Tour de France 2021

The ‘superhuman’ output from a rider was a hallmark of when overnight transfusions and heavy in-race EPO use occurred no? Highly unlikely that’s analogous of modern doping.

A difference to the Froome era is that UAE don’t have the ‘sky train’ to squash attacks in the mountains, so unlikely to have the boring no attack grind up all the mountains.

However don’t see Carapaz (who looks the best of the rest) gaining basically 7 minutes on Pogacar in order to win.

He can’t make everyone though.

La Vuelta is going to be flames emoji

The reason people are commenting on it is because it's a performance very reminiscent of, and AFAIK faster than

when overnight transfusions and heavy in-race EPO use occurred

I genuinely hope I/others are just being extremely cynical and actually I wish that we didn't need to talk about doping in cycling. I won't keep beating the same drum.

Let's hope for some exciting racing today.

Roglic will not start today (stage 9)

Thomas didn’t start yesterday 🥁

now sells wearables

Are these like ‘edibles’ for wrists and ankles? Dibs.

Another bonkers day ahead or something a little calmer?

If you look back in the history books, the person who bears everyone else does also tend to be a doper!

Bonkers day please.

More traditional summit finish racing; JV to defend WVAs position in GC and Pog to light it up in the last 5kms.
Or mayhem, who knows!

Lutsenko to Mas is very close.
They need more motorbike cameras 🤣

I think you’re the only person saying that.

I'd agree with andyp but I don't want to pollute this thread with arguments about doping allegations. There's little point. There's probably a whole bunch of others that feel similarly. Create a separate TdF 2021 Doping? thread and go teeter on the edge of libel there.

Comparing times up Strava segments is also quite pointless, as others have said the weather might have been different, it might have been a different stage in the race, etc. In previous years challengers might have been riding together in the same group so no need to go full gas. This situation was quite unique, it was a perfect situation for Pog to put the hammer down and gain a shed load of time on his rivals.

This is the place to discuss and share information on the TdF and the performances of riders at the race – especially the leader.

No one wants to compare times up climbs. Sadly that’s the only (blunt) data that’s available right now, but, I must say, it doesn’t support your position.

You should probably tune out of a lot of the commentary and reporting from yesterday, too. Reputable sources are including metaphors for insurance purposes.

I hope I’m speaking for the majority by saying that people want Pog, and other recent performances, to be evidence of a new era of training and talent. I don’t think anyone is trying to disprove the performances; I think the desire is to prove them, rather than just watch them.

OK, so he's guilty then, you've convinced me.

you could have a point there. i mean, they all looked pretty good a few weeks ago in the shorter stage races, Thomas included (who looks nowhere near as good now)

Or maybe they just took the wrong team (ineos). I mean, they did win the giro comfortably, albeit without many other big names there?

I don't think it's libellous to suggest Pog's performance yesterday was extraordinary. Indeed, to say he rode away from the field in the same way as Armstrong did is probably fair and factual comment.

Of course, there is also an innuendo there, and I take the point that this is all speculation, innocent until proven guilty etc, so fair enough. But I actually think a bit of scepticism is healthy for the sport. More cynicism would have helped about 20 years ago.

EDIT @snoops puts it very well.

^This.

I think the decision to take Bernal to the Giro not the TdF was an odd one. I get why Ganna wanted to do his home tour, as it were (then concentrate on the Olympics? not sure) but he's another massive loss for them. No Dennis as a sub (contract issues and/or Olympics), and no Pidcock (Olympics again). So it's a much less strong squad than it maybe could have been. Obviously G's crash has been a big factor as well.

With Roglic crocked as well, and not a wealth of other other really strong GC riders, you can make the argument that there isn't the strength to test Pogacar or put pressure on a weaker UAE team.

Having said all that, I still think this would affect the margin rather than the result.

I don't think it's libellous to suggest Pog's performance yesterday was extraordinary.

Nor do I, as that's not what I said, and his performance yesteerday was extraordinary.

imagine if u could dope for like one or two stages, tho, get some pain killer etc, maybe you could assign different performance enhancers a points value and give an allotted number of points to each team to craft a stratagy

do you go all in on epo for your main guy? maybe spread the load of some pain killers and inhalers for your super domestiques. little t gel for the whole team

would surely add another strategy layer to the sport and it might even pop off on twitch opening new revenue streams

Carapaz, TGH, Thomas, Castroveijo, porte, van baarle, Kwito, rowe.

Ineos have a ridiculous team. But they've had bad luck, off the boil and shit skills.

They should be stronger than proberly every other team.

wow you didnt mention Tao

deport yourself

(you did, I didnt read well)

I deported myself already.

I think the decision to take Bernal to the Giro not the TdF was an odd one

Not really. Nobody knew how his back was going to hold up.

If Pogacar rode away from a fully fit Bernal and Roglic I would be a bit suss. The only rider in this race who has the pedigree to be considered a genuine competitor is Carapaz and we’ve only got one stage on which to base the difference in class.