Tour de France 2023 ***spoilers*** Warning in OP

Stage 13, Happy Bastille everyone 😁

So the whole of France will want one of their own to win this one. Unfortunately it's highly unlikely that happens. I don't think the break has any hope. Most climbers are not good on the flat and as you can see from the profile it's pretty flat for over half the stage. They are not going to build enough of a gap on the only other climb of the day.

We are set up for a GC battle on the Grand Colombier. Pog has won it before. He announced himself when beating Roglic on this climb a few years ago.

I think we'll only have two men left at the finish.

I'll go for Pog to get the win and claw another four seconds off Vingegaard's lead. Both men should be fresh so I think it'll come down to a sprint finish between them.

Pinot burned a lot of matches today, if a french person is going to win, Bardet has more of a hope, if he sneaks into a break or gets a headstart on the final climb.

Cant see past one of the big 2 myself either, though.

One TdF stage win. PL must wish he had kept Sam

Are posts being edited by mods for the vague insinuation that 'someone' may be doping?... That's a bit much 😂

The way i see it the tour is Pog’s to lose, its a matter of when not if he takes the YJ off vgg.

The problem he has is that taking the yellow to early means trouble, it means more media work, less rest and most of all contending with jumbo throwing the kitchen sink at him, he will be asking his team to lead out and the relentless attacks that will have to come might actually cause him problems.

I dont doubt that he can get time on vgg today in the last few kms of the Colombier or on sunday at the finish up to saint-gervais and again on Tuesday he could make up time in the TT.

Maybe he will try and get a few seconds today and the time bonus of 10 seconds to make it really close but he looks so comfortable confident and strong that he can decide when he wants to go into yellow over the next few days.

I wouldn't be that confident. I think today will be close between them, as there is only 1 real climb. But tomorrow and Sunday and stages 17 and 20 have a lot more climbing which apparently will suit Jonas more. He also put time on Pog on TT last year. I think it is still all to play for which frankly I'm delighted about, gonna be some great stages to watch.

Superb. The TdF - well cycling generally - can be such a visual feast. There's no other pro sport like it really. Can't wait for retirement and pootering around Europe in a campervan enjoying the different races, landscapes and food.

I don't see a Vingegaard win.

Pog to win in a sprint with Vingogo. He'll the full bonus points + another 2 seconds and claw back the GC gap to 11 seconds.

Still leaves JV with the yellow and all the media drama that comes with it.

Teams don’t care about media drama these days, especially the likes of Jumbo. It’s having to take on control the peloton and making sure nobody with GC hopes goes off in a big break etc, burning more energy than the team in 2nd sitting behind

the break will prob need 5/6 mins lead at the bottom of the colombier if it’s going to succeed

Ewan abandons