The Second Week

L’Alp de Huez surpassed even its own star billing this year as le Tour moved into my favorite part of the event: two races for the price of one; the race for the stage win followed by the Yellow Jersey fight. Past and Future combined for our viewing pleasure as 4 X Tour winner Chris Froome and Olympic Mountain Bike Champion Tom Pidcock made a remarkable bridge to the front breakaway group – led by our excellent Neilsen Powless – a bridge that displayed Pidcock’s astounding bike handling skills. It was real heart-in-mouth stuff the way he swashbuckled his way down the mountain with Froome, behind, most likely wondering at the wisdom of his comeback, watching his life flash before his eyes as the duo screamed into the switchbacks at impossible speeds. Pidcock, a born winner, unceremoniously dumped his breakaway companions and soled up the Alp, forging his way through the rave for a remarkable victory that has both launched and confirmed the Brit as one of the world’s top racing cyclists. He's not even 22, is sitting in the top 10 of the Tour, with an Olympic Gold, the World Cyclocross Championship and now l’Alp de Huez in his back pocket.

Behind, Jumbo-Visma, borrowing a Team Sky steamroller play, suffocated the contenders for Yellow with a display of ultimate power. American Sepp Kuss was amazing in his role, and Tadej Pogačar, while able to use his explosivity to open gaps, was unable to gain even one second on the Yellow Jersey. But he sure makes it exciting.

The American’s have been excellent this Tour, no ultra-champions among them but top-level racers all the same. Three of them are currently sitting in the top 10 of the Youth Classification. Quinn Simmons – who I believe will become our main race winner in the years to come – has been on the attack this entire Tour, having already spent hundreds of kilometers off the front. He was not on the best of form for the stage following l’Alp de Huez into St. Etienne but showed tremendous character by riding himself into the ground - so much so that he was covered in vomit at the finish – to set up Mads Pedersen, his Trek-Segafredo teammate, the former World Champion who has finally, finally lost his baby fat. American Matteo Jorgenson was in the break as well, but, and I have to say, when you see a Pedersen in the break, you know he’s probably going to win, such is his craft. Can’t really say that about our American riders, although you used to able to do so. Something that needs looking at, perhaps less focus on wattage and a bit more on tactics and the ABC’s of how to win a race.

He's a devil, this Pogačar is, as we saw at the beginning of Stage 13 into the wall at Mende. The double Tour Champ attacked like mad 10-K after the start, throwing the entire race into crisis, none more so than the – to that point – all powerful Jumbo-Visma. Bodies all over the countryside, Pogačar in front, Roglič et co. in the back, Vingegaard isolated….it took the enormous, ever-expanding talents of Wout van Aert to put all the King’s men together again. But notice was served, the Slovenian is going to fight every inch of the way to Paris. In the front, the new “Eternal Second” Aussie Michael Mathews, seemed to have completed his Sean Kelly like metamorphosis into an all arounder by winning at Mende with a display of sheer power, will and courage. “Bling” as he’s known, has a new approach and I’m for one, most eager to see how it continues to work out for this most likable of racers.

The peloton is on its knees, such is the general fatigue. While Pogačar has generally carried himself in the front of the bunch, as has the ‘sleeper’ Geraint Thomas, Vingagaard, in the middle of the peloton, found himself on the ground along with with teammate Tiesj Benoot. This was after the abandon - due to a severe crash- of teammate Steven Kruijswijk and non-start of the ‘King of Bluff’ Primoz Roglič after finally admitting to himself the extent of his injuries, ones that he’d ignored/suppressed for 10 Stages. A very brave man indeed.

So now the deck is reshuffled: The Yellow Jersey, Jonas Vingegaard has lost his two key lieutenants for the mountains (Kruijswijk and Roglič) leaving only American Sepp Kuss and Benoot for the climbs. Key to his defense will be to see just how far Wout van Aert can get in the mountains. On the flats they still have Van Hooydonck and Christian Laporte (what a difference the new team has made for him!).

Smiling, devilish Tadej Pogačar suddenly has the stronger team in the mountains – it would seem anyway. Yank Brandon McNulty and Rafel Maijka both of whom have been fantastic this Tour, and the enigmatic Marc Soler give the Slovenian real power to call on for the climbs. Add into the mix the just about perfect race, almost invisible except for his trademark white sunglasses, ridden by Geraint Thomas so far.

The Ineos have raced with a two-pronged strategy: keep riders within striking distance for Yellow and go out and search for stage wins too. Ok, Pidcock won the Alp – take that and be happy with it. Filippo Ganna and Dani Martinez had their chances but now must dedicate themselves to Thomas who has been their rider to most on-point throughout this entire Tour. There’s a 40-kilometer Time Trial on Stage 20 that has the Welshman’s name all over it. The team – including Adam Yates for my money – must now rally ‘round Thomas, look to exploit the fight between Vingegaard and Pogačar, chip away seconds where they can, roll the dice and let Thomas do what he does so well in the solo effort.

A final note, non-Tour related, to express my heartbreak at the headlines covering the finish line brawl at the Salt Lake City Criterium. Excuse me, you simply cannot have a “national” race that is one-hour long. No one get tired in that short a time, everyone’s diving for holes and fights are inevitable. It’s roller derby, not the beautiful ENDURANCE sport of cycling. Does no one have a vision for American cycling? How can our National Professional Criterium Championships last a little over an hour, cost the riders $100 to start and have no prize list? It’s pathetic and I hope that a younger, more enthusiastic crew can come together to begin to repair what’s left of American racing.