I seem to remember there was a bloke called Froome who had a modest success and then made it boring? 
3 Likes
…but that response was also linked to the dominance and conservative style of the team around him. Pogacar looks like he could do it without a team at times.
Bruce
1 Like
Lenny takes this morning’s start line selfie.
19ºc / very light winds / possible rain in mountains
<<>>
The Jersey Wearers:
Tadej Pogačar 
UAE Team Emirates
Jonathan Milan 
Lidl-Trek
Lenny Martinez 
Bahrain Victorious * (does not lead classification)
Remco Evenepoel 
Soudal Quick-Step
DNS:
Bryan Coquard Cofidis (fractured finger(s) from Stage 12 crash)
170 riders on the start line
Stage 14 is Underway! (…and live on ITV4 freeview)
9 Likes
This ^
Some things they could do are really simple; be more generous in KOM points on 4th, 3rd, and 2nd category climbs, for example; instead of just 1 stingy point for a 4th cat win make it 3 points for 1st place and 1 point for second place.
Instead of 3, 1 for a 3rd cat make it 5, 3, 1,
Plus up the points pro-rata on the 2nd and 1st cat climbs.
Increase the Sprint Point awards on the intermediate sprints to 25 for a win, and put more of them in more accessible places (25km - 50km out) where the sprinters have a chance of contesting, and only have top 50 winner sprint points at a finish of a flat stage.
7 Likes
STAGE 14 RESULTS : PAU - LUCHON-SUPERBAGNÈRES (182.6KM)
- Thymen Arensman
Ineos Grenadiers in 4:53:35 - Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +1.08
- Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, +1.12
- Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, +1.19
- Florian Lipowitz (Ger) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +1:25
- Oscar Onley (Gbr) Pinic-PostNL, +2:09
- Ben Healy (Ire) EF Education-EasyPost, +2:46
- Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, at same time
- Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility, +2:59
- Kévin Vaquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels, +3:08
DNF:
Remco Evenepoel Soudal Quick-Ste
Mattias Skjelmose 
Lidl - Trek
Steff Cras Team TotalEnergies
167 riders finished Stage 14
<<>>
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 14
- Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates-XRG, in 50:40:28
- Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, +4:13
- Florian Lipowitz (Ger) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +7:53
- Oscar Onley (Gbr) Pinic-PostNL, 9:18
- Kévin Vaquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels, +10:21
- Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +10:34
- Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, +12:00
- Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility, +12:33
- Ben Healy (Ire) Ef Education-EasyPost, +18:41
- Carlos Rodriguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, +22:57
POINTS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 14
- Jonathan Milan Lidl-Trek, 251pts
- Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 223
- Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck, 190pts
- Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty, 169pts
- Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, 150pts
MOUNTAINS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 14
- Lenny Martinez Bahrain Victorious, 60pts
- Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, 52pts
- Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, 48pts
- Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, 39pts
- Michael Woods (Can) Israel-Premier Tech, 38pts
YOUTH CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 14
- Florian Lipowitz
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, in 50:48:21 - Oscar Onley (GBr) Picnic-PostNL, +1:25
- Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels, +2:28
- Ben Healy (Irl) EF Education-EasyPost, +10:48
- Carolos Rodriguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, +15:04
TEAMS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 14
- Visma-Lease a Bike, in 152:43:39
- UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +13:48
- Decathlon- AG2R La Mondiale, +43:28
Lenny Martinez
7 Likes
Thymen Arensman would have had no idea he would end the Stage as the winner, his first Grand Tour win, rode it perfectly, showed a lot of class.
The VinPog tandem arrived just over a minute later, Pogačar totally under control taking 2nd and probably saving himself something in the bank for the hilly stage tomorrow.
The usual suspect GC guys arriving spaced out and after loosing more time…
The shock news of Stage 14 is the sudden abandonments of three team leaders:
Steff Cras (Bel) Team TotalEnergies not feeling well, and leaving with a showing of much emotional which goes to show the depth of commitment and the upset that abandonment causes. Next was Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl - Trek coming unseated after hitting a central road bollard, he tried to continue for a while but was too injured.
Finally, 3rd place on GC Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step feeling out of sorts and complete loss of mojo.
A good day was had by Lenny Martinez who succeeded in collecting full KOM points on the first three climbs and enough points to lead the classification.
A good day was had by Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), although was unintentionally overshadowed with the unexpected omission of Evenepoel who would have been overtaken by Lipowitz into 3rd position on GC, and becomes the new White Jersey rider.
Thymen Arensman
12 Likes
Sunday 20th July 2025
Stage 15 : Muret - Carvassonne (169.3km)
A rest-day tomorrow so this hilly stage will bring out a lot of attacks, cunning plans, and general headbanger skullduggery. Yet another intermediate Sprint tussle is on the cards at 60km for 20 points, but only if the sprint teams can control the peloton, and that’s a big if, there will be a lot of determined attempts to breakaway from the go. With Lidl-Trek losing their team leader in Stage 14, all the the team can now dedicate their help to Milan.
Although a hilly stage and not particularly long, this is very much a day for the Points Classification with 50 points for the winner. Milan will try hard to succeed a win on the intermediate but the rest is too hilly for his style, however his rivals, Pogačar, and van de Poel will be up for the gradients and will be eyeing up that 50 points and the Stage win.
Whatever happens today it is sure to be a good spectacle!
12 Likes
Remco looked truly dreadful during the preceding time trial. I couldn’t tell how much of his problems were mechanical with the gears jumping or if he was so completely out of sorts that he was making terrible gear selections. He basically looked very unwell to me and I wasn’t very surprised to see him withdraw. Hoping no serious health issues for him.
I am struggling to get my head around Pogacar and Vingegaard. Vingegaard in himself looks so far ahead of the field; and yet Pogacar is in an entirely different performance league. The only times I have seen such a difference in the relatively recent past has been surrounded by drugs rumours. I’m not hearing any such chat these days, but I do wonder how it is possible to win a mountain stage and go out the next day and win a time trial. Amazing to watch but the powers of recovery are beyond super human, are they not?
Peter
3 Likes
France has mentioned drugs and super performance without mentioning any names.
Hopefully no drugs involved.
3 Likes
Thymen takes the start line selfie
27ºc …dry at start but a threat of a summer storm later at finish
<<>>
The Jersey Wearers:
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates
Jonathan Milan Lidl-Trek
Lenny Martinez Bahrain Victorious * (does not lead classification)
Florian Lipowitz Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
DNS:
Lennert Van Eetvelt Lotto
169 riders on the start line
Stage 15 is Underway!
8 Likes
This is not Lenny, but Thymen Arensman 
1 Like
This article about new nutrition science and “super calorie” gels eases minds a bit, perhaps?
I think overall performance is way up - look how often the peloton is zipping along at 55 to 60, and not just in the final km to a sprint finish, or even how long individuals can go over 50 on a break, just astonishing.
I prefer to believe it’s great science and a few spectacular individuals rather than anything nefarious! And two (or a few) era-defining individuals who can truly inspire…
6 Likes
Sensationally timed breakaway by Tim Wellens 1km from the top of the last climb resulted in a well earned stage win and he celebrated in style.
Err, so too did Alaphilippe who for some bizarre reason thought he had snatched a stage win. Oops!! Mind you, third place after dislocating his shoulder earlier in the stage was quite an achievement in itself.
Peter
9 Likes
STAGE 15 RESULTS : MURET - CARCASSONE (168KM)
- Tim Wellens UAE Team Emirates-XRG in 3:34:09
- Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike, 1:28
- Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Tudor Pro Cycling, +1:36
- Wout Van Aert (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike
- Axel Laurance (Fra) Ineos Grenadiers
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Neu) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
- Paul Penhoët (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
- Jordan Jegat (Fra) TotalEngeries
- Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education EasyPost
- Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, all at the same time
166 riders finished Stage 15
<<>>
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 15
- Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates-XRG, in 54:20:44
- Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, +4:13
- Florian Lipowitz (Ger) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +7:53
- Oscar Onley (Gbr) Pinic-PostNL, 9:18
- Kévin Vaquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels, +10:21
- Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +10:34
- Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, +12:00
- Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility, +12:33
- Carlos Rodriguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, +18:26
- Ben Healy (Ire) Ef Education-EasyPost, +18:41
POINTS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 15
- Jonathan Milan Lidl-Trek, 251pts
- Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 223
- Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck, 210pts
- Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty, 169pts
- Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, 150pts
MOUNTAINS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 15
- Lenny Martinez Bahrain Victorious, 60pts
- Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, 52pts
- Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, 48pts
- Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, 39pts
- Michael Woods (Can) Israel-Premier Tech, 38pts
YOUTH CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 15
- Florian Lipowitz Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, in 50:48:21
- Oscar Onley (GBr) Picnic-PostNL, +1:25
- Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels, +2:28
- Carlos Rodriguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, +10:33
- Ben Healy (Irl) EF Education-EasyPost, +10:48
TEAMS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 15
- Visma-Lease a Bike, in 163:35:17
- UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +16:51
- Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +50:38
9 Likes
Stage 15 became a road race fiercely fought out in the 30 man breakaway, and with no threat to the top GC the peloton didn’t give chase. The breakaway was too numerous and competative to cooperate together so splits ensued, the leading group remained resistance to working it together and the going very edgy until Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) used his climbing ability to break free and ride 42km solo to the Stage win.
A bad day for Jonathan Milan who seemed to struggle and was dropped on the approach to the intermediate sprint, unopposed Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck won the intermediate sprint and to collect the 20 points.
Later van der Poel also got into the breakaway but (fortunately for Milan) was dropped later in the stage.
The final week of the tour will see a closely fought-out contest for the Green Jersey by the top three in the classification.
10 Likes
A look to the final week of Tour 2025:
Florian Lipowitz, Oscar Onley, and Kévin Vauquelin are all competing for a podium position on GC in Paris, they are also all under 25s so whoever claims it will also win the White Jersey.
Lipowitz, has a lead of 1:25 on Onley who is 1.03 seconds ahead of Vauquelin, so this contest is far from over, all of them plan to win it.
The KOM is primarily between Lenny Martinez who leads by 8 points, and Tadej Pogačar who could collect enough KOM points by default and take the Polka Dot jersey in Paris. However, Thymen Arensman, winner of Stage 14 and proven superb climber is trailing only by 4 points less than Tadej.
Jonathan Milan has a lead in the Points Classification but Tadej Pogačar could collect enough points at stage finishes to win the Green Jersey in Paris.
Meanwhile rival Mathieu van der Poel has taken a very keen interest in competing for the Green Jersey and is in well range with scoring enough points.
The GC battle is pending a Tadej first and Jonas second result but is an ongoing battle to see who gains the 3rd podium position, and things can go wrong and upsets can happen so nothing is settled yet…
Stage 16 : Tue 22 July Montpellier - Mont Ventoux (172km) Mountains
Stage 17 : Wed 23 July Bollène - Valence (161km) Flat
Stage 18 : Thu 24 July Vif - Courchevel Col de la Loze (171km) Mountains
Stage 19 : Fri 25 July Albertville - La Plagne (130km) Mountains
Stage 20 : Sat 26 July - Nantua - Pontarlier (185km) Hilly
Stage 21 : Sun 27 July Mantes-la-Ville - Paris Champs-Élysées (120km) Flat
6 Likes
So… the only one Tadej Pogačar can’t win is the “Best Young Rider” 
3 Likes
He used to win them too every year when he was under 25 
Just my opinion but i think they should reduce it by a year to under 24s
6 Likes