For the team, so I, I think Taday is going to spring a surprise tomorrow.
He's done that every time this year to make a statement. He's made big statement. He's made big statement this year as he has. When someone else has done something like you're on a swimsuit
“gear, Taday comes out and we saw it swiss. It's just remarkable things and I think he's going to”
lead that squad tomorrow and put a big statement down. The one would be surprised if Taday won the race tomorrow. All right, everybody. Welcome back to the move podcast. This is the 2026 Tourter France preview show. I am joined right here in the middle. I know he looks a little different this year. Folks, if you're watching Sir Bradley Wiggins, my man is jacked. You're all he rolled up this morning at the gym. I was like, oh no, three weeks in the gym with this guy. Looking great, dog. Thank you.
Yeah, great. I can great of course. And this is the reason I got to say it. It's the reason why the preview show is a little late going up. Our resident diva, Georgine Capy, I just landed just landed. Just landed head meetings for the team last night and I will say full props got up at 330 this morning to get here in time. That's right. Thanks for coming. It's great. Yeah, great for you to be here. Does he need, he looks, it's hard to look at him with every time I'm on Instagram.
Put the put the, put the glass on. It's like this. It's every time. Every time. It's a little dirty. Yeah, it's a, that's the look. That's your look now. He looks different. Oh, just up. Cross the way here. The professor. I love the, uh, in case we ever forget the professor, our chief in house, uh, propeller head Spencer Martin, of course. And joining us on Zoom,
“you're on, I think you're in Madrid. I'm going to assume you're in Madrid. Join us from Madrid.”
Johan Brneal. The greatest of all time. The greatest of all time to, uh, to create strategy, tactics, call a race, motivate a team, the goat. I don't care what anybody says. Let's just go around the horror. I mean, I talked to Jordan now. We're going. I haven't,
and I'm not worried about you. I'm always like my man's solid. Yeah. I heard, I heard stories about the trip
to Belgium. So I knew what to expect with this new look. I folks, by the way, too. I wanted him to come out on the show with this shirt cut off, but he wouldn't do it. By the way, you guys look super sharp in Belgium. Yeah, we did. We were on the whole crew as a super aggressive. Yeah. Sir, we go. Everything good. What's been going on? I've been busy. Yeah. I'm running my bike a lot more. Train every day. A lot's good. You know, it's been two years as I first came out here. Yeah. When my life was
“in a dust bin and it's been great. We're proud of you. Yeah. Thank you. I didn't know you were riding”
more. That's good. So yeah. So you'll be able to ride with me here because he's ready. I haven't got my bike with me because Ben brought my sunbook two bikes. Got it. That has kept you busy. Ben, Ben Wiggins is here. Recent National Champion in the UK. I'm not top 10 on the road race.
I love to the fact that he is here in the studio and knows I always thought that it's a
Bradley new more than anybody. I was wrong. Well, I mean, we're talking about current crop. He maybe knows more. Oh, he's got it. Yeah. He's got it on a lot. But we would call you. I knew who the youngest tool rider ever was. He was 17. Yeah. You know, four. Crazy. Well, we're going to do that. It's like crazy. Yeah. We're going to talk about that because it's it's kind of crazy that you're talking about the youngest rider in the tour at the same time as you're talking
about one of the favorites. Yeah. Who would have ever thought that before I jumped to George, Bradley, I listened to you on on the you put it up on your IG. So I listened to the back your body podcast. All right. I loved it. You know, I loved it. By the way, I love podcast in our three hours long. You get these ones like you're opening. You're like, oh, no, this is three hours and 15 minutes. Is that one in the half it? No, it was like 35 minutes.
It was like, she was great. You were great. Folks, if you're looking for something to do for half an hour, check it out. Back your body. I forget the lady's name. But she, she, it was a, it's a great listen. And it shows you. It shows you. I mean, I don't want to make light or, or, or rush over two years ago. It's man's a different man. So then you talk a lot about it. Yeah, right, incense of written a book. And, uh, right here, the proof is in the pudding.
George, what's, what do you, I'm, well, I kind of know what you've been up to, run in the team. Yeah. And so keeps just killing people. Yeah, it's been a, it's been a really exciting year
with the team. We started off really good in Saudi Arabia. We just went our first stage race in
Belgium, the beginning of June. And it's been commuting back and forth to Europe all year,
Trying to balance family time.
And, but it's been fun. I can't complain. It's been really, really, uh, purposeful to be part of this project. And Lucas on the bike. Lucas on the bike. And he's, you'll see him next week. He's coming here to visit us. And, yeah, it's been fun watching him. Did you see my comment? I think you put up a roco post with you and look out right in. See it. Did you didn't see my comment? Oh, I was very proud of
“myself. We put up the pick of the two of y'all riding. I think a roco roco put it out. That's why I didn't”
see it. It was a collab. But I said, I said, it warms my heart that pretty soon,
Georgian capi will be the third fastest. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's only. Well, Lucas 12 right now.
The first time I got dropped by Enzo with when he was 14. So I'm hoping he keeps that trajectory and the same trajectory as Enzo had. Yeah. Spencer, what's what's going on? You just got back from London. Yeah. All good with you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We don't have to get into my personal life. Nobody. That's it's too complicated. But yeah, in family still in London, Fox jumped in the sun's window last night. Well, that's kind of the news from the front. Oh, for me. Yeah. You think
commuting back? That is something wrong. Yeah. Yeah. We liked it. Yeah. Boy, we thought, you know, yeah. Dad's in the Rocky Mountains. We're here. Like, this is where the wildfires and your family's chilling in London. And that's way wilder. Oh, yeah. Then anything that happens here. Which, by the way, that video you posted a day with you running into the bear. Yeah. That trail looked very familiar. So that was about there. Big dog too. Yeah. They're out and about. Look,
look, where what'd you do? Turn around. No. No, I didn't turn around. Everybody asked me that. What'd you do? Did you run? Did you turn around? No. You just, I just stood there. He's not going to do anything. I mean, these bears are out here. They're used to humans. Yeah. And I just stood there. Now, it took long enough. And I thought, I don't want to turn around because I'm, I'm going where I'm going. Y'all know. I don't like the turn around. Yeah. And when I got sick of making the video and waiting,
I just kind of moved a little and he just turned and went up in the bushes. But that was upper, that's upper hummingbird trail up in the Hunter Creek Valley. But it's a weird time in Colorado right now. I mean, we have wildfires and forest fires all around the Rocky Mountains. It's very smoky. So, and you could see if you go back and look, the bear was, I mean, I think it's affecting,
“you know, their food source. And it's, so that was the only thing you freak me out. I'm like this,”
hang on. Like he's, his diet is probably not the same as it was. Other summers. But fortunately, and I wasn't that worried and he turned up in the bushes anyhow. Enough of that. Y'all on, what's going on over there? Not much. I've been riding my bike quite a bit. So, and then also I have a son who races. So, I'm going back and forth to the races. The races also a lot of the races in Spain are in the north of Spain. So, there's a lot of traveling involved. Okay, you get car time.
You get to, that's when, that's when they can't go far. You get to, they have to talk to you. You know, it's every time we pull you in on Zoom that you have a different graphic. You know,
you've done a lot of work building these things out. I love it. Put it back up for a second. I'm
just curious. There's a notable, absent, a person missing from this graphic, especially for you, Johan. I do not see Remco in. No, I'm not putting him in the top three. Based on what I've seen this year, although, you know, when we can talk about it, I have some information about him that actually might change my prediction. But who, at least for, and then also the third guy of last year, Lipovitz is missing in this picture. Yeah. I can see that. I remember the last one he's just
signing you on two years ago. Yeah, not put Remco in the top reading for him. And yeah. By the way, you, on this is, it's Friday. We're not allowed to have you on the show again until after Monday.
“Now, the world cup is going on. This has been fun. I don't like soccer. I think these get,”
but I, all of a sudden, I like it. Like I'm loving this thing. I'm watching. I'm America's playing good. And I'm like into it. I mean, watching the other countries, fucking cynical and Belgium. I mean, I want to leave them here. I'm watching all these games. And you know what I love? And for the listener or viewer, whoever you're doing, I sort of got pretty soon. We're going to talk about the sort of friends. The thing I wish, I think they should
just go straight to penalty kicks. Don't even do the other. Maybe play for like 5-10 minutes and then go to penalty kicks. That's the best. If that happens, like, I'm every game. I'm like, I hope it goes to penalty kicks. I'm sure they say that about our sport. Why don't they just
go straight to the sprint? No, our, why don't we, we're never going to crash. Yeah, we're never going to
crash. Yeah, that's yeah. But so you're on. So Monday, we got USA Belgium. So we'll chat with you
Today, but we're not going to talk before that.
I'm kind of bummed because the game's not going to be on because you famously hate soccer. Yeah. And you were in Columbia place tonight. You'll be watching that in your house. I mean, I watch so much soccer. I was watching one of these other countries. I don't even know what country it was. There was a guy on this country's team, South American team. His name was Hink at Ecuador. Yeah. And Ecuador. And I texted George. I said, bro, are you sure that you're not Ecuadorian?
“And he's saying, no, bro, same, same name. But that's how closely I'm watching the world cup.”
Well, he's a good guy. And I'm all I'm all in, man. It's an interesting case study and how the world cup pulls you in. Yeah. Yeah. And it's here. So the the games are not at weird times and you can see zero to watch. Aren't you glad you're here? Yeah. Yeah. We're going to try and get to a game. You got a big game coming up. By the way, England makes it. I watch that game, Mexico, whatever. Really. It's altitude. Yeah. The Aztec. Yeah. Yeah. And do all these who look
in like the British soccer people that I've heard about and read about and watch documentaries, about do they go to that game? I don't think it's the ATs anymore. You know, boy, that would be something like that. Because those Mexicans, those are those were who lookins. I want that. Who didn't have it existed since the 1980s? Really. Oh, I mean, it was kind of a time. And the modern day football fans a lot more. Well, they really crack down on it. Yeah. Yeah.
It was a big, I don't know if this is true or not. I'm not worth saying. But like the Thatcher government was thing about banning football at one point. It was like that out of control. Wow. I mean, they don't. You can see it's hard to watch. You can't like watch a game in a pub like a Premier League game. They don't even have a month. They don't want people getting too
“routing. Okay. All right. Well, let's talk about bike racing. That's what we're here for. That's”
what we're going to do for three weeks. By the way, do 113th edition of the Tour de France? Think about that. That is, I love that. Yeah. Going back. Whatever early 1900s, you were joking before the show, talking about Paul Saceos, the youngest rider in the race. And apparently he's not the youngest ever. There was another guy in 1904. So Bradley said, I remember it well. But let's, let's get into it. I look, let me just kick it off. If you look at the race, it's, it's an odd, it's an odd.
I think it's an odd parkour, right? Even if you just looked at the map, it's really focused on the south and the southeast. You know, you really, it's, I don't know. I love the starting Barcelona. I think it's odd. The passage, the stages or stage, literally stage one stage in the Pyrenees. I don't know. It's just, it's a different tour. I will say, and we talk about it every year, because we loved it. I'm sure you guys loved it. Thank God the team time trials back. I'm excited for that.
Right. But it's, it's, uh, it's an interesting one. Having said that, like this was the kind of thing
that we always said, whatever the race, whatever, uh, of course they give us is the one that we have to
adapt to and the one that we have to figure out. Like if they say it's 21 days of criteria is around Paris, well, we also have to figure that out too. It's, it's their race. It's, they dictate the course. But it's, it's, it's unique. And day one was a different salon on it, doesn't it? Yes, when was the last team time trial before this year? You know, East, yeah, East. Yeah, East, New Year's ago, wasn't it? Yeah, wait, a East team time trial. Wasn't there a team? Well, that was a long time ago.
But that's when they started in course again, then they flew over and did one in East. But it's sort of two to get the 2019 win. Yeah, 2011 we had team time trials, but then, yeah, yeah, they were more traditional way. Yeah, it's a finished five guys. And those are some of my favorite
events, but traditionally the team time trial is day three, five. It's like in the first week where
you're all the cop webs out. Like there is no margin for error in a team time trial. It is the most stressful event in cycling. One of my favorites, doing it with lands. We won a couple of times. Just, I mean, it's the most technical, stressful event you can do in cycling. And to start off the sort of rants like these guys, the last three days is not like they're sitting around like they're act doing a ton of activation practice warming up, figuring out the, the start order, the finish,
the middle order, the finish order now with these different protocols. Well, uh, when they go, well, there's an incredible team bombed around us. It's amazing. Yeah. If you use nothing like
“for it, because when you get back to the hotel, the trust you have to have in your team is going”
40 plus miles an hour, 60 k plus an hour. I think people to get, you see sides of people that
you've never seen on the bike. That's how it's, it's a great. That's right. Yeah, and it's at sunset
in the middle of a city. Yeah, to add to the complexity and different rule this year. No, yeah, because what was it in your guys that it was the fifth rider? That's where they had to finish right. Yeah. When they were nine riders, it would have been the fifth, the time of the team would have been the fifth rider. And now it's individual times. Which is going to mean it. It is an uphill finish. And there's a climb, there's two climbs. So there's a climb before they get to the uphill finish
Then uphill finish.
hold on your team on the first climb to help you get to the final climb or do you go slow? This is,
yeah. Yeah. So it's an interesting guy. It's rejuvenated the event having this rule change. Yes, it has. And it's brought it back into the tour. I want to, you're on. This would be really interesting. Like how would you use us in this new rule change in the team time trial? Like back in the day. You know, it depends on the composition of the team, of course. You know, of course. So, you know, 2015 this course. I mean, I would, I would use the real time trial specialist
a lot in the first half. They, I mean, basically their, their race is done with 5, 6k. I mean, it's 19k, right? Yeah. So 5, 6k to go. And then, I mean, it depends on the leader. If there's somebody who can be with the leader on the first climb. So you would use the, you would use me early
on the flats, the first 5, 6k. Oh, yeah. And then big calls were like, what minute poles are
“with two or two of the guys? No, no, you have to turn. I mean, you have to, you have to, we have”
for that speed. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This is probably what, for example, what Enails is going to do. You know, they have, they have Ghana, they have, uh, Tar, they have another strong time trial. It's so, I mean, I think personally that they, if you look at the strength of the team for the pure team time trial, Enails has the strongest team. Yeah. Uh, of all these, now the, you know, the way this course is designed with the do climbs at the end. And the fact that is the leader who needs to come
in first, they probably won't win because these stronger guys like Pugachar, like Remko, for example, they can make up some time on those two climbs. Uh, but I think if you look at the, the total strength of the team, Enails, uh, I mean, when, not the company, Enails, we have to say now, right? Uh, they have, they have a really strong team for this. But who's the closer on that team?
Like who's going to cross line first? Yeah, that's, that's the thing. I mean, uh, obviously Oscar
only is out. We have after the crack. Don't we need to hack a line like on I guess or he's, uh,
“he was questionable too, right? I think he started with sick, but he's starting. Yeah. He's good,”
but he's he. I was not doing good. I mean, don't you know, he was not, he was not looking very good. So I don't think going to be a factor for, I mean, I mean, top 10 would be, you know, really good, but not in the top 5, I think. Uh, no, with this one, with this one, with this, but, um, yeah, I mean, you know, they had to have to reinvent the strategy, I think, but for tomorrow for the team time trial, I can see them up there in the top 3. I guess they have to, do they have
to buy as fast? I should have checked that before I said his name. He was really good at Switzerland. Yeah, he was fourth. Yeah. Yeah. He, that could be, that could be the one, maybe. Uh, well, why we're talking about the team time trial. Let's just look at the profile, because this is, this is what makes it interesting. If you pull it up here, that there is what does this, the first 16 kilometers of it is, is, is for these guys to just, for the, for the, for the, uh, the guys who
can just roll at 60 plus K an hour. But then look, I mean, the last four, five, uh, kilometers, um, is when it gets hard, and they have this rule where it doesn't, it isn't the fourth or fifth guy. It's, uh, it's, uh, it's going to open it, which I just think I actually love this, right? You have these teams with two, two great guys. Uh, obviously UAE is going to have Poguchar and Diltoral, uh, but you see, I mean, the last four K you've got, um, we've got some work to, okay, at five
percent, a little fall downhill, and then 800 meters at seven percent. So you got a Poguchar and a Diltoral, Diltoral, he's got to stay. He wants to stay there. And then on the record, apparently, Red Bull has said that Rimko and Lippov, it's, it's every man for himself. I, that's got if you're weird. The quote team, you imagine that dinner table? Yeah, and the quote is, they will have to fight it out between themselves on the road. Which is strange. Yeah, one, considering a year ago,
we were talking about Rimko going to that team. Yep. And the prospect of him leading that team with the departure of, you know, yeah, a few others. And, and now he's found himself in this position where he's now battling the leadership. Is it a false, or are they trying to get ahead
“of the story? I don't know. That's what I would think. Yeah. So I mean, clearly, they must have a plan”
in place for those two guys. I mean, they got a really strong team to get them to the bottom of the climb together. But who's going to take that first pool? I would say, on the time drop bike, Rimko. Oh, yeah. Yeah, because he can ride a time drop like a road bike uphill. Yeah, up. Yeah. Well, if he folks, if you're at home wanting to watch a juicy interesting side story, there is, that's one. And you might be watching. They go back to race. They're not many people
can produce the same watts on a TT bike that they can on a climb. You could, you probably could. Yeah, I was glad to go. I did enough time, but not very many people. Yeah. Yeah. But Rimko looked more home on his time drop, but then he doesn't need road bikes.
No, if they let him race the road station as TT bike, he might climb better, ...
And I wonder he's like, eight pounds lighter. So yeah, but we're expecting better climbing from
that one. Yeah. What might be the scoop that you're on. Yes. One of the things Rimko does really well, is he stays in the TT position on the climbs, which is a big, big advantage, huge advantage. Because yeah, I got the World Championships last year where he was in the TT position the whole time on a hilly course. Yeah. And that might be the difference between him and lip of each today tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow. Yeah, right. I know it feels like today because George got here so late, but I did check the weather.
We've done stages in Barcelona in the past where there where there has been rain. This is just get your ice skates out. If it is raining in Barcelona, it is not where it looks ideal.
“You remember the last time we finished there in 2009? I do unfortunately.”
Yeah, I remember who won the stage. To a shelf. Yeah, we started. It was on. It wasn't it.
Right. They had those metal cup. There were some construction areas and they had to just put down these metal plates. Every corner we went through. It was just a day. Someone's skating out. Yeah. No, thank you. Let's, we'll take a little commercial break here and then we'll talk about just the the other 20 days or the other 20 stages. I'm curious what Johan has to say for Rimko scoop. It might be the A-pounds he lost.
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wallfills are my personal favorite. Again, the OG stoop awful. Use the code the move 25 for 25 percent off at honey stinger.com/themove25. Honey stinger.com/themove25. All right, that's a bad. We'll faster. Rather was. Let's talk about the tour. Let's talk about the favorites. But do we get Johan's pick on who's going to win this steam time trial? Oh, Johan. Well, he thought any else was was that your personal pick though or you mean I didn't know we were picking
effects? No, I think in a else has a strong team for a team-time trial. But looking at the course,
I think it's going to be between UAE and Visma, especially because both of th...
two riders who will be going faster and their teammates on the last two clients. Visma with
Jorgensen and Jonas and then UAE with the total and in Pulachar. So, I'm going to favor UAE man. Which
“you were you wins? What's that? Which you you which UAE is going to win the stage?”
Oh, Pulachar. Okay. I like can I go? Yeah, I was going to go. I like Red Bull. I mean, if really, if the frame goes on his TT fitness, let's say this was an individual time trial. He potentially put almost a minute into Pulachar. That is best. And he's got a strong team behind him. So, I'm going to go with those guys, Red Bull. They keep their teams together really well too. Yeah, I've got to really good pick George. You know, I just wanted to, you know, like
we're talking about Red Bull. I think it's going to be really interesting to see to I'm curious to see tomorrow. Yeah. What's going to happen with the anti-airy ramco and little which should arrive together, right? And I'm going to predict that's not going to happen because Ramco wants to go for yellow tomorrow. And he's not waiting. And I think on a time trial and a short effort and especially after having seen some of his interviews in for for Belgian TV, the way he looks,
you know, as you said, he's four kilos lighter. Yeah. It's confidence is, I mean, he sounds really confident and traditionally. Ramco is known to come out of training camp. I mean, 68 days without racing, I think. He's known to be like flying when he comes from him. And probably not much trapped on his will either. No, no. Johannes, at the end tell that you had the coming out of the training camp and the four kilos lighter. Four kilos, the four kilos. But he said it, he said it himself,
but it's very visible also when you look at him. But Johan quick quick, Johan I agree with you. I think he's unbeatable when he drops and he helicopters in from training camps and there's no draft. He's going to crush it. Four kilos lighter than win, though, like four. Then this spring. So that's what I want to do. And so in my opinion, that was done on purpose. Like, he did look bigger in the spring, but maybe that's just part of the whole plan. The tour de France plan,
like race in the spring, four kilos heavier. We know you can get to this way before the tour
“de France. And that's going to make a huge difference. That's what I'm thinking. What you all think?”
You have beyond to something there. Look, what I think is, to me, four kilos is a lot. If you just hear that you think that's a lot, it really the way to think about these is on a percentage basis.
Right. If you were I lost four kilos percentage wise, that's nice. He's never heavy to start with.
I don't know what he was before. He lost the, but percentage wise that that is a big difference of what he is feeling is that percentage. Right. And so it also is a, that's a delicate dance. I mean, there's, you want to be as lean and as strong as possible. You can also, at times be, it doesn't look like we're going to have extreme weather or rain or cold, which we've had in, you know, decades ago. But percentage wise, he's going to feel like a different
rider. And I wonder how it compares to when he was third to you. I was just going to say that. Yeah. Because that, he was in great form there. But he won the Olympic straight off. Mm-hmm. It could be similar. Yeah. And he was very skinny all the way like that. Mm-hmm. I'm thinking of any part of the master plan. Bradley, he's a master tour de France.
“I love it. So for the team-toe draw, I, I, I think Taday is going to spring a surprise tomorrow.”
He's done that every time this year to make a statement. He's made big statement this year. He has any, when someone else has done something like Jonas wins a year, Taday comes out and we sort Swiss. He's just remarkable things. And I think he's going to lead that squad tomorrow and put a big statement down. Wouldn't be surprised if Taday won the race tomorrow. Mm-hmm. Switzerland was one of the most incredible. I was at that race and it was,
it felt like you were watching something that's never happened.
Yeah. He on a sprint stage, rode away. Yeah. And just just won the overall on. It's in the same and what he's doing right now. Yeah. And then before that, Romantic, and then before that, you know, he won his second tour of Flanders. And he's doing it. And it's just never done those races before. Mm-hmm. You know, the first race of the year wins Milan, Sam Ramos. We, he's,
phenomenal. Yeah. Yeah. And he looked heavier in the spring as well. Yeah. Yeah. He's lighter now. He's definitely... Yeah, I'm happy. You'd hope so. It's a winning fact. I think the fact, you know, I think what we're all curious to see you. Well, you know, what they haven't raised against each other, right? We're going to say, okay, it's Bogachar and Jonas. There's nobody else. I mean, close. I think not even sexist.
How do they rank against each other? And we're only going to find out in the Tour de France.
But, you know, Bogachar is the huge favorite.
You, Jonas has the best performance of the year. Climbing performance? Not climbing performance. Yeah. So what? You tell my like true, true van. Yes. I mean, there's a list. And then they calculate the watts per kilo. And then they give it a score based on how long they can maintain those watts per kilo. So the best part of the year is Jonas
in stage 20 in the in the zero on Bianca Vallo. And then the second best performance is that they just
have behind. He does more watts per kilo, but the effort is shorter. So I think I think, you know, the most of what climb was that. The tonne did that on.
“That's what's all right. Not too long. It was 34 minutes at 6.95 watts per kilo. Yeah.”
Just, you know, Johan, you know, this, those climbs in the zero or much steeper, not much, but they're, they're, they're a bit steeper. So it's, it's easier to to put up an incredible van performance when you have a climb that's, that's, that's, that's, that's steep. But also that's not forget that was day 20 of the zero. So I mean, when he said stage 20, that's the, that's, that's stuck in my head. I'm like, whoa. And up until that point,
it never even really looked like he hit threshold on zero. Yeah. So arguably, he may have had the
best training camp you can ever have leading up to the sort of France. And Johan, I did not know that fact. That's actually super interesting. Perhaps is even making the race more exciting. But just for, for example, you know, I, I mean, I would have to look back, but I don't think actually that forgot to our did any climb. I was just going to say that. Yeah. So he isn't
“had the chance to match it because he's not done it. Right. Yeah. Well, like how often would you”
do a 40 minute climb? Like a pro, almost never, because these guys are going so fast. It's hard to even find climbs to take them 30 minutes. Yeah. Well, they're going to have, as is the case, this nowadays in cycling, they're going to know exactly how fast these guys went up the last 800 meters at 7%. You know, GC-wise, three weeks down the road-wise, it doesn't matter 510, 15 seconds, but it does matter. Oh, it does. It's a huge one. For the middle game here, more fair tomorrow.
And then they're going to be breaking down these times on this last little climb and it matters. Like whoever does lose five eight seconds. Oh, yeah. Man, they're like, it's just, you don't want to be that guy. It matters. We do go into the mountains pretty soon after though. So it's not like we have a week to stew on it because stage three. Very different to last year's very different. The opposite almost. What do you think about this route lands? I just said at the
top of the show. I don't know. I mean, yeah, you go through the Pyrenees. You go over the tourmalay and then you have what we finish on a climb that's 18 km at 3%. Do you think it's a
haul tool on paper? Well, it's a complicated tool, but there's a couple of ways to look first
while we, you know, the athletes are the ones who make it hard. You know, they would say, listen, total vertical elevation climbed is more than maybe ever. So you look at here that and you're saying, well, it's got to be hard. But it's the athletes that make it hard. I just don't, I don't know how you go through the Pyrenees and your summit finish is an 18 km 3% climb. I have no interest in watching that. Well, when you have this interesting, sorry. Rather, it was interesting
with the Giro. I thought it was like a lot of these breakways made it to the finish and it wasn't like the best. That's kind of cool. Which to me, made it really exciting racing to watch. I'm kind of hoping something similar happens in this Tour de France, although depends on how much Jonas or a poker trial winner win each stage. But if not, it makes the racing so much more exciting and dynamic to watch. Yeah. I was going to say that the, you just be a fair factor around the Pyrenees.
Yeah. You know, when you, you thought you had the Pyrenees to come and with very little in the Pyrenees this year, it makes it a very different race. Well, especially this year, it's been so hot. And when you ride the Pyrenees, you have that gritty ass of all that kind of melts your tires.
“That's about as hard as it gets. I remember those days went well. On the climbs of steeper on”
the as well. I mean, they, they are making up for it, though. Like stage 15, some, like some, finish is like 11k long at 10%. It's brutal, brutal, some finish. And then you, that's not even in the Alps. And then you go into the Alps. And you do double up to as, that's not going to be so easy problem. Double up to as, yeah, that's going to be an interesting one. Yeah. Yeah. And it's a different way. It's a different way up this day. Yeah. That's saving some money for ASO.
They don't have to reset up the finish line. Let's go. Yeah. And, and, but just back to your other question, I mean, we have fully fast forward to the Alps. I mean, yes, people are going to see, oh, AlptoS twice. That that's interesting. Okay. Day one, classic AlptoS finish. Day two. It's, I had to look on Google and found like, where, how are we getting there? Yeah. I even know there
Was a road back there.
So not the way we rode that one year, we did the recon, like, Johan? They did it. They did it in the tool one year. Like, didn't they? Yeah. We went down that roof. We're blown one year. Yeah. Yeah. Well, hopefully there will be a road, because I don't know if you guys saw the images. There was a huge mudslides. And not another one of those. I mean, it's ASO. I mean, they have authorities on their sides. So I'm, I'm pretty confident that they could be able to clean it up
for it within days, but I saw some images. It didn't look pretty. It was really bad. Should we go over the other favorites on the, let's talk. Let's finish with favorites. I want to go over on the horn and just get sort of your, if you look at the route in just three or whatever, two to five things that stick out. It could be a rider. It could be some element of the race. It could be the route. It could be anything, right? Let's start with you, Bradley.
Help to us twice. I mean, I'm looking forward to that. This team time trial is I can't really see
“pass that this stage, because I think it's going to set the tone of the next few days in those”
periods. If Remco is in yellow or if Tadays in yellow, it changes the dynamic of the next few days in terms of controlling it. We're not really going to be talking much about the sprinters in this first week or a while, which is different to any other year. So the team time trial is, I want to really king to see how this plays out. And then, of course, it's until we get into, they turn 11 to 12. You know, it's interesting. You say, and I can't see past the team time trial. You know what else is true?
200 guys that are starting tomorrow. Also, cannot see past the team time trial. Like it's, it's that unique. It's, it's back. It's, the format is different. They, that nobody is thinking about stage four. No. Yeah. No. It's cool. It's cool that they've done that. I think they've made a good, yeah, this first couple days. I'm excited about the Tour de France debut times. Some of the best, most talked about riders second to Poguchar and Bindigo, of course,
del Toro and sexos. They're first Tour de France. Obviously, del Toro did an amazing
zero last year. So we know he can do a grand tour, but we'll see how he works out working for Poguchar and sexos. He's like the most talked about kid in cycling right now. And he's got
“the weight of the country on his shoulders. So I think it's going to be really interesting to see”
how those two performed throughout these next three weeks. And of course, and also the sort of the leadership role with Red Bull with the Ramco and Leapowitz. I mean, what's going to happen there? Obviously, Leapowitz was third last year. Ramco was third two years ago. They both want to at least do that as well. So it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out. I'm looking forward to watch that. Spencer. Yeah, so yeah, we should say Paul six Os, every exciting 19-year-old
Frenchman in theory could finish on the podium. In theory could win it. No French winters in 41 years. I'm I'm in a Zag on that, though. I'm excited about Ezek del Toro. He's old compared to Seixos. He's only 22 though Mexican rider. He's probably not going to win the race if we're being honest because I think Teddy Pagotcher is going to win, but I'm very curious. I think he gets
second place. I'm very curious to see how he does. He was incredible at the Dolphin A. I think he could
do you think he was as good as Seixos at the Dolphin A? I feel like Seixos was, I think he would have beat. I think he'd better. I mean, he did technically win against him. So, you know, Han? I don't know. Well, you know, Han, what do you think? Do you think he would have beat? Just like Seixos was better than Seixos before the ground. I mean, Spencer, I sent you that little clip from a spectator. We're here last time or whatever. Yeah.
I like in the wheel. Yeah. He's really cool. I'm really good. I'm curious to see, you know, what, of course, Jonas and Bogachar, one thing, another thing that we didn't talk about of Jonas is that apparently, allegedly, he was 60 kilos at the giro and he's 57 kilos
“now. Oh, my goodness. He gets skinnier every year. How is this? 57? 57. That's what I've read today.”
I'm a bit concerned about that though because, you know, he did do the giro. Yeah. He did, he did not have to go full gas, but it's a long time. And the way this tour de France is designed, you know, it's stage 15 really being plateau Solazonde, the big climb where Dolphin A and the time draw and then 18, 19, and 20. Man, you have to save some for the last week because everything can change there. Of course, Jonas has the experience of of round tours and his team also,
but I'm curious to see how the giro is going to impact his condition. And then I'm curious to see
success. You know, I personally, I'm not a fan of him starting the tour de France in his first
ground tour. I think the H. I've heard also that it's purely his decision that he absolutely wanted
To go.
first in the vault. I would have with a great team around him, but he's going to find out. I'm pretty
“sure he's going to do a great first half of the tour, but the tour de France is a different animal”
as we all know, and it will get to him. This is not Dolphin A, or this is not Parini's or or the bus country. So, and a lot of pressure on him. So, here's the seed. And I agree Spencer, I can foresee some scenarios depending on how Vignaguard is, but when the tour of sets the temple for, they're riding away the two of them together. Well, Jon, to your point, I mean, that is what I've heard about Paul Seixas. By the way, how do I, I mean, it's got, yeah, so let's get the name
right. They're not doing it. We've done this with a lot of things. The garbage is for years. We didn't say his name right. When can we get the load on Bradley Wiggins? It's like, let's go back to these names that we can buy out. Okay. So, Seixas, but I too heard that you're on that it was, because when it was announced that he was doing the tour, people were quick to criticize the team. How could you do that? Even he no came out and said, this is it, Levi's, this is crazy.
“You should never do that. What's your, what are you thinking? It was him. It was him and the people around”
him that said, no, no, he's doing the tour. And he's exploring leaving the team. And he's exactly. Yeah, there's enough buzz out there about him leaving the team. And obviously, tremendous huge offers. But it was him. So, so, this is why you don't send it around the horn and ask guys for their opinion on certain things, because then they end up with you guy number five. And, you know, you can't say the same stuff. But I am curious about a 19-year-old in the tour who's
on the short list of favorites. With that, imagine a world where he is, he is all that he is built up to be. All the hype is real. And he is there, right, into week three. And maybe there are there's obviously Poguchar, I think, is there. I'm curious what you said at Spencer, they haven't won the Tour de France in 41 years. This, if he is there. And by the way, this is not a question
“of if it's a question of when this is going to happen. And so, all you French people out there”
are stressing about 41 years. Don't worry, it's coming. But just imagine if it happens this year, even close what these fans are like, because Poguchar has done a hell of a job every year with
the term offensive. And I respect the hell out of him for that. I never could pull that off.
But let's wait and see. These fans are going to be rabbit. And it's going to be a different community and a different ambiance. And it is going to be completely different. So, it's going to be spicy. I love that. I love that. I love that. I love to turn on a dice. Oh, immediately, immediately. They will analyze everything. The other thing that I wrote down here is, is I am curious. I mean, I love the del Toro component. George, you said it. If, if in the
Jiro and in this, if I do look at over 20 stages, these profiles, there's opportunities for teams to play tactics. Maybe multiple teams with multiple writers. Well, yeah, I'm curious how del Toro fairs. And I always, you know, I wrote for our neighbor down there in Mexico. I mean, this is a kid, think about it. I got new. I know where I grew up, right? You know where you grew up. I mean, we, we kind of grew up in, you know, where you're supposed to grow up. Boy, a kid from Mexico,
that's that good. I mean, way better. I mean, the greatest Mexican writer of all time, Rao Alacala, who had unbelievable talent. This is something else. I mean, del Toro is way above that. Yeah. This is a kid who is real. So, I want to see how that plays out. And again, we don't have to look past tomorrow. We're going to see tomorrow. Yeah. Yeah. And if for everybody talking about poker chart tomorrow, let me tell you something. Isaac del Toro. Ain't losing that wheel.
Yeah. I mean, I, I'm not losing the wheel. Arguably tomorrow's, the stage is going to be, is more, one of the most exciting stage ones if you've had it. I mean, yeah, I mean, we're all really looking forward to it. And it's really interesting how, you know, when you, when you warm up for a time trial, there's a bit of camaraderie. You know, everyone's looking to do that home. Tomorrow, it changes the dynamic in the warmer. It's almost like an individual race for
some people. Yeah. It's to how much, you know, you're thinking, I'm warming up here. I'm not going to pull as hard as I can. Because I want to make sure I finish with, yeah, yeah. It's a whole different ballgame. Yeah. The other two things I'll say is with Paul Sischus, uh, late addition to his team Matthew Rickatella. We have talked about Matthew many, many times on this show. Obviously, close friend of the show. I've known Matthew. I've known his parents since
before was born. I watched the kid grow up. Uh, great that he got the call up. Uh, I talked to Jimmy
his dad. Um, he has a great relationship with Paul. That was my first question. Like, how does this
Guy?
He's a great guy. Like, he wants to be there and wants to be there for, for Paul. Um, and it's a
big call up, right? So I'm, I'm excited to see how Matthew fairs, and it's, this is kind of we've been talking about this and, and boy, he can climb his ass off. And I told his dad this as if this is, because, again, it's not a question of if it's a question of when Paul says shots is winning
“the tour of France at some point. I think having Matthew there, and we'll see how the team”
thing plays out. I don't know, but I love the storyline. I think it's a hell of a storyline for an American kid to be there. Um, by the way, six Americans in this year's tour would get asked all the time. That last thing I'll say, and I don't, I don't know the latest, but I've been reading the headlines like Europe's had this crazy heat wave like crazy crazy heat wave. People
dying. Yeah. Um, I don't know if it's cooled off, but if it hasn't, it's a bit cool. I mean, it's like
90 to tomorrow. Okay. That's horrible. I mean, there was days last two weeks ago where France was maybe the hottest place on earth. Yeah. All right. Well, okay. That's hot. I don't know. That's hot. Yeah. And this is the hardest sporting in the world. Bar none. There's nothing harder. So take that for what it is, and then layer in the hottest place on earth. They're even something that's in the 90s. Man, this race gets so much harder. And it doesn't just get harder
in the race. Obviously, it's hard in the race when it's hot. But we know, I mean, 50% of the time you're staying in some dump hotel, the AC questionable, you're not sleeping great. You're rolling around your hot. Well, the best teams now, they really try to control those environments. Try, but I mean, that's, we do all of them do that. I mean, it's, it can make for, make for some dynamic sleepless nights and dynamic racing and fun. Do I, you know, I'm going to pull back what I said earlier about not
like in the route. No, no, okay. I'm going to say it in another way. I can't see past tomorrow. Yeah. I'm going to wait. Yeah. No, it's going to be interesting. Yeah. But your Mr. Summit finish and they have eight summit finishes this year. Yeah, but this, look, I'm looking at this one. I know, all right. I mean, 18.7 kilometers at 3.7% in the pier and he's that's your update. I mean,
“but when it's pergature off there by himself and everyone's trying to know. Well, that's what they are,”
they are teasing him to do that. To go on the tourmalike is this, this is like, if he does, if he's, if he's the todde that we come to know and expect, he can go away and he can descend and he can stay away on 18 kilometers or three. That it's almost like you, you look at the profile and like, oh, I get it. That's a dare. Yeah. We shall see. Do you want to hear a
crazy story about Paul? You're saying good, good, good guy. He had never won a professional race
before in a break away with the veteran teammate and he gave him the stage win and he'd never won a race before as a pro. And he said, here, you can have it. I've got more coming my way. Oh, he does. Like there's not many people that does. Oh, he does. That reminds me of that time where we're a Johan, who I think is still on here, who just sat on Inderine's wheel. Inder liaison just sucked his wheel. It didn't take one full in the tourmalike. I remember watching
you. And Johan, of course, comes around the Belgian in Belgium, comes around Wednesday stage, takes yellow and they're just kind of coasting past like 50 meters past and Inderine camps up and just paths him on the back and says, it's okay. I'll have it tomorrow after the time trial. Do you remember that Johan? I do. I do. I do. I also do. Do you remember if you are not allowed to? Well, last guy who was on my wheel and straight away. Interesting. Yeah, that was me.
I knew, I knew, as soon as I started to tell that story, I knew you were going to say that.
“And that's how that's okay. Johan, did you see which country is the most riders in this race?”
I could believe this. Is this normal? It's Belgium. Not France. Yeah. National, like a, they should call like a special session of the, of the Congress people there. It's crazy. Well, we have worn out our welcome. I think. I think. Oh, do you guys want to hear? Tomorrow's a big good one, but two riders that have won before we are recording. I was saying 32 riders have won 30% of all tour stages in the last four years.
Easy to guess one of them, right? Yeah. Pugachar. Do you know the other one? Philipsen. Yeah. It is Philipsen. It's funny though that it takes that long. I had to dig deep for that one. He's won more tour stages in the last four years than I think. Benium Grimai, Timberlear, Mads Pettersen, and Jonathan Malon combined. Wow. That's a good of a sprinter he is, but you don't really think about him in that way. So two riders, say this again, two riders have won 30% of the
stages in the last how many years, four years. That's that's twenty five. I thought Vindigo and then I sort of thinking about it then. Well, yeah. All right. Well, thanks for tuning in. This is
Going to be exciting tomorrow morning.
Let's start to. It is a late start. The local, the finished local time is around 720 for the last team. So, call that that's about 1120 our time. So, the show will be on a little later tomorrow, but we'll be here and get things kicked off. All right, everybody. Thanks for tuning in. See you tomorrow.
