Tour de France Tour de France 2025, Stage 3: Valenciennes – Dunkerque (173.8k)

[Divergence]

Unless you're a pro (and I'll include conti riders in this), you're not training nearly as hard as these guys do.
Road sprinters are in fact also real sprinters.

What do you think eliminating sprint stages will even accomplish?
It won't make all the stages GC relevant, and it certainly won't get rid of crashes.

Let us stop with the silly personal anecdotes. Not every rider who trains hard and a lot deserves a chance at the TdF. If you do not understand that there is nothing more that I can say to convince you and I do not want to give you any personal advice.
Eliminating sprint stages will largely eliminate the presence of reckless riders. That is the most important thing.
Second, if you are not risking your life to go for a gap at 70kph with your eyes closed for a minuscule chance of a stage win, the chances of a high speed crash a greatly reduced. Sure, there will still be some crashes but not like today.
Finally, the entertainment value of the sport will increase as well. Is there anyone who was enthralled by yesterday's stage?

 

[Roku]

The ironic the Alpecin rider subsequently screaming at Coquard when that was just a racing incident when that team deviates out of bed every morning.

It was Rickaert who is one of the most disgusting riders in the peloton. I've seen a couple of really dangerous and intentional moves by him in the past.

 

[Cookster15]

Let us stop with the silly personal anecdotes. Not every rider who trains hard and a lot deserves a chance at the TdF. If you do not understand that there is nothing more that I can say to convince you and I do not want to give you any personal advice.
Eliminating sprint stages will largely eliminate the presence of reckless riders. That is the most important thing.
Second, if you are not risking your life to go for a gap at 70kph with your eyes closed for a minuscule chance of a stage win, the chances of a high speed crash a greatly reduced. Sure, there will still be some crashes but not like today.
Finally, the entertainment value of the sport will increase as well. Is there anyone who was enthralled by yesterday's stage?

But sprinting is part of grand tour racing. I fear that eliminating sprint stages will also eliminate effective rest days for GC contenders. By the time the yellow jersey contenders get to the 3rd week even these physiological freaks will be destroyed and MTFs will be a matter of survival rather than attacking.

Also, on entertainment, ask non cycling fans which are a big reason for the TdF's global popularity which transcends the sport - sprints and the sights of France are popular even if they are boring for us purists. Personally I still remember Ale-Jet in 2003.

The answer must be not to eliminate sprint stages but to set courses which make crashes less likely and also for commissaires to police dangerous riding - mostly deviating from your line once a sprint has commenced.

I also watched the Philipsen crash over and over. Racing incident.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Doing away with sprint stages just seems like sadism. Hard racing every day. And it‘s not like there were less crashes on Stage 2 which wasn‘t a normal sprint. So going to places like Boulogne-sur-Mer is also dangerous. You‘d just have to start with a big MTF on Stage 1 and also reduce the hilly, technical stages. Also, why is there a giant panic about crashes caused by sprinting again, suggesting there to be disqualifications for anyone who looks like they were near a crash? There were hardly ten riders on the ground today, it seems like overreaction.

 

[KOM]

. Like, cycling as envisaged by From Software, where joyless grinding

Like, cycling as envisaged by From Software, where joyless grinding

I know this is a cycling forum, but I cant let this stand... if theres one thing from software games are *not* about it would be "joyless grinding"

 

[noob]

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo9JglAK1TM&pp=0gcJCcEJAYcqIYzv


As expected Horner did look at miniscule details and explained it.

But ya know I believe crashes is part of the cycling appeal. As awful as it sounds. They're entertaining for new watchers of the sport if anything. Even the deaths is part of the narrative that makes people drawn to the sport. The danger is sadly part of the package. Especially for those who doesn't know a lot of names of cyclists the crashes is part of what draws viewers in. It's a modern gladiator game that possibly shouldn't exist the way it does if it wasn't for these crashes.

Do I enjoy them? No. But are there a lot of people that does? Yes. Because they create drama and people loves drama and scapegoats.

I don't believe this will end anytime soon. Because it sells 😖

 

[Jagartrott]

Ofcoursw Coquard didn't knew what hit him. He was only a passenger.
Still can't quite fathom the jury and lot of ppl seeing something completely different that my eyes witnessed at the live signal.

Here, hours later, I just had the opportunity to replay again, this time in both slowmo and super-slow.

That didn't exactly chance my conclusion.

Coquard is just the passenger in unfortunate circumstances.

On the live picture my eyes were on Rex, fighting his way up to the front.
Try to watch the entire sequence 1:1 from Rex entering the picture. He is not racing a straight line as claimed.
Coquard is squeezed between Rex who is suddenly on his side and Milan who is tipping the opposite way. Coquard tries to avoid, but there is Rex.

My POV? Still a "race incident", pure misfortunes.

Strange, I have eyes as well, and I would never call Coquard 'only a passenger'. He swerved more than he needed to swerve, clipping Rex. He's known for his uneven sprinting style, and it showed here. Of course there is an amount of bad luck involved, but he has a major responsibility in this incident.

 

[dobrien]

he is known to have a lot of movement when he rides.

Julian Alaphilippe: "Hold my beer!"

 

[MrTea1976]

Let us stop with the silly personal anecdotes. Not every rider who trains hard and a lot deserves a chance at the TdF. If you do not understand that there is nothing more that I can say to convince you and I do not want to give you any personal advice.
Eliminating sprint stages will largely eliminate the presence of reckless riders. That is the most important thing.
Second, if you are not risking your life to go for a gap at 70kph with your eyes closed for a minuscule chance of a stage win, the chances of a high speed crash a greatly reduced. Sure, there will still be some crashes but not like today.
Finally, the entertainment value of the sport will increase as well. Is there anyone who was enthralled by yesterday's stage?

What personal anecdotes?

The sprints are part of the entertainment value. High-speed, high-risk racing is always going to be popular.

 

[Jagartrott]

Even the deaths is part of the narrative that makes people drawn to the sport.

Disgusting. If anything, the deaths put me off, and I hope that is the same for the vast majority of fans.

 

[yaco]

Let us stop with the silly personal anecdotes. Not every rider who trains hard and a lot deserves a chance at the TdF. If you do not understand that there is nothing more that I can say to convince you and I do not want to give you any personal advice.
Eliminating sprint stages will largely eliminate the presence of reckless riders. That is the most important thing.
Second, if you are not risking your life to go for a gap at 70kph with your eyes closed for a minuscule chance of a stage win, the chances of a high speed crash a greatly reduced. Sure, there will still be some crashes but not like today.
Finally, the entertainment value of the sport will increase as well. Is there anyone who was enthralled by yesterday's stage?

It didn't matter how the stage was designed yesterday when you are riding into a block headwind.

 

[Divergence]

What personal anecdotes?

The sprints are part of the entertainment value. High-speed, high-risk racing is always going to be popular.

Who trains how much. But this would have clear to you if you had bothered to scroll up a few posts. Frankly, you post is pretty disgusting. The sport is about being the best bike rider, not being the most reckless. Sure high-risk can be popular but let other sports/events do that. Cycling across 3 HC climbs has more than enough appeal and this sprinting nonsense just distracts from that.

It didn't matter how the stage was designed yesterday when you are riding into a block headwind.

I beg to differ. Having a selective parcours means that at the end there are riders who can actually ride a bike and go over a bridge. Those riders are less likely to be reckless and dive bomb in the final kms.

 

[Cycling111]

UAE said Pogacar arrived at the hotel at 9 p.m. on Monday due to commitments related to the mountain jersey. He was especially upset because he was kept busy with commitments for so long.

It's crazy that being the leader is detrimental, while rivals have two or three more hours to rest.

They should do something. Being a leader should be an advantage, not a disadvantage.

 

[CyclistAbi]

But ya know I believe crashes is part of the cycling appeal. As awful as it sounds. They're entertaining for new watchers of the sport if anything. Even the deaths is part of the narrative that makes people drawn to the sport. The danger is sadly part of the package. Especially for those who doesn't know a lot of names of cyclists the crashes is part of what draws viewers in. It's a modern gladiator game that possibly shouldn't exist the way it does if it wasn't for these crashes.

Unfortunately yes but with one big problem involved as such it's not suitable for the mainstream. So if cycling ever wants to become a mainstream sport this will need to change to great extent. I fear that at some point pro road cycling might even get a restricted rating on when it comes to watching it.

It's doable but somehow i feel that currently there is just not enough interest involved in improving the pro peloton image to such extent. Most forces gathered around peloton unfortunately want to keep it in the mud and obscurity, for whatever reasons involved. Likely simply due to it's working for us, so.

 

[MrTea1976]

Who trains how much. But this would have clear to you if you had bothered to scroll up a few posts. Frankly, you post is pretty disgusting. The sport is about being the best bike rider, not being the most reckless. Sure high-risk can be popular but let other sports/events do that. Cycling across 3 HC climbs has more than enough appeal and this sprinting nonsense just distracts from that.

I beg to differ. Having a selective parcours means that at the end there are riders who can actually ride a bike and go over a bridge. Those riders are less likely to be reckless and dive bomb in the final kms.

I'm not sure you know what the word 'disgusting' means. You being in denial of what people like doesn't make it so. The 100m is the blue riband event in track and field. Motor racing thrives on speed. Downhill mtb gets big crowds. 'More than enough' appeal from one specific facet of riding a bike is the way to irrelevance.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Who trains how much. But this would have clear to you if you had bothered to scroll up a few posts. Frankly, you post is pretty disgusting. The sport is about being the best bike rider, not being the most reckless. Sure high-risk can be popular but let other sports/events do that. Cycling across 3 HC climbs has more than enough appeal and this sprinting nonsense just distracts from that.

I beg to differ. Having a selective parcours means that at the end there are riders who can actually ride a bike and go over a bridge. Those riders are less likely to be reckless and dive bomb in the final kms.

Does this only apply to GTs or do we have to do away with other races designed for sprinters as well? Is Paris-Roubaix allowed as a race even though it‘s very dangerous?

 

[Divergence]

I'm not sure you know what the word 'disgusting' means. You being in denial of what people like doesn't make it so. The 100m is the blue riband event in track and field. Motor racing thrives on speed. Downhill mtb gets big crowds. 'More than enough' appeal from one specific facet of riding a bike is the way to irrelevance.

I sure do. it is disgusting to me that someone finds joy in watching people involved in such carnage.
Motor racing is a far more controlled sport and sure, there are risks involved but that IS the sport.
Downhill MTB... I do not even know what to say except not many people watch it and rightly so.
Finally, going fast up and down big mountains and pushing your endurance to the max is road racing's main property and it is where legends are made.

Does this only apply to GTs or do we have to do away with other races designed for sprinters as well? Is Paris-Roubaix allowed as a race even though it‘s very dangerous?

PR is a pretty selective race. It is also very dangerous. But it is a one day race and it does not detract from the high mountain spectacle. Crashing out a couple of good road riders does detract from the spectacle in the mountains.
I wrote somewhere earlier. Have the Poland and China races. I have no problem with that. Nobody good goes there anyway and nobody watches.

 

[MrTea1976]

I sure do. it is disgusting to me that someone finds joy in watching people involved in such carnage.
Motor racing is a far more controlled sport and sure, there are risks involved but that IS the sport.
Downhill MTB... I do not even know what to say except not many people watch it and rightly so.
Finally, going fast up and down big mountains and pushing your endurance to the max is road racing's main property and it is where legends are made.

People enjoy watching high stakes, adrenaline-fuelled racing. Nowhere did I say I enjoyed 'carnage'.

Road racing doesn't have just one main property. That's why we have sprints, mountains, TTs, hilly classics, cobbles. You just want to have it all based on your preferred terrain. You talk down things that others like. Your attitude is the disgusting thing here.

Grand Tours should test riders through all the different terrains and skill sets. The 'best' riders should be able to deal with it all.

 

[Divergence]

People enjoy watching high stakes, adrenaline-fuelled racing. Nowhere did I say I enjoyed 'carnage'.

Road racing doesn't have just one main property. That's why we have sprints, mountains, TTs, hilly classics, cobbles. You just want to have it all based on your preferred terrain. You talk down things that others like. Your attitude is the disgusting thing here.

Grand Tours should test riders through all the different terrains and skill sets. The 'best' riders should be able to deal with it all.

By all means, feel free to be disgusted by whatever you want. I believe being the best on Hautacam is pretty high stakes. No need to add dangerous things. Let the road racers race their bikes and do not test their willingness to sustain severe injuries.
It is called road racing, therefore there should not be dangerous sprinting. That is my point of view. Otherwise why not downhill MTB stage as part of the TdF. They can even do it on their road bikes.
Obviously there is a limit somewhere, and the limit nowadays is too much towards the dangerous side.

 

[kingjr]

By all means, feel free to be disgusted by whatever you want. I believe being the best on Hautacam is pretty high stakes. No need to add dangerous things. Let the road racers race their bikes and do not test their willingness to sustain severe injuries.
It is called road racing, therefore there should not be dangerous sprinting. That is my point of view. Otherwise why not downhill MTB stage as part of the TdF. They can even do it on their road bikes.
Obviously there is a limit somewhere, and the limit nowadays is too much towards the dangerous side.

In an ideal world, we would have a three-week mix of road racing, MTB, track cycling, gravel, and cyclocross.

 

[Divergence]

In an ideal world, we would have a three-week mix of road racing, MTB, track cycling, gravel, and cyclocross.

With a final stage of trick jumping on a bicycle.

 

[kingjr]

With a final stage of trick jumping on a bicycle.

Nah, I don't care for trick jumping or any of that stuff

 

[Divergence]

Nah, I don't care for trick jumping or any of that stuff

Oh, come on. It would be fun.

 

[kingjr]

Oh, come on. It would be fun.

Fun to do perhaps, but to watch…