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if Armstrong had actually failed a test* during his competition, it would have destroyed the Tour.
He failed a test for cortisone and lied every time he said he'd never tested positive. He claimed the positive test was due to having used a bum cream and the complicit authorities accepted the excuse and never declared him positive. Tested positive but never declared positive. Riders had been using low levels of cortisone for decades but rarely tested positive because the test wasn't sensitive enough. Then in 99 they validated a test that detected lower levels and... .
https://www.letemps.ch/sport/lance-armstrong-justifie-traces-corticoides-decouvertes-urine
He failed a test for cortisone and lied every time he said he'd never tested positive
I'm not saying he wasn't a massive cheating **** but he could argue that he never "failed" a test - he had an adverse finding but the explanation (however sus) was accepted and no penalty was applied
Didn't Hinault and a few others once refuse a sampling at/after a race? Again, no penalty was applied (eventually) but, y'know ...
Didn't Hinault and a few others once refuse a sampling at/after a race? Again, no penalty was applied (eventually) but, y'know ...
Hinault certainly refused to submit to a doping test at least once with something along the lines of a "don't you know who I am, how dare you treat me like this?!" argument. Back then, there was no sanction for refusing to submit to a doping test.
Anyway, back to the race...
This is all over the place on the road. The break still hasn't got properly established, there's dozens of riders trying all sorts of things.
I haven't watched that much so far but Powless is looking very "economical" at the back - can he make the climb?
Wow, stunning attack from Tim Wellens! After a climb where everyone in the break was beating each other up, he caught everyone napping. Former Belgian National TT Champion, current Road Race Champion... not really the kind of person to let disappear up the road!
Talk of cross tailwinds on the boring pancake expedition to Ventoux tomorrow.
Drat, MvdP is out. A real shame to see one of the most exciting riders go:
https://www.domestiquecycling.com/en/news/mathieu-van-der-poel-abandons-tour-de-france/
hope he recovers well.
Did he really ever intend to finish?
What's up with WvA, he seems to have been awfully anonymous. I guess he's got a reasonably successful Giro in his legs and I'm sure I saw something on Strava suggesting he had been ill before the tour?
Some really big names have abandoned so far.
It does seem as though some lurgy has been travelling through the pelaton (Adam Yates wasn’t firing on all cylinders for ages).
Two riders stand out for me so far - Capt America and the absolutely wonderful Oscar Onley (who I picked for my Velogames team 😀). Q. Simmons has just been a joy to watch.
Fingers crossed that Oscar can get into the young riders jersey at some point soon.
What's up with WvA, he seems to have been awfully anonymous.
Keeping his powder dry for today?
Not nice for MvdP.
boring pancake
Ride that flat bit then tell me it's flat. 🙂
Q. Simmons has just been a joy to watch.
The problem is that he then opens his mouth. By all accounts he's not a particularly pleasant guy - he got suspended by his team for a month after some racist comments (I think aimed at Biniam Girmay) and he's generally a bit of a MAGA / Trump idiot. His whiny outburst after Tim Wellens left them all for dead didn't help his cause either.
I think today is going to be absolute chaos to get into the break - Lidl-Trek will want Milan up there for green jersey points, Visma-LAB might try firing a few riders up the road as potential help for Vingegaard later on, UAE may want it all under control and there's the third step on the podium (and potentially first place in the White Jersey) to play for too. Lots of little sub-plots going on.
And then it's going to get to Chalet Reynard and Pogacar is going to ride off into the distance and win. 🙄
Indeed. That interview was very revealing. Still you can't take away the fact that he's been a mean racing machine.His whiny outburst after Tim Wellens left them all for dead didn't help his cause either.
MVDP abandons with pneumonia. 🙁
Been so many under performing riders this Tour, not MVDP, but do wonder if some have been racing while ill.
I did enjoy Simmons complaining about everyone riding like a Cat 5 after all of is random attacks and trying to get everyone in the break to work for him. A wonderful lack of self awareness.
Evenepoel and now Van Der Poel my team is dive bombing after such a good start!
Do we just cut to the chase on the result
of today’s stage and just go for a sweepstake on how much time Pog takes. I’m going for 2:34
just go for a sweepstake on how much time Pog takes. I’m going for 2:34
I think when I rode Ventoux, it took me longer to get from Chalet Reynard to the summit that it took Pogacar to do Bedoin to the summit.
Must have been a headwind for me. Yep, that'll be it. 😉
ITV4 coverage just started, they're saying how fast it's been so far (and continues to be), the consensus from commentary is that the break actually have a reasonable chance of going for the win. Nearly 6' ahead of the peloton.
Bravo Valentin, happy birthday to your sister. 135 000 cyclists rode up the Ventoux last year about half as many pilgrims arrive at Compostelle - this cycling lark is getting quite popular.
that was FANTASTIC. Forgot I was watching with a few minutes delay and opened this thread as I watched Ilan Van Wilder pull off and let the others battle for the win, ooops
Fantastic stage, incredible racing, stunning visuals.
Vingegaard must be a sponsors nightmare. He is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest cyclists of his generation. But he exists in a stylish sport and manages to be completely devoid of any style, He has no panache, no charisma, he isn't good looking, he looks dreadful on the bike in every situation, he has no personality in interview. He doesn't even manage to have a tan despite racing in the sun every day! He is content to wear that stupid helmet (and still lose time). He is, in every respect other than racing, the polar opposite of Pogocar. The team sponsors must get really poor value form him. Would his name against any brand inspire you to want to buy into that brand?
I think the forum would run better if it had Vingegaard endorsed servers. They wouldn't look pretty but they'd work hard and be a lot faster...
Is this the widest spread for top 20 in history ? Even outside of Tadej, the gaps are HUGE down the field. I'm sure we've gone into many tours where even 3,4,5mins is normal for top 5 riders, but this is just a non-race in the context of the GC really. Even with all the massive optimism i can generate, Vingo ain't getting anythhing back here.
Yeah, I'm happy shopping in Jumbo when in Holland (but I've never leased a bike). It just raises awareness whoever the rider is. Even a when rider drags a trail of saucepans behind him it can improve sales, The Festina affair you'd have though would have done the company no good at all but the association with Virenque was paradixically good for sales. No such thing as bad publicity? Anyhow Festina are doing fine and even investing in French production:
I'm not even a little bit into watches but if I wanted a flash one it would be a Festina.
The team sponsors must get really poor value form him.
You would be surprised. Many many years ago I used to work for Curry’s. Every Monday evening watchdog was on tv and in this particular year the company managed to feature in every episode of the series. The message from head office was to leave all the tvs on showing the show. Some brig hit sparks had shown that despite the negative publicity sales went up following an appearance on the programme
Vingegaard must be a sponsors nightmare. He is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest cyclists of his generation. But he exists in a stylish sport and manages to be completely devoid of any style, He has no panache, no charisma, he isn't good looking,
Now we're getting to the heart of the matter. Anyway, at least VLAB are not as solidly ugly as UAE - what a bunch. Watching Soler's ugly mug at breakfast while trying to choke down a 12 egg omelette would be a terrible start to a day's exertions.
But he exists in a stylish sport and manages to be completely devoid of any style, He has no panache, no charisma, he isn't good looking, he looks dreadful on the bike in every situation, he has no personality in interview
Steady on, I'm feeling attacked there
He has no panache, no charisma, he isn't good looking, he looks dreadful on the bike in every situation, he has no personality in interview
You could apply that to an awful lot of cyclists.
Yes, it was a super fast stage but the legs felt good, the team were super good, I am super happy.
Super.
If the 4 minutes had been the other way around I think the order at the finish would have been the other way around too. It would have been up to Pog to try to make the pace and try to get away and he'd have done no better than Vinne, and got beaten at the end by the fresher rider.
ITV4 coverage just started, they're saying how fast it's been so far
I had based my viewing around Teams calls on the TdF schedule - with the most optimistic timings using a 42kmh average. Saw it was running at 49/50 kmh and all the timings were in the bin everything was an hour early Had to have an ITVX popup on screen 2 during my calls
Wow, just wow. I so wanted Healy, but let's face it 'Quickstep' were superb. A French stage winner, in a French race on French soil, absolutely brilliant.
Give that man a pie.
Tomorrow is a bit of a transitional stage, not a huge amount going on. Either a breakaway day or - if Jonathan Milan really wants to make sure of the Green Jersey, Lidl-Trek need to turn it into a bunch sprint day, possibly after Lenny Martinez has been out to collect the couple of points on offer at the top of the two 4th Cat climbs on offer.
Thursday and Friday look epic.
Col de la Loze is where Pogacar imploded a few years ago, the famous race radio call of "I'm done" being broadcast on the TV.
Col de la Loze is where Pogacar imploded a few years ago, the famous race radio call of "I'm done" being broadcast on the TV.
it is, but they’re going up the other side tomorrow through Courchevel, which I think is longer and thus not as steep as the Meribel side
Awesome work from Paddy Pants-Down. Who could object to a winner whose name is that much fun to say? You can even hear the commentary team leaning into it. Couldn't be more French if you said it to the tune of La Marseillaise while deep-throating a baguette.
I think the look on ving’s face after every attack he put in, only to turn around and see Pog riding seated tempo. That sums it up. He’s in better form than last year. But Pog is imperious Nice of him to let a Frenchman have a win today, I think k he’s in conservation mode. VLAB just wore down their entire team.
Best moment of yesterdays stage was when Van Wilder teleported in from nowhere then destroyed himself to give Paret-Paintre a pull.
so, do we think today will see
a) Lidl Trek control it till the intermediate sprint, then the break wins
b) Lidl Trek control it all the way so Milan can win
c) Lidl Trek control it all the way so Milan can win then Pogacar wins
d) Lidl Trek control nothing and the break wins
a). They need the intermediate points, but doubt they can get Milan to the finish.
Great stage yesterday. Nice to see a proper fight between the top 2 and the breakaway for the win
The break gave it a go, and various people made attempts within the peloton, but it looks like a bunch sprint
Looking forward to seeing how Jake Stewart does, IPT have promoted him to the designated sprinter preusmably with Ackermann as lead-out. He did, after all, beat Milan in a sprint in the Dauphiné...
Such shit weather. Looks a lot like western Norway.
Yesterday's Ventoux stage was everything I love about the tour. Brilliant racing, iconic climb, lots of heros fighting their own battles. The last 15 mins must have been a nightmare for the TV Director. He could have done with transmitting split screes so you could watch the Healy / Paret-Paintre battle at the same time at the Vingegaard / Potg battle. Brilliant stuff.
And, how cool is Onley?
And, how cool is Onley?
He's gaining a lot of friends and respect. Noticeably clusters of his supporters in kilts, ginger wigs and tartan caps on Ventoux yesterday.
Today's stage was bound to involve a crash with the weather. Hope the injuries aren't as bad as they could have been.
Today's stage was bound to involve a crash with the weather. Hope the injuries aren't as bad as they could have been.
Biniam Girmay looks like a possible broken collarbone. 🙁
Yeah, that was chaos - there's no one leadout train strong enough to control everything; riders come through, fade, drop off, drift back through the bunch... Multiply that by 3 or 4 teams all doing the same thing. That run in narrowed quite dramatically too, it seemed quite wide to start then suddenly it's about 4 riders width.
Hope you had money on Milan, crazy-legs, having predicted what happened. Tomorrow is the the big day, I hope someone is still fresh enough to make the most of it.
Gary Imlach's deadpan summary of events in the highlights show still manages to be slightly scathing about Ineos and their tactics.
on Never Strays Far pod they were saying that ITV wanted them available from 12pm on rest day to film that Ineos piece, early enough so it could be run past lawyers before going to air. Pete, Ned and David all opted out as they wanted a rest day lie in! They are all very much in the dontgiveashit category given that ITV are making them redundant from that work anyway.
if I wanted a flash one it would be a Festina.
I was lucky enough to win a Tour of Britain (Prutour) Festina watch last century, its still going and looks great 🙂
Nice, when I've won anything it's generally been a round of cheese or big jar of cassoulet.
Tomorrow is the the big day, I hope someone is still fresh enough to make the most of it.
I've picked some really crap days to be in the office this year! We can't access streaming via our work IT either so I'll either have to stay off everything or just have the TdF Race Centre text feed up on a screen.
I think Pogacar is beginning to show some chinks in the normally impenetrable armour. He's clearly less comfortable now, he's kind of got this air of "please can we just get to Paris already?!" about him. Like he's done all the hard work and just wants it to be over. He got through Ventoux with no real issues but I think at the back of his mind, he knew he'd lost to JV there once before and I'm wondering if he'll have the same nagging doubts about Col de la Loze tomorrow.
I think Pogacar is beginning to show some chinks in the normally impenetrable armour.
Or he's bored. He's obviously now riding defensively and doing the sensible thing. The thing everyone will be telling him to do but which goes against everything he seems to love about racing.
I think he may have read/heard too much implicit critixism either of his "extreme selfishness" or his "obvious doping" and be looking to manage his image a bit. See the other day: I'm sure he's a lovely lad and I don't doubt the sentiment was real but that team radio excerpt about Tim Wellens was pure F1 public relations
Build 'em up to knock 'em down: tis the media way.
He needs to take a leaf out of the Indurain book: smiling, courteous, aimiable, modest and discrete. And not reply to the bollocks he hears on the team radio. Jalabert noted that some riders never reply to their team cars, very wise. The stuff that France TV post on screen from the team radios is cringe worthy.
I think he may have read/heard too much implicit critixism either of his "extreme selfishness"
Counter to that, Luke Rowe said in an interview that Pogacar *should* go for everything - Green, Polka Dot and Yellow. Do what no-one else has done since Merckx in 1969 (although back then it was a very different points system).
I can't see that going down too well in the wider peloton...
Neilson Powless also said that if he was as good as Pog he would do the same. Why not? These people are competitors, it's what they do.
The ITV highlights packages have been so good this year. Really is first class telly. Such a shame we won’t have this next year. I rarely have time to watch full race, the highlights keep me really engaged. I just won’t get energised by the tour next year.
The ITV highlights packages have been so good this year. Really is first class telly. Such a shame we won’t have this next year. I rarely have time to watch full race, the highlights keep me really engaged. I just won’t get energised by the tour next year.
Discovery+ does a 20mins and 60 mins highlights package too.
Discovery+ does a 20mins and 60 mins highlights package too
ITV do very good coverage of the racing, and their commentary team (for me) is better - they give accurate and informative summaries of the state of the race and the compostion of various groups. They also do nice little features around the race and the route, which I don't think you'll get from DIscovery - can you imagine them showing the videos that ITV broadcast on rest day regarding Ineos and Total Energies?
Very much looking forward to today - Visma have already had a go at winning by getting the team car to brake check Tadej on the way to the race, causing a minor tumble (no injuries thankfully)
https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2025-route/stage-18-tdf-2025/
Carlos Rodriguez is out with a fractured pelvis following his crash yesterday.
Might free up Arensman a bit more.
Last chance for visma today, not going to work though
Last chance for visma today, not going to work though
Doesn't help that Vingegaard telegraphed his intentions clearly in interviews. He may as well have sent UAE a postcard outlining exactly where and when he'd attack.
It's Basic Rule 1 - don't publish your race tactics for all and sundry to hear.
I don’t think it takes a genius to work out what vlab tactics would be
Given the pace they've gone off at I think the main tactic is going to be survival. I've rarely seen a peloton so strung out right from the start. Riders taking a flyer just for the hell of it. 🙂
Same as Ventoux? Get a few team members up the road, bridge and attack, grimace every time you look back to see the yellow wheelsucker smiling on your wheel, repeat until team have died. Lose in the sprint to the summit.
It's Basic Rule 1 - don't publish your race tactics for all and sundry to hear.
That's not Pog's way - I'll attack at location X with Y km to go. Come with me if you're hard enough 😀 . Would love him to win all three jerseys as a statement. Milan was a little lucky yesterday as his nemesis was held up by the crash. He needed the win for the points because they can't count on Paris points this year as they try and recreate Olympic RR v2.0.
Roglic in the break is interesting
VLAB need another strategy. Jorgenson's turn to earn his salary in the next 3 km...
Battle for third podium position is everything here. Lipo riding out of his skin to hold onto the main leaders (and his team mate of course). Taking a gel at 70 km/h downhill!
Lipowitz alone, Onley in a group... Fingers crossed Lipowitz and Roglic both blow up (metaphorically)
Roglic needs two minutes on his teamate. I think Rog can see his place on the podium and has been getting better as the race has progressed and he has failed to crash. Onley is in the chasers. All to play for...
Hmm, Lipo now with Rog, 2 mins up on the Onley group
Watching Pog and Ving going off on one of their sprints in the final kms and seeing Onley holding their wheel is one of my cycle racing highlights of the past few years. The future is bright for that lad.
Onley 22s off the podium. I don't think he expected that 2 weeks ago!
Well that was pretty interesting in all aspects apart from Jonas vs Pog. I like Jonas but really what’s the point of devoting your entire year to the TdF ?
Onley, though !! Fantastic!!
Chapeau Oscar!