u/skodawelovecycling

1. This is the best thing that can happen to cycling

We can all agree this race was absolutely epic and definitely one of the best races of the whole year if not the best. And it is the best thing that can happen not only to women’s cycling, but to cycling in general.

Because cycling in order to grow, it needs also to have the gap between men’s cycling and women’s cycling to be as small as possible. And boring men’s Tour de France for years and absolutely insane women’s Tour de France for years can shrink this gap year after year.

And I can see with my own eyes it is really happening. There are more fans on the road, more sponsors are willing to invest in that and generally people take it more seriously.

And I don’t agree with the negative comments around Pogi and Torito coming to the race, that it is about women and not men again. But you would be surprised how many don’t even know something like the women’s Tour de France exists. Every little thing to make people discover it helps. So I am glad they came to support their girls.

2. Is the calendar too limited?

Philip Roodhooft from Fenix PremierTech says that the investments have become too big to accept the calendar as it is. He points out that women’s cycling needs more top races.

He does a great comparison that it is just basically about the Giro and Tour and a few one-day competitions that matter. Which means together just 25 to 30 commercially interesting days while just a single Grand Tour between men is 21 days.

3. Should Tour de France Femmes be longer?

And here we come to another point. Currently, TDF Femmes is 9 days long. I don’t say it should become twice as long, not because I don’t believe they wouldn’t be able to handle it, but because I think it would be counterproductive and it would destroy the race.

But I think 12 days with one rest day somewhere in the middle would be nice. I think we should have more serious mountain stages, as we had only one HC climb this year plus I would also welcome more pure flat sprint stages. I know Wiebes is super dominant, but one big sprint stage in a year is not enough.

4. Demi was simply the strongest

I think we can all agree that the strongest rider won the race. Demi had an awesome time trial and despite her losing time on the Ventoux stage, she was able to drop all her rivals even on small hills thanks also to a perfect job by FDJ-Suez. And 3 stage wins, wow.

But Demi was not just the strongest rider in this race, she is simply the best rider in the world. Until this Tour, I had a little doubt with also Pauline Ferrand Prevot existing, but now I have zero doubts.

Demi this year won Valencia, Omloop, Ronde, Fleche, Liege and Giro-Tour double. And now she has won 5 Grand Tours in her career. Phenomenal.

5. Kasia monster Ventoux performance

But despite saying Vollering is the best, it takes nothing away from what Kasia produced on Ventoux. 5.31 W/Kg for 55 minutes which is the best performance in women’s cycling history.

And what her husband Taylor Phinney commented on my blog that from the screenshot he saw it’s more like 5.60 W/kg that it is even more insane.

Despite questionable tactics by Demi that day, I believe Kasia was the strongest and she absolutely deserved to be the Mont Ventoux winner and that win was legendary.

6. Ferrand Prevot’s performance

What we saw at this Tour is not the usual Pauline Ferrand Prevot. Demi and Kasia were really strong, but under normal circumstances she should still podium comfortably.

So what happened? Only 12 race days before the Tour; the same was last year. Sickness with which she had to withdraw, sources say it just developed overnight before the DNS.

It is now up to the coaches, but generally it was not a good Tour for Visma in both races. And we can speculate if even for the French as they haven’t won a single stage in TDF Hommes and not at TDF Femmes either.

Well, these are my takeaways and I will love to hear your opinion about those too. 🫂

1. Paul Seixas… this is just the beginning.

This guy, this 19-year-old guy, rode brilliantly. He was able to manage his effort perfectly, never rode above his limit when he would’ve lost a big amount of time afterwards; he rode tactically smart, never crashed… simply like an old experienced pro. And handled the pressure perfectly.

4th place is absolutely awesome, but this is just the beginning. Yes, the gap on Pogi is enormous, and it won’t change in the next few years unless Pogi will start to decline somehow rapidly, but I am sure Paul will get better in the next few years, mainly at the Tour, because now he and the team know what to do.

The internal sources say that Paul never reached the power numbers he produced in the Basque Country or at Liège at any point during the Tour, not even in the first week. If it is because he was maybe overtrained or more likely due to the crash at TARA and sickness, we will not know. But his level was below what it could’ve even possibly been.

So he will get better, and I believe he can end next year even second overall after Tadej. If not next year, then in another one. Yes, with all that specific training from a young age, he already seems like a developed rider, but he is still just a teenager, and the body is stronger at, for example, 23 than at 19.

So we can expect big things. And I hope he will ride also the Giro and Vuelta, not just the Tour every year.

2. Cycling is changing right in front of our eyes

Like laflammerouge presented there was not a single Tour stage winner who has not won at least one WorldTour Classic or stage race before it in their career; there is no stage winner from France, Italy, or Spain (the organizing Grand Tour countries), and generally the gap is getting bigger and bigger between the big stars (big teams) and average riders (average teams).

Like, seriously, the worst stage winners we got were Olav Kooij, who won for the first time at the Tour, but he is like one of the fastest guys in the world, and then Wærenskjold, who has won Omloop, and Schmid who has won at the Giro previously.

Simply the times when, with all respect a random rider got his first big win at the Tour are behind us. Seriously, now with all the data and nutrition, there are hardly any surprises or bonks; simply if somebody is good, then is good.

3. Remco should prefer Grand Tours over classics

I never understood the majority opinion that Remco should focus on classics instead of Grand Tours. Why should he? What can he achieve at the biggest classics?

At Liege, he will always be beaten by Pogačar no matter the preparation and focus. At Ronde, the same. Yeah, he should try Roubaix sometimes, but I don’t think he is a very good fit for that. I see him maybe having a chance to win at Sanremo, like Pidcock’s way.

But he can win a Grand Tour. And yes, I agree with many Belgians that he should ride the Giro next year. He didn’t win it yet and it is time to go back for pink.

4. I get the LIDL-Trek tactics

This team was under a lot of criticism throughout the whole Tour for “not allowing” other big stars like Simmons and Vacek to fully go for themselves, but they needed to be around Pedersen and fully commit to his green jersey ambitions.

But I understand it considering all the circumstances. That green jersey was one of the last big goals of Mads Pedersen’s (their lifetime contract rider’s) career. Possible stage wins for Simmons or Vacek are nice, but the overall achievement is always bigger than stage achievement.

And you know if Pedersen would’ve won the green already sometimes in his career, but he never did that, and who knows when he would have these legs and this opportunity with the team preferring Pedersen over Milan at the Tour. He and the LIDL-Trek simply had to go for this and prioritize it at all costs.

Plus, while Vacek stays, it is a contract year for Quinn Simmons, and who knows how it will be. Personally, I see him leaving the team, although there were no rumours. I would love to see him in my favourite team, Alpecin, and I think he would fit there.

5. Contract games behind the scenes

There were definitely things going on. For both Seixas and Del Toro. There were rumours about both riders that they got very lucrative offers from teams like Netcompany, Pinarello, or even Visma. But I think both riders will stay where they are, mainly because of this Tour.

Decathlon showed themselves at this Tour in a very good light with all riders performing very well, especially Prudhomme and Benoot. They clearly show Seixas they are ready to support him very well, unlike, for example, Netcompany, which is all over the place or Pinarello which is not on that level.

And the same should go to Del Toro. Tadej showed him how appreciated he is in this team, and he personally made sure his best domestique won’t leave him until the end of his career. I am 100% sure. Because now they are not only teammates, but brothers.

6. Netcompany didn’t sign a 100M contract for this.

This has been a very disappointing Tour for them. I get it, they missed Onley, but I don’t think it would change much. They were one of the biggest favourites for TTT with Ganna and Tarling, but it didn’t work out. And since then, we barely saw them.

Big names, but the performances and results were not there. Arensman was not where he was last year; Bernal was just 20th GC; their new signing, Vauquelin, nothing extra; Kwiatkowski was anonymous; but mainly Godon, who was phenomenal this season, was basically nowhere.

Geraint Thomas says they are on the right path, but I just don’t see it. The only guy who can save them looks like the possible future alien Benjamin Noval. But he is still just 17.

7. Tim Merlier is still number one

There were little doubts before this Tour who is the fastest guy on a bike, but after this Tour there is no doubt. He was so dominant whenever he was in a good position, and even without a full leadout after Van Lerberghe had to abandon, he did it and won three times.

Soudal QuickStep’s future looks good with both Merlier and Magnier delivering results, plus Stuyven is excellent and Paret-Peintre too. Can’t wait to see them all on Merida bikes.

8. Pogačar is still a very good thing for this sport

I know, I know, it is boring; we all know the winner before the race starts or after the Tourmalet stage, but it is not his fault he is so good. But actually he makes everything possible to make this sport as beautiful as it can be.

Take a look at yesterday at Montmartre. GC was secured; he could’ve just gone easily to the finish, but he is a racer. Whenever he has his race number on a bike, he wants to win or have fun. Either on the mountains, small hills, or even on cobbles.

He shows with Del Toro what are the friendships about, how he mentors him, he always speaks with others not just team, but competitors with great respect, and simply, he is the best role model people getting into this sport can have.

9. How will Tour solve the heat problem?

I will close my whole Tour takeaways with something that needs to be really thought about from the organization after this race, because this cannot continue this way. Yes, that heat has always been part of the Tour, but this year the temperatures were extreme and for most of the days, not just one or two.

Something needs to be done. More flexible start times, like earlier departures to avoid peak afternoon heat, route tweaks favoring cooler/higher terrain where possible... I don’t know. But the discussions need to happen.

That’s all, thank you for reading it, I hope you liked to read my thoughts either here or on my lucascyclingblog. ❤️

1. Pogacar is just doing side quests for fun

I’ve been thinking about Pogačar’s approach for Torito for quite some time, but my friend from X explained it so perfectly.

He said that Pogačar is so far ahead of everyone else and the wins come so easily that he seems to be entertaining himself by experimenting. Almost like: “A day spent as Torito’s domestique.”

And it is just so right. I also saw comments about how UAE could allow it; he already sacrificed two stages for Del Toro lately, first when Remco had one and now today. Yes, he could’ve won both, but would he be happier? I am not so sure.

And the main goal of UAE is to keep him happy because this should be the main problem. To keep him motivated and happy.

2. Richard Carapaz… one of the last romantic riders

Of course, Richard is so so strong. But people don’t like him because he is just strong. It is simply the way of racing. In the hilly stages where Pogačar has won, nobody dared to attack, but he did. And now, oh what he showed in the last three stages where he got 1st, 3rd, 1st.

Those powerful attacks, simply always attacking, taking risks and entertaining the public. The fun team that EF is couldn’t wish for a better ambassador.

3. Both Pedersen and Carapaz made the jerseys proud

It has been rumoured in recent years that organizers are not very happy with how the green jersey and the polka dot jerseys are losing a bit of kinda prestige. And I can confirm how it is more and more focused around GC and yellow and white jerseys.

And you know after Wout’s stellar performance, the green jersey has not been that much visible and appreciated. Same for the polka dot which has been won a lot by GC riders, or the breakaway riders were not winning a stage in it.

But this Tour it changed, and also yesterday’s stage is a perfect example. Pedersen attacked on a HC climb after previously being dropped just make sure he has the jersey and Carapaz fought hard in the breakaway and won the stage in polka dots. Chapeau to both.

4. Alaphilippe’s farewell

Two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe said it was his last Tour. And it was an info we all expected. He tried many times to jump to breakaways, but then he got dropped immediately. The power is simply not there anymore.

But what now? He still has one year left on his contract with Tudor. Will he continue also next year? And if yes, what will the goals even be?

5. What today?

Pogi wants this stage so so much. But, big but, there is MVDP who wants it too. Have you seen MVDP lately? I didn’t either. And it doesn’t mean anything good for Pogi. MVDP was just saving and saving energy so he can beat Tadej today.

But I think Remco will go for it too. And there are riders like Pedersen, Vacek, Pidcock, or Mohorič who will want to try something too. It will be awesome.

Last thing to this is that I love how Montmartre found itself in the hearts of cycling fans so quickly despite no history. Something like Strade Bianche. And they are both iconic things.

📷: lucabodart

There are not many better examples of just how much professional cycling has evolved and changed over the past few years.

Yesterday, Juan Ayuso produced one of the worst performances of his GC career, completely cracking and losing six and a half minutes to stage winner Tadej Pogačar.

Yet despite that, Ayuso still climbed Alpe d’Huez in virtually the same time as Tom Pidcock did when he won the stage in 2022.

Absolutely insane.

1. I don’t think a casual cycling fan understands what he has witnessed yesterday.

This was not a basic and expected Alpe d’Huez win by Pogačar. This was one of the best climbing performances ever. And by the official numbers, it was the second best one after Plateau de Beille 2024, also by Pogačar. This was 695 aSLP; PDB was 698 aSLP.

And Tadej held 7 watts per kilo for 35 minutes. I found older posts, well “older” than 2022, from the best cycling experts saying how it is basically impossible, and here we are. And all of that after a full-gas stage of the third week of the hardest bike race in the world. Insane.

2. It needs to be fully barriered

I know it is logistically hard, but when you know 300,000 fans will arrive on the climb, as an organizer you have to make “expensive” safety measures. What happened yesterday with Rubio is unacceptable, but unfortunately it could’ve been predicted.

And he was not the only one, although by the looks on social media or in the newspaper it did look like it. People sent me plenty of videos where riders simply didn’t enjoy much the “great atmosphere.” They simply tried to avoid fans as much as possible. Even Mads, when he was going around fans, was trying just not to crash.

In my personal opinion, and it got confirmed by Andrej Haupman from the UAE car, it gets worse every year. I don’t know if it is because of social media and people focused on mobile phones more than around themselves. Or it is because of more drunk fans; I don’t know. But you simply cannot just post a guide for fans on social media as an organizer and pray nothing will happen.

3. Adam Yates chapeau

Two days ago, he was so sick. He almost couldn’t turn the pedals. He was fighting with his health just to make the time limit. He could’ve abandoned the race; nobody woulďve said anything. But he wanted to fight for his team.

And yesterday he did a pull on Pogačar and helped at least a little bit for his team leader to win a legendary stage. But I have to write chapeau also to McNulty, who wanted to fight too until the last moments just to stay in the race. They are all really dedicated to the team.

4. Another bad day.

Yesterday on Alpe d’Huez, basically everyone finished as expected. Pogačar in a different world, Evenepoel again really strong, Torito a little bit stronger than Seixas and Skjelmose, but then Ayuso lost 6 and a half minutes.

After a time trial, it is again a very bad day for him, and it does not look very good before tomorrow’s queen stage. Let’s hope he won’t drop totally even from the TOP 10.

5. Everything for Del Toro

Tomorrow Isaac Del Toro will have the strongest domestique in the whole world. Everything will be around him. Tadej has a big lead, and don't be surprised if, for example, Remco will go solo, but Pogačar will stay with Del Toro.

And for Pogačar, it also comes to mind with the Paris stage, which he really wants to win. MVDP is basically saving all of his energy in the last days just for the last stage, so Pogačar needs to save something also tomorrow.

It’s interesting to see that the organizers have the yellow jersey skinsuit option with black shorts. I think this is the first time we’ve seen this combination at the Tour. Until now, it has always been a full-yellow skinsuit.

Remco Evenepoel is unbeaten in the classic ITTs at the Tour de France. He has won his last 13 classic ITTs, and at just 26 years old, he has already collected Olympic gold, three consecutive World Championship titles, the European Championships twice, national titles, and victories in Grand Tour time trials…

The question is no longer whether he belongs among the top five time trialists of all time. The question is: Can he become the greatest one ever?

I know many will argue that names like Fabian Cancellara, Miguel Induráin, or even Tony Martin are still ahead of him. I know some will say that to be considered the ultimate time trial GOAT, he needs to add the Hour Record to his list of achievements.

But time is on Remco’s side.

He is still only 26, and there are no signs of him slowing down. If anything, he continues to evolve and looks like he is getting even stronger with every season.

So can he become the ITT GOAT? And what achievements do you think would he need to reach that point where we can have no doubts he is the best of all time?

📷: jolypics

1. UNO-X is awake, others are sleeping

It is hard to describe what I see when I watch riders from UNO-X, but these brand-new teams, like UNO-X or Rockets, see something that these traditional teams don’t. It feels like they are stuck in the past with all these unwritten rules, while they didn’t notice cycling has been changing right in front of their eyes.

UNO-X simply tries to anticipate the race, knows how to grab the opportunity, or goes for the gaps others don’t see. Some people say they are lucky with that yellow jersey and stage win, and yes, they are. But it’s because they give life more opportunities to make them lucky.

2. Will MVDP get inspired by Pedersen?

Mads Pedersen finished 7th, 9th, 12th, 11th, and 9th in the 70-point stages. And still he holds the green jersey quite comfortably, because he is active, goes for intermediate sprints, and can’t overcome hills and collect points also in harder stages.

And I believe Mathieu van der Poel can do it too. And maybe it will be next year’s Alpecin goal. Because Philipsen couldn’t deliver, they might send him to the Giro, where he misses the stage win instead of the Tour, and go with a full attacking style to the Tour.

3. Combative award decided?

It looks like Baptiste Verstroffer had one big goal before this, and that is to get the combative award overall win and stand on the podium in Paris. And so far, I don’t see anybody else even being close. Not just because he attacks so many times, but because he is also so, so strong.

He already got three stage awards, while nobody else got more than one. Probably one more breakaway in the third week, and it is 100% sure.

4. Merlier-Magnier problem or is there one?

It looks like Soudal QuickStep might have the two best sprinters in the world. While during the season it is not a big problem, there are a lot of races, but it is a problem with Grand Tour goals, especially the Tour de France.

Of course, for Magnier, the next logical step after dominating the Giro and achieving almost everything there would be his home Grand Tour, the Tour de France, but with Merlier being clear TOP 1 in the world, I don’t see it happening. Only if Merlier would like to go to the Giro, which I find unlikely.

5. Should the hills have been harder?

I like that the organizers gave a little hill to the final, but it was not enough to do any damage. I feel like I was missing some Sagan-type stage in the first two weeks… You know, for riders like Mads Pedersen, Biniam Girmay, or Dorian Godon.

Basically, the last-named Godon couldn’t shine at this Tour, because either the terrain was too hard for him or too easy. I see there is stage 17, but this type of stage in the third week will be simply for a breakaway.

Hopefully you enjoyed my opinions again, enjoy the next stages. ❤️