The 2023 men’s Tour de France is over, and there was so much action both on the road, and off it. After Wout van Aert lost an early stage Tadej Pogačar chirped his reaction. Van Aert retaliated with a few words.
Watch Tadej Pogačar sass Wout van Aert hard after Stage 2 of the Tour de France
Jasper Phillipsen had some sketchy moments, as did his leadout man, Mathieu van der Poel. Mattias Skjelmose started a rumour that van Aert was leaving the Tour early and promptly apologized. Even though, uh, it proved true.
Cycling has many traditions and unwritten rules during a race. Air conditioning, for example, is the absolute worst as it will somehow give you a cold. Ice cream is frowned upon, but cheese is OK.
Booze during a stage race? Unless you’ve won a stage and are having a half a glass of champagne, or enjoying some fermented ketones, you’re basically the Devil.
That’s why when Jumbo-Visma director Richard Plugge made the accusation that a certain équipe française may have had a bit of hooch on the final rest day, it wasn’t received well.
“We look around us to see what the others do. For example, we were with a French team in our hotel on the rest day. We could see the riders drinking large beers,” Plugge said. “Alcohol is poison, and when you are already tired, it’ll make you even more fatigued. At the start of the last week of the Tour, which is the most important, you have to be careful what you eat and drink.”
Madiot, presuming it was about his Groupama-FDJ squad. was not impressed with the allegation.
“That’s it, stop! On every rest day, we have a moment of conviviality between my riders and the management. The management drinks a beer, not necessarily the riders.I was at the table, there were bottles of Perrier,” he said. “It’s small and shabby. It’s a shame. Who does he think he is? I have my nutritionist next door, he can talk to you about what we do within the team. Frankly, it’s an exceptionally base attack on his part.”
But the former pro didn’t stop there. After the race had reached Paris and riders and staff were beginning to unwind, Madiot brought a beer to the Jumbo-Visma bus, in a beautiful taunt to the Dutch squad.
Marc Madiot out of context. #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/kUBD2omyTA
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) July 23, 2023
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