"I got carried away and I paid for it" - Carlos Rodriguez sees Tour de France podium hopes ride away on stage 15 summit finish
Cycling
Carlos Rodriguez looked like one of the best bets to challenge Remco Evenepoel for the line spot on the podium at the 2024 Tour de France. Instead of moving up the general classification on stage 15 however, the INEOS Grenadiers leader saw himself slip down from 5th to 6th.
“I felt good at the start, but then on the climb it was impossible to stay in front. I got carried away by the rivals in front and I paid for it. I suffered a lot in the last kilometres, but I gave it my all, and in that sense I can't ask for more,” analysed Rodriguez in his post-stage interview, with quotes collected by AS.
“I have to be satisfied with having given everything," continues the Spaniard, not getting too down hearted about his chances just yet however. "I would have liked not to lose time, of course, but it was also important how protected I felt with the team, they looked after me very well. The sensations were not the best, but I hope to repay my teammates for their work with a victory next week.”
As mentioned, Rodriguez now sits 6th in the general classification, having seen compatriot Mikel Landa usurp him for 5th position. Although 11:27 down on race leader Tadej Pogacar, Rodriguez is now 6:08 down on Remco Evenepoel and the podium places.
2024 Tour de France stage 15 results:
| 1 | POGACAR Tadej | UAE Team Emirates | 210 | 05:13:55 |
| 2 | VINGEGAARD Jonas | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 150 | + 01:08 |
| 3 | EVENEPOEL Remco | Soudal Quick-Step | 110 | + 02:51 |
| 4 | LANDA Mikel | Soudal Quick-Step | 90 | + 03:54 |
| 5 | ALMEIDA Joao | UAE Team Emirates | 70 | + 04:43 |
| 6 | YATES Adam | UAE Team Emirates | 55 | + 04:56 |
| 7 | BUITRAGO Santiago | Bahrain Victorious | 45 | + 05:08 |
| 8 | RODRIGUEZ Carlos | INEOS Grenadiers | 40 | + 05:08 |
| 9 | CARAPAZ Richard | EF Education-EasyPost | 35 | + 05:41 |
| 10 | GALL Felix | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 30 | + 05:57 |
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- I was wondering what really happened, if he was just not yet peaking at this time of the year, or if this just wasn't going to be his year, but apparently the accident affected him.Ride197413-03-2025
- There is good in everyone. Hitler was kind to his dog wasn't he?Cyclingsbestfan13-03-2025
- We all hope it, like parents, but those type of children only learn from their own mistakes ;-) Yeah, feel lucky I heal pretty fast, even at advanced age but we don’t really get to see how things look under their clothes. For sure they have better pain killers but I don’t ever remember feeling much pain when in a state to ride on, the adrenaline seems to just focus on that one objective. Later is another thing, I once (only time ever) fainted in the shower an hour post accident when trying to clean a wound, luckily another rider who’d witnessed it had sacrificed himself not to leave my side.Mistermaumau13-03-2025
- Yep. But if you hit something stationary at 40 mph, your life is changed. And even just sliding ... the fastest I ever crashed was 35 mph in a race, and it was almost 2 months before the last scabs disappeared. These guys heal much faster, but the pain is the same. I am hoping P is more careful so that he has a long career that ends when he decides. But he doesn't seem built that way.
Barney13-03-2025 - He’s lucky Mohoriç warned him not to follow (and that for once he listened to wiser) because the way M only just avoided disaster that day, T would have done a Senna. Regarding the 40mph, it’s not usually hitting the deck that’s crucial, it’s acrobatics and stationary objects that refuse to move much that do the damage.Mistermaumau13-03-2025
- If you consider ALL the details, things were not as bad as we’ve come to expect from organisers, especially lately, however much can still be improved, especially communication wise. I guess saying the race is neutralised is maybe not enough to be clear in the “heat” of the action, perhaps adding a warning to stay tuned and not remove earpieces, to know if and when the race might resume would help. Weather is completely random so it can go both ways when things reach a limit and BOTH sides should always be prepared for that. As for harshness of conditions, 10cm of snow is less dangerous and difficult than sleet or iced roads, riding on without stopping is easier than restarting after cooling off, everyone is different, Hinault was kind of a European average built man with his 173/68 at the time, Jonas could play an extra in a concentration camp scene, all respect for him and all the others for finishing, some people’s moaning (from their comfy sofa) made it sound like he abandoned before complaining.Mistermaumau13-03-2025
- I was thinking the exact same thing as Kelly in the moment before the crash: if Pidcock is backing off your wheel while bombing a descent, you are going too fast. So many people talk about how dominant Pogacar is and how boring this makes cycling. However, with the stomach-churning risks he takes, his era could end on any day, just as it did for Froome and Bernal. I was surprised to see him remount after hitting the deck at 40-plus mph. I understand why his girlfriend can't even watch his descents. I am going to enjoy his time while it lasts.Barney13-03-2025
- Another brain dead take from the org. While they stayed cozy in their warm carsabstractengineer13-03-2025
- Ahhh, and there was me watching and thinking we might finally get an uncommented article. Now you leave Frieders no choice but to participate ;-)Mistermaumau13-03-2025
- I don’t think that was the sense he was conveying. Anyway, can’t change him much more, Tadej is a little like the Senna of cycling, will do as he wants and has to live with the consequences. MAYBE the fall will swing the heart/mind balance. For cycling popularity and fan discussions it won’t hurt to now have a Tour with a fit Jonas and Tadej having to recover from a nasty crash at P-R.Mistermaumau13-03-2025