A week of incredibly exciting stages and I get this one. Stage 8 of Tour de France 2021 was the stage where the other GC teams were supposed to skewer UAE and leave Tadej Pogacar isolated and vulnerable. It was the stage where Wout Van Aert was supposed to play a blinder and take yellow. It was the stage where Richard Carapaz was supposed to put himself in the GC equivalent of the cat-bird seat. None of that happened. Bahrain-Victorious’s Dylan Teuns pulled off an emotional solo victory (which we loved), while the top of the GC now looks unassailable as Pogacar put every other rider into his dream crusher (which we didn’t love that much) and is now at the top of the heap in yellow.
The stage started out as if it was going to be another bonkers day in the Tour, with pouring rain, iconic climbs and a peloton that made the break work for over half the race to establish itself. It seemed there were so many possibilities. And then there weren’t. Tadej Pogacar became the Slovenian Terminator, crushing every little dream that he passed by … except for Dylan Teuns‘s.
Why he pointed to the sky.
Stage winner @dylan_teuns: I honored my grandad, who died just before the Tour. A week before the start of the Tour we had the funeral. Emotional for me the last 10k.
PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP via Getty Images pic.twitter.com/JDLQeu3Ysc
— daniel mcmahon (@cyclingreporter) July 3, 2021
Things I thought about while watching the stage
1 Davide Formolo has perfected the constant silent scream and although it doesn’t look like Pogacar needs anyone to help him, he seems to have someone who will turn themselves into a Munch painting on the front of the peloton for him.
Formolo's silent scream #TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/iVIvsoAHAL
— VeloVoices (@VeloVoices) July 3, 2021
2 Did Richard Carapaz have his radio tuned to the Movistar DS car? Why else would he refuse to work with Pogacar when it was offered, so that they both could distance all others?
'The look' – 2021 edition #TDF2021 (📸 Getty) pic.twitter.com/5hrb565LtE
— Daniel Ostanek (@LVCKV) July 3, 2021
Ineos have never won a stage race which had Tadej Pogacar at the start.
— CafeRoubaix (@CafeRoubaix) July 3, 2021
Pog’s body type is peculiar. He doesn’t look all synewy or muscly or skinny like you’d expect. He looks a bit more wobbly boggly.
Like a giant human tongue
— Cillian Kelly (@irishpeloton) July 3, 2021
🤍 "What a ride!" Enjoy 🇸🇮 @TamauPogi's first reaction after his impressive solo ride today!
🤍 La première réaction de 🇸🇮 @TamauPogi après son numéro réalisé aujourd'hui.#TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/mgrZLgcr78
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2021
3 If I had a pound for every time David Millar and / or Carlton Kirby breathlessly predicted that Simon PHILIP Yates was poised to launch an attack from the back of the group that would BUST THIS RACE APART, only to have Yates launch himself backwards, I would be livin’ on Easy Street.
Simon Yates is running out of time to launch this attack he was launching half an hour ago
— Journal Velo (@JournalVelo) July 3, 2021
4 If I could take Primoz Roglic‘s absymal luck in this race with as much grace and lightness as the man himself, I would have saved myself a lot of brooding moods this week.
Got to say @rogla is winning some new fans with his reaction to adversity. Battered and bruised and still smiling and taking time for fans. #TDF2021
— John Galloway (@VelocastJohn) July 3, 2021
🇫🇷 #TDF2021
Why we think cycling is such a great sport? This 👇
📸Facepeeters pic.twitter.com/pdoTkBU3PG
— Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) July 3, 2021
His smile makes me smile. I love his attitude. #TdF2021 https://t.co/hwczjw1nTl
— Kit Nicholson (@kit_e_nicholson) July 3, 2021
5 Julian Alaphilippe looks incredible in his black rainbow rain jacket. I don’t believe in anyone other than the world champion wearing the rainbow jersey (>cough< Richmond Park riders, I’m lookin’ at you >cough<) but I would cherish a black rainbow jacket.
6 Mathieu van der Poel honoured the yellow jersey every single second he was in it. And it was truly magnificent to see. He’s gone way up in my estimation.
He showed us what working for the jersey looked like. Was a pleasure to see 💛 https://t.co/6nUs5IxEzN
— Katy M, Bike Edition (@writebikerepeat) July 3, 2021
I don’t think he was singing in the rain at this point
#TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/4n5oS6qc87
— David C B (@tzed250) July 3, 2021
It all starts with a dream 💭 Had an amazing 6 days wearing the yellow jersey, thank you for all your support!
📸 Josse Wester pic.twitter.com/Wa1dakafoG
— Mathieu Van der Poel (@mathieuvdpoel) July 3, 2021
And here it is in motion!
We’re not crying, your’re crying. #TDF2021pic.twitter.com/lytjVSfuNb
— CyclingTips (@cyclingtips) July 3, 2021
7 Cold riders should automatically be given hot chocolate and the blast of a heat lamp from the team car and have warm fluffy towels awaiting them at the finish.
If the Movistar team car came up to Valverde and handed him a hot chocolate and churros, this would be the greatest Tour I’ve ever seen. 😂 https://t.co/f5M7GKWRfm
— Chris Carlson (@Kiss_my_Panache) July 3, 2021
Kwiatkowski probably shot him an icy glance. https://t.co/aWueW2Qdku
— Journal Velo (@JournalVelo) July 3, 2021
8 If I had a pound for every time commentators mention Nairo Quintana as a rider who has a shot at the GC, is a danger man of any kind, or is poised to attack on any climb ever, I would be able to buy another property on Easy Street.
Nairo's arc to being breakaway meat has been long, tragic, and lucrative.
— Evil Cycling (@evilcycling) July 3, 2021
9 How did they get the sausage truck unstuck?
Other sports: 'Today's game was paused due to bad weather'
Cycling: 'Today's stage was shortened due to a truck full of sausages blocking the most important climb of the day'.
The #TDF2021, you can't beat it. https://t.co/NbNsVivgiB
— Will Newton (@InsidePeloton96) July 3, 2021
10 How can I put a good spin on the fact that I’m pissed off that Pogacar makes it all seem effortless and that the GC could be shut down now for the next two weeks? I’ve realised that … I can’t really.
Sleep is the only thing I can think of to do in the face of the obliteration that happened today…
— tamar meskin (@tamreeg19) July 3, 2021
let’s see the first mountain stage and then vote.
— liam mccarthy (@liam1408) June 30, 2021
But this has cheered me up IMMENSELY
— midge (@pariswheels) July 3, 2021
The final word
Stop this Tour tonight & just call it the greatest one-week stage race in history.
— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) July 3, 2021
Results
Stage 8 Top 5
1 Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious) 3:54:41
2 Ion Izagirre (Astana-Premier Tech) +0:44
3 Michael Woods (Israel Start-up Nation) +0:47
4 Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +0:49
5 Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) +2:33
General Classification Top 10
1 Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 29:38:25
2 Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) +1:48
3 Alexey Lutsenko (Astana-Premier Tech) +4:38
4 Rigoberto Uran (EF Education-Nippo) +4:46
5 Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +5:00
6 Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) +5:01
7 Wilco Kelderman (Bora-hansgrohe) +5:13
8 Enric Mas (Movistar) +5:15
9 David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) +5:52
10 Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) +6:41
All the Jerseys
Jerseys after Stage 8
Maillots après l’étape 8💛 @tamaupogi
💚 @MarkCavendish
🔴 @WoutPoels
👶 @tamaupogi#TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/mpFInsIei1— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2021
Leaders jersey : Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
Points jersey: Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick Step)
KOM jersey : Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious)
Best young rider jersey : Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates)
For full stage review, go to cyclingnews