Saar De Reu: The exhaustion is starting to kick in. but before we head into the final stage, we do have another podcast episode for you and Connie Hayes saved the days saves the day Connie: Yeah. Saar De Reu: yet again by by being here today and wanting to do this podcast with me. so we have three stages to cover. My sleeping mind thought we only needed to do two, but that was very wrong. so we need to start actually in Montbrison. That was the day after I recorded the second podcast and we saw a beautiful win actually off Kim de Court. Okay, so I was just asking if you could maybe help me with a recap of the stage Kim LeCour one because it's all a bit blank. Connie: Yeah. I'm just gonna pull the results up so that I don't go off memory very, very quickly. because I don't fully actually trust myself on they're all kind of blaring into one at this point in the week. It's like which stage was which? So I don't wanna be like this is the results. No it wasn't. here we go. Yeah. yeah. So it was the one with Sedrinkable a second. To be honest, I it's kind of one that's just blurred, as I said, it's blurred in, but it was the small breakaway group. and it broke like the front sort Saar De Reu: Mm-hmm. Connie: of small group, smallish group, and then a large group 30 seconds back. it didn't really I don't think it really changed much on GC, I don't think. Saar De Reu: Okay, so now I do remember I just needed a bit. So we Celia Geri who's like Connie: Yeah. Saar De Reu: from within the region. She was attacking a lot on the downhill. and then a group went away. and Longo was it this one? Yeah, Longo Borghini was in there. Connie: Yeah. Saar De Reu: So it was quite surprising to me that they got a gap actually. Of course Longo Borghini was crazing like crazing like pacy. Whoa, pacing like crazy. and then later on actually yeah the the important move, like the deciding move of the day was Rihanna Marki's bridging with Kim Lecour to the front. Now we saw multiple attacks but it was always either Lomoburchini or Lecour closing the gap. And then we felt like how is Lecour still gonna win the sprint? Because also Jury and the other G Lippert I think they ha had been sitting on the whole Connie: Mm-hmm. Saar De Reu: time. So we felt like they were like the favourites. But then Lecour started her sprint quite early. And she managed to hold on before Kerbal and Petersen. So it was a really impressive stage by Le Cour now I remember after five minutes. But was was a super nice win for her there. There and yeah it was also quite interesting to see Longo Borghini trying to take back time on G C. In the end it wasn't much, it was like twenty eight seconds, but it's something, so you never know if today They the the time difference go very big, then you never know if it comes to these 28 seconds. we'll see later on in the GC that it definitely can come to seconds. Connie: Yeah. No it was a funny stage in that respect. Like it's a weird it was a kind of weird group to be up the road, but also sort of did make some sense. yeah, it's just a slightly slightly odd stage, but a good stage. Saar De Reu: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so then the day after was from today. yeah, it was quite the exhausting day because like we were at a camping very close, like in midwine, so I was like perfect, then we don't need to like leave very early or something. But then at the camping, yeah, we were staying only one night, so our car couldn't stay there. They said like yeah, if you wanna see anything of the tour. You need to move your car before eight. So we got up at six fifteen. And then luckily I I did have a new bike actually. biked up quite a part of the Ventui till like eleven K to go. all that before eight thirty in the morning. and then we needed to wait till sixteen forty five four forty five something for the writers to actually pause there. And we we didn't actu we ha actually had no reach so we had no idea what was going on. So that was a bit of a boring very long day That's the Lin Schampark again who was going up the font two. Margot van Pachtenbeek also a after these seven times font two was like let's go it up once more. why not? yeah, but for the rest there was a waiting game it was very a very cool spot to be on, obviously, because they pass quite slowly, still quite fast if you saw everyone before them riding it up. But still you get it was super funny because yeah in the GC group I was cheering for Paula and it was so funny you you saw her eyes move like hmm who's who's cheering for me? Quite funny. yeah, then we of course needed to descend back. I don't know Might have something to do with the fact Connie: Okay. Saar De Reu: that I didn't sit on a bike for three years through due to chronic pain, but don't like the not being under control part for sure not with like so many people also descending. But everything went well. We got to the car. and then I Connie: We survived. Saar De Reu: yeah. And then if that wasn't enough yet, we needed still to still p we still needed to go to Sisteron, which was on a two hour drive. Actually it was more because the route went over Devantou, which like obviously wasn't possible. So we needed to do a whole up around that. And then we were there like I I don't even know when we were there. Probably like Between eight and nine or something. so yeah. And then maybe now about this stage. So yeah, I didn't see it. I just s saw some images after and I rewatched the Vontu as well. so I know there was a breakaway with like not really the the climber types. I like Rosemand Ghallan I think was in there and then Irazu maybe and Patinho if I'm correct, but all the others. I can't recall. I don't know if you could add a name or not. Connie: I could be wrong, but I think it was Fiona Mangum, Saar De Reu: Uh-huh. Connie: Irish. Pretty certain. I remember pulling it up to Saar De Reu: Mm-hmm. Connie: kind of have a look, because I was on the bike to sort of see where they were if they'd started the climb yet. And I just remember seeing her name on the list. So assuming Saar De Reu: Okay. Connie: pro cycling stats was right at that point, she was also in it. But yeah, I can't actually remember the rest of them. Saar De Reu: Yeah, okay, nice. So yeah, then the Von two I think we all expected like some rider to be like the best and just like ride everyone out of the wheels. but it turned out to be that, but also a lot of tactical playing in there. which was super cool because we we all know winning for Niviadoma isn't like the most easy thing for her. So I feel like ever every time she wins it's like, the whole world is good again. Nivyadoma could could get her win. So yeah and it's hit in one of her classic wa classic ways sh she always tries to attack and then hope no one follows and she can make it to the line. And she did that, it was really cool to see at that point like Royce was saying I'm not doing it, Voleray saying I'm not doing it, till the point you were like ooh guys that this gap is growing and then we saw like Volerin al always like doing some attacks and then Roysa closing and you were like what exactly i is the point? Of doing this instead of working together, and yeah, then the gap got very big, and then like in the last 800 meters or something, Foling attacked again, and she took 30 seconds something on the ocers. So you were like, This is like a weird way of doing it, but sure. so it had some weird vibes, but yeah, we can definitely see that Nivia Domara did like a very great performance. I like Russia and Voling just made it very hard for themselves and after like going a bit slower and then followed up by attacks and then the need to go faster than the other one just kill their legs a bit. what's also interesting what actually surprised me most is Lomo Borghini event in the end getting third. We we've seen the years before that like on the really hard climbs she come she sometimes falls a bit too short compared to like following Niviadoma and the others. But this this ascent of the Vantu really surprise me. and then for the other results, so Marwan got fourth or Domestique blah blah blah, he got fifth. took two seconds on neither meyer, so so not enough for this white jersey. And then we had Kerrol, Vodarczyk, Lecour, Homergren. so what are what are your thoughts about this stage, Connie? Connie: Think it was really good in terms of like just like exciting almost because it was so you never play cat and mouse. It's it's always such a risky game if you're gonna play it. and it kind of felt a little bit like those two were kind of in a sort of track style race situation. it was a bit odd, but quite good in that respect. Like it was interesting to watch while I was thinking, my god, just close the gap. like work together, close the gap, and then when you're actually at the front, start playing cat and mouse. Cause Saar De Reu: Uh-huh. Connie: there's no point playing cat and mouse and Neodomas just riding up the road. See you later, guys. I'll see you at the finish kind of thing. Like it was really, really odd tactics. And given they've got radios on and like I I just couldn't believe that they were almost being allowed to do that. more on Demi side I think. sort of surely You'd have the D S going right, chase it down yeah, work with her, chase it down and then we can start playing games. But yeah. Saar De Reu: Yeah, in in the media they said we they said like we didn't say too much because we can feel feel her legs. Connie: Yeah. I guess that's true. But yeah, I just thought it was really odd. I was just kinda like, Are you are you gonna chase it? Like are we just gonna let this go? which obviously is easier said than done, but it was just really odd. yeah. It was a very strange sort of very trackesque sort of way to go up onto. Saar De Reu: Mm. Yeah. Yeah, and then Roycer like after was quite angry at herself but also at Follering. She like, Why do you keep attacking? Like you ruined it for both of us. but yeah, in the end Nivia Duma won and she had fifteen seconds, I think it was, Vollering. and then of course some more on Roycer. And then we went to a sprint stage, but ignore the sprint part of it because beforehand Connie: Okay. Saar De Reu: it was like looking quite hard for a sprint. But then like I was I was ma manifesting so bad like a little copeky when I was like please but I was like maybe from the break it would it it's gonna be a bit easier because the G C writers are gonna use like every fucking chance to not take take time back in G C so when I pulled up the coverage after I napped in the car because it was needed, I saw like Adehist and Skiball with like six minutes and I was like no fucking way, really. Against them, but I was like, Are you guys really gonna give away this big chance because of this? so I was like, and like in the beginning as well, it was like six fifty, six forty, whoa whoa, five fifty, five forty, five forty five and it just kept this way. Then we had Levalula Jaco for I guess it was Padre Moster and age insurance for Kim Lakor pulling and yeah in the end they did got a bit closer and then in the couple of last case before the before like the hill part as the works also started to pace and they kept both Lotta and Weebus in a good position. I think on the second hill it was quite clear that it wouldn't be for Weavis but of course after that hill there still came like a very very steep section And it was looking quite good for a little I was like, damn, she's she's really climbing good today, like if and she did actually if you look at like the name she was in with. just enjoy it if I knew what I read in the beginning of the race and the races before. Do that and just like see her climb with these names. I'm like told you so but yeah folding was just a bit too strong sadly and she needed to try obviously I get it but and it was looking like she wouldn't drop them but then all of a sudden Kazia cracked She got back her yellow jersey. She has eight seconds now, I think, on Niviadoma. she was Connie: Yeah, so Saar De Reu: with Longo Borghini chasing Niviadoma. Longo Borghini was basically pacing the whole way because Kazia was really bad. Was so surprised, why is Longo Borghini pulling like that? And I was one, like, it is literally Elisa Longo Borghini, this is what she does. And two, she's trying to take as many seconds as possible to still try and get the tour de France Sum podium. So I was like, I I don't see what this story is going on about. It's not about having anything against Holing or being pro Khazia, it's just about I wanna try and get to the podium of this tour. But anyways. so that was that. Roycer lost time again, and yeah, she was in a group with all the GC writers apart from home when she missed the group. so then in terms of results we had Volling, Longoborgini, Niviadoma, Lecour, Kopeki, Vlodarczyk, Vendam, Ruek, Blasi, Kerbaul, Niedermayer, Roiser. That was the what is it then? Third group on 38 seconds. Connie: Mm-hmm. Saar De Reu: So going into the final stage, the GC looks like Dami Vollering has eight seconds on Casia Niviadoma and one minute twelve on Roycer. If Longoborgini wants to go to the podium, she still needs to take back yeah about two two whoa about two mini yeah, over two minutes. so no under two minutes whoa Connie: Yeah. Saar De Reu: it's morning. the nine of the tour. Forgive me for this. for the white jersey It's also an interesting battle. We have Niedermeyer on three forty f fifth fifty-four and Paola Lazi on five zero five. I'm secretly still hoping Paula can get her way to this white jersey, but it will be hard because Niedermeier is just yeah, we know her from Nijiro. She she doesn't explode too easily, which I also don't wish upon her. But like I mean it's Paula. So yeah, what are your predictions for this final stage? Volering, Niviadoma, NGC, someone else? Connie: I wanna say volering, but I don't know, it could anything could happen, especially the sort of pushing and shoving F D J controversy. Saar De Reu: Yeah, I was just thinking we we need we we needed to talk about it what's your opinion on it? Did you like there showed up some images like where it was like yeah, it was a bit of a shitty move, but Connie: The thing trying to say this is least. I'm quite personally I'm quite a pushy rider at times. so I kind of I don't I've seen a lot worse, basically, is what I'm saying. Saar De Reu: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Connie: I've seen an awful lot worse and I'm not kind of against the kind of argy barginess of racing. I kind of think that that's quite a I don't want to say a good thing, but sort of makes it an interesting dynamic as a rider. so I don't know. I I didn't watch the whole stage, so I don't feel it I don't know if there was any points where had she pushed F any of the FGJ or anything like that during the entire tour. I don't know. If it was just a if she hadn't, and then they went and did that, yeah, it's not the best thing to do. But racing's racing is kind of my view on it. Saar De Reu: Mm-hmm. Connie: but yeah, it was a bit it's a bit of an interesting one. I'm not sure. There was sort of talks of they wanted the UCI to look into it, like Canyon Tram. I'm not really sure if the UCI were to look into it, you'd probably have to go back and launch every single race in cycling history, and that will have happened at some point, whether it be Saar De Reu: Mm. Connie: riders at the lower end or higher end or whatever. yeah, but it just I think it it it believe we'll all have blown over or today. it could come back to almost pot well, potentially by F D J but also F D J could be more like right, we're just gonna w almost wind her up and push her about and yeah, I I don't I think it's something to bear in mind, the sort of noise around it, if that makes sense. Saar De Reu: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I feel like the the part that made it maybe get more into the attention that mostly in the Tour de France some it's like, the yellow jersey is coming. We're gonna be like respectful to the yellow jersey. And I think that was maybe a shock to Kazia that she was like, Wait, I'm leading this race and now you're just like putting me aside here, making it harder for me to follow. I think whoa. Everything is falling apart right now. And I think that was maybe and yeah, of course adrenaline of the race, really having the feeling like maybe if I didn't need to start from zero there again to try and follow Volving, I maybe could have made it. so it's a bit of a mix. It's like not that you can say like that that was some horrible stuff. but it's also not that you can say like this this this was a nice move, not nothing going on. Connie: No, it's just an odd one. It was a very it's a very odd one. It's one of these things as well, sometimes they look better in inverted commas on camera than they do if you're the rider getting shoved. and I've had that where I've thought, like, I've just been really badly pushed in a crit, and then I've watched it back and thought, actually didn't look that it didn't look as bad as it felt. to whether it felt a lot worse for her than it possibly looked on camera, I've only seen the video that her boyfriend posted of it where I've actually like properly looked Saar De Reu: Yeah. Connie: at it if that makes sense. and sort of thought, isn't that a race isn't that racing? And it's always gonna be when you've got seconds in it, they're gonna use sort of argy barging, elbows out. It becomes a tactic 'cause it's sort of right, what can we do here? 'Cause we're running out of cards to play. but yeah it's an interesting one I think either we'll all blow over and be fine or yeah it Could get very pushy and shovy today. Saar De Reu: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I'm excited to to see what's going to happen. I feel like yeah, I I think it will be like a super interesting fight. I'm also excited I see like potential happening for like someone else and G C riders maybe taking it, but because I feel like FDG will want to at least have one rider up front in the breakaway. So maybe that could be interesting for other teams who have nothing to do with G C just trying to get in there and trying to make the best of this last Because hey, you gotta try something if you don't have a stage with Connie: Mm. Saar De Reu: your team yet. but yeah, it's gonna be interesting if you say Voling, I'll say Niviadoma. Yeah, that there's something about Kazia I I just very much enjoy. Probably that she's always the underdog with her sprint, that isn't much of a of a sprint. So would love to see that. yeah, I think it's gonna be a crazy stage also if you look at the profile. Four times collaysor, one times the the with the steep sections added to it and only ninety-nine K. So that's literally up down up down up down up down. Connie: The fact it's short, I think, could produce a really interesting race, I think. 'Cause they're gonna have to go from the gun. Saar De Reu: Yeah. Connie: second the race starts, they're going. So Saar De Reu: Mm-hmm. Connie: I think it could produce a really interesting result for sure. Saar De Reu: Yeah. And an extra factor maybe to this all is that it's now nine o'clock in Nice and it's already twenty eight degrees outside. So again, it's gonna be very hot. The only good thing about this tour being over is that the heat will also stop, although at home we're also in a heat wave. But it has been crazy the heat. I'm just like constantly like being outside which is like a whole glowy look just because there's so much sweat. So I'll be happy once it's over. And like they said on the radio, yeah, it's it's gonna be better in these. It's like only gonna be twenty eight degrees at the finish line when we get there. And I was like, Yes, my god, this is what I've been waiting for. But Connie: I mean Saar De Reu: then when we were driving it like the the car said forty degrees, thirty-eight, thirty-nine, thirty-six and Connie: Lovely. Saar De Reu: in the end it was again like thirty-five degrees in these. So yeah. Not so nice. mig might go in in the sea today as well. Connie: Yeah, I don't blame you. Saar De Reu: but yeah, it's promising to to be a very nice stage. Can't wait. actually gonna go for breakfast and then it's the countdown. Connie: Yeah. You are quite a while though, 'cause it's not doesn't start till four. You don't start. Saar De Reu: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. But I for the last stage I want a good spot in front of like the start presentation Connie: Yeah. Saar De Reu: podium, so gotta be there early. Connie: Yeah, true. Saar De Reu: Just gonna enjoy the the airco for a little longer. Connie: Yes. Saar De Reu: Okay, so thanks for listening to hopefully every episode of Siron Tour. it has been super nice to be here next week. We should be here with like a proper recap and review of everything that happened. yeah, we'll see you then. Connie: See you.