Opinion

'Plapp’s been admitted to hospital with third-degree hot seat burns' - Tour de France - Stage 13 - The Cooldown podcast

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.

by Aidan Burgess (Created with Cyrus Monk)
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Luke Plapp - Tour de France 2025
Cor Vos

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 check

One rider’s dominating, sure - but this Tour isn’t boring. And Stage 14 looks spicy.

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