Tour de France Tour de France 2025 Stage 12: Auch - Hautacam (180.6k)

[Rou]

Numbers wise, people will say this was worse than Combloux.
In reality this was better.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

With all of the stages left, if Pog wanted to, he could win the Tour by 15 minutes. He won't, because why waste the energy, especially when he will go take the Vuelta, but I absolutely believe he could do that if he wanted.

 

[dgodave]

What did he say?

Kind of a lot. Too much to summarize. Nothing shocking tho.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Visma have looked from the onset that they dont believe they can win

They should not have let their riders in the break for one or Jonas making sprint like attacks

 

[RedheadDane]

If I were a GC rider, I'd go where Pog/Vingo are not.

I don't think anyone could decide to just go to some other climb today...

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Enric Mas lost 16 minutes

 

[Rou]

@Red Rick
Plugge called and asked if you're looking for a job?
What should I tell him?

 

[JosefK]

Lipo was a bright spot for Bora. He can fight for the podium.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

What did he say?

Basically "We tried, and we didn't have it."

 

[dobrien]

I wonder if 2nd is also in play.

vingo really reached the end of himself there.

TT tomorrow and a brutal day Saturday; given the TT is so short I'm honestly wondering if the best strategy might be to leave a little something in the tank tomorrow even if it means sacrificing a bit of time. Sure looks like he really went to the well today.

 

[Gigs_98]

On the positive side, I genuinely think Jonas had a bad day and I don't expect a repeat on Saturday. If the gap stays similar I think he might at least try something in the Alps. Not that I think he can actually drop Pogacar but I would be much more negative about the rest of the race if Vingegaard himself had a 2 minute gap on everyone behind him.

 

[yaco]

Vingegaard has yet to put in an impressive ride on a long mountain in 2025.

 

[Didinho]

This stage was just missing Almeida in 2nd place.

 

[Salvarani]

Lipo was a bright spot for Bora. He can fight for the podium.

But threw away some valuable seconds, because of team orders... where he maybe even could have gained here.

Hope it dont cost him second place or podium.

He had great legs here, might not have every time of what is left.

 

[Ulfhednar]

I think this is the stage Pogi says enough...no more playing around with the yellow jersey and the contenders. Today is the day he decimates the field and leaves no doubt who will win...anger from the crash yesterday will fuel him with Pogi Hate and the rest of the peloton will feel his wrath. Then he will smile, the hate will fade, and it will be happy go lucky Pogi again.

Yep...

 

[dobrien]

Wanna see poor English? Come to the US.

Sad but true.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Visma have looked from the onset that they dont believe they can win

They should not have let their riders in the break for one or Jonas making sprint like attacks

It wouldn't have mattered. There is no strategy to beat Pog. He cannot be beaten.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

THJ finishing 4th definitively justified Uno-X working the whole day. He’s a legit GC rider.

 

[kingjr]

Weak field today, 2015 Nibali with the long solo ride was faster than all the other riders today.

It was 2014, and I still get angry when I think back at the battle we were denied back then

 

[dobrien]

This stage was just missing Almeida in 2nd place.

What fun that would have been. <puts gun to head>

 

[AnotherArmChair]

It wouldn't have mattered. There is no strategy to beat Pog. He cannot be beaten.

its possibly true but I dont think today Jonas or Visma rode to the best of their abilities because of their tactics

 

[postmanhat]

Vauquelin surprised me. never thought he would still be there in the big mountains

Never thought he'd be a high mountains rider, but this is the first season he's stayed relatively crash-free for a couple of seasons, which may have held back his development?

Probably helps that much better established climbers aren't competitive for various reasons. He's not Ineos/Total's answer to their GC GT problem, but could an excellent one week/day rider for them.

 

[perico]

Where’s the guy who was saying that Tadej was weaker because he wouldn’t have the jersey on the rest day?

 

[Red Rick]

On the positive side, I genuinely think Jonas had a bad day and I don't expect a repeat on Saturday. If the gap stays similar I think he might at least try something in the Alps. Not that I think he can actually drop Pogacar but I would be much more negative about the rest of the race if Vingegaard himself had a 2 minute gap on everyone behind him.

That's a bad day so far on every effort longer than 3 minutes.

 

[dobrien]

It was 2014, and I still get angry when I think back at the battle we were denied back then

That will always be the one that got away; the potential there was so epic.