KEIKIN: Gaudy ani nejel :-D
hodím tu obsáhlejší report od Lucase
Visma - Lease a Bike 9/10
People and experts keep writing how tactically they messed up this Tour and they didn’t risk enough to beat Pogačar, but I think they rode very very well. They often outnumbered the UAE and sometimes risked it even too much. People must realize there was no chance of beating Pogačar, he was simply too strong. Kuss rode very well apart from the last races, S.Yates even won a stage although in support of Jonas didn’t show that much as expected, Campenaerts climbed like never before. Only Jorgenson disappointed with his climbing performance. People even put him on a possible podium, but he didn’t have it this year. And yesterday’s stage was just a beauty by Visma and Wout. Deducted one point because Jonas didn’t win a single stage and mainly in stage 19 he made a big mistake by not chasing Arensman and deducted one point for Jorgenson's GC fail and Van Aert's disappointment through the race as he simply didn’t perform as expected. But maybe that’s why they were able to deliver yesterday, we will never know.
LIDL-Trek 7/10
They came with one main and realistic goal: green jersey… and they delivered. Plus two stage wins with Milan although I am sure they wanted more as Milan basically has never beaten Merlier in a fair sprint. Everytime Milan won Merlier was very behind either after a crash a lost positions and when Merlier was in front, he won. Simmons rode very actively and was many times close to stage win from the breakaway, but it just didn’t click. Deducted one point for Skjelmose who crashed again and it was no GC result for him, deducted one point for Thibau Nys who was a very big disappointment and he was nowhere through the whole race and deducted another point for missing totally the split in stage 1 and not being able to get the yellow jersey for Milan.
Soudal-QuickStep: 8/10
Hard to rank this team. Big ambitions with Remco again, but he had to abandon and simply his preparation was bad and he broke his rib before the Tour so he couldn’t do much. But at least he won a time trial although it was not with the yellow jersey he hoped for. But still 8 points from 10. Why? They simply won on Ventoux with Paret-Peintre and Merlier winning twice is very good. But expected more from Max Schachmann, especially after Remco abandon.
EF-Education EasyPost: 9/10
It was hard to come to the race without your leader Richard Carapaz. He said he felt really good and wanted to win stages in the mountains. But fortunately for them another leader stepped up. Ben Healy won a stage, 2nd at Ventoux, had 2 days in yellow, got the super-combative award and even finished 9th in GC. Dream Tour. Deducted only 1 point, because I simply expected more from riders like Asgreen who shined at the Giro, Powless who shined at the Classics and also Van den Berg.
Intermarche-Wanty: 1/10
They came with one big leader in who they absolutely believed in and it was Biniam Girmay, who absolutely expectedly performed like during his whole season where he didn’t win a single race. They simply believed in him too much. Yes, he ended 3rd in the points classification, but that’s because he was the only one who fought it at intermediate sprints against Milan and not like that he was his big opponent in that battle. Finished 2nd in first stage, but that’s all. Team had also many bad luck with crashes, but they were not much seen during the race.
Bahrain Victorious: 5/10
Despite no top result I give them 5 points. Not considering that sticky bottle, I appreciate Lenny Martinez going to that very hard battle against Pogačar for KOM. I respect that he was the only one who dared to risk possible stage wins and saving energy to go for this classification. The sponsors were visible with him wearing KOM jersey for many days, that’s good. Mur de Bretagne crash ruined them with Haig abandoning and Buitrago bruised, but he came back nicely in a Ventoux stage. Mohorič seen only during the last stage, but at least tried in many stages. But still no stage win for them.
Ineos Grenadiers: 7/10
Ganna abandoning in the very first day felt like a nightmare, Rodriguez abandoning then also, Geraint Thomas in his last Tour simply didn’t have it and was nowhere and other riders except Laurance also not much seen, but still 7 points? Numbers don’t lie. 2 stage wins are two stage wins. Arensman being the only rider winning in Alps and Pyrennes was crazy good. His best race of the life and made the team proud.
Groupama FDJ: 0/10
Here came a very long thought about what to write there. Noticed only Penhoet with TOP10 in the sprints and Gregoire crashing where Romeo. Feel free to critisize me there, but I simply don’t remember much from this Tour.
Tudor 3/10
Alaphilippe is not washed and rode very good, was active, tried and even ended in 3rd place in one stage. Or he won there? Storer rode also good and was active. Picking Dainese over De Kleijn felt crazy to me, why not bring both and no top result for Dainese. Trentin also seen in the last stage. But expected maybe also some TV breakaways as a wildcard team, they didn’t make organizers much happy and me also. So just 3 points.
Jayco-Alula 7/10
Has to go there with 7. They simply won a stage with O’Connor. Not many teams won a stage and this is appreciated by me. But no GC TOP 10 for them and O’Connor definitely expected more. Groenewegen is the biggest disappointment between sprinters with no TOP10 result. Schmid was very close and lost to Abrahamsen in one stage. Plapp two TOP10 in the time trials, nothing else.
Arkea-B&B Hotels 7/10
Considering their budget they were able to put a rider to TOP10 of the Tour with Vauquelin being 7th. He also had white jersey for a few days and dared to attack for yellow. Demare simply don’t have it anymore and was nowhere.
Movistar 3/10
Feels crazy to me that basically Enric Mas is their strongest rider mountains and he was so easily beaten in Ventoux stage. Romeo tried and tried, but it didn’t click. Saw also Muhlberger who was active. And Rubio was once 5th in a stage. But that’s all.
UAE Team Emirates XRG 9/10
Please, please, don’t start with that that they won at Tour, got 5 stage wins, they deserve 10/10. Let’s start with a fresh memory. Why was there Pogačar yesterday absolutely alone? It was clear how much it meant for him risking everything and going for the stage win and he got outnumbered by Visma? Or stage 19, where he had to pull the whole climb alone? I understand it was tough without Almeida, but Adam Yates didn’t perform as I would’ve expected. Same happened at the Giro. Sivakov, Soler same. Narvaez had to many time step up and be the last mountain domestique, while he was also the one who never saved his legs in the hilly stages, where he was also the last man. Politt rode excellently and I saw his teeth this summer more than my best friend. Wellens same and to top of it he got also the stage win. One of the great riders of his generation and very happy to see him finally getting the stage win at the Tour. Pogačar is the best rider in the world and had no bad day and never lost time against Vingegaard. 4 stage wins for him, yellow jersey and even the KOM jersey. Although it may seem easy, the expectations were super high and also the pressure and he again delivered. Big chapeau.
Picnic-PostNL 9/10
Considering that this is the team that battles with Cofidis for the World Tour licence feels crazy to me. Onley 4th in GC, wow. Remember that he is still so so young and this was his first big GrandTour GC ride. Bittner once 4th and 5th, Lund Andresen once 3th and Van den Broek even 2nd. The most memorable moment might be that train in the mountain stage how they passed Pogi and Vingegaard. Half of point deducted because of not having that dream overall podium and also no stage win. One of the best teams in the race.
Cofidis 0/10
No TV breakaways, no TOP stage result, no good GC result, what they did at this Tour? Where were riders like Aranburu, Teuns, Buchmann or Izagirre. Basically only time when I saw them was Coquard breaking his finger and Philipsen accident. Team not worthy of a World Tour licence.
TotalEnergies 7/10
Wow, Jordan Jegat finished in TOP10 overall. Awesome ride through the whole race by him and mainly how he was not afraid to give up on his dream and going to the breakaway on the penultimate stage and gain time to get to the TOP10. Loved also how Burgaudeau and Vercher got that combativity award together and rightfully so, they were not afraid to go to the impossible breakaway. Loved the team performance. Hopefully they will be invited also next year and Jordan Jegat will get the stage win, because he can.
Premier Tech 4/10
Stewart was there in the penultimate stage, but made a mistake of letting Groves to go. Woods also tried. Ackermann not much visible in the sprints. Well rather save my energy to the more interesting teams.
XDS Astana 3/10
Team underperformed, probably they spent most of their bullets on the fight for the World Tour spot. Ballerini very good 2nd place in the last stage.
Lotto 2/10
Can somebody tell me how they are so comfortably going to the World Tour next year? De Lie finally rode very well, but that’s all. Nothing much to write about them.
UNO-X Mobility 10/10
Call me crazy, but this will be the only team that will get the 10/10. Sorry but as a smallest team they got a stage win with Abrahamsen and 6th in GC and a history for Norwegian cycling with T.Johannessen. Yes Cort could’ve been more visible and they could’ve go to more breakaways like to wear polka dot, but I understand they udjusted the goals.
Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe 9/10
Roglič finishing the Tour makes me so happy and even in TOP10 overall. And Lipo. Wow, first mortal after Pogi and Vingegaard, making the history for German cycling and also Bora with being on the podium and to top of that also white jersey. Deducted only one point because one of the biggest teams in the world should win at least one stage. Jordi was close once, but I understand it was all for GC.
Alpecin Deceuninck 8/10
Very hard to rank my favourite team. It could’ve been so much more. Jasper Philipsen looked awesome for the green jersey competition, Van der Poel could’ve get the super-combative award and attacking on Montmartre, but both had to abandon. But still I am very happy. We won with all our 3 biggest riders Philipsen, Van Der Poel and Groves. That first stage was talked about so much and we got yellow jersey and stage win there. Wow. And then Van der Poel did the same in stage 2 and beating Pogačar. And he attacked and entertained us so much. And Groves, so so happy for him. His dream came true and he finally won also at the Tour. Still great Tour.