Roglic is being straight-up carried by Wout chasing one of the Twins up the Col d’Eze and Nairo, like always, is barely hanging on.

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From about thursday’s stage we understood that this climb could determine the race outcome as well as start to define how the rest of the year would look for the twins and other GC Favorites. We kept hearing talk about the difficulty of the climb then the complexity of the descent back into Nice. It had been tough, you could see it on their faces. The weather wasn’t making anything easier. Cold and wet hands for everyone as we all should have expected. Regardless of how much we are reminded of the savarity of the weather we are never prepared. Wout Van Aert was on fire. He would have pedaled Roglic’s bike if it were possible. No one could imagine a better person to have around when everything is on the line. And still the shadow of the mountain ahead was the only thing Roglic seemed concerned about. Everytime the camera picked up Roglic’s gaze, he seemed to be looking through Wout. One of the twins was up the road, perhaps never to be caught, but Wout would make sure that Simon wouldnt be too far out of reach, and more importantly not far enough that failure would also mean catastrophe. Nairo was there too. Nairo is always there. Nairo was there yesterday but it was Monday now and today, this one seemed important.

The stage was set, the warmers had been peeled off, and the rain had seemed to stop for just a minute. When Simon went up the road we all felt it. Some even expected it. Nairo was dangling but not shaken loose. He understood what this effort was worth and how long he had it coming. As the kilometers of the mountain were slipping away from Roglic the hope seemed to give him strength. Past failures would not hold him back. Someone who didnt know him would think he’d never had a bad day, but we knew he was on the edge between legend and cursed. When the lead was ground down by a combination of Wout’s dedication and Roglic’s resolve most felt relief within the peril. Another kilometer slips down the mountain and the twin is just in sight, Just close enough. One more kilometer before we start heading down into town. The day is coming to an end, finally, for everyone but this would be heavy till it was over. Wout kept pushing but more importantly pulling. Roglic, now barely hanging on. Nairo had done his job and would have to wait for the results. Roglic seemed to have a clock running in his head and the seconds could not tick by any faster. He was falling apart.