Tour de France Tour de France 2024, Stage 2: Cesenatico > Bologne (Bologna), 199.2 km

[Netserk]

I estimate that they showed the peloton 3 seconds after beginning the climb. It took them 5'11" to reach the KOM banner.

First 1'15" paced by Benoot, and after a moment of slowing down Jorgensen.
Then 2'55" paced by Adam Yates.
Last 1'01" to the top was the attack by Pogi.

 

[Izzyeviel]

DECISION DU JURY DES COMMISSAIRES N°2

Article 2.12.007-6.3 : Breach of regulations or guidelines concerning vehicle movements during the race (Km 14)Directeur Sportif - ROODHOOFT Christoph - ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK – 10001164788Amende de 500 CHF/ Fine of 500 CHF

Article 2.12.007-8.1 : / Failing to respect the instructions of the commissaires .Directeur Sportif - MEERSMAN Gianni - ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK – 10002886540Amende de 200 CHF / Fine of 200 CHF

Article 2.12.007-8.6 Unseemly or inappropriate behaviour (in particular undressing or urinating in public at the start or finish or during the race) and damage to the image of sport(165) GARCIA PIERNA Raul - ARKEA-B&B HOTELS – 10041652790 Amende de 200 CHF/ Fine of 200 CHF

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I estimate that they showed the peloton 3 seconds after beginning the climb. It took them 5'11" to reach the KOM banner.

First 1'15" paced by Benoot, and after a moment of slowing down Jorgensen.
Then 2'55" paced by Adam Yates.
Last 1'01" to the top was the attack by Pogi.

Monster pace. Maybe not that surprising though. It's the Tour and Pog & Vingo were firing on all cylinders today (on top of hard tempo by Yates).

 

[Unchained]

I get the impression that some people are surprised by Vingo's performance thus far, and I cannot understand why. Did people really think the two-time defending TdF winner was going to show up in substandard form for battle with Pogacar?
I expected Vingo to be in excellent form and that he'll get better as the Tour progresses. He's still the favorite, IMO. I say this as a Pog fan.

No..press leaks from Visma playing a silly game about if Jonas and Wout would show up and if so, would they be race ready, having... Not raced!!

Almost all old bicycle racing metrics are out the window!!

Vingegaard and Van Aert meticulously prepared without any old school measuring, race days and getting head to head comparisons are way less important than for all the decades of modern racing before.
Have seen multiple things from pros about nutrition and science, soreness and massage, and most if not all have concluded that crazy force feeding of carbohydrates has changed everything. Bonking was not from effort it was from a bad nutrition plan.. So the term atom bottle was right, it's just nobody thought that it was for breakfast, all day on the bike and recovery w a huge helping of keytones, peptides!!
And because I know you may have a soft spot for Chris Horner, him eating Snickers and guzzling Coke was seen as silly, now it's proven science!! Someone is in a laboratory trying to develop chocolate that doesn't melt!!
I as a Pog fan find the level of training that these elite are doing nothing short of amazing.. Vingegaard, in the saddle, in the drops and able to close decent gap, get the wheel of a crushing Pogacar is phenomenal!!

 

[Carols]

. Like I have already said a year ago, Roglic is never winning another GC, and he will fade out of top 10 this year is my prediction.

Gee I saw him win GC at the Dauphine just a month ago.
If you mean in a GT you need to say that.

 

[Nick2413]

Just saw the finish, great to see Vingegaard able to duel.

 

[danielovichdk2]

Gee I saw him win GC at the Dauphine just a month ago.
If you mean in a GT you need to say that.

GT. My mistake

 

[Unchained]

Yes.

You might not have heard, but he had a very serious crash three months ago that kept him from the bike for around a month.

I think Moose Hands is saying the same thing, just conventional wisdom and media told a story of the unknown!! Instead these guys are absolutely professional and know where they need to be , what to do, to be ready

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

I get the impression that some people are surprised by Vingo's performance thus far, and I cannot understand why. Did people really think the two-time defending TdF winner was going to show up in substandard form for battle with Pogacar?

Yes, I can honestly say that I pretty much clearly expected a sub-par Jonas with such severe crash and zero race training just prior Grand Départ.

I expected Vingo to be in excellent form and that he'll get better as the Tour progresses. He's still the favorite, IMO. I say this as a Pog fan.

When Visma selected him for the final 8 I expected him to contribute to the team, but to be extremely vulnerable for the first stages.

And not quite this.

So don't expect a story of hindsight from here.

Just honesty.

 

[RobertCrawley]

I get the impression that some people are surprised by Vingo's performance thus far, and I cannot understand why. Did people really think the two-time defending TdF winner was going to show up in substandard form for battle with Pogacar?
I expected Vingo to be in excellent form and that he'll get better as the Tour progresses. He's still the favorite, IMO. I say this as a Pog fan.

Jonas said he was pleasantly surprised at how well he rode today. And I think there's still some uncertainty how well he will ride in the big mountains.

 

[tobydawq]

I think Moose Hands is saying the same thing, just conventional wisdom and media told a story of the unknown!! Instead these guys are absolutely professional and know where they need to be , what to do, to be ready

Sigh

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Uh, yes? Cras probably. Mysterious time loss, then

Why mysterious?

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Did you?

Evidently, more closely than you.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Why mysterious?

Because that picture is from near the top where he was with the chasers only to lose almost another minute to the Roglič group.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Because that picture is from near the top where he was with the chasers only to lose almost another minute to the Roglič group.

With the hairy downhill taken at much higher risk in the group for the gran finale, it explains just about everything to me with his history of horror crash in Itzulia - his crash with the greatest impact on body and most probably on mind too. Furthermore, before Itzulia, Stef was also not Jonas in terms of downhill mentality. If he has stiffened a bit downwards on the final descent, then I can vividly imagine him getting completely off the ideal lines getting it a dark swirl of mistaking corners, losing a lot of time, and the last 4-5 km also a lot of time to waste if he has lost e.g. just 15 seconds on the other group. It can easily grow to 1 min.
Will not be fun for him from Galibier to Valloire on Tuesday unless a coach will be able to nurse him.
My immediate thoughts.

 

[CyclistAbi]

GT. My mistake

Been hearing that for years already, though.

 

[Blanco]

Evidently, more closely than you.

I guess you saw only what you wanted to see...

 

[Taxus4a]

I always saying that for me there is not a Big 6, but a Big 5 on this era...and for me is more of that group Pickcok, who is able to make increíble things in lot of diferent terrains than Roglic. I have a great respect for Roglic and his Big palmares, but for me he has never donde something that I said, OMG , this man is of another Planet. He beated Remco in Cataluña, without ITT, well..but for seconds...that not make him better to Evenepoel...what Evenepoel has made at 19, is just for very few people on History. For me It is not a question of palmares..Roglic could have 7 Vueltas and 4 Giros and for me nothing changed..a great rider very regular , reliable and good in grand an small Tours...good at ITT and climbing but he is not an extraterrestrisl at anything. He can win a lot if Vingegaard and Pogacar are not there, but if they are, I cant see him...today even Carapaz has been better, and it is not the first time...for me there are a Big 5, and lot of good riders as well: Roglic maybe the first of humans, and Pidcock, Pederden, Allaphillipe, and lot of good people coming, Carlos Rodríguez, Ayuso, Jorgesson, etc, but at the moment humans...what I have seen with VDP Van Aert, Pogacar, Remco and Vingegaard is out of normal...Bu the way... Vingegaard today has close an Poggi explosive attack...that is amazing...maybe he explode last week, or msaybe he go better and better. But now if for me favourite to GC. ,2 days before would have bet some euro to someone told me the danish would be Vi the only one to hold Pogacar wheel in San Luca attack. Amazing!

 

[Barkintheeye]

Van der Poel is riding very much under the radar, almost incognito. Guess it’s deliberate. Have anyone seen any interviews with him so far?

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Certainly brings back memories of last year seeing the two of them dropping everyone again (and I honestly wouldn't have bet on Jonas being the one to follow Pogi today), but also brings back memories of all the discussions last year about the effects of the disrupted preparation of one of the favourites. Pogi looked great to start with in 2023 but by week 3 the majority opinion was probably that he was paying a price for the non-optimal prep. A long way to go, I just hope the various contenders make it to week 3 as it could be really interesting this year.

 

[Escarabajo]

Pog does not want the yellow

Not with that team!!!

 

[Didinho]

This was not the stage where he needs his whole team. They set him up like he wanted. Like Sky used to do, let some riders save energy for when it’s really needed.
Don’t know why people always want 7 riders in front when 1 strong Yates is enough. This is exactly what happened in the begin of the Giro, the team was fine later on.

 

[Boehmand]

Van der Poel is riding very much under the radar, almost incognito. Guess it’s deliberate. Have anyone seen any interviews with him so far?

His big goal is the Olympics, the Tour is about preparation for that, which will include going deep some days, but take it very easy others.

Pedersen is in the same boat, so is Pidcock, so is Matthews, so is Küng, so is Rui Costa.

Van Aert should be in that boat too, but with the roster changes Visma has had, he will probably have to work more than he would like.

 

[Cookster15]

Congrats to Vauquelin. I was shocked at Vingegaard's response to Pog's full bore attack. But its a long way to go and the effect of his massive April crash on his condition over three weeks and in the high mountains won't be evident on short explosive efforts like today. Even after the Galibier we won't know. Last year Pogacar didn't find out until stage 17.

I also dropped in to read some of the banter here during the stage. UAE copping a shellacking for their poor riding. But when I checked the stage highlights I see UAE puling the peloton. So they were doing something right? I just cannot believe that Ayuso and Almeida could be so delusional about their prospects compared to their team leader who is attempting the first Giro-Tour double since Pantani '98? But like Vingo, UAE's commitment to the cause won't be answered on stage 2 over a few steep bumps. The jury is out.

 

[Escarabajo]

People need to stop getting ahead of themselves. We haven't even climbed a proper mountain yet. Only then will we somewhat know where the favorites stand.

Trying to tell this forum not to get ahead of themselves? good luck with that, LOL. Some are already looking at the Vuelta profiles!!!!

But you are right. We have not done a proper mountain stage, not to mention things can change in a hurry in the third week. In one of the podcasts made a good summary of surprises and I think Roglic not being good was the first one, even before Jonas being this good. Just because it is his terrain. Everything else seems as expected: Some diesel riders dropped as expected, UAE working as the perfect anti-team, as expected, Bardet losing yellow, etc.