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

[Peyroteo94]

Agreed. If Vingegaard can't regain his absolutely top form (or even more than that) all stage races with Pogacar will be so predictable that it's scary. Vingegaard is an outlier in his own right and it may take a long time before anyone of his climbing calibre appears. Pogacar's decline could start sooner than that and that's what probably his rivals hope for.

He can become worse and will still be the top dog. He is very complete

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogs only GT goal is to win all 3 in one year, which he can do.

Next year would be great! He no longer has opponents

 

[KZD]

Another performance for the ages from Pogačar, not even the crash yesterday or the heavier Colnago aero bike could stop him. Pogačar just needs to reach Paris healthy and he will win his 4th Tour.

Just like in the TT, Vingegaard was disappointing, its concerning how he is performing worse this season with a much better preparation.

Lipowitz with a great third place, I think he will ultimately podium this race and could very well become a future GT winner.

Very good day for Onley, Vauquelin and Johannessen, good to see new names up there on GC.

Remco had a very difficult day but at least managed to keep his podium hopes alive. He showed the mental resilience that lacked during the 2023 Vuelta.

 

[hfer07]

So the Tour is over.

That was.... quick

 

[ppanther92]

2025: 35:07 Tadej Pogacar 23.07 km/h
2022: 37:39 Tadej Pogacar 21.51 km/h

2025: 37:17 Jonas Vingegaard 21.73 km/h
2022: 36:35 Jonas Vingegaard 22.14 km/h

 

[ppanther92]

Btw., very impressed by Vauquelin so far - I would totally have ruled out any chance for top 10 at any point before today.

 

[Andy262]

Another performance for the ages from Pogačar, not even the crash yesterday or the heavier Colnago aero bike could stop him. Pogačar just needs to reach Paris healthy and he will win his 4th Tour.

Just like in the TT, Vingegaard was disappointing, its concerning how he is performing worse this season with a much better preparation.

Lipowitz with a great third place, I think he will ultimately podium this race and could very well become a future GT winner.

Very good day for Onley, Vauquelin and Johannessen, good to see new names up there on GC.

Remco had a very difficult day but at least managed to keep his podium hopes alive. He showed the mental resilience that lacked during the 2023 Vuelta.

Lipowitz is clearly a better rider than various recent Giro winners, so yes.

 

[Andre]

Hard to believe this stage. Who would have expected this after Pogacar's crash and all the doom and gloom yesterday. The GC gaps today are beyond belief!

We saw last year that Jonas is a fighter - he simply wasn't good enough but he and Visma did all they could in the face of an onslaught. Looks to be riding for 2nd in Paris aleady.

Great ride by Florian Lipowitz. He has announced himself as Germany's next big hope - and Red Bull's leader.

Sad for Remco. Is he sick? He put up a much better performance in 2024.

Now for the second test of the Pyreneean triple - the MTT.

yes I see what you mean, but I don't think Remco is sick, you have to consider that all his crashes have impeded his natural progress towards being a better climber by now...he is behind schedule in his evolution of natural improvement. Just imagine if Tadej or some of the top GC guys in this Tour would have crashed this last December. Would they be performing as well? Each crash or mishap is harder to overcome and takes longer to recuperate

 

[Lequack]

2025: 35:07 Tadej Pogacar 23.07 km/h
2022: 37:39 Tadej Pogacar 21.51 km/h

2022 vs 2025

 

[QueenStagiaire]

2022 vs 2025

The damaged left side has stayed the same.

 

[jono]

^ Pog struck almost that exact same 2022 pose about 10 seconds after that 2025 photo was taken.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Tadej Pogačar for winning the stage in grand style.

Pogi had to repay the peloton somehow, waiting for him yesterday, he did the best he could. Visma, as expected, drilling it, trying to profit from potential weakness related to the yesterdays crash, they did a good job at it, dropped most, even their own team members. Here i must say that i don't get it, on why they went back for Matteo twice and bring him back, on when he struggled, rather stupid. On ultimate climb Pogi went all out from the beginning of the climb and roasted the rest. Remco with a good long range defence, Rogla looked rather good but ultimately paid for it on the last climb. Lipo with strong legs but who knows on what happens next and if he will pay for such effort in the following days or not, nonetheless a superb performance.

So what now, i guess an ITT.

 

[Lequack]

Some more pics

 

[CyclistAbi]

A bit of an auch, this stage, or better an ouch.

 

[Cookster15]

No one will ever reach Vingegaard's peak level

The numbers I've read say Vingegaard reached a higher level in 2024 Tour than when he won the Tour in 2022 and 2023 ? Likewise, Pogacar demolished Vingegaard's peak w/kg on PdB?

 

[Peyroteo94]

The numbers I've read say Vingegaard reached a higher level in 2024 Tour than when he won the Tour in 2022 and 2023 ? Likewise, Pogacar demolished Vingegaard's peak w/kg on PdB?

I'm not understanding your point.

 

[Cookster15]

I'm not understanding your point.

You said no one will ever reach Vingegaard's peak level. Please explain because I think they already did in 2024?

Peak level = peak sustained watts right? The only time I can think of which supports your point is Combloux 2023?

 

[Peyroteo94]

You said no one will ever reach Vingegaard's peak level. Please explain because I think they already did in 2024?

Peak level = peak sustained watts right? The only time I can think of which supports your point is Combloux 2023?

I was talking about future Pogacar's challengers. For me Pogacar will never have a rival so strong like Jonas.

 

[Schultz0620]

What a privilege and honor it is to watch Tadej in his prime. The baby goat.

 

[Pippo_San]

I can't stop watching the beginning of the Hautacam climb with the monster performance by Narvaez.
I'm jumping on the edge of my chair everytime Andy just says "I'm done" and Jhonatan starts DRILLING like a madman.

WTF moment in a very positive way.
Pogi is immense but he's got some crazy domestiques!

 

[armchairclimber]

Some more pics

Rick Nielsen's looking well in Yellow.

 

[Rob5091]

"Cassandra" Trine was right, or UAE have gone high octane.
Visma went pop before UAE and one wonders about the likes of Kuss and Jorgenson. Remco's tactics comment is something Visma should think about, if Vingegaard is not at 100%.
Glad to see Lipowitz, Onley, Johannesen & Vauquelin up there. Roglic seems destined for the management talk on the 2nd rest day.

 

[dacooley]

I'm pretty sure after the stage Jonas and Remco hurt all over and I'm talking not only about their bodies. The ego is hurt really badly. After preparing for year or so and getting ass-beating like this must feel really painful.

On the other hand, to put things into perspective, Hautacam stage completely aligns with what we saw in the Dauphine. There was no reason to assume that Vinegaard and Evenepoul would be able able to sharpen the shape more than Pogačar in a month...So the finished gap increased in line with the climb's difficulty.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I'm pretty sure after the stage Jonas and Remco hurt all over and I'm talking not only about their bodies. The ego is hurt really badly. After preparing for year or so getting ass-beating like this must feel really painful.

On the other hand, to put things into perspective, Hautacam stage completely aligns with what we saw in the Dauphine. There was no reason to assume that Vinegaard and Evenepoul would be able able to sharpen the shape more than Pogačar in a month...So the finished gap increased in line with the climb's difficulty.

Don't think Remco's ego is hurt too much by this. It was some impressive defensive racing. Chapeau to Remco for that.
Vinge, well thats a difference story which is why I think GC 2nd is in play moving forward.
Today will be critical for the non pog GC.

 

[AmRacer]

Don't think Remco's ego is hurt too much by this. It was some impressive defensive racing. Chapeau to Remco for that.
Vinge, well thats a difference story which is why I think GC 2nd is in play moving forward.
Today will be critical for the non pog GC.

Think Remco would prefer to be the third best climber