Tour de France Tour de France 2024: Stage 20: Nice - Col de la Couillole, 20/07, 132.8k

[Libertine Seguros]

7 of the top 8, and everybody within 20 minutes, in the same three teams. Without there even being a TTT.

And apparently I'm the villain for saying that I feel this is not a good thing. This is the kind of thing that people used as a stick to beat women's cycling with for years, talking of how low the level was. Now we have the same situation in men's cycling, but the climbing times and speeds show the level clearly isn't low. It's just carnage out there and while I've gone on about the Premier League-ification of cycling plenty, it's going very Spanish football, as we clearly have our Barcelonas and Real Madrids, a couple like Ineos being the Atléticos and Sevillas, and then a bunch of teams who just represent the Eibars and Racing Santanders who are there to make up the numbers.

 

[burning]

He can just not have his team control the breakaway? He can also not contest tje sprint

Cmon now, you are just being ridiculous here. I can understand gifting stages to someone like Jorgenson, but why on earth would he gift a stage to Jonas?

 

[JimPanzen]

And showing the Olympic selectors who is who.

Olympic course suits a classics rider well better. Still the right choice

 

[fbjim]

How would you put it? What would you have wanted him to do on the final climb that would be more respectful?

he should have gotten off the bike and done an interview about how underrated TJ van Garderen was

 

[Miha81]

You can ask. You don't always get them. In this case, Tadej did pull for Jonas for a bit.

For a little bit. Because he knew he is much stronger at the moment.

 

[JimPanzen]

Why should he not?

Gifting a stage to a two time tour champion is more disrespectful than demolishing him on the line. Both Tadeij and Jonas knew that.

 

[RobertCrawley]

This morning Remco said today wouldn't be a GC today. Just a reminder not to believe anything said before the race begins.

 

[Gratemans]

Not sure what Pogacar can do to make people happy in that situation. He and his team showed all day they were happy letting the break win. But Soudal set it up for him, Jonas dropped Remco, and then why should he gift Jonas?

I don't see many people here complaining. I think the majority here has the same point of view.

 

[fbjim]

congratulations to teejay van garderen for winning the 2024 Tour de France

 

[Kazistuta]

Of course I can't help being accused of Bias due to being Danish, but I really don't see why Pogi couldn't "gift" this to Vingegaard as well as he wanted to gift it to the breakaway? Yes, he is/was clearly strongest, but when the strongest rider wheelsuck (don't like the term, but that's the majority vote) for that long, it would in my book be considered more generous to let another win. I would've thought the same if he arrived with Remco.

 

[Didinho]

Carapaz vs Pogi for World Champion.

 

[Miha81]

This morning Remco said today wouldn't be a GC today. Just a reminder not to believe anything said before the race begins.

It wasn't for him though

 

[scribers]

Remco is a great domestique for pogi

 

[Lequack]

Pog (while eating people): I am not a cannibal

 

[Kazistuta]

Because this is a bicycle race, and Vingo doesn't need gifts.

Who does really?

 

[slim charles]

If he has gifted the stage to Vingegaard, of all people, yeah, I'm sure no one would criticize him. Can't win.

The only real way to respect the race and opponents is to race it.

People are confusing what they would like to see [same rider not dominating] with what is a right thing to happen.

 

[zlev11]

nice to see Remco put in his place on that climb. chapeau for trying though.

 

[Escarabajo]

Horrendous Tour for INEOS.

 

[Miha81]

Pog (while eating people): I am not a cannibal

Candy eat candy

 

[JimPanzen]

Of course I can't help being accused of Bias due to being Danish, but I really don't see why Pogi couldn't "gift" this to Vingegaard as well as he wanted to gift it to the breakaway? Yes, he is/was clearly strongest, but when the strongest rider wheelsuck (don't like the term, but that's the majority vote) for that long, it would in my book be considered more generous to let another win. I would've thought the same if he arrived with Remco.

Believe me, Vingegaard didn't want a gift.

 

[jono]

He can just not have his team control the breakaway? He can also not contest tje sprint

They slow-paced. The yellow jersey group went from like 15 riders to about 80 while they were on the front.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Of course I can't help being accused of Bias due to being Danish, but I really don't see why Pogi couldn't "gift" this to Vingegaard as well as he wanted to gift it to the breakaway? Yes, he is/was clearly strongest, but when the strongest rider wheelsuck (don't like the term, but that's the majority vote) for that long, it would in my book be considered more generous to let another win. I would've thought the same if he arrived with Remco.

You never know if the receiver will appreciate it. Pantani wasn't happy about. Maybe Jonas doesn't want to win that way.

Edit: As it turns out, he stated in an interview that he would have been ok with the gift of the stage.

 

[carolina]

Jonas was asked and said he would likely do the same.

 

[yaco]

When you accidently win a stage without trying.

 

[Didinho]

Of course I can't help being accused of Bias due to being Danish, but I really don't see why Pogi couldn't "gift" this to Vingegaard as well as he wanted to gift it to the breakaway? Yes, he is/was clearly strongest, but when the strongest rider wheelsuck (don't like the term, but that's the majority vote) for that long, it would in my book be considered more generous to let another win. I would've thought the same if he arrived with Remco.

So Cavendish should gift stage wins when he already won some? It’s just the same for me. You ride for your team, for wins, for making history. You see a lot of riders winning while sticking to someone’s wheel. That’s cycling. Some tactics better than the other. It’s about winning for me.

The only way I would justify it more is if a breakaway rider pulls with a GC rider so they both get something in the end.