Cycling

[maddog]

Stage start and finish in Toulouse today. The online route analysis is suggesting a bunch gallop but there are a series of climbs, last one is an 800mtr ramp and nearly 13% with 6km to go. I cannot see how that isn't going to explode the group with sprinters falling away.

[Cyril Farrell fan]

Ben Healy is 80/1 to win it outright. I take it he should enjoy his moment?

[gallsman]

Yes. He'll be out of yellow tomorrow.

[bennydorano]

With Visma trying the old 1-2(3) regularly on Pogacar, I'm wondering why he's bothering following, no way Kuss or Jorgennson are winning or going to be allowed to win by VLB anyway - just follow Vingegaard. Time for Pogacar to call their bluff or blow them away

[maddog]

With Visma trying the old 1-2(3) regularly on Pogacar, I'm wondering why he's bothering following, no way Kuss or Jorgennson are winning or going to be allowed to win by VLB anyway - just follow Vingegaard. Time for Pogacar to call their bluff or blow them away

Quite true. If it was a case of getting one of them up the road to act as a bridge then it hasn't worked. All they would need to do in that case was get another UAE rider to mark that down. Kuss might try and get up the road today for exactly this reason but as you say mark Jonas as it's up to him to gain time back. Then hit him.

[gallsman]

With Visma trying the old 1-2(3) regularly on Pogacar, I'm wondering why he's bothering following, no way Kuss or Jorgennson are winning or going to be allowed to win by VLB anyway - just follow Vingegaard. Time for Pogacar to call their bluff or blow them away

He'll take some time on Jorgensen today and then that'll be that. He already let Kuss go a few stages back so don't think he's worried at all.

The only thing that maybe will be in their heads is how the Giro got away from them and maybe want to snuff out even the possibility of Visma having someone up the road. A. Yates hasn't looked great so far and Sivakov has been ill so that leaves one of Narvaez and Wellens to pull for TP and one to maybe mark any attacks. That all said, I'd have no doubt that whatever they might try, TP will be able to go with any attack from Vingegaard.

[gallsman]

Yeah, so TP is fine after yesterday 

[JimStynes]

Dominant! Ridiculous

[JimStynes]

Pogacar looked like he could have won that stage if he wanted to. Hardly looked out of breath at the end.

[gallsman]

Pogacar looked like he could have won that stage if he wanted to. Hardly looked out of breath at the end.

100%. For all his "no freebies" chat yesterday or the day before, that was there for him if he really, really wanted it. Vingegaard attacked a couple of times and he rode back to his wheel almost nonchalantly. Miserable conditions so maybe he just didn't want to risk anything at all when he didn't have to.

Ineos' first win in two years. Hard to begrudge them it but I will anyway. Apparently their team car hit a spectator on the Peyresourde. Now, given the state of the crowds, it was probably the spectator's fault, but given how I hate Big Sir Jim and Brailsford, I'm going to blame them personally.

[Square Ball]

Ben going for another stage win here?

[JimStynes]

Ben going for another stage win here?

Looks to be but it's great stuff by the 2 of them at the front. Healy close to cracking at one point there. Great racing.

[Square Ball]

Ben going for another stage win here?

Looks to be but it's great stuff by the 2 of them at the front. Healy close to cracking at one point there. Great racing.

balls

[JimStynes]

Some effort from Healy. Emptied the tank. Fair play to the French lad. What a climber!

[markl121]

That was some stage today.