Yeah, the race is upside down, no one is able to control, yet Pogacar is crazy far ahead of everyone in terms of what he is able to do.

I want to believe, but find it so hard.

On other obvious notes: Today, MVdP, the current cyclocross world champion, relinquished the yellow jersey to Pogacar, and the only rider now inside 4 minutes to Pogacar is Wout, a former cyclocross world champion. Because cyclocross is everything you want cycling to be.

Jules said:

Well, today was... impressive?

Follow a dirty rider home, find an ex-Lampre DS.

Reports are that Pogacar rode La Colombière in the big ring 14%+ what what.

The video was clear; Big Ring all the way.

eloy said:

Yeah, the race is upside down, no one is able to control, yet Pogacar is crazy far ahead of everyone in terms of what he is able to do.

I want to believe, but find it so hard.

On other obvious notes: Today, MVdP, the current cyclocross world champion, relinquished the yellow jersey to Pogacar, and the only rider now inside 4 minutes to Pogacar is Wout, a former cyclocross world champion. Because cyclocross is everything you want cycling to be.

Pogacar was Slovenian national CX champion in 2018. just because …

I just came here to say… Rigo 😍

Watching Pogacar ride away from the best racers in the world without his mouth wide open, without him looking ragged, and without him gulping gallons of air, I felt despair.  With almost no racing since April, he managed to make everyone else look like they were riding in slow motion.  I was hoping that he'd cramp or succumb to hypothermia or some other sense of him being human.  No such luck.

Even WVA was a bit on the extraterrestrial side of things.  

Interestingly, the piece I wrote last year called "we won't get fooled again?" had 109 views today.  

mugwump said:

Watching Pogacar ride away from the best racers in the world without his mouth wide open, without him looking ragged, and without him gulping gallons of air, I felt despair.  With almost no racing since April, he managed to make everyone else look like they were riding in slow motion.  I was hoping that he'd cramp or succumb to hypothermia or some other sense of him being human.  No such luck.

Even WVA was a bit on the extraterrestrial side of things.  

Interestingly, the piece I wrote last year called "we won't get fooled again?" had 109 views today.  

Link it you blockhead!

@Jules  https://jralong.com/2020/09/21/we-wont-get-fooled-again/

mugwump said:

@Jules  https://jralong.com/2020/09/21/we-wont-get-fooled-again/

I reread this with interest - the final closing example from Dumoulin is the keystone. When you look at progress in athletic records, it isn't punctuated equilibrium. Five percent gains don't happen without medical intervention, or a huge mechanical advantage.

Good reads, JP.

To cool things down a bit in here, I love this headline for the literal opposite end of the peloton: 

The Cav comeback storyline has been my favorite of this tour just because he seems so happy. 

I agree: Cav is the only story of this Tour. Tuesday’s sprint is going to be be FIYAH

Anyone see this article?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-its-clear-that-the-general-level-is-just-much-higher-at-the-tour-de-france/

"Normally, with those values, I can ride the whole peloton to pieces. Here, I was 100 metres behind in a group of 70 riders – and I started from the front row. When you're not in the peloton after that it's clear that the general level is just much higher."

"I have to draw my conclusions, finish my contract, and then it's time for something else," he said. "If they are better, then so be it. I'm 34 now and will be 36 at the end of my contract. I won't suddenly improve another five per cent unless I engage in 'wrong things', but I won't do that."

Ouch.

This is the closest I've seen anyone come to questioning the performances we've been seeing.  And we haven't even addressed Colbrelli riding to third on yesterday's stage.  

Or maybe those questioning haven't been covered

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tadej-pogacar-anti-doping-controls-at-tour-de-france-are-enough-to-prove-doubters-wrong/

RobertMullen said:

To cool things down a bit in here, I love this headline for the literal opposite end of the peloton: 

The Cav comeback storyline has been my favorite of this tour just because he seems so happy. 

I think Cav' helps things along because he's the opposite of Hugh Carthy; all emotion.

He hugs everyone.  He cries tears of joy, tears of sadness, he admits his fallibility.  I tried to address it, though I don't think I do him justice. 

https://jralong.com/2021/07/05/mark-cavendish-hugs-everyone/

mugwump said:

Anyone see this article?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-its-clear-that-the-general-level-is-just-much-higher-at-the-tour-de-france/

"Normally, with those values, I can ride the whole peloton to pieces. Here, I was 100 metres behind in a group of 70 riders – and I started from the front row. When you're not in the peloton after that it's clear that the general level is just much higher."

"I have to draw my conclusions, finish my contract, and then it's time for something else," he said. "If they are better, then so be it. I'm 34 now and will be 36 at the end of my contract. I won't suddenly improve another five per cent unless I engage in 'wrong things', but I won't do that."

Ouch.

This is the closest I've seen anyone come to questioning the performances we've been seeing.  And we haven't even addressed Colbrelli riding to third on yesterday's stage.  

Or maybe those questioning haven't been covered

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tadej-pogacar-anti-doping-controls-at-tour-de-france-are-enough-to-prove-doubters-wrong/

Kudos to him for saying it out loud, even in this veiled manner. Whenever people say “everyone sure is at a higher level this year” I think of Lemond when EPO arrived.

It’s amazing to me that nobody is writing about this.

mugwump said:

RobertMullen said:

To cool things down a bit in here, I love this headline for the literal opposite end of the peloton: 

The Cav comeback storyline has been my favorite of this tour just because he seems so happy. 

I think Cav' helps things along because he's the opposite of Hugh Carthy; all emotion.

He hugs everyone.  He cries tears of joy, tears of sadness, he admits his fallibility.  I tried to address it, though I don't think I do him justice. 

https://jralong.com/2021/07/05/mark-cavendish-hugs-everyone/

This link may have a couple of broken spokes

Jules said:

mugwump said:

Anyone see this article?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-its-clear-that-the-general-level-is-just-much-higher-at-the-tour-de-france/

Kudos to him for saying it out loud, even in this veiled manner. Whenever people say “everyone sure is at a higher level this year” I think of Lemond when EPO arrived.

It’s amazing to me that nobody is writing about this.

Wondering if Tim Wellens will chime in.  He's not racing the Tour, but he's usually not silent on such things.  

mugwump said:

Jules said:

mugwump said:

Anyone see this article?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-its-clear-that-the-general-level-is-just-much-higher-at-the-tour-de-france/

Kudos to him for saying it out loud, even in this veiled manner. Whenever people say “everyone sure is at a higher level this year” I think of Lemond when EPO arrived.

It’s amazing to me that nobody is writing about this.

Wondering if Tim Wellens will chime in.  He's not racing the Tour, but he's usually not silent on such things.  

I'm surprised the usual suspects Lemond and Kimmage aren't screaming about this. 

Jules said:

mugwump said:

Jules said:

mugwump said:

Anyone see this article?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-its-clear-that-the-general-level-is-just-much-higher-at-the-tour-de-france/

Kudos to him for saying it out loud, even in this veiled manner. Whenever people say “everyone sure is at a higher level this year” I think of Lemond when EPO arrived.

It’s amazing to me that nobody is writing about this.

Wondering if Tim Wellens will chime in.  He's not racing the Tour, but he's usually not silent on such things.  

I'm surprised the usual suspects Lemond and Kimmage aren't screaming about this. 

From the "controls" article...

In the absence of obvious rivals, Pogačar appears, as Le Monde suggested on Monday morning, “a pro racing against schoolboys.”

David Yang said:

Jules said:

mugwump said:

Jules said:

mugwump said:

Anyone see this article?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-its-clear-that-the-general-level-is-just-much-higher-at-the-tour-de-france/

Kudos to him for saying it out loud, even in this veiled manner. Whenever people say “everyone sure is at a higher level this year” I think of Lemond when EPO arrived.

It’s amazing to me that nobody is writing about this.

Wondering if Tim Wellens will chime in.  He's not racing the Tour, but he's usually not silent on such things.  

I'm surprised the usual suspects Lemond and Kimmage aren't screaming about this. 

From the "controls" article...

In the absence of obvious rivals, Pogačar appears, as Le Monde suggested on Monday morning, “a pro racing against schoolboys.”

Fair enough!

Clear as mud!

mugwump said:

RobertMullen said:

To cool things down a bit in here, I love this headline for the literal opposite end of the peloton: 

The Cav comeback storyline has been my favorite of this tour just because he seems so happy. 

I think Cav' helps things along because he's the opposite of Hugh Carthy; all emotion.

He hugs everyone.  He cries tears of joy, tears of sadness, he admits his fallibility.  I tried to address it, though I don't think I do him justice. 

https://jralong.com/2021/07/05/mark-cavendish-hugs-everyone/

Kept an eye out for the hugs, you are absolutely right. Watching him pick up the world champion in celebration warms my heart 🥺


That lead out was amazing to watch. You could really tell for like 15+ km Cav was never in danger, never touching the wind or trying to find a wheel to follow. If DQS can do this every sprint stage, idk how anyone can beat him. 

RobertMullen said:

mugwump said:

RobertMullen said:

To cool things down a bit in here, I love this headline for the literal opposite end of the peloton: 

The Cav comeback storyline has been my favorite of this tour just because he seems so happy. 

I think Cav' helps things along because he's the opposite of Hugh Carthy; all emotion.

He hugs everyone.  He cries tears of joy, tears of sadness, he admits his fallibility.  I tried to address it, though I don't think I do him justice. 

https://jralong.com/2021/07/05/mark-cavendish-hugs-everyone/

Kept an eye out for the hugs, you are absolutely right. Watching him pick up the world champion in celebration warms my heart 🥺


That lead out was amazing to watch. You could really tell for like 15+ km Cav was never in danger, never touching the wind or trying to find a wheel to follow. If DQS can do this every sprint stage, idk how anyone can beat him. 

Most accomplished TdF sprinter in history plus the best leadout team in the world minus half a dozen of competition... this is amazing to watch. How can someone like Cav be an underdog that we're cheering for? I don't care but I want him to win #35 on the final day.

Also it boggles my mind that Pogacar hasn't had any better press training.

Apparently WVA can very much do it all

btw, he finished second the day before, just fyi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slx3x9fN78w

eloy said:

btw, he finished second the day before, just fyi.

Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.