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

[Monsi]

I meant the final climb - Cote de San Luca. The final climb is 10km from the finish. Vingegaard had a punctured lung, and this climb, ridden at max power has the potential to test that injury. Vingegaard can't match the max power of Pogacar. This is why there should be gaps.

Oh gotcha.

Yeah if Vingegaard manages to hang on to Pogacar's inevitable attack on the last San Luca, then it means he's got great form. I still think Pogi should manage to gap him with his explosiveness and I would say I'd be surprised if Jonas is able to hang on.

 

[CyclistAbi]

So, UAE to go all in and Pogi to attack on the ultimate climb, this one is almost a given. Now will UAE really go all in or not, will the superstars abandon all GC hopes, that is another question. If not, then in my opinion Pogi won't make much difference tomorrow. If they on the other hand will, then likely Visma will already be spent, due to likely riding for Wout, in such case Jonas could struggle and lose a bit of time. But i have my doubts about the UAE superstars going all in tomorrow. Rogla and his team likely not contributing much, observing UAE and Visma at it. For them likely a small breakaway group making it through is the optimal scenario, Rogla then taking care of the rest, not losing any time in GC, maybe even to have a rider in the breakaway. If it comes to a select sprint in between select group of favourites, then sprinting for the win it is. Remco might be interested in bonus seconds, so maybe SOQ to be active, somehow i doubt that.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Pogacar and Roglic going for a haymaker, it’ll be interesting to see who hangs on. If Vingegaard finishes with the same time or down a couple seconds that’s a huge win for him.

 

[CyclistAbi]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeY0ve9j8nw


What people believed they are getting out of this Tour edition.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXldafIl5DQ


What people are actually getting out of this Tour edition.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Pidcock ftw

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I had the same thought AAC. If Pidcock wins here, he has superb form,. He's certainly had a very successful mountain bike season so far. We'll see what he can do on the longer climbs though.

 

[Rob5091]

Expect Roglic to sit on Pogi's wheel to the finish. How will Vingegaard and Remco do as it's steep and UAE & Bora are bound to go full gas on the climb (if UAE don't have problems after Ayuso's & Wellen's peformance yesterday). Expect some zigzaging across the road and it's going to be hot again.
edit -add - we might well see UAE send Yates or Almeida up the climb first time around to see what happens. Last year was the full UAE train and that did not end well.

 

[scribers]

What’s the heat like for stage 2?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXldafIl5DQ


What people are actually getting out of this Tour edition.

Primoz, Tadej, Remco and Jonas.
Jonas 45s into the video.

 

[fbjim]

now that le cyclisme francais is back, i am going for an epic win for big Clem "le champ" Champoussin

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

Can we please stop referring to this climb as "cote" San Luca?

 

[Rob5091]

What’s the heat like for stage 2?

Bologna about 30 C this afternoon.

 

[Netserk]

Bologna:

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So very hot again. At the seal level a few degrees colder than yesterday but OTOH lower average elevation than yesterday.

 

[Netserk]

So very hot again. At the seal level a few degrees colder than yesterday but OTOH lower average elevation than yesterday.

I'd preferred 5 degrees more and no shade

 

[Miha81]

So very hot again. At the seal level a few degrees colder than yesterday but OTOH lower average elevation than yesterday.

Yes, refreshment comes on Monday

 

[Nick2413]

Should give us a little taste of what’s to come. Ayuso will lose some time if yesterday was an indication of form.

 

[Colombiano Cadence]

We should start a list of riders who go well in the heat and those who suffer in the heat. I have never thought Pogi is at his best in the heat - is that why no attack yesterday?

And on a side note, surely yesterday demonstrates that strong breaks have a real shot in this TDF. UAE don’t have the horses to control break formation.

 

[Pantani_lives]

There are two sanctuaries in this stage. In the beginning there's Marco Pantani's statue on that cliff in his birthplace Cesenatico. In the final there's the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca on top of the murito.

The fight for position just before that short, steep climb will be as important as the climb itself. Fortunately they do it twice, so there will already be a selection before the final climb. It isn't an uphill finish, so like yesterday it can be a sprint with a smaller group or an attack by an outsider.

Pogacar and Van Aert can threaten Bardet's GC leadership. Even if the Frenchman hangs on, the bonus seconds on top of the climb and at the finish can be decisive for the yellow jersey.

 

[Salvarani]

Pogacar and Roglic going for a haymaker, it’ll be interesting to see who hangs on. If Vingegaard finishes with the same time or down a couple seconds that’s a huge win for him.

Even if Vinge is dropped. I doubt he loses more than 20-30 seconds, it is hard to create big gaps on San Luca unless someone cracks completely. I would be very surprised if that happens.

Jorgenson will/can also help out, limiting potential damage.

Likely a couple of the GC guys might fly away but there will be a few riders just behind them to limit losses, that can work together.

I only expect small gaps.

 

[KZD]

I expect UAE to try to control the breakaway in order to go for the stage win with Pogačar however the success of that might depend on whether Bora is willing to help which given Roglič record on the San Luca climb, I think they should.

Assuming that the breakaway is caught Pogačar is going to launch it after a Yates leadout and Roglič is likely the only one capable to follow him but I expect Vingegaard, Jorgenson, Remco, Yates to come back so even if Pogačar takes the sprint win he won't take much time on his rivals.

 

[Medvind]

I wonder if Pog will use A. Yates to set up an attack on San Luca like he did in Giro dell'Emilila last year. That would probably be the best for Pog but not sure it will happen. UAE probably want Yates up there in GC, and also Almedia. And since they do the climb only two times, most of the UAE doms should be there at the foot on San Luca the last time. So probably Wellens and/or Soler first, then Sivakov and maybe Auyso before Pog launches?

But maybe UAE have to chase a strong break all day and then we have the heat, so maybe Pog will only have Ayuso, Almedia and Yates with him on San Luca the last time, and Ayuso looked a bit weak. So in the end maybe it must be Almedia and/or Yates that launches Pog. Hard to predict.

Crucial will be if Pog can get seperation or not. If not, there could be a bit of stalemate on the flatter part before they sprint for bonus second on top of San Luca. Maybe that stalemate can save Vinge some seconds.

 

[shadowrider]

Can we please stop referring to this climb as "cote" San Luca?

Indeed, the chauvinistic French changed the name.

 

[topcat]

It's time to sticky this baby.

 

[Rob5091]

It's a shame that they don't finish at the summit but instead do the dodgy descent back into town. Are we expecting a howling tailwind and a record speed up the climb?