Tour de France Tour de France 2025, Stage 1: Lille – Lille (184.9k)

[ppanther92]

Both Yates already minutes down

 

[Miha81]

Don't know, battle for third may be more interesting now.

I still hope for legendary edition. Maybe intense battle for 1st (2 riders) and 3rd (3-4 riders) will be good to watch. I was just hoping that dark horses would come unharmed in the 2nd week and two main favourites will have to keep an eye on them

 

[ppanther92]

Was O’Connor inside the 5km? Otherwise also 5:37 down already

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It's pretty clear nobody believes in beating Vingegaard or Pogacar, which is part the reason the chase is a complete clown show.

O'Connor probably did.

 

[noob]

Really poor from Roglic and Remco - they are such betas. How difficult was it to realise you needed to be near the front.

Usually for Roglic that means crashing! I for one am thankful that he's still on his bike!

 

[fenns]

This time loss is also going to be an issue for Remco getting into yellow after the TT. Assumed he would be in after that stage, but now it's a bit unlikely.

By then he'll be 1'30" + behind Jonas and Pogi

 

[kingjr]

The worst thing about today's stage is that neither Milan nor Merlier made it to the front group. In terms of GC, nothing really important happened.

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Nys: "I prepared for the worst and it delivered, I think."

 

[noob]

Really poor from Roglic and Remco - they are such betas. How difficult was it to realise you needed to be near the front.

Uhm I bet you they get more groupies than Tadej and Jonas together

 

[fenns]

Usually for Roglic that means crashing! I for one am thankful that he's still on his bike!

Yeah in a GT Rogli is the moral winner of any stage he finishes

 

[ppanther92]

Oh, and O‘Connor when the jury gets around to it.

True but was it inside the 5km?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Enrico looked good there, mythical 2024 Vuelta form? IGC for the flats and Rubio/others in the mountain breaks. Podium bound!!!

De Lie 2nd in the sprint behind ahead of decent guys for what it's worth.

 

[tobydawq]

Was O’Connor inside the 5km? Otherwise also 5:37 down already

Yes he was.

 

[noob]

Say what you like but Philipssen looks so good in that green!!

 

[kingjr]

I still hope for legendary edition. Maybe intense battle for 1st (2 riders) and 3rd (3-4 riders) will be good to watch. I was just hoping that dark horses would come unharmed in the 2nd week and two main favourites will have to keep an eye on them

Even without the split, I'm actually struggling to think of any scenario where they would have to keep an eye on them. Like where would any of them ride away?

 

[Samamba]

De Lie 2nd in the sprint behind ahead of decent guys for what it's worth.

Which is nothing. He didn't look good, losing a lot of places after every turn again. Not able to keep his teammates wheels. 3 of his teammates were behind the split (one even dropped back when it split), De Lie was like 30 places behind... These are THE stages for a good De Lie, but he isn't that. He's obviously way better than 2 months ago, pro worthy at least, but far off his best level.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Was GC Kuss in the front group?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Was GC Kuss in the front group?

No

 

[Unchained]

If only one of Pogi or Vingo were here, the Tour would be essentially over already.
If neither Pogi nor Vingo were here, you'd have a pillow fight among tactically incompetent teams and their GC contenders.
But they're both here, so we have a good battle.

While I agree with all that.. If it's not windy every day, teams have to be worried that no selection, nothing at @50 k to go riders thick, all the way across the road, 8+ wide, just looked like crash mix!! If teams don't get it more strung out, gotta be some crashing in next few days.. This day even with the few crashes turned out great, it looked very dangerous for final kilometers.. Visma and UAE did decent job keeping leaders in front and out of rough and tumble..

 

[Miha81]

Even without the split, I'm actually struggling to think of any scenario where they would have to keep an eye on them. Like where would any of them ride away?

Looks like some of them are actually riding for 3rd place from the start. Maybe I am too optimistic and was hoping one of "dark horses" will at least try to go for the glory. Won't happen with this kind of riding.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

You all talk about "oh, crosswinds are so tough, and look at that road furniture, omg the Tour is so hard..."
Meanwhile at the Tour of Sibiu, this dude is just waiting for you to get dropped and separated from the peloton...

 

[kingjr]

Looks like some of them are actually riding for 3rd place from the start. Maybe I am too optimistic and was hoping one of "dark horses" will at least try to go for the glory. Won't happen with this kind of riding.

I don't think they're riding for 3rd place as such, it's just that there isn't anything you can do against the two strongest riders in the two strongest teams. Where would you attack them? In that sense, today's split really doesn't make any difference to the race I believe, as far as the battle for 1st place is concerned.

 

[yaco]

Was O’Connor inside the 5km? Otherwise also 5:37 down already

4.1kms.

 

[Rackham]

Looks like some of them are actually riding for 3rd place from the start. Maybe I am too optimistic and was hoping one of "dark horses" will at least try to go for the glory. Won't happen with this kind of riding.

If they deliberately ride for third they'll get even less. It's a fight. The Tour is a fight.

But that's not really what happened. What happened was their teams disintegrated because there was zero control in the team car to switch pre-stage objectives from "go for the win with sprinter" (Meeus or Merlier with regards to Red Bull and Quick Step) to "protect GC".

If they were sitting in the car 'hoping' it would all come back together they're blind.

 

[Unchained]

You all talk about "oh, crosswinds are so tough, and look at that road furniture, omg the Tour is so hard..."
Meanwhile at the Tour of Sibiu, this dude is just waiting for you to get dropped and separated from the peloton...

You don't know what you talking about @$5 million a year buys lots of bear spray and security guards with safari experience!! Froome will be okay!! Bears want meat not bones!! Lol!! Can you imagine if a griz attack ends it for Chris!!!