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

[Hugh Januss]

Yes, cycling has team elements, but sprinters are far more reliant on others for their opportunities than any other type of pro rider.

I guess you missed the part where all of the top GC guys have entire teams at their disposal to help place them in the field and shelter them from the wind for at least 90% of the total kilometers covered.

 

[pmcg76]

I guess you missed the part where all of the top GC guys have entire teams at their disposal to help place them in the field and shelter them from the wind for at least 90% of the total kilometers covered.

Not at all, but that doesn't change the fact that sprinters get the same for 99.9999999 per cent of the time so they are not equal which is the whole point. TT riders don't get any cover and the likes of Vingo and MDVP can win by themselves from a lot further out than 20k to go on a stage. That's the difference.

As I quoted Mario Cipollini before "sitting in the bunch and sprinting 200m is not the same as what the greats do".

That's coming from a contender for greatest sprinter of all time, so I think he knows what he is talking about.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Wout van Aert for winning the stage.

Wout became sort of a specialist for such finales, did it to del Toro already this season. It was a nice stage and all and i am glad that riders took the time to celebrate and that the organiser had plan B in place, neutralisation, still the finale should be reserved for sprinters. Otherwise IMHO some will simply drop out of the race much sooner with some excuse and focus on more important thing, then finishing the Tour. Moho was impressive too.

Congratulations to Tadej Pogačar for winning the Tour, Jonas Vingegaard Hansen for finishing second and Florian Lipowitz for finishing third. Also congratulations to Jonathan Milan for winning the green jersey, Benjamin Maxton Healy for combative and to Quinn Simmons for she saying yes and he becoming best teammate.

Lastly congratulations to Primož Roglič for being a good mentor and an inspiring role model pared with some good performances.