NickGM

Can someone please write a TL/DR for this.

Oh right, is that tom boonen?

Viper is good. Wikipedia says "The Tornado" is one of his nicknames, also decent. He was like shark yesterday afternoon, just weaving along and picking people off. But I think Nibali has dibs on The Shark.

I thought he pulled back a few seconds (on the first mountain stage, 4 i think?) before losing time on the flat again. Either way - not going to happen now.

Controversial opinion but I wonder if Jonas would try to attack on one of the long descents and bridge across to Jorgenson. You just can't see him putting time into Pogacar on a climb and he's technically a very good descender. Unlikely but might be his only card left to play.

Rider 15 likes this...

Seen him suffer on so many breakaways. So happy for the guy.

This breakaway group is so big I wont be surprised if Abrahamsen tries to breakaway off the front of it.

You're quoting a guy who won the tour following a hunting accident that left him with more than 35 shotgun pellets still lodged in his body, some in the lining of his heart and some in lodged in his liver, and today is what you find unbelievable?

He also does seem like a guy with a lot of integrity who hasn't battled to say "I wasn't strong enough today" in the past. He hasn't looked for excuses. But ya, he has looked invincible for so long that it might be tempting to keep that aura by implying that the only reason he was vaguely beatable today was down to poor eating.

Did he though? Cynical I know, but he seemed to fish around in his pockets for ages. I couldn't work out if he was looking for a gel or an excuse. Whatever the case, these two are now going to knock the hell out of each other for the next week and a half. One a bit undercooked, one a bit overcooked.

The vinga-bus is coming.

Most likely outcome IMO.

Broken bike, broken ankle. No problems. Russians are tough man. They don't call him the cyborg from vyborg for nothing.

Hahahaha, took me a moment. But ya.. officially two separate climbs. But you get what I mean: there's a flat bit sort-of halfway between the bottom and the top.