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Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

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I’d rate it better than Pogacar because he just has to show up on two stages in both races and dominate everyone.

Indeed we could get sucked in "W/kg" again and people claiming "relative chances". So better to phrase it more directly. In 2024 season would:

  • Rogla win Giro/Tour double.
  • Pogi win Giro/Tour double.
  • Jonas win Giro/Tour double.
  • Remco win Giro/Tour double.

Condition being all big 4 at the Tour and solo at the Giro. Now for Pogi we will actually get this question answered, for others we can assume. So yes or no? Considering i read some answers in the lines of it's possible, so who then for the answer/prediction to be yes instead of no?
 
My take would be:

Remco no for now. He hasn't yet show much in a GT double attempt. Although he could likely win Giro in 2024 season and there is a chance as the Tour. In my opinion just not both this season.

Pogi is difficult one as he hasn't done a GT double yet, on top of that he has so many goals in the season. So for Giro i will say he is big favourite to win, for Tour i won't say no.

Jonas performed rather good in his GT double attempt. For Giro he would be a big favourite but then i don't believe he would win the Tour after.

Rogla track record in GT doubles is good. For the 2024 season i would say that Giro/ Tour double likely no. Will go with Tour/Vuelta instead and will give that a yes.
 
My take would be:

Remco no for now. He hasn't yet show much in a GT double attempt. Although he could likely win Giro in 2024 season and there is a chance as the Tour. In my opinion just not both this season.

Pogi is difficult one as he hasn't done a GT double yet, on top of that he has so many goals in the season. So for Giro i will say he is big favourite to win, for Tour i won't say no.

Jonas performed rather good in his GT double attempt. For Giro he would be a big favourite but then i don't believe he would win the Tour after.

Rogla track record in GT doubles is good. For the 2024 season i would say that Giro/ Tour double likely no. Will go with Tour/Vuelta instead and will give that a yes.
Whenever I read your posts, I feel like a bad Rogla fan🤣
 
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Whenever I read your posts, I feel like a bad Rogla fan🤣

Yeah, i know i should now go along with the mob, forgetting Rogla is arguably the best stage racer of the current generation, due to barely finishing in top 10 in a stage race in March. All those W/kg data from 2023 season, like it doesn't exist or something.

Similar on how the mob went mad with William cheating on Kate with Rose.

Anyway, only one cyclist can win a GT double in season 2024. Remco in my opinion isn't great yet in this discipline, Jonas might, still he will want for Kuss to win Vuelta, like in 2023 season. And frankly you need to be on top of your game and in addition to be a bit crazy, to win a GT double. For now i can't say i seen that in regards to Jonas.

So it's down to Rogla and Pogi. Rogla will be fresher at the Tour and he knows on how to tackle Jonas. Intense racing from the side of Pogi and Remco should be beneficial. Considering the big 4 to be at the Tour, beating them all puts you in the position of favourite at Vuelta. So i would give slightly better chances to Rogla this season, to win the double. But i feel that Pogi has a realistic chance too, just harder.
 
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True, and at the point where no one was dominant and G was winning Le Tour. And still froomey had 1st and 3rd which is great comparison for this year Pogi in results
It is, and I'd say that without Vingegaard I'd be pretty hot on Pogacar doing the double. However, Pogacar not only has to reach July at the same level as last year, but quite a bit above. Ofc, he had an interrupted training programme last year and has made changes to his training, bit will take a large improvement to his level to beat Vingo with the Giro in his legs. We will see.
 
Yeah, i know i should now go along with the mob, forgetting Rogla is arguably the best stage racer of the current generation, due to barely finishing in top 10 in a stage race in March. All those W/kg data from 2023 season, like it doesn't exist or something.

Similar on how the mob went mad with William cheating on Kate with Rose.

Anyway, only one cyclist can win a GT double in season 2024. Remco in my opinion isn't great yet in this discipline, Jonas might, still he will want for Kuss to win Vuelta, like in 2023 season. And frankly you need to be on top of your game and in addition to be a bit crazy, to win a GT double. For now i can't say i seen that in regards to Jonas.

So it's down to Rogla and Pogi. Rogla will be fresher at the Tour and he knows on how to tackle Jonas. Intense racing from the side of Pogi and Remco should be beneficial. Considering the big 4 to be at the Tour, beating them all puts you in the position of favourite at Vuelta. So i would give slightly better chances to Rogla this season, to win the double. But i feel that Pogi has a realistic chance too, just harder.
I don’t think you know what “chance” means. Let’s put it like this: IF Rogla pulls himself together and presents himself in the form of his life, then he has a chance of winning the Tour. Based on self evident truths of cycling and the universe, his chance of winning the Tour even in that case is still smaller that the chance of Pog and Vinge. If you don’t believe me, ask “the mob”.

Logically: If Pog has higher chance of winning the Tour than Rogla, then Rogla would have to have at least that much higher chance of winning the Vuelta than Pog has to win the Giro. Unless you want to debate that Roglic has the highest chance of winning the Tour. But not with me😁
 
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He's leaner but hasn't lost power? That's quite an assertion to make based on no verifiable data. I don't think he did anything he couldn't have done last year.
Yes, he is visibly leaner, one only needs eyes to see that. And judging by his recent feats his power hasn't diminished. He himself has stated that he's started at a higher level (at least that's what I've implied from recent statements), because he needs to be on target for the Giro. Catalunya went beyond even what he did early season last year, if you ask me.
 
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Yes, he is visibly leaner, one only needs eyes to see that. And judging by his recent feats his power hasn't diminished. He himself has stated that he's started at a higher level (at least that's what I've implied from recent statements), because he needs to be on target for the Giro. Catalunya went beyond even what he did early season last year, if you ask me.
Agreed, especially on Catalunya. His risks of losing reserves in this quest are up to him. He hopefully knows when to check out of a race and rest up. The psychological focus and added press attention is always another set of demands and how he handles setbacks. They'll come and the Giro seems like the most likely venue for that. Like Peyro said, it can be cold and wet...and taxing.
 
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I believe Pogacar, Vingegaard, Roglic can do well in both races if they do Giro/Tour, but i don't believe they can be in peak shape in the second GT(Tour de France).

Agreed. I think Pogacar can be good enough at the Tour to get top3 spot but winning against a fresh Vingo requires a completely different level. And vice versa actually. Hopefully Teddy will prove me wrong though!
 
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Agreed, especially on Catalunya. His risks of losing reserves in this quest are up to him. He hopefully knows when to check out of a race and rest up. The psychological focus and added press attention is always another set of demands and how he handles setbacks. They'll come and the Giro seems like the most likely venue for that. Like Peyro said, it can be cold and wet...and taxing.
He seems to be the type to handle stress well, as in smiling into the camera on difficult stages, but it all could more than meets the eye in that, deep down, he just covers up his anxiety well. Yet, on the face of it, Tadej seems rock-solid in keeping his nerves under control. To win both the Giro and the Tour in the same year one must be mentally tough as nails, so the first thing to do is stay focussed on the task at hand without worrying about how the Giro may affect the Tour. The Italians shall welcome him as a god and this should make things a bit easier psychologically. Any setback, a crash, illness a flat at the wrong moment, will make any attempt at the double potentially compromised. You need a smooth run, but some things are at of one's control, yet it's the same for each top competitor.
 
We haven't seen a "I LOVE Pogi" thread yet ...


The original thread title was: "I LOVE ALBERTO"
That chick was super weird. Im surprised Contador survived her stalking
 
It is laughable when people assume the Giro is a preparation for the tour. It takes a lot to win one GT, let alone two.

Facts on the table:

  1. Pogacar has not won a GT for 2 years, going into year 3 now.
  2. His main rivals Vingegaard & Visma seem to have his number and knows how to beat him and have done so succesfully back to back.
  3. The olympics are upon us this season and Pogacar has expressed that he is participating.
  4. The Giro trophy is sexier than the Tour trophy.

Even looking at interviews, Pogacar has said that he has been training hard in the winter and his race shape in the early season proves that.

So far, everything is pointing towards a Giro peak. He isn't going there to attack on a single stage just to ride the rest of it defensively to save his legs/energy for the tour.

In professional cycling, you can only peak so many times and for him to win the Giro, Tour and Olympics/Worlds means that he would need to be in peak shape or close to peak shape almost for the entire stretch of the season which is obviously impossible.

What's likely happening is that our friends at UAE saw this season as an opportunity to combine the Giro with the Olympics (although a national team event, UAE still benefit from the PR) as their main season goals as a hedge against the tour so even if he loses, he's atleast ended his GT drought, added a new trophy to the cabinet and crossed the Giro off his bucket list.
 
It is laughable when people assume the Giro is a preparation for the tour. It takes a lot to win one GT, let alone two.

Facts on the table:

  1. Pogacar has not won a GT for 2 years, going into year 3 now.
  2. His main rivals Vingegaard & Visma seem to have his number and knows how to beat him and have done so succesfully back to back.
  3. The olympics are upon us this season and Pogacar has expressed that he is participating.
  4. The Giro trophy is sexier than the Tour trophy.

Even looking at interviews, Pogacar has said that he has been training hard in the winter and his race shape in the early season proves that.

So far, everything is pointing towards a Giro peak. He isn't going there to attack on a single stage just to ride the rest of it defensively to save his legs/energy for the tour.

In professional cycling, you can only peak so many times and for him to win the Giro, Tour and Olympics/Worlds means that he would need to be in peak shape or close to peak shape almost for the entire stretch of the season which is obviously impossible.

What's likely happening is that our friends at UAE saw this season as an opportunity to combine the Giro with the Olympics (although a national team event, UAE still benefit from the PR) as their main season goals as a hedge against the tour so even if he loses, he's atleast ended his GT drought, added a new trophy to the cabinet and crossed the Giro off his bucket list.
Fair enough, but not very good take, IMO.
Your 2nd point is simply laughable. It's a fashionable trend to explain nowadays everything in terms of data.

Even if Pogacar was racing like a madman in 2022 Tour and thought Roglic could be a contender, even if he was injured in his preparation for 2023 Tour, I think being 2nd for two years in a row didn't humble him but made him much more ambitious.

He is in for the double. He has always been compared to Merckx but for the first time he confesses he wants to be (he already is) legendary, the GOAT.