Recent content by Cookster15

Bernal won the 2019 Tour de France in the last week - stages 19 (Col de l'Iseran) and 20 (Val Thorens) to be precise. As I have mentioned before here I don't think Bernal was lucky because of the shortened stage which actually better suited JA. I think "usually" only applies to since Bernal...

Just in case you are not joking, peak Armstrong would not be close to peak Pogacar (ie, 2024/2025 level). Edit: Reason being is that Armstrong's best ascent of Alpe D"Huez was the 2004 Tour MTT when he recorded 37'36" which was still a minute slower than Pantani's record. Pogacar destroyed...

Congrats to Jasper Philipsen, took it easily. But other than Jasper doesn't look like the strongest sprinter field?

I trust Almeida more than Ayuso. I am still sticking with my original tips: Vingegaard, Almeida and Bernal. Yes Bernal is my tip from the heart not head. If head I would tip Carapaz for 3rd.

Just caught this comment. Depends on how you define “loads”. Since this is the Pogacar thread, according to a quick search he is earning about €8 million p.a. That means Pog earns about 8 times the best paid footballers in some countries. Not bad for a sport without a load of money. Obviously...

In the time I have followed cycling I would say the Giro was my favorite followed by the Tour. But in recent years I think the Tour has leapfrogged the Giro. I'd put that down to the Pogacar / Vingegaard rivalry. Last two years I think the Giro has been quite disappointing. But I am still not...

Of course discipline is an aspect of talent. I think I would rank the importance of prerequisites of talent in this order: Physiology Discipline. Courage (willingness to attack and take risks) Skills (descending and bike handling) Edit: The last two are why many of us have certain favorite riders.

I can't talk about anyone before Indurain as I wasn't following the sport back then. I have to read the record books and form my own judgement. Obviously all those suggested in the opening posts are talented else they would never have had successful careers and be mentioned. But what exactly is...

Of course it is! I would have thought that physiological talent is the main reason for all the riders being suggested?

There is ignorance and recency bias. But there is also that many believe the level of the peloton today is much higher than in 1974.

There is a warning for unproductive posts. I will leave the posts as I wasn't active until the conversation had died down by itself. But yes such back and forth making accusations against other posters isn't in the best interests of civility and should be avoided. This was also reported to mods...

Merckx was not a better climber than Pogacar. In the 1972 Tour Merckyx beat Gimondi by 10'41". Zoetemelk came 5th @19 minutes. So Gimondi, Poulidor and Zoetemelk are way behind Vingegaard and Remco.

Of course, but I think you would agree that the competition is a little tougher in 2025 than it was back in 1969? And 2024 by Pogacar was comparable to Merckyx's arguably best year of 1974. Pog 2025 is on track to be a similar level as last season. He didn't do the Giro but easily beat an...

Thanks. Pogacar hadn't even turned 21 by the 2019 Vuelta and was still largely unknown. He first announced himself at the Tour of California that year. Also agree Valverde was the strongest in the 2009 Vuelta but only just. Cadel was strong trying to get a consolation for failing at the Tour.

Maybe you are right but this is not what I found when I did a search? It suggests two weeks, not days. But you are right it would not last until the third week of a grand tour. To the question of "how long does altitude training last" Google AI gave this answer: