+0
06:56
+2
07-01-2026 08:11
+25
30-11-2025 04:18
14-11-2025 22:48
08-11-2025 14:08
+4
09-10-2025 05:59
+5
30-09-2025 23:51
+8
24-07-2025 08:17
23-07-2025 11:32
+12
22-07-2025 02:19
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+0
FredMan
I googled "great cyclists" and found this listing of "overall all-time ranking of the best professional cyclists in the world since 1869".. Merckx is #1 of course.. Pogacar is #7, Poulidor (MVDP's grandpa) is #8, etc.. Kwiatkowski (who is he) is #100.. MVDP is #117.. If we keep on arguing about this, maybe they'll just erase this listing..06:56
+2
FredMan
Van Aert's presence in the TDF is all about winning a stage or two, and also assisting teammates who figure in the GC battle. In that sense, his winning the final stage is special, for him and for the team. What made it even more special is he beat the overall champ in the process who, surprisingly, figured out in the battle for stage honors. Tadej, however, did not appear to be all-out in trying to win the stage.. he was just that good, that on the final stage, injury and all, and without taking unnecessary risks, he found himself in front of the peloton and simply allowed his racing instinct take over.07-01-2026 08:11
+25
FredMan
This is why Tadej is so likable.. he rises above pettiness and somehow elevates the discourse by his intelligence.30-11-2025 04:18
+0
FredMan
I seriously doubt the intentions of writers who keep harping on the frailties of a once-respected competitor. It only goes to show that cycling lacks any relevance to present-day concerns, if all we can write about is the opinion of people who lament the greatness of the current crop of riders. RDV may be old, but he's still entitled to his opinions, but to air them repeatedly only exposes him to ridicule, and that is not fair, from the journalistic POV.14-11-2025 22:48
+0
FredMan
Polls are, by nature, popularity contests.. so why argue? For unbiased POV, per UCI world ranking, Pogacar ranks 1st with 11,600+ points.. Vingegaard is 2nd with 5900+ points, Del Toro is 3rd with 5600+ points.. MVDP is 8th with 3830+ points, behind Pedersen (5000+), Almeida (4300+), Evenepoel (4100+) and Pidcock (3880+). Van Aert is 10th (2900+). These are based on official results, regardless of whether you watched the races or not.08-11-2025 14:08
+4
FredMan
If it's any consolation, it has been proven that Tadej is not unbeatable. Jonas did so in TDF 2022 and 2023. MVDP beat him twice in the classics.. Milan-Sanremo 2025 and Paris-Roubaix 2025. Skjelmose beat him in a photo-finish at Amstel-Gold race.. WVA gave him a sound beating at Champs-Elysees prior to his crowning as champion of TDF2025. Remco humiliated him in ITT-Worlds 2025, putting 2 mins+ and overtaking him in a 30km race. IMO, his dominance shouldn't be taken as a negative for pro cycling. I wouldn't lose excitement seeing Usain Bolt try to beat the clock at 9 sec in the century dash, even without Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, or Ben Johnson in the starting line.09-10-2025 05:59
+5
FredMan
In life, everyone is forced to play the cards one is dealt with. He was supreme in the time trials, dealt the reigning TDF champion his worst defeat in a race. He then self-destructed in the road race, losing a minute and a half in total in a fit of anger, but he could have recovered that deficit, given how he demolished Pogacar in the time trials, putting almost 2 minutes on him on a 32 km mano-a-mano effort. Except that after 240 km of brutal racing, both of them were running pretty much on empty at that point. Pogacar won his 2nd rainbow jersey, but overall, I think Remco was the big winner, with gold-silver combo.30-09-2025 23:51
+8
FredMan
UAE is arrogant? Nils Pollitt clarified this, but as usual, this site omitted his explanation. He was telling the rider that the yellow jersey was having a nature break, and that it is an unwritten rule that attacks should be restrained under such conditions. Obviously, it is unfair to attack a rider who is peeing. The peloton also expect the yellow jersey team to control breakaways, so it is normal that UAE would reel in unwanted breakaways. These are racing situations not governed by hard and fast rules. Any rider or any team is free to go in front and take up the peloton pacing activity. It is unwarranted to label this as arrogant behavior. Tadej was merely expressing his opinion on the matter. As for the political stance of UAE, I don't think it is relevant, and media has a way of baiting sports figures to comment on matters unrelated to sports, in order to have something controversial to write about. Let us not allow ourselves to be fooled.24-07-2025 08:17
+8
FredMan
Tadej was climbing Mont Ventoux with the nagging memory of his previous defeat to Jonas on the same climb, where he cracked and was dropped. Vice-versa for Jonas. Naturally, Tadej would be extra cautious this time around. Considering that Jonas said he was feeling 100% pre-stage, and Tadej feeling a bit down with sore throat, I think the result was favorable for Tadej, even more than it is for Jonas, although I cannot fault Jonas for feeling rejuvenated. The forthcoming confrontations would certainly be reason to feel excited about this TdF.23-07-2025 11:32
+12
FredMan
There is an unwritten rule in cycling that says a rider should not attack a fallen opponent. The yellow jersey is expected to exert leadership of the peloton during a race. When Jonas and other riders went down, there was a message on the radio to Tadej (as seen in the TV coverage) to slow down the peloton to allow the fallen cyclists to rejoin the group. Tadej was only doing his best as yellow jersey to stabilize the peloton. His frustration is caused by Jonas' own teammates taking advantage of a situation involving their own leader. Team Visma, and their DS primarily, should have delayed their planned breakaway just to allow the peloton to stabilize after the crash.22-07-2025 02:19