'Alaphilippe celebrated like he just had his first child.' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 15
Stage 15 was supposed to be a quiet transition. Instead, we got eight groups on the road, surprise Belgian domination, a perfect UAE decoy move—and Alaphilippe celebrating third like he'd won the whole Tour.Tim Wellens took a well-deserved solo win, Campenaerts rolled into second, and somehow Alaphilippe emerged from the fog of painkillers to snatch third… and celebrate like he’d fathered a child. Cyrus and Aidan dive into a chaotic day of breakaway politics, tactical misreads, UAE’s trust in Wellens, and whether Julian deserves all three of today’s awards.
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'Remco looked at the Tourmalet and said, ‘F*k that' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 14
Thymen Arensman lit up Stage 14 with a dominant breakaway win—first riding for Rodriguez, then riding away from everyone. Behind, Pogacar was unbothered, Vingegaard was defiant, and Remco… was in the team car before the first summit.Cyrus and Aidan unpack it all: UAE’s calculated pacing, Visma’s disappearing support squad, and the surprising solidity of Lipowitz. They also debate Remco’s decision to abandon, and explain why gloves—and the lack of them—might’ve ruined Michael Storer’s day.
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'Plapp’s been admitted to hospital with third-degree hot seat burns' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 13
Pogacar crushed everyone (again), beating riders on full TT rigs while riding his aero road bike without paint or bar tape. Roglic turned back the clock with a third-place finish. And Luke Plapp sat in the hot seat so long we’re pretty sure he needs aloe vera.Cyrus and Aidan break it all down: from Remco’s shocker and Vingegaard catching his two-minute man, to debates about disc wheels, one-by setups, ankle socks, and helmet choices. It’s peak tech nerdery—but with plenty of chat about pacing, gear selection, and the suffering only an uphill TT can deliver.Also in this episode: – The race behind the race for 3rd place – Why breakaway stories will shine from here on – Domestique & Dickhead of the Day (camera poker face edition) – Your 21-minute, 7w/kg reality checkOne rider’s dominating, sure—but this Tour isn’t boring. And Stage 14 looks spicy.
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'There are no excuses for Roglic' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 12
Stage 12 was billed as a showdown and it delivered, with Pogacar launching a signature attack to blow the GC apart.Vingegaard gave chase, Remco faded, Onley impressed, and Ben Healy waved goodbye to the yellow jersey. Cyrus and Aidan break down how UAE turned the tables on Visma, why Pogacar’s crash might still catch up with him later, and what on earth Roglic was thinking with the ankle socks.They dig into heat protocols, cold water science, hydration overkill, and the latest tactics from the ice vest wars. Plus, a touching moment of domestique loyalty, a new “Lazarus of the Day” feature, and the sobering news from the under-23 peloton that puts everything in perspective.If you’re looking for signs of life in this GC race, maybe look further down the standings.
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'You’ve got to be willing to lose to win' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 11
Stage 11 saw the breakaway go from kilometre zero and somehow never get caught, despite van der Poel, Wout, and Simmons ripping it behind. Jonas Abrahamsen took the win for Uno-X, but only after Mauro Schmidt spent the last kilometre drilling it on the front… and gifting it away.Meanwhile, Pogacar hit the deck hard with 4km to go. It looked brutal, but he got up, remounted, and thanks to an old-school show of respect, the peloton waited.Cyrus and Aidan dive into a day that defied expectations, from GC skirmishes and team politics to the most pointless protest of the Tour so far. Plus, who really made the call to sit up? And is UAE looking shakier than we thought?Domestique and Dickhead of the Day, insider team pressure, protest etiquette, Fred Wright vs. draft physics, and a big preview of the Ultacam showdown coming tomorrow.
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