Tour de France Tour de France 2024, Stage 15 14/7 Loudenvielle-Plateau de Beille 197.7k

[Fantastico]

The fact that he is 5th in GC is proof in itself that he hasn't spent energy in helping Evenepoel, unless you think Landa was going to rival Pogacar and Vingegaard otherwise. He hasn't paced him once, he hasn't lead him on crucial descends and he generally rides behind him. I'd say that's plenty of evidence to suggest his input as helper of Evenepoel is limited.

So far, there was no clear situation where Landa could have really paced Remco.

And how do you know that it is not the team's plan for Landa to stay as close to Remco as possible (even if behind him) in case Remco starts struggling?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I was always curious how fast cyclists can ride a vertical kilometer? I think this record was beaten today at least as far as offiicial races are concerned. Profiles very and it's hard to say where exactly it is but likely between 3.5 and 4 km to go (at the end average gradient decreases and so does VAM): Pog did a vertical km in 30'40'''-31'30'' time (1900-1960 m/h of VAM). Missed the magical 30 minute barrier by a bit.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I think Remco's performance is getting a little lost here. But for Pog and Jonas, he'd be 5:30 ahead of the next rider. I had a lot of doubts about Remco's climbing in the high mountains, his previous Vuelta win notwithstanding, but he's proven himself as a major Tour contender.

 

[Mac9]

Remco can match them in time trials - could he lose a few more kilos and maintain his power?

 

[ManicJack]

I had a lot of doubts about Remco's climbing in the high mountains, his previous Vuelta win notwithstanding, but he's proven himself as a major Tour contender.

If on a different team.

 

[DarkBlue]

Almeida is a pure diesel - paced his effort superbly

 

[RobertCrawley]

If on a different team.

He'll definitely have more support when he joins Red Bull.

 

[red_flanders]

He'll definitely have more support when he joins Red Bull.

Will he? I mean sure, assuming they spend and bring some guys in. Not so sure with the current level at Bora. Right now Landa looks pretty hard to replace. They're not UAE but Soudal has been stronger than I'd expected this Tour.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Remco can match them in time trials - could he lose a few more kilos and maintain his power?

Maintaining the lower weight seems to be the primary issue (allegedly).

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1812458143206502681

View: https://x.com/OutOfCycling/status/1812458143206502681

 

[Valv.Piti]

It's not just GC riders. It's every rider who isn't a sprinter.

The Tour has become a bizarre unbalanced spectacle in which interminable transition stages are dominated by a dozen sprint teams, all with riders working for their sprint leader. No TV breakaways anymore either. Just a bunched peloton heading towards the inevitable bunch sprint whilst dodging street furniture which is more or less just left there to cause some chaos for the evening news headlines.

Then all the high mountain & medium mountain stages are now GC stages. Breakaway riders (usually GC riders who've dropped so far down in the classification they need to try & save something with a stage win) need to get very lucky to resist the Tour favorites.

And... that's about it.

This year I think thats a route problem. It was very obvious this year's route was very unbalanced in terms of what you're referring to, and the Tour rightly got critisized for being to one-side (two sided, I guess). That said the opening weekend proved to be the stages that you actually were gonna gun for, and while that was a bit unexpected, its also on the riders for not trying a bit more on those stages. The breaks formed relatively early, and it was obvious that it would take a big effort from a team to actually reel them back. The same thing can actually be said for stage 12. Way too many teams did not invest anything, and stage 13 was, yeah well, pure coincidence that it ended like that given that the whole peloton more or less was trying to get in the break.

But I agree with your overall point. The only bang on break stage is actually stage 18. I think with this GC, stage 17 is also going to the break, and then stage 19 and 20 is still up in the air. And then we should expect (and demand) teams to actually try to join the break on stage 16 even though its completely flat. Otherwise these complaints also feel a bit weak if they're not even really trying on these stages. But it mostly falls down on ASO for a weak route IMO. Something like 2022 should be the norm.

 

[Izzyeviel]

DECISION DU JURY DES COMMISSAIRES N°15
Article 2.12.007-5.1 :
172) GIRMAY Biniam – INTERMARCHÉ -WANTY - 10063820223Déclassement à la troisième place dans le sprint. Relegation to the third place in the sprint. Fine of 500CHF and - 5 Points at points classification

Article 2.12.007-4.12 Non-compliance with the article 2.3.025 by a team assistant during feeding Directeur Sportif - BAUER Steve - ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH - 10000813164Amende de 200CHFFine of 200CHF

Girmay relegated & loss of points

 

[scribers]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1812458143206502681

View: https://x.com/OutOfCycling/status/1812458143206502681

I so saw that too

 

[Escarabajo]

Danny Martinez performance does not look as bad now!

 

[ManicJack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1812458143206502681

View: https://x.com/OutOfCycling/status/1812458143206502681

All is fair in love, war and bike racing

 

[Salvarani]

How good was Carapaz performance today btw? Among other things, he had to chase and close 40-50 seconds gaps. Twice!

Still held on very good. Like THJ.

 

[DarkBlue]

Girmay relegated & loss of points

does this mean he still ends up +10 points on the day?

20 for coming 1st - relegated to 3rd so only 15 points, plus extra 5 points penalty = 10

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Possibly. I'm more curious to know if anybody can recall him actually having been of any use to Evenepoel so far. Usually, he rides behind him, he gets dropped before him and never makes an effort to come back in order to pull for a bit, not even downhill -a weakness of Evenepoel- is he able to close a 15s gap in order to pilot Evenepoel. Maybe he's a good conversationalist.

More or less the same height, and can't stop to swap bikes so easily if he is in front. He is essentially a bike transporter.

 

[Escarabajo]

More or less the same height, and can't stop to swap bikes so easily if he is in front. He is essentially a bike transporter.

In 5 minutes he gets paid his salary. Hopefully for Remco, there hasn't been the need to do so.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

If on a different team.

I would not be surprised to see Bora make a strong play for either Remco or Jorgensen. They seem very motivated to find the next GC contender, and I think they know Roglic has at most one more year at this level.

 

[CleanCiclismo]

It's hard to gauge just how fast these guys are going uphill, but there was one moment when Jonas was pacing the last climb and the graphic showed 21KM/H on 12% gradient. Many have said records of Pantani will never be broken, but this performance today was something else. Not just from Pogačar or Jonas, but also Remco put almost a minute into his time. The only way I can see today's record being broken is with one of those e-bikes.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I would not be surprised to see Bora make a strong play for either Remco or Jorgensen. They seem very motivated to find the next GC contender, and I think they know Roglic has at most one more year at this level.

Rumor mill says they already signed Evenepoel. Unclear whether for 2025 or 2026. Not sure what you expect of Jorgenson.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Jorgensen is by far the best all around domestique atm and a rider who can win some of the biggest races (with great variety as well), but a TdF contender he is not.

 

[red_flanders]

Rumor mill says they already signed Evenepoel. Unclear whether for 2025 or 2026. Not sure what you expect of Jorgenson.

He's looking to get out of riding with that hideous jersey?

 

[pastronef]

Rumor mill says they already signed Evenepoel. Unclear whether for 2025 or 2026.

so the only thing that Pat and Soudal would have if Redbull bought out Remco is a lot of money. but then what would Soudal do? start from scratch with a classic team?