Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast Tour de France 2025 - Stage 3
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Jul 7, 2025 Stage 3 of the Tour de France showcases thrilling sprint strategies amid flat terrains. The hosts delve into controversies from a crash during the sprint finish, analyzing rider positions and tactical decisions. They navigate the chaos of sharp bends, emphasizing the risks faced in the final stretch. Key discussions on team dynamics and competitive maneuvers highlight the pursuit of King of the Mountains points. With insights into peloton behavior and upcoming predictions, the episode encapsulates the intensity of professional cycling.
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Pro Teams Avoid Breakaways
- Pro teams now focus on sprint finishes, avoiding risky breakaways on flat stages without KOM points.
- Breakaways serve mainly to burden the dominant sprint teams, yet many avoid this tactical move now.
Chicanes Raise Sprint Crash Risks
- Sprint finishes with chicanes and bends increase crash risks due to forced deviations in the sprint lanes.
- Riders overlapping wheels at bends often cause incidents, showing how dangerous these sprint layouts can be.
Inside the Chaotic Sprint Finish and Its Crash Controversies
The sprint finish of Stage 3 at the Tour de France was marked by a dangerous chicane and sharp bends, leading to multiple crashes and chaos in the peloton.
Key factors included:
- Kokar's aggressive move trying to box in rivals which led to a crash causing Jasper Philipson to crash and exit the race.
- The bend layout forcing sprinters to deviate from their lanes, increasing the risk of collisions.
- A controversial shoulder check by Danny Van Poppel resulting in a crash involving a rider going face-first into the barriers.
The hosts emphasized that while Kokar was blamed for overreacting, the crashes were mostly race incidents, highlighting the risks of current race design and the need for better safety rules and enforcement with yellow cards. This chaos affected the outcomes of the green jersey competition and rider safety discussions.