Bluegrass Endurance: 2025 Tour de France Stage 16 Thoughts

Stage 16 - Montpellier to Mont Ventoux - 171.5K (2950M Vert) - Mountain

The news at the start of the race was that MVDP was out with pneumonia that he had been suffering a cold and just got worse - the TdF is not good for colds - and it seems to have turned to pneumonia. Bummer as he was sneaking up on the Green Jersey but no longer. Does show the affect the Tour can have as a number in the Tour have spoken of various degrees of colds - even Tadej - and while some get over it others, as with MVDP do not.

Today's stage was setting up to be a good one with a flat stage tomorrow before two more Mountain stages with Mountain finishes. Let alone winning on Venotoux has to be a goal of any rider that can win it. I would not be surprised if Jonas does not push this as he has over 4:00 to make up and it needs to start here. He did mention in a post I saw that he knew he needed to risk 2nd to get 1st and while that is often said and he does nto really need another 2nd seeing it take place is another thing. But, that is what he needs to do as if he just wanted to protect second he could just hang on and wait to see if Tadej has a bad day - but to go for the win he has to work to make, if possible, Tadej have a bad day and risk it all.

Was interesting that Milan let the main group go and in doing so was not doing himself any favors in the Green Jersey points competition as he was not in it for any points but Tadej who is close behind - and MVDP out - is primed to get that jersey. Bob Roll spoke of Peter Sagan and was correct in that Sagan did anything he could to get those sprint points even if on mountain stages but Milan not so.

As they got to the bottom of Ventoux the lead group had just over 6:00 and was not expecting that big a gap. Would seem with Mas, Arensman and Alaphilippe in the front seemed they could hold the lead but we would see. Then Mas went to go for it. Pretty sure Jonas and Tadej could catch them if they wanted to but maybe they were just going to race each other so was setting up for another good one.

Jonas was the first to go but Tadej stayed on well - then Jonas went again and could not shake Tadej. With 4K to go Healy was pushing but could not drop Paret Peintre and had a 2:45 lead on Tadej and Jonas - win seemed to between the two but you never know when Tadej and Jonas get moving. Then back with the yellow Jonas goes again - give it to him he was trying all he could but Tadej was not giving in. Finally with 1.2k Tadej went but even though it looked to hurt Jonas he did not let go and got back on Tadej's wheel. Up front it was Healy and Paret Peintre with the frenchman getting the win - but just. Back with Tadej and Jonas Tadej went and while not really dropping Jonas he did get 2 seconds on him and they only finished 44 seconds back to show how fast they were going - Well Tadej did get the record for the climb and Jonas just 2 seconds off of that.

It is clear Tadej and Jonas are on another level to the rest - when you see them close over 5 minutes on the final climb up Ventoux. But also saw a great push up front and while Healy did not win he has been off the front a number of times so has not been absent till now. Maybe all those other days got him a little to allow Paret Peintre squeak by for the stage win on the Ventoux - what a day for him. Still talk of Tadej not being 100% with some sort of cold and sorta looked like he was doing his best to do as little as possible for this - and, again, still got the climb record and Jonas 2 seconds back.

Now a flat day, well flat for the Tour, tomorrow before two back to back mountain stages with mountain finishes with more than one climb each. So we have the race up front but still a race for the third step and Roglic is not out of third and is slowly moving up and as was mentioned is likely getting ready for the Vuelta.

Race Highlights: