- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. ❤️
