog could possibly lose the Tour in stage 20. In fact, no one gave a chance to Pogacar. For some reason, there are people (including me) who think that stage is probably the most dramatic stage we ever witnessed in cycling.

 

[RedheadDane]

I was actually referring to Jonas, not Roglic. It was a bad post on my part.

I guess it confused people a bit that you (accidentally?) wrote 2020.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I guess it confused people a bit that you (accidentally?) wrote 2020.

Yes, I was thinking 2021...got years and tactics mixed up.

 

[Trofonios]

Haha, Lance is fuming on The Move over TJV's tactics today. Vingegaard leads over Pog, he shouldn't pull at all according to Lance. Johan tries to justify the tactics in some regards but Lance will have noone of it.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Haha, Lance is fuming on The Move over TJV's tactics today. Vingegaard leads over Pog, he shouldn't pull at all according to Lance. Johan tries to justify the tactics in some regards but Lance will have noone of it.

I'm surprised he was able to talk at all about the race with all the oura ring, sunglasses, and keto commercials.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Haha, Lance is fuming on The Move over TJV's tactics today. Vingegaard leads over Pog, he shouldn't pull at all according to Lance. Johan tries to justify the tactics in some regards but Lance will have noone of it.

Lance would have just popped a blood bag, and informed the UCI that his opponent would likely test positive for Testosterone if they drew his blood, so I can understand why he thinks the tactics should have been different.

 

[Jagartrott]

Vaughters

I stopped reading there.

 

[Trofonios]

I'm surprised he was able to talk at all about the race with all the oura ring, sunglasses, and keto commercials.

Those f**king commercials. My god.

 

[perico]

Vaughters.

Sure Jumbo used up energy today, but today was the day to do it. Tomorrow it's flat and it will be essentially cruise control and recovery.

Yeah BUT.... S

...yeah, because last year is proof of that...

This year there is no Roglic to tag team Pogacar like last year. Tadej isn’t going to blow himself up chasing Sepp Kuss up the road where Jonas can take advantage of it like he did last year. TJV weren’t bothered with protecting a 2nd rider this year. That’s fine, but when you are up against a rider like Pogacar, it’s probably better to keep two riders in contention because Pogacar doesn’t crack often in 1 on 1 situations, and I would be willing to bet that his form will only improve from here on out due to the lack of racing KMs in his legs.

 

[Lequack]

Some pics

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

One final thought: MvDP in the break (lolz)...uh...okay...at one point, he flicked his elbow and looked back at Wout on the descent to help him pull...like he hasn't been a complete a$$ to Wout all year. Wout initially shook his head, but did pull through...with little effort...I think the days of any pretense of congeniality between them is gone, based mostly on how Mathieu has treated Wout this year. There used to be some friendish things, but when Pog and Mathieu did their combined thing in E3, I think it really hurt Wout, and I think Pog is continuing to needle wherever he can. It actually smacks of bullying...it's one reason I've lost some respect for both Mathieu and Pog.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Yeah BUT.... S
This year there is no Roglic to tag team Pogacar like last year. Tadej isn’t going to blow himself up chasing Sepp Kuss up the road where Jonas can take advantage of it like he did last year. TJV weren’t bothered with protecting a 2nd rider this year. That’s fine, but when you are up against a rider like Pogacar, it’s probably better to keep two riders in contention because Pogacar doesn’t crack often in 1 on 1 situations, and I would be willing to bet that his form will only improve from here on out due to the lack of racing KMs in his legs.

This is also to suggest that Jonas will not improve? Because, again, last year suggests otherwise.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Lance would have just popped a blood bag, and informed the UCI that his opponent would likely test positive for Testosterone if they drew his blood, so I can understand why he thinks the tactics should have been different.

Lance is still talking? Seriously that clown was out on Twitter talking about fairness in sport. F that guy.