While there is competition for the final step on the podium, I see that more as a war to survive. So far, no one fighting for third is doing anything more than trying to hang on to the Pog / Vingegaard fight (such as it is). They aren’t driving the action
Today’s stage 15 was really fun. There was mayhem everywhere. Really enjoyed the dynamic and unpredictable race.
On a side note, I think the American cyclists are doing great this year. Between Quinn Simmons at the front daily, Jorgensen as a podium candidate, and less so Powless, they are making me proud.
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Johannesson and Rodriguez up the road on the last couple of stages. Gall attacking out of the bunch on the final climb to stay ahead of his rivals. Vauquelin trying his luck at various points through the first week.
The top ten has had several moments of riders attacking aside from Pogacar and Vingegaard. Roglic would be the only rider in the top ten that I don’t remember attacking or trying something.
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I’m hoping we see more from Powless in the last week. He looked so promising a couple of years ago when he was in the break nearly every day.
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Pog was critical of visma tactics. While Vinny was caught in crash, Pog was trying to slow down the peloton while half the visma riders were pushing the break.
Wout wasn’t happy about those comments.
Hmm, not only was Pog right, I’m saying he wins tomorrow on Ventoux by 3 min. Never poke the bear!
Green jersey a lot less interesting with mvdp having to dns today due to pneumonia. Could still come down to Paris but seems unlikely now
Aside from Simmons winging about the stage winner, saying how he was drafting. He wasnt from what i saw and i watched the entire stage on TNT Sports. I hate a bad loser.
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Quin has shown that he has the engine to play with the big boys, but he’s still young and dumb. Finish line interviews aren’t complicated, you tip your cap regardless of where your head is at. And honestly, the moto drafting comments bothered me less than the comment about Wellens sitting in and then attacking (he called it strange or something). There’s no shame in sucking wheel all day for a TdF stage win if the situation allows it. Hopefully Quin is taking a lot from this Tour that he can apply going forward.
What a stage today. Both for the win and the GC battle. I’ve never been a huge Jonas fan, but I sure like the way he’s raced his bike over this entire tour. Tadej is obviously stronger, but Jonas is still challenging him every chance he has. It would have been very easy to be content with 2nd against Tadej when the race is really hurting.
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Simmons has a history of politically incorrect behavior and non-apologies. His current “whiny victim” persona doesn’t surprise me in the least. I hate that he’s the one wearing the stars and bars out there and I suspect the rest of the world sees him as validation for their current opinion of “the average US citizen”.
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As I was getting in the shower last night, my wife was asking about the tour (she’s gained an awesome interest in watching it with me), she said, “Isn’t tadej a rest day?”
I think she meant.. “Isn’t TODAY..” but I’m pretty sure she threw a solid TdF dad joke in there.. She claims she didn’t, but she can’t tell me what I heard!
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Relationship goals right here 
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That’s a keeper right there!!
My wife laughs at me and says, “you watch people biking for 4 hours?! They’re just all in a group biking together.” I’ve tried to explain the nuances but it’s difficult for non cycling fans to grasp the team and tactics aspect of cycling.
Regarding Q Simmons, he does lack race savviness. He has to understand that if you can only have 1 Tadej that can outpower any race strategy. Everyone has to be smart, especially in the breakaways.
For the 1st time today I felt sorry for Vinny. Pog broke the record up Van2, which means Vinny is only 1-2 seconds slower. It really has to suck to be the best except for 1 guy that you can’t beat.
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Yeah I’ve not been the biggest fan of his in the past but I love the way he’s trying to attack this tour
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What a fantastic finish yesterday. Usually I find the high mountain GC stages rote and boring. Definitely the exception for me
Visma racing like it’s a video game with placing satellite riders and Jonas attacking to their wheels to recover 
Didn’t work but if pog had an off day they were perfectly positioned to rip open a gap
Also they gave a nice defense against pog attacking until the headwind section when it was harder to get a gap
Breakaway for the stage win was almost too much coverage for the announcers, but what a cool win for France
I watched a little of the peacock coverage today. Do they always list riders in the breakaway sorted by prior tdf appearances? That’s a wild choice😂
ETA more thoughts
Wonder how much pacing roglic was doing today, wish there was more footage of the chasers
Was very cool to see the new 4 best times on one of the hardest climbs in France. Think Jonas’s performance today was the best of the year, certainly an all time w/kg performance by the top two
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Random thought watching the stage yesterday.
With cameras on Vinny with pog in his wheel, Pogacar looks twice the size of Jonas. Pog isn’t a big guy so it’s unreal how small Jonas is.
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I don’t know if it’s just Jonas’ form or what, but I feel like he almost looks sickly thin when hunched over on the bike - like I can see all his ribs through his back or something. Maybe not completely, but I share your sentiment.
That said - he’s the clear 2nd GC, so hard to say he’s “too skinny” from a performance aspect. I feel like a strong 5 lbs of muscle might help him?
Just look at his face. Like you said, he’s strong as hell, but I always feel like he looks like if he bumps into a doorknob he’s going to break a bone. I can’t imagine that’s even close to healthy.
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Healthy isn’t always the goal for elite athletes. They are putting their bodies through the ringer to get every ounce of performance
Was it nibali that broke a hip crashing at almost zero mph? That kind of bone density is a dream if you need every w/kg possible but kind of a nightmare otherwise😬
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That settles it. The next athlete that will beat Pog will have bird like hollow bones and his W/kg will 7.0 at recovery effort 
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Almost all the guys who can really climb are tiny humans. I was actually thinking Jonas looked like he had added some muscle this year, but he’s still a tiny dude. As is Tadej. I’m always surprised when you see one of these guys in person (not that I’ve seen Jonas or Tadej). I thought Peter Sagan was a decent sized (fairly muscular) guy until I saw him at a race next to normal sized people. Yeah, he’s muscular next to the average WT pro, but the average WT pro is pretty damn skinny.
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