Pro-cycling thread

they won the hearts and minds

I didn't know Jeremy Clarkson was into the Tour? Not very on-brand for him is it?

That stuff is 8.5% abv. Not a recovery shake

It's much better than a recovery shake.

Especially the big bottles of it :)

Winners don't win French hearts.

Yes. Sagan disappearing deserves more hype than Pinot throwing in the towel. Change my mind.

Can someone explain who this is / the joke?

also, JV's bike handling skills looked pretty ropey yesterday - couldn't manage to cross the line no handed. bet he can't bar spin.

The Jumbo manager claimed he saw the FDJ boys drinking big bieres on the rest day, but Marc Madiot (holder of sign) and FDJ boss claimed it was Perrier and Jumbo are fun sponges

Trois Montes is a very … very nice beer …

you will like him

Maybe he meant four riders on a break 🍻

Pog/Bazball won are hEArTs

Pog didn't win my hearts when he kept attacking off the front on the Champs-Élysées and, in the words of Pete Kennaugh, tried to make it all about him when Vingo had won. And that's putting aside the convention that if you're in second place on GC you don't attack on the final day, which he roundly ignored.

N.b. my Mum watches the Tour for the scenery so is neutral but described Pog as 'cocky'. lol.

@amey have you read The Green Bullet yet?

JV's bike handling skills looked pretty ropey yesterday - couldn't manage to cross the line no handed

Yeah they're shit, have you seen him descend?

Maybe after Froom-gate the other JV has told their riders to keep their hands on the bars...

Toys

Pram

Mmm beer...

There are few things more satisfying than beating someone with an even bigger ego than yours.

It's very hard to do with an ego as big as mine, but when it happens... chef kiss. :)

Personally I think the convention is a bit shit. if there were only a few seconds in it, I'd like to see full-bore racing - it is, after all, still a competitive stage that counts for the green jersey - why not for yellow too? At least next year with the final ITT we won't have the glass of champagne nonsense.

I think that Pog is aware of his 'brand' in the way Sagan was, which isn't meant to sound cynical. I think Pog is a likeable person and a brilliant racer but he is also sociable and enjoys being liked in a way Vingegaard isn't and doesn't. And the 'brand' got Sagan a couple of extra years of a career so it's been a good investment for him.

The final stage is meant to be a show for the fans, I think it's great that Pogacar thought it would be fun to attack.

the convention is a bit shit.

Inclined to agree.

I dont read books but if I did, I would!

You like conventions?

There have been breakaway wins on the Champs before. It’s ridiculous and difficult and unexpected, which is fantastic. I wouldn’t assume Pog did it for the TV time; I would assume he thought he could win another stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdwpL___4kY

Cracking finish in the Tour de France Femmes this afternoon.

“… tried to make it all about him when Vingo had won.”

I picture Peter Kennaugh with a cup of tea, getting a haircut.

There's a Cycling Podcast 'Kilometre 0' about it which came out on 18th July where they talk to Matt Rendell about it (also called The Green Bullet).

I think you might need to be a friend of the podcast to listen to it, so I can't link, but it exists...

Sometimes, yes. Vingo and JV worked hard to get an impressive seven and a half minute gap on Pog, he was the stronger rider, their tactics were better and I'm sure the support he received from JV as a team way outgunned what UAE can deliver.

Obviously JV's lead was so massive there was no way any attack by Pog was going to make any difference by then. So actually if I genuinely thought Pog was going for the stage I'd be fine with that, in fact I would have enjoyed it. But he had two pops at the front early on, reappeared there briefly then was never seen again. I don't think for a second he had the legs, and I'd be surprised if UAE asked him to get TV time.

It seemed to be more about showing he wasn't defeated or something, when he had been, roundly. I feel like he should have accepted that with good grace, not pointlessly wasted energy by riding off the front showing how good he felt. It felt like showboating to me. But maybe you're right and he genuinely thought he could do it.