Tour de France Tour de France 2025, Stage 2: Lauwin-Planque – Boulogne-sur-Mer (209.1k)

[Berniece]

And he said MVP was better, I don't get what is your point exactly.

That in the link I posted he said his sprint wasn’t good, that he started too late and implying he could’ve won. Which isn’t the case at all.

He obviously did multiple interviews with different statements, but in one of those he implied he could win.

 

[Peyroteo94]

That in the link I posted he said his sprint wasn’t good, that he started too late and implying he could’ve won. Which isn’t the case at all.

He obviously did multiple interviews with different statements, but in one of those he implied he could win.

He didn't imply anything. Maybe you think that way because you don't like him. You do exactly the opposite with Remco, can you not see the difference? Maybe it is your emotional side talking louder (nothing against that. We all have preferences).

 

[Red Rick]

I am inclined to agree that he probably doesn't win the sprint whatever he does, but a long sprint would suit him more than a super explosive short one, so no matter the outcome, he made the wrong decision to get the best possible result. He even said that he did start to late AND MvdP was faster. Seems like fair self-criticism to me, not making excuses.

It's quite clear he's thinking more about beating Vingegaard and that's why he's hesitating for these things.

 

[Berniece]

He didn't imply anything. Maybe you think that way because you don't like him. You do exactly the opposite with Remco, can you not see the difference? Maybe it is your emotional side talking louder (nothing against that. We all have preferences).

Then why mention it if you aren’t implying that you could’ve won? I doesn’t make any sense.

I also don’t dislike Pogacar. I don’t dislike any rider I think.

 

[red_flanders]

because you think he's fun or to take advantage of his OAP discount?

I like his sardonic humor. OAP? Must be a brit thang...

 

[Cycling111]

He didn't imply anything. Maybe you think that way because you don't like him. You do exactly the opposite with Remco, can you not see the difference? Maybe it is your emotional side talking louder (nothing against that. We all have preferences).

Thank goodness Pogacar didn't say he was sure to win like Remco said after Amstel.
Or maybe that's what he should've said because that was supposedly sincere. LOL

Pogacar said he didn't do well and that VDP was the fastest.

There was no shortage of self-criticism. But it's Pogacar, so it doesn't matter; the same people as always will see it all wrong.

 

[Berniece]

Thank goodness Pogacar didn't say he was sure to win like Remco said after Amstel.
Or maybe that's what he should've said because that was supposedly sincere. LOL

Pogacar said he didn't do well and that VDP was the fastest.

There was no shortage of self-criticism. But it's Pogacar, so it doesn't matter; the same people as always will see it all wrong.

Touchy subject apparently, my bad, all hail king Pogacar

 

[dercuforever]

Vauquelin fastest time on hardest climb, while starting in bad position.
4" less then Gregoire / Pogacar / Remco.
He will be top 3 in Rouen.
He's from Bayeux (and so am I) so he knows probably most roads from stage 4 to 6.

 

[No Excuses]

Yeah, as someone who is in Germany today, I can confirm that German TV is not something anyone should be envious of in any aspect. They also had a news broadcast at a quarter to five and then just ditched the final 15 kilometers to show the preview of Norway versus Finland in the women's Euro... And there was no other channel they put the Tour on after that (of the 100 channels on my hotel TV which apparently cannot handle an HDMI cable (which I've of course brought as I'm no amateur). Hopefully Austria and Italy will prove a bit better...

And that's only the tip of the iceberg. When Adam Yates changed his bike, Wegmann said, that he won the Giro.

 

[Gratemans]

She cares more about her husband and family than she does about cycling.

That's honorable, even if you don't agree with it.

I highly doubt she really cares about him. Everything about her just screams controlling & possessive!

Can I also wholeheartedly disagree with both these takes?
To the first one: I'm not that big on the whole family-thing in this context. I know in some cultures it's super important (or at least, to put up this family guy image for PR purposes).
But when you get down to it, life is about choices and sacrifices. You can't always have your cake and eat it. Everybody knows how much sacrifices it takes to be a pro athlete. And in Jonas' case, a pro athlete at the very, very top of the chain. That takes sacrifice. It also happens to bring in millions. And in just a couple of years he can quite comfortably retire and do all the DIY you need him to.
If you're capable enough to be his manager, you're capable enough to understand this.

To the second point: that's some pretty hurtful speculations. We don't know anything about that.

But when I think some more about it, I think I can answer both your posts: this is just like Mathieu's dad, or Remco's. If there's a sensitive message to deliver (eg. the rider isn't happy with something, and wants to let it be known) they never do that themselves, but they let Adri, Patrick, or in this case Trine (who are all managers of the riders as well) deliver the message.
Which is kinda smart. What is more worrying here, is another message she delivered: that Van Aert should ride solely in service of Jonas. Yeah well..
I can very well imagine that doesn't go over well with the team. Especially during the Tour. Man, if I was Wout I would be pissed right now. Some proper bad timing.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Apologies and handshakes - Milan and Binny move on.

Tour de France 2025 : Jonathan Milan s'excuse auprès de Biniam Girmay après des tensions sur la 2e étape

L'Italien Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) a présenté ses excuses auprès de l'Érythréen Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), qu'il avait violemment réprimandé après le sprint intermédiaire de la 2e étape du Tour de France ce dimanche.

www.lequipe.fr

 

[RobertCrawley]

Can I also wholeheartedly disagree with both these takes?
To the first one: I'm not that big on the whole family-thing in this context. I know in some cultures it's super important (or at least, to put up this family guy image for PR purposes).
But when you get down to it, life is about choices and sacrifices. You can't always have your cake and eat it. Everybody knows how much sacrifices it takes to be a pro athlete. And in Jonas' case, a pro athlete at the very, very top of the chain. That takes sacrifice. It also happens to bring in millions. And in just a couple of years he can quite comfortably retire and do all the DIY you need him to.
If you're capable enough to be his manager, you're capable enough to understand this.

To the second point: that's some pretty hurtful speculations. We don't know anything about that.

But when I think some more about it, I think I can answer both your posts: this is just like Mathieu's dad, or Remco's. If there's a sensitive message to deliver (eg. the rider isn't happy with something, and wants to let it be known) they never do that themselves, but they let Adri, Patrick, or in this case Trine (who are all managers of the riders as well) deliver the message.
Which is kinda smart. What is more worrying here, is another message she delivered: that Van Aert should ride solely in service of Jonas. Yeah well..
I can very well imagine that doesn't go over well with the team. Especially during the Tour. Man, if I was Wout I would be pissed right now. Some proper bad timing.

Yes, it's obvious that being a great athlete takes sacrifice, and this family has and will benefit enormously financially from his career, as does the team and others. But Jonas was in a horrible accident. After that, you can understand why someone close to him looks forward to the final race of his career.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Mathieu van der Poel for winning the sprint.

Rather tense finale without any big surprises, like we got on stage 1. Unfortunately some notable crashes again, luckily no DNFs.

 

[Gratemans]

Yes, it's obvious that being a great athlete takes sacrifice, and this family has and will benefit enormously financially from his career, as does the team and others. But Jonas was in a horrible accident. After that, you can understand why someone close to him looks forward to the final race of his career.

Families of riders always look forward to their retirement. I have no problem whith that general statement at all. And I doubt anybody does.

There are some other worrying statements in there though where I feel she deliberately is throwing a spinner in the works. Him being at altitude too much. Sorry, my answer would simply be "Deal with it."
He doesn't have to show up for many races in the first place.

The other one: "I hope he gets the full support of the team, and that they don't chase a lot of different goals". Well, they just let their greatest sprinter go to another team just because of that didn't they?
I'm no Belgian for the record, but to ask on top of that for Wout to not go for his own chances (which she obviously seems to be doing here) just seems absolutely ridiculous.
If I were Wout, I would definitely want to have a stern chat with Jonas after dinner tonight about what the hell she is demanding..

All in all this doesn't seem all that productive from a team-spirit kind of perspective.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Her feelings are understandable, nothing wrong with that.

Doing an interview about it is narcissism, she thinks she's *** posh spice.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Families of riders always look forward to their retirement. I have no problem whith that general statement at all. And I doubt anybody does.

There are some other worrying statements in there though where I feel she deliberately is throwing a spinner in the works. Him being at altitude too much. Sorry, my answer would simply be "Deal with it."
He doesn't have to show up for many races in the first place.

The other one: "I hope he gets the full support of the team, and that they don't chase a lot of different goals". Well, they just let their greatest sprinter go to another team just because of that didn't they?
I'm no Belgian for the record, but to ask on top of that for Wout to not go for his own chances (which she obviously seems to be doing here) just seems absolutely ridiculous.
If I were Wout, I would definitely want to have a stern chat with Jonas after dinner tonight about what the hell she is demanding..

All in all this doesn't seem all that productive from a team-spirit kind of perspective.

I see what you’re saying. I don’t know all the ins and outs, but it’s incontrovertible that Jonas’ team does amazing work for him.

 

[staubsauger]

Families of riders always look forward to their retirement. I have no problem whith that general statement at all. And I doubt anybody does.

There are some other worrying statements in there though where I feel she deliberately is throwing a spinner in the works. Him being at altitude too much. Sorry, my answer would simply be "Deal with it."
He doesn't have to show up for many races in the first place.

The other one: "I hope he gets the full support of the team, and that they don't chase a lot of different goals". Well, they just let their greatest sprinter go to another team just because of that didn't they?
I'm no Belgian for the record, but to ask on top of that for Wout to not go for his own chances (which she obviously seems to be doing here) just seems absolutely ridiculous.
If I were Wout, I would definitely want to have a stern chat with Jonas after dinner tonight about what the hell she is demanding..

All in all this doesn't seem all that productive from a team-spirit kind of perspective.

That whole marriage is worrying.

Significantly older woman scores a young man. Gets pregnant twice to keep him. Seperates him from his family. He always has to call her immediately and report accurately. Now she even throws a tantrum at his work. Wants him to stay at home permanently where she can control him and where he does the things she instructs him. His whole life basically has to be just her and the children.


That's a pretty obvious pattern actually if you have whitnessed it before in real life.

 

[proffate]

Today's stage finished in the capital of French commercial fishing. This explains the power boost that propelled the fish packer to third on a sprint stage. (h/t Matteo Jorgenson)

 

[Gratemans]

That whole marriage is worrying.

Significantly older woman scores a young man. Gets pregnant twice to keep him. Seperates him from his family. He always has to call her immediately and report accurately. Now she even throws a tantrum at his work. Wants him to stay at home permanently where she can control him and where he does the things she instructs him. His whole life basically has to be just her and the children.


That's a pretty obvious pattern actually if you have whitnessed it before in real life.

I can definitely understand where you're coming from. But for example, the whole 'directly calling family after a race' could also just be a botched PR trick from the team.
"Wants him to stay at home permanently" just seems weird, seeing she's also his manager.
Anyway, I just don't feel comfortable speculating too much about the details of this part of the story.

What I would like to add: a manager's task is to take the heat away from the athlete they're representing. Trine isn't doing that. She should take a page out of the book of Adri van der Poel.

 

[proffate]

Pogacar already looking for excuses… as if he waited too long, you didn’t come close mate.

Bergkoning Tadej Pogacar "verknoeit" zijn sprint: "Ik was een beetje bang en wachtte te lang" | sporza

Tadej Pogacar heeft zijn eerste podiumceremonie achter de rug. Niet als ritwinnaar of gele trui, maar wel zowaar als bollenman. Pogacar eindigde in Boulogne-sur-Mer tweede na Mathieu van der Poel en legde zich daarbij neer.

sporza-be.translate.goog

Bear in mind this coming from the guy who usually attacks with 60km+ left in the race, so I'd say he left it [checks Flanders] 18km too late if he wants to beat MVDP.

 

[staubsauger]

I can definitely understand where you're coming from. But for example, the whole 'directly calling family after a race' could also just be a botched PR trick from the team.
"Wants him to stay at home permanently" just seems weird, seeing she's also his manager.
Anyway, I just don't feel comfortable speculating too much about the details of this part of the story.

What I would like to add: a manager's task is to take the heat away from the athlete they're representing. Trine isn't doing that. She should take a page out of the book of Adri van der Poel.

Yeah, I mean let's hope I'm wrong and those red flags are just me seeing ghosts. That would definitely be the best option.

 

[Cookster15]

That woman is a total psychopath...

I'm a bit late to the party but on your comment, I read her comments but I can see both sides.

I actually wondered if Visma were pushing Vingegaard too hard last year to get him back in shape for the Tour after his big crash. Jonas even got emotional after the Isola stage finish when Jorgenson consoled him:> Vingegaard after stage 19 2024 TdF (@8:20).

Obviously the pressure was getting to him. So when I read his wife complaining about the team I put 1 and 1 together.

The pressure to perform must be felt by the family so I am not surprised to read these comments by his wife. And we often forget while they are paid big money as professionals they are still human beings. And this is not limited to cycling. Any professional sport, including footballers, when you sign up the athlete you also have to manage the peripherals like family so that are happy and can perform at the best with minimal distractions.

 

[Unchained]

That whole marriage is worrying.

Significantly older woman scores a young man. Gets pregnant twice to keep him. Seperates him from his family. He always has to call her immediately and report accurately. Now she even throws a tantrum at his work. Wants him to stay at home permanently where she can control him and where he does the things she instructs him. His whole life basically has to be just her and the children.


That's a pretty obvious pattern actually if you have whitnessed it before in real life.

What an absolute disgusting vile, uncalled for personal attack on a guy's wife and family.. Get a grip. Don't post about rider's wives, family, especially children, get some control.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Maybe someone already posted this. The Cycling Podcasts reports that Confidis had 11 bikes stolen before Stage 2.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Kévin Vauquelin: "I don’t understand. We break away with Jorgenson, why doesn’t he want to ride with me? I don’t know. This is in the heat of the moment, I shouldn’t say anything stupid. It’s a shame, I was really strong. If we break away with 2 or 3, it could go all the way. I’m frustrated."

Jorgensen said maybe he made a mistake...he could be in yellow if he hadn't.