Tour de France Tour de France 2025, Stage 16: Montpellier to Mont Ventoux, 171.5 km

[Rackham]

Breakaway with 6 minute lead. Dont Uae/visma want a win today? Or will the mutants catch them?

If Pog brings the Plateau de Beille 2024 nuke, I'm not sure 6 minutes is enough for Arensman & co.

 

[Didinho]

With only Politt pulling untill the climb they’re gonna have 7 minutes. Stage win will not be for the peloton.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Why though? Not like Trentin is gonna beat Arensman on Ventoux

i guess someone in the second group...probably Healy is not wanted up the road....maybe they are worried about the GC chasing

 

[D. Pecher]

Breakaway with 6 minute lead. Dont Uae/visma want a win today? Or will the mutants catch them?

I think UAE has switched from trying to win it with Pogacar to letting their two riders in the break duke it out. Considering how hard they chased in the first half of the stage. I think Pog wanted to win it, but they've realised it is no longer worth the concerted effort. They'll need Politt in that monster stage on Thursday, so it doesn't pay to blow him up completely today.

 

[fenns]

gap will continue to go out - they are not even trying in the peloton

unless Jonas attacks early gonna be an anti-climax like Superbagnere

 

[Bombarolo]

If Pog brings the Plateau de Beille 2024 nuke, I'm not sure 6 minutes is enough for Arensman & co.

They need someone to pull like Almeida who unfortunately is not in the race anymore.

 

[RedheadDane]

Abrahamsen: In the break today.

Yesterday:

 

[scribers]

That bmx course shot just mind *** me

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Considering how hard they chased in the first half of the stage. I think Pog wanted to win it, but they've realised it is no longer worth the concerted effort.

Why not worth? I find it weird they dont control the breakaway anymore. Pogacar may be disappointed. Or maybe he doesnt feel good and decided to save doms.

 

[Heston]

I know Buitrago is not in top shape, but why exactly is Wright pulling for Arensman in front when Buitrago is in group 2?

 

[Mac9]

Is everyone in the front break working and taking a turn?

 

[Rackham]

They need someone to pull like Almeida who unfortunately is not in the race anymore.

Or maybe they're easing off on purpose after they heard Thomas Voeckler's rant on France TV earlier, i.e. labelling Politt's behavior "detestable".

https://twitter.com/x/status/1947628250701656157

View: https://x.com/LeGruppetto/status/1947628250701656157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1947628250701656157%7Ctwgr%5E076cec5c961ada6a43673c0f6b3e9891a295729d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lequipe.fr%2FCyclisme-sur-route%2FActualites%2F-ce-sont-des-attitudes-detestables-quand-nils-politt-fait-la-police-dans-le-peloton-pour-empecher-la-formation-d-une-echappee%2F1579959

 

[gunara]

I wonder why journalists always have to ask athletes the most bland, annoying, predictable, uninspiring questions with incite no insight at all. It's not like riders are country or political leaders that have to state obvious things for the sake of making a statement itself.

 

[will-10]

I know Buitrago is not in top shape, but why exactly is Wright pulling for Arensman in front when Buitrago is in group 2?

I guess so Buitrago didn't have to work until the second group got across, feels like they waited a little too long to bring Fred back now though.

 

[D. Pecher]

Why not worth? I find it weird they dont control the breakaway anymore. Pogacar may be disappointed. Or maybe he doesnt feel good and decided to save doms.

When I read about van der Poel abandoning with pneumonia, the article mentioned that several riders are having symptoms of a cold, including Pogacar. Maybe he has hit the wall along the way, considering how fast the stage has been until 90k from the finish.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

There are some very strong guys in the first group (like Arensman). 3-4 minutes? Sure, Pogacar / Vingo can do it easily if they go hard. 6 minutes could be too much.

 

[search]

I know Buitrago is not in top shape, but why exactly is Wright pulling for Arensman in front when Buitrago is in group 2?

I don't think Wright did any turns. But keeping him up there this long obviously still made no sense, if they really believe in Buitrago.

 

[fenns]

Pogacar has decided he's just going to consolidate his lead - maybe get few more secs on the GC

 

[scribers]

Possibly just too hot and too much headwind. Lidl didn’t seem to want the intermediate either. All unfavorable conditions for a truly interesting GC finale

 

[Danskebjerge]

Abrahamsen: In the break today.

Yesterday:

Balloons make you lighter. A great help on climbs.

 

[RedheadDane]

Balloons make you lighter. A great help on climbs.

Unfortunately, that's a watermelon.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

That bmx course shot just mind *** me

Me too! I was like, wtf., is the peloton riding on a BMX course now? How weeeeeeird!!

🤣

 

[AmRacer]

Pogacar has decided he's just going to consolidate his lead - maybe get few more secs on the GC

Saving bullets for the Vuelta

 

[D. Pecher]

Pogacar has decided he's just going to consolidate his lead - maybe get few more secs on the GC

The gap hasn't really gone up much lately. Although the climb only starts at 16k from the finish it is already going uphill. they are at 150m now, and the climb starts at 500m , so the break might start to pay for the high pace. The pack has been relatively resting for the last 60k.

 

[Heston]

Group 2 at least working decently now. Wright was much needed.

But still too much of a gap to Arensman.