Quinn Simmons closed the Tour without the stage win he wanted, and he was open about the frustration of riding for team priorities instead of his own.
The Best Teammate award is a real recognition of the work he put in all race long — the breakaways, the lead-outs, and the consistent support. Classic domestique story: the individual result didn’t come, but the people who watch closely noticed the effort. Not a bad way to finish.
Through 18 stages of the 2026 Tour de France, Quinn Simmons has once again lived up to his “Captain America” nickname. The Lidl-Trek rider has been one of the most visible and aggressive Americans in the race — not always for personal glory, but as a tireless road captain and key support rider for the team’s dual goals of the green jersey and general classification.
The tone was set early. On Stage 4 into Foix, Simmons was instrumental in Lidl-Trek’s masterclass. He finished second behind teammate Mads Pedersen after a long day in the break, helping deliver the stage win while also positioning the team strongly in the overall standings. That same day, fellow American Sean Quinn came within seconds of the yellow jersey, creating a rare near-double for the U.S. riders.
Simmons continued to punch above his weight in the first two weeks — regularly featuring in breakaways, driving the chase when needed, and putting in the hard pulls that allow pure sprinters and climbers to conserve energy.
Much of Simmons’ work has centered on protecting and advancing Mads Pedersen’s green jersey campaign. On multiple stages, including the run-in to Voiron on Stage 17 and the early part of Stage 18 to Orcières-Merlette, he was seen at the front of key groups, helping control the race and secure intermediate points. His presence has been a constant source of pressure on rivals, particularly Jasper Philipsen and Alpecin-Premier Tech.
The team classification has also benefited. Lidl-Trek has held a strong position for much of the race, and Simmons’ consistent finishing and willingness to work have contributed to that collective effort.
On the harder climbing stages, Simmons has shown the classic domestique’s understanding of when to go full gas and when to drop back. He was active and aggressive on Stage 15 (Plateau de Solaison) and again early on Stage 18 before easing off once the pure climbers took over. That selfless approach has kept him available for the team day after day.
With two consecutive summit finishes on Alpe d’Huez still to come, followed by the final stage into Paris, Simmons’ role will likely remain the same: protect the leaders, keep the pressure on in the breakaways when the opportunity arises, and finish the job as a reliable team man.
Captain America has already delivered a strong Tour. The final three stages will tell us whether there’s one more memorable moment left in the stars-and-stripes.
This is not fair to all the riders who have worked and suffered for three weeks. These protesters should be arrested and fined for disrupting the race.
Over 100,000 pro-Palestinian protesters forced early end to Spanish Vuelta, authorities say
Turns out the riots aren’t a problem, but some arsehole threw tacks on the road right before the last climb of the day.
“Thank you for this kind of human bullshit… I don’t think I was the only victim of a puncture in the end… know that you can fall and get really hurt with your bullshit you morons…” 🤬
It is possible that the riots in France could affect the Tour de France. The race organizers have said that they are monitoring the situation and are prepared to adapt if needed. The race route largely avoids areas affected by the riots, but there is always the possibility that protesters could disrupt the race.
In the past, the Tour de France has been disrupted by protests on several occasions. In 2022, the race was stopped for 10 minutes by climate change activists. There have also been protests by farmers and other groups.
The race organizers are aware of the risks posed by protests and have taken steps to increase security. They have added two motorbikes to the peloton to help detect and deter protesters. They have also been in close contact with the French government and security forces.
It is too early to say for sure whether the riots will affect the Tour de France. However, the race organizers are taking the situation seriously and are prepared to adapt if needed.
“The Yellow jersey gives you wings.”
(I think Red Bull is one of his sponsors.)
from http://twitter.com/jasontromm
via IFTTT
I’m trying to ride all 8 stages of Tour de Zwift 2022. Stage 2 was the one I was dreading, but I managed to make it up Box Hill KOM and finish all of the London Loop in under 1 hour!
I could be a little disappointed about missing my mileage goal for the year. I could be disappointed that my fitness didn’t improve. I’m not focusing on that. I had COVID in July and was unable to train for three weeks. I came back stronger, and October was my best month. December was another lousy month; I didn’t ride for three weeks after my father died.
I’m starting strong in 2022 and looking forward to significant improvements in my fitness this year.
Once again, a rider in the professional peloton proves that cyclists are the toughest athletes in the world. G. Thomas fell and dislocated his shoulder. The team doctors popped it back in place, and then he got back on his bike and continued to ride! His teammates paced him back into the peloton.
