Cycling

[bennydorano]

Questionable tactics by UAE, Pogacar didn't look great but I'd have my doubts about Vingegaard's performance myself and I generally don't give a shite about doping Qs as it's a poisonous topic and I just try and enjoy it for what it is these days.

[markl121]

Questionable tactics by UAE, Pogacar didn't look great but I'd have my doubts about Vingegaard's performance myself and I generally don't give a shite about doping Qs as it's a poisonous topic and I just try and enjoy it for what it is these days.

Pogacar smoked the rest of the field by over a minute too though, todays performance will not stand the test of time.

[jcpen]

Why didn't Pogacar use aerobars? Would they make that much difference?

[markl121]

Why didn't Pogacar use aerobars? Would they make that much difference?

He did for the flat, changed to climbing bike for the hill I believe, didn't make any difference

[grounded]

Toughest stage coming up tomorrow. Would love to see Pogacar attack much earlier and go all out on the last climb.  In all likelihood could actually be Jonas who attacks again.

[maddog]

Toughest stage coming up tomorrow. Would love to see Pogacar attack much earlier and go all out on the last climb.  In all likelihood could actually be Jonas who attacks again.

Jonas just needs to follow. Pogacar has 2 days to do this and to be honest its today is biggest opportunity. If JV goes into Col de la Loze with Kuss and team intact then cannot see significant headway being made, certianly cannot leave it until last 3 or 4km to have a dig. Will have to go long and try and isolate him. Easier said than done and could blow up trying. But he will try for sure. Ineos could be a factor today trying to get rodriguez back into 3rd. Only a 2 sec gap. Hindley might be eyeing some gains as well. Will see how that plays out.

[gallsman]

Toughest stage coming up tomorrow. Would love to see Pogacar attack much earlier and go all out on the last climb.  In all likelihood could actually be Jonas who attacks again.

Jonas just needs to follow. Pogacar has 2 days to do this and to be honest its today is biggest opportunity. If JV goes into Col de la Loze with Kuss and team intact then cannot see significant headway being made, certianly cannot leave it until last 3 or 4km to have a dig. Will have to go long and try and isolate him. Easier said than done and could blow up trying. But he will try for sure. Ineos could be a factor today trying to get rodriguez back into 3rd. Only a 2 sec gap. Hindley might be eyeing some gains as well. Will see how that plays out.

Let's see. Can imagine how he would be completely despondent and have had the fight completely sucked out of him.

[bennydorano]

If Vingegaard's performance yesterday was genuine there has to be a real chance he went into the Red too much. Pogacar has to go for it today and go early.

I don't think Pogacar gets tactics like Vingegaard does, he's too used to his natural talent blowing people out of the water.

[gallsman]

If Vingegaard's performance yesterday was genuine there has to be a real chance he went into the Red too much. Pogacar has to go for it today and go early.

I don't think Pogacar gets tactics like Vingegaard does, he's too used to his natural talent blowing people out of the water.

Basically where he was in the last week last year. Pretty sure there were a couple of "it has to be here, it has to be now" stages and he just rode it out, knowing he didn't have it.

If Pog was to turn around this deficit, the eyebrows raised would have to go higher still than those yesterday.

[maddog]

If Vingegaard's performance yesterday was genuine there has to be a real chance he went into the Red too much. Pogacar has to go for it today and go early.

I don't think Pogacar gets tactics like Vingegaard does, he's too used to his natural talent blowing people out of the water.

Basically where he was in the last week last year. Pretty sure there were a couple of "it has to be here, it has to be now" stages and he just rode it out, knowing he didn't have it.

If Pog was to turn around this deficit, the eyebrows raised would have to go higher still than those yesterday.

2 very different things a 22km tt and tough day in the mountains. Would be impressive if he turned it around but not in the same eyebrow raising category as a 59kg rider destroying the field in that TT.

[gallsman]

And Pogacar cracks. Hard to see how anyone beats JV in the years to come.

[maddog]

And Pogacar cracks. Hard to see how anyone beats JV in the years to come.

yeah think the interrupted preparation has come home to roost. Unreal that he is struggling to keep with his own teammate and this road is just about to rear up.

[gallsman]

Mad how he looked completely unbeatable until last year and now surely he'll be questioning how or if he'll ever be back on top again. Only 24 obvs but JV is hardly an elder statesmen either.

The interrupted preparation argument I don't buy quite so much given how good he looked for the first couple of weeks. He put in some huge shifts that JV couldn't match at times, although obviously nowhere near enough.

[maddog]

Mad how he looked completely unbeatable until last year and now surely he'll be questioning how or if he'll ever be back on top again. Only 24 obvs but JV is hardly an elder statesmen either.

The interrupted preparation argument I don't buy quite so much given how good he looked for the first couple of weeks. He put in some huge shifts that JV couldn't match at times, although obviously nowhere near enough.

It's the wearing down process i think. 3rd week and the cracks appeared. Also if JV targets the Tour only and little else but Pogacar is trying to win Spring classics etc it has to come into it. Perhaps a more focussed approach next year. Some ride by the Yates lads and Bilbao today. That last ramp was bordering on cruel.

[gallsman]

Absolutely brutal. Daughter climbing around the place so I missed who it was but someone in the first 10 was going almost completely sideways to try and stay upright.