I fcking love it. So much better than the US Postal and Sky train days. The new guys just want to race and will do at the slightest opportunity. The descending is just fcking crazy. Podacar took another 20 secs off Vinegaard today and the latter is supposed to be the better descender.
I really hope Cav can do it.
Vingegaard should still be lying in bed somewhere recovering. How he can get back to form good enough to beat all but Pog after those injuries and 5 weeks of zero riding is bizarre. Look at Wout, his injuries weren’t as bad as Vs and while he’s there it’s not the Wout you’d see in great form.
Go Cav! He’ll keep his powder dry and needs a bit of luck. He’s had precious little so must be due something soon!
Looking at Vs form already you’d expect him to improve into the final week. TT will be interesting. Will Pog have built enough of a lead to hold him in the mountains? Hard to say. In any case will make for a more interesting GC than last year!
I read a lovely account of him being on the Isle of Man recently and he entered a local race. Just quietly turned up at the start and paid the £10 entry fee.No song and dance just rode the course and enjoyed the day with the other riders offering support and encouragement. Nice touch, I thought.
So glad he proved me wrong today - what a legend he is.
He really is one of the best characters in any sport and such a great role model - thanks his team before anything else which is such a great thing to see.
Just watched the highlights, it’s like watching a ballet dancer, so precise. He shifts into spaces that don’t exist. How none of the younger and fitter riders can live with his acceleration and power in that moment I’ve no idea. Absolutely magnificent!
That tactical aweness/instinct to find the right wheel to follow or go for the right gap at the right time is light years ahead of the competition. It goes to show that it’s not always all about raw speed. I’m so pleased for him after the troubles he’s had over the last few years and it justifies the faith that his Team put in him to base the squad around his needs.
I have to say it’s been one of the most enjoyable Tours for a long time - epic racing from the riders from stage 1 but today was exceptional even for this lot.
I just hope we don’t lose any more riders to illness and can look forward to another week of full on racing.