Tour de France Tour de France 2025 Stage 14: Pau – Luchon Superbagnères (182.6k)

[AnotherArmChair]

I expect Pogacar will want to win this as he probably heard the stats that no one rider has won all Pyrenees stages in any Tour plus he is after the Tour wins target I think.

(had to laugh at the unveiling of the statue in Pau before todays race...They pulled the veil and clapped and Pog just shrugged his shoulders and hands as if to say "is that it and what do I do now"

However Bora will have to step up to put Remco in difficulty to get the podium for Lipo..so that might be interesting

 

[Boehmand]

The way this is going we won't see a break until Tourmalet - and such a break will never get much of a gap - if any.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Boogerd telling a story of King Willy joining Rabofail on the ride to the stage start who then suddenly tried to attack team Rabofail on a short uphill saying "I pay my bodyguard by the hour he may as well work for his damn money"

Who is King Willy? Did Free Willy have a late career change?

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Yeah, looks like the peleton itself doesn't really have the belief that there is a chance for any promising group to go before Tourmalet. Most active so far are half arsed sprinter variations that just have the intermediate in mind.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Little Lenny is waiting for the Tourmalet

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

However Bora will have to step up to put Remco in difficulty to get the podium for Lipo..so that might be interesting

I hope Remco will be in contention today, but I think Bora realistically has to be more worried about Onley at this point.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

I hope Remco will be in contention today, but I think Bora realistically has to be more worried about Onley at this point.

I agree and said this about 4 stages back ...but you never know with the Tour...Roglic may find a gear and charge for the podium in the final week....he always does well in GT he finishes plus this time next week endurance will be key and that is something we know Rog has if he stays on his bike

 

[Tim Cahill]

Come on Fred 20 minutes at the base and you can beat these guys

 

[Heston]

Cras looks like a DNF

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Cras abandoning

 

[dobrien]

With tomorrow looking like a day for the break and a rest day following, I expect a very hard day today. Imho by the time the break forms they won't be all that far from the Tourmalet; the way this race is going I wouldn't be 100% shocked to see Pogi going for some points.

Predictions: (With my track record not sure why I bother but it's still fun nonetheless!)

Wishful thinking that Pog is going to show any weakness from his fall when he's looked like "The Hammer of the Gods" the last two days. He'll want to finish up the treble today and put Jonas at over 5 minutes.

I think rather than attack, Visma will simply be alert to any signs of weakness from Pog (which aren't coming) and that Jonas will ride the final climb smarter today to avoid as far as possible any chance of him blowing up. He isn't going to beat Pogi but it will be very interesting to see if he can hold him to a reasonable gap.

Remco has shown great character and pride in his career and has a history of bouncing back from adversity, but the reality seems to be the legs just aren't there and he has taken some pretty cruel blows to the spirit the last couple of days. At best he loses a big chunk of time to fall out of contention for the podium and at worst I would not be shocked to see him climb off; he just looks empty. This is the one about which I most want to be wrong.

Story of the day will be Primosz capitalizing on yesterday with the veteran showing everyone what a true champion he is; he won't end the day in a podium position but he will close more time again as the race for the podium gets even more interesting.

One of Lipo, Onley, or Vauquelin to come crashing back to earth, most likely the latter.

YMMV as always!

 

[Peyroteo94]

There's potential for hype here. We have Visma with a leader who is pretty much 'safe' in second and very little to lose. There's colder weather and possibly some sketchy descents due to first rainfall in weeks making roads slippery. We've also got a really chaotic fight for third with various riders and teams who're blowing hot and cold without much regularity (Evenepoel and Rog in particular).

It could be epic if Visma decide to go all in and risk blowing up just to test Pog 3 days after his crash.

This weather is better for Pogacar even if he is a monster now in hot conditions

 

[Tim Cahill]

The French do love some grief-porn, look at these lingering shots of Cras

 

[QueenStagiaire]

This looks like a promising group.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Healy free once again

 

[QueenStagiaire]

17 riders, but not cooperating well

 

[Red Rick]

Breakaways would literally just work better if everyone just entered their demands and teams let AI just spit out the desired breakaway that satisfies most teams.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Visma won‘t allow a group away without them

 

[Red Rick]

Visma won‘t allow a group away without them

Making sure the audience gets to witness another procession.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

If I were in the EF team I would be encouraging Healy to wait for tomorrow and for stage 20 ...I think today will be won from GC ...but as its cycling who knows

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

If I were in the EF team I would be encouraging Healy to wait for tomorrow and for stage 20 ...I think today will be won from GC ...but as its cycling who knows

Maybe he want's to take a shot at the KOM jersey.

 

[dobrien]

If I were in the EF team I would be encouraging Healy to wait for tomorrow and for stage 20 ...I think today will be won from GC ...but as its cycling who knows

Same.

 

[dobrien]

Maybe he want's to take a shot at the KOM jersey.

He is 21 points behind Pogi; that's not happening I'm afraid.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

He is 21 points behind Pogi; that's not happening I'm afraid.

I'm not saying it's a realistic ambition, but if he takes Tourmarlet he's already only 1 point behind, given Pogi doesn't get one. But the HC MTFs make it really hard to get Pogi not to win it.

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

Might aswell have Vinge tank 30 min or so in that case and go for a stage in the break, like what's another 2nd place to him? Not much I suspect.

Throwing away what you have quite firmly in your hand seems a little exagerated. I simply don't think there is any reason to tie up possible stage winner in triyng to drop POgacar when that is simply impossible