Tour de France Tour De France 2025, Stage 17: Bollène - Valence(160.4K)

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Why do some teams give away these stages?

In stages like yesterday's, everyone competes, but today, when it's easier for teams like Cofidis or Tudor, they don't even try.

And Cofidis no longer has Coquard to settle for the sprint.
 
Lidl guys bullying the peloton - it's just not on!
One thing is for sure..Quinn Simmons should be on the front because TDF announced yesterday they are going to award a new jersey category for rider who wastes the most energy!!
Simmons will also be given a special combative rider award.. Not combative against other riders,..no Quinn is combating his 16 stage history of getting his as& handed to him daily for doing long intense power zapping intervals for no reason!!
 
Gotta love useless sprinter teams that add nothing to the race blocking the road and not allowing riders who want to race
Yesterday I criticized Politt, but we have to admit that the same thing is allowed in stages like today. I'll never understand such complacency, and why these stages have to be given away. They don´t criticize the sprinter teams for blocking and being thuggish.

Given Milan's difficulties in this Tour, many teams should have opted for the breakaway. I don't understand the attitude in these stages. Then there are complaints if Pogacar wants to win, but they give another stage to Milan/Merlier.
 
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Yesterday I criticized Politt, but we have to admit that the same thing is allowed in stages like today. I'll never understand such complacency, and why these stages have to be given away. They don´t criticize the sprinter teams for blocking and being thuggish.

Given Milan's difficulties in this Tour, many teams should have opted for the breakaway. I don't understand the attitude in these stages. Then there are complaints if Pogacar wants to win, but they give another stage to Milan/Merlier.
Dream scenario is that Trek and Milan finish outside top 10!!
 
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OK the climbs today should be nothing to the sprinters....but this late in the tour can they be a factor? Or at least be too much for Milan?
The climbs are something he must be happy with as an alternative to dealing with van der Poel.. Milan wouldn't have beat him , pneumonia did instead..

Curious why Total Energies has that big number sticker on the helmet!!

Spanish Eurosport has commercials for Michelin, Continental, Victoria tires, Movistar, Trek teams in every interruption.. Must be expensive!!!
 
As in for this year's edition? Damn, perhaps people really do find predictable domination uninteresting - or I suppose perhaps Pogacar just isn't going all out, and people would tune in if he did more W/kg than on PdB.

I dont think your average viewer cares about watts or domination..only insane fanboys on here get their kicks from that kind of stuff

What is missing is competition and also some of the romance of older years ...and that is not possible with domination by teams or individuals...big audience are probably France, USA Australia, Spain , Italy and Germany based on population but with the exception of Germany they dont have top riders at present ..maybe more French will have watched yesterday...
 
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I dont think your average viewer cares about watts or domination..only insane fanboys on here get their kicks from that kind of stuff

What is missing is competition and also some of the romance of older years ...and that is not possible with domination by teams or individuals...big audience are probably France, USA Australia, Spain , Italy and Germany based on population but with the exception of Germany they dont have top riders at present ..maybe more French will have watched yesterday...

There's no big audience in the USA.