Tour de France Tour de France 2025 Stage 21: Mantes-la-Ville – Paris (132.3k)

[RedheadDane]

Random lady on the Stage Winner's Podium thinks this is the Giro.

 

[Sciatic]

Um just tuned in in time for the last kilometre and looks like covid times at the finish? No fans? Wva looked lonely crossing the line

They were all on Montmartre. Glad you tuned in in time to see your fav

 

[Mayomaniac]

Wout to claim co-leadership for the next Tour in 3, 2, 1...

 

[Rou]

Wow I see it completely different.. Even down to his tactics against Pogacar,
today you see Visma breakaway duo work together but also create situation were Pog has to work to further his chances, if he wanted to win, needed to work, if he wanted to ride in a paced, small safer group, in the rain.. He needed to work
.. After he worked small physical flaw exposed, he is attacked, Wout gets the stage. It happened multiple times in this TDF, it's not if Pogacar was to work it's what other riders do immediately before and after he is busy doing something!! Arensman showed twice, you have to be patient against Pogacar, wait for opportunity and exploit it.
Clown coach from Visma had Vingegaard riding on fire from start to finish, nothing surgical, nothing calculated, just raw force all day every day.
Vingegaard was never on his knees and instead of using instincts that had him winning as a child to a top professional, he subscribed to a silly strategy of being on 100% of the time as a team and individual rider..
He was in excellent form.. You can't get anywhere without a plan.. Vingegaard personally has zero to be ashamed of, he didn't pick the team race strategy.

Vingegaard is on his knees because of Rabobank tactics.
The way to be closer to Pogacar is not what the Bees are doing.
But they never learn.

 

[Unchained]

Where was this Wout in the spring? I mean he could drop Pog here, I imagine he could've dropped him in Flanders.

Wout was solid in the spring!! Had excellent results lots of top 5s in hard races, showing some good and great days in Giro as stand alone rides but also laid down some difficult teamwork!! Great racer!!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Vingegaard is on his knees because of Rabobank tactics.
The way to be closer to Pogacar is not what the Bees are doing.
But they never learn.

To be fair, I don't think there is any strategy that sees Jonas beating Pog. He really is the greatest rider to ever throw a leg over a bike.

 

[Sciatic]

I hope Wout thanks him for destroying the rest of the field for him while he sat on his wheel

Because . . . That’s EXACTLY what he’s supposed to do. No one twisted Pog’s arm to insist he lead over the 1st 2 ascents. But your comments are so off the wall I probably shouldn’t bother.

 

[Sciatic]

Mate, Jonas is finishing this race on his knees.

I think so.

 

[Rou]

To be fair, I don't think there is any strategy that sees Jonas beating Pog. He really is the greatest rider to ever throw a leg over a bike.

There is a way to not kill yourself and your team so you can be closer to him.
But Grischa is smarter than me of course.

 

[Unchained]

Vingegaard is on his knees because of Rabobank tactics.
The way to be closer to Pogacar is not what the Bees are doing.
But they never learn.

Exactly.. And that could be a character flaw from Vingegaard, when he was in meetings or beehive bus and listened to stupidness.. It was his responsibility to speak up.. If I was in a circle of smooth brains telling me that I will knock out Mike Tyson in first few seconds of the first round.. And I agree.. That level of dumb is on me!! Jonas needs to take ownership of following a race map to madness!! Every day I just kept asking what the f-ck is he doing?

 

[Sciatic]

I am highly critical but this is a good compromise.. Exciting finish circuit.. Rain made is a bit sketchy but overall excellent.. Riders still able to do all the normal exchanges of pleasantries and still had a race..

I also love that they showed most all of the riders coming across the line—it’s interesting to see the relief, joy, exhaustion on their faces.

 

[Charlyghoul]

Because . . . That’s EXACTLY what he’s supposed to do. No one twisted Pog’s arm to insist he lead over the 1st 2 ascents. But your comments are so off the wall I probably shouldn’t bother.

Of course it’s what he’s supposed to do, does he let pog just win?
No but I’m sure Van Aert will recognise that Pog made the race for him and did the hard work.

 

[RedheadDane]

Poor Pogacar... as if he's not tired already, they're making him go onto the podium an extra time (for the dots).
Also, Covid restrictions are over; let's return to the "give the jersey-winning rider the jersey on the podium" way of doing it.

 

[Didinho]

And thank god for that. The riders wanting more flat stages have put that on themselves!

This is bike racing. Yesterday was bike racing. Toulouse was bike racing. Carcassone was bike racing. Vire Normandie, Rouen. Basically all the stages where riders want to to jump in the break and race hard! Great stuff today!

Yes I understand but why punish sprinters because other teams doesn’t want to try anymore to go in the break. Or even just to show the sponsors. You don’t have climbers attacking every stage from the beginning (except Roglic of course). It’s the conti invited teams who doesn’t want to be in front. Put some teams like Tietema Rockets and they will be in front with 2 riders every flat stage.
I just don’t want too much change. They can race on the Champs like Vino before, was also exciting for me. But make it a race from the begin.

 

[Sciatic]

I would agree if it weren't for the rest of the Tour. Maybe a short stage and a short climb aided him. I will say that it is likely good for his head...until reality strikes again next Spring, and he can't match either Mathieu or Tadej.

Too bad it’s not a worrld’s course to suit him.

 

[Unchained]

Blondie thought Milan was game for small kiss!! Not today!!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yes I understand but why punish sprinters because other teams doesn’t want to try anymore to go in the break. Or even just to show the sponsors. You don’t have climbers attacking every stage from the beginning (except Roglic of course). It’s the conti invited teams who doesn’t want to be in front. Put some teams like Tietema Rockets and they will be in front with 2 riders every flat stage.
I just don’t want too much change. They can race on the Champs like Vino before, was also exciting for me. But make it a race from the begin.

It doesn't really matter that some irrelevant conti teams go up the road, by in large pure sprint stages are just bad business and bad for cycling. Im all hard sprint stages though where they really need to work - you can argue that this years set of stages were a notch too hard for that, but thats about it.

I think 3 pure sprint stages should be absolute maximum. Why are sprinters so entitled and why do people act like 5 sprint stages are not enough like this year? Its more than enough. The only riders who are getting marginalized are time trial specialists, and sprinters are the rider types that have the most opportunities throughout the year.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Heh, Campi trying to hold that trophy with the biggest smile on his face earlier, and now Pogi adding to his stuffed lion collection - I'll take it if he doesn't want it.

 

[dobrien]

Exactly.. And that could be a character flaw from Vingegaard, when he was in meetings or beehive bus and listened to stupidness.. It was his responsibility to speak up.. If I was in a circle of smooth brains telling me that I will knock out Mike Tyson in first few seconds of the first round.. And I agree.. That level of dumb is on me!! Jonas needs to take ownership of following a race map to madness!! Every day I just kept asking what the f-ck is he doing?

Jonas's biggest problem (beside Pog being the best rider in history, or at the very least tied for best) is there is no one else within a couple universes of him aside from Tadej. Pog only ever has to really watch one guy; there is no Roglic equivalent to send down the road to put Tadej in difficulty or force him to chase. Jonas is not beating this version of Tadej head-to-head imho, no matter what Visma throw at him. Tadej is the best in the world or nearly the best in every road discipline outside of pure field sprinting, good as Jonas is (and he IS amazing) he can't touch this Tadej.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Jonas's biggest problem (beside Pog being the best rider in history, or at the very least tied for best) is there is no one else within a couple universes of him aside from Tadej. Pog only ever has to really watch one guy; there is no Rog equivalent to send down the road to put Tadej in difficulty or force him to chase. Jonas is not beating this version of Tadej head-to-head imho, no matter what Visma throw at him. Tadej is the best in the world or nearly the best in every road discipline outside of pure field sprinting, good as Jonas is (and he IS amazing) he can't touch this Tadej.

Touché

 

[Unchained]

It doesn't really matter that some irrelevant conti teams go up the road, by in large pure sprint stages are just bad business and bad for cycling. Im all hard sprint stages though where they really need to work - you can argue that this years set of stages were a notch too hard for that, but thats about it.

I think 3 pure sprint stages should be absolute maximum. Why are sprinters so entitled and why do people act like 5 sprint stages are not enough like this year? Its more than enough. The only riders who are getting marginalized are time trial specialists, and sprinters are the rider types that have the most opportunities throughout the year.

You can easily, too easily solve this by making the main criteria to be a good overall bike racer..if you tighten elimination time you get less specialists and just a better field of overall talent. ASO is the same as the rest, they sell the spectacle of large pack, peloton wooshing by..they can't eliminate too many just for the product. Some calculations at @21% are ridiculous and races with big clump of groupetto also ridiculous in my opinion. If you can't climb at all shouldn't be at grand tours and they should have time cuts that make you race not give up

 

[Danskebjerge]

Best Norwegian GC achievement ever. Understandable that Uno-X did what they could to defend that result.

 

[Gratemans]

It doesn't really matter that some irrelevant conti teams go up the road, by in large pure sprint stages are just bad business and bad for cycling. Im all hard sprint stages though where they really need to work - you can argue that this years set of stages were a notch too hard for that, but thats about it.

I think 3 pure sprint stages should be absolute maximum. Why are sprinters so entitled and why do people act like 5 sprint stages are not enough like this year? Its more than enough. The only riders who are getting marginalized are time trial specialists, and sprinters are the rider types that have the most opportunities throughout the year.

I can agree with that. I do believe sprinting should be part of the Tour, but 5 sprint stages is more than enough imo.

 

[Didinho]

It doesn't really matter that some irrelevant conti teams go up the road, by in large pure sprint stages are just bad business and bad for cycling. Im all hard sprint stages though where they really need to work - you can argue that this years set of stages were a notch too hard for that, but thats about it.

I think 3 pure sprint stages should be absolute maximum. Why are sprinters so entitled and why do people act like 5 sprint stages are not enough like this year? Its more than enough. The only riders who are getting marginalized are time trial specialists, and sprinters are the rider types that have the most opportunities throughout the year.

Yes I can see why a lot of people want it like you. Just my preference. I would rather have some easier days and better GC racing the next days. For me it doesn’t have to be less flat stages, but better planning. Now you had only 11 men within 1 hour in GC, for me it was better before.

 

[Lequack]

This was a nice moment too

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tPsVI0KD6I

https://twitter.com/x/status/1949535334942843339

View: https://x.com/NBCSCycling/status/1949535334942843339