Teams & Riders Everybody needs a little bit of Roglstomp in their lives

[Armchair cyclist]

Light-years are not used to mesure time though

No, but they are used to measure distance, and distance is a plausible measure of winning margin. As in, "He won by three bike lengths."

 

[Rackham]

Light-years are not used to mesure time though

Today was Pog versus Rog like 2020 all over again, so I'd say a flux capacitor fitted into a DeLorean took us on a literal trip back in time, just for a few hours.

 

[Miha81]

I guess he really is a mortadella fan

 

[dennisdy]

Remco would've won this race by a light-year.

He would have been stomped, just like everyone else!

 

[Nick2413]

Nice to see the stage today get Roglified. He’s as good as ever this season. Still would be a surprise if he can get Lombardia but he’s got the fire.

 

[Lequack]

After GC Kuss won the Vuelta, the job of Roglic was done. His padawan reached his goal, and it was time for Roglic to move on.

 

[Lequack]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRBiTZO3BT8

 

[zlev11]

Bora would be perfect for him.

 

[Oldermanish]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWc7vYjgnTs


Uh, this older men, the range. Beautiful maestro, just beautiful.

That finish photo of him racing into the light is cathartically inspiring.

 

[Lequack]

What if he signed for the new merged Amazon team?

 

[zlev11]

for him to win Lombardia I think he needs to be in the front group on Bergamo Alta and then attack/stomp and go solo from there. that's his chance to win. he is better than Pogacar on an uphill sprint but not on a flat sprint. unless Pogacar is not with the front group...

 

[Ricco']

What if he signed for the new merged Amazon team?

Well, meme levels would be great.

Video of Remco and Jonas on a Teide balcony, receiving an Amazon delivery with Rog inside the package.

"Why not, eh"?

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Giro dell‘Emilia more and more becomes Roglic‘ race. Three victories already.

I think in Varesine on Tuesday, we could see a similar picture: probably Rog and Pog almost equal.

I however think Pog, as often in the past, will get the biggest boost exactly for Lombardia.

If Primoz maintains current shape, he could sprint vs Pog, in Lombardia - just like Mas did, last year. But I think in such a sprint, Tadej is always the favourite.

Today, Primoz won such a sprint - certainly a good sign for next Saturday. But Lombardia is Lombardia - 260kms, instead of today‘s 205.

2023 Il Lombardia will be good, anyways: Pog and Rog in great shape. Plus Remco, who still will want to show something big, after his GC disappointment in the Vuelta.

Remco already showed that he can really destroy his opponents, on a good day, in a one day race: LBL, WCs… Should he be this good next week, we could see an epic battle between Pog, Rog and Remco.

Plus, I hope they‘ll have the weather they had in 2010 Lombardia: truly epic, cold, rain, a day to write history. Back in the day, the men who handled this nightmare best were Gilbert, Lastras, Scarponi. A great edition of this beautiful race!

Now Primoz will want to say goodbye to Jumbo in style, and win next Saturday!… There will be tears, anyways… Tears that fall because Primoz ends his journey as a Jumbo rider. But the best is still to come: next year, Primoz will want to win the Tour de France, the most important race of all. A Tour de France victory is the greatest thing a bike racer can achieve. And Primoz could become the first person ever to become ski jumping world champion and TdF champion. Ineos will be the team which offers him everything he needs to fulfill this dream.

 

[bill1109]

Great for Rog to leave and perhaps make more money by being possibly top protected rider for tour de France . But do we really think he can actually beat Pog and Ving at TDF? I like Rog a lot but don't think that is happening. But hey, to get paid more by a lesser team to keep us all in suspense (well some of us) yes great. Great move. Take the money while you can get it. But beat Pog and Ving ? Lol.

 

[Escarabajo]

It doesn't matter whether we believe that He can beat Pogi and Vingo. The only thing that matters is if He believes that He can beat them. And for most, having the opportunity to do so.

good for him and I'll be cheering for a good spectacle!!

 

[CyclistAbi]

But do we really think he can actually beat Pog and Ving at TDF?

Yes.

 

[titan31]

Ya, I don't think he can beat Pog and Vingegaard, no matter the team he joins. Maybe if we got a really weird route that suited him more than the others (not even sure what that would be as Vingegaard is now a better TTist and Pog can compete in any uphill sprint finish). I think he can give it a go and he'd come closer to any of the other GC guys but not sure he can beat both of them barring misfortune.

It's not even just beating them, there's no other team as strong as UAE or Jumbo (even without the merge)

 

[CyclistAbi]

Ya, I don't think he can beat Pog and Vingegaard, no matter the team he joins.

Na.

 

[titan31]

I've never seen Bahrain ride as a team. They show up with 3-4 super doms and you never know which one of them will lead the team to 8th.

Roglic would be the obvious leader but I'm not sure if they have it in their DNA to really get organized into a race controlling force.

I don't think that's true at all. Bahrain have done great in some of the Giros (2021 for Caruso for example), and I remember them blowing up some stages by going hard very early.

I don't think they can compete against Jumbo and UAE in team strength (that's very difficult though) but they'd be a good fit for Roglic I think and could bring a strong team to the Tour. Also, unlike Bora, I think their riders are more willing to dom for each other. Likes of Caruso, Bilbao, Poels, Haig fit in as strong doms and are guys who I feel will be more willing to do it in comparison to Vlasov, Higuita etc. Mohoric would also be excellent in a WVA style role

 

[CyclistAbi]

It's not that much on how such team look and work ATM. It's on how it will look and work in 2024 season and beyond. As it's not the same team, having a cyclist as Rogla, riding as a team leader, or not having that. And then there is the question on how much such team really wants to win the Tour. I could easily imagine, that the team Rogla will end up riding for in 2024 season will do everything and beyond, to win the Tour.

So that is not the same team any more. It's a new team yet to be seen and experienced. The Rogla Tour Team.

 

[titan31]

It's not that much on how such team look and work ATM. It's on how it will look and work in 2024 season and beyond. As it's not the same team, having a cyclist as Rogla, riding as a team leader, or not having that. And then there is the question on how much such team really wants to win the Tour. I could easily imagine, that the team Rogla will end up riding for in 2024 season will do everything and beyond, to win the Tour.

So that is not the same team any more. It's a new team yet to be seen and experienced. The Rogla Tour Team.

Sure but let's say he went to Bora (who are probably the strongest team he can join), I'd look at guys like Vlasov, Hindley, Higuita, Martinez and Kamna as not good doms, and I'm not sure if some of them would even be interested in doing it. Even in current Bora, they never seem to ride together, they'd just sit in the leading group until they start to drop.

A team like Bahrain might be weaker individuals but I could easily see Caruso, Bilbao, Haig and Poels drilling it with Roglic sitting behind them. Add Mohoric, Wright and probably Arndt as the guys for lower slopes and the flat and that's a reasonably strong team. It doesn't compare to Jumbo and UAE but unless Ineos can fill out their team strongly (it's sparse atm), they could actually be one of the better options.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@titan31

Then again they will all drop, bar Primož, at Tour. That is the point.

P.S. It will be fine. Rest assured Primož will have a good team, supporting him at Tour. Otherwise he wouldn't have switch the team in the first place.

 

[CyclistAbi]

As in the end, that is the thing, on why it came to it, as best stage racer of current generation, and beyond, should never had have need to ask, if he will be supported at the Tour. Anyway, it is what it is. Fingers crossed for a good outcome and looking forward to this new era of racing.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Got to love Roglic coming out before the race stating he’s leaving Jumbo and following that up with a win. Joining Bahrain while a good support team would also be Roglic embracing the Roglic vs Bahrain meme. Something I’m all for and what would fit Roglic’s personality, to finish it off with Wright saving his GC bid.

 

[proffate]

I don't think that's true at all. Bahrain have done great in some of the Girls (2021 for Caruso for example), and I remember them blowing up some stages by going hard very early.

I don't think they can compete against Jumbo and UAE in team strength (that's very difficult though) but they'd be a good fit for Roglic I think and could bring a strong team to the Tour. Also, unlike Bora, I think their riders are more willing to dom for each other. Likes of Caruso, Bilbao, Poels, Haig fit in as strong doms and are guys who I feel will be more willing to do it in comparison to Vlasov, Higuita etc. Mohoric would also be excellent in a WVA style role

Every Bahrain rider you just listed is someone that I'm accustomed to seeing targeting their own results while at Bahrain, although some of them were doms at other outfits. Which is basically my point. It's where doms go to be given a chance to chase 9th place.

Also why would Mohoric want to be turned into a donkey? I do not understand why Wout is wasting his career in that role, but I would not expect other race winners to be lining up for that job just because he did. If I'm Mohoric and I've signed a contract with the understanding I'm chasing wins, you'd have to pay me more if you wanted me to stay in place after being told to just ride on the front of the peloton all day. Man I hope Wout somehow falls out of JV as a result of this merger so we can see him actually do something at the tour.