- Jul 16, 2015
- 5,562
- 14,281
- 23,180
So do I. But in my case I care more about just letting Rog ride and try to enjoy himself as much as he can. And that means laying off the rage-bait or angst when things go to hell out there (like in the recent Itzulia).
I don't agree with fans who start pointing fingers at the team and claiming they abandoned him or whatnot. That's because when you don't have the legs to win, the whole race is fought on the backfoot. My issue with Lipowitz is he seems to race against Rog more than he does for himself even, which means he often seems more intent on finishing ahead of his teammate at all costs instead of getting a stage win for himself or racing logically.
Sebastian Vettel mentioned this phenomenon with regards his final years at Ferrari, i.e. he said for him finishing off the podium had become tedious and demotivating whereas Leclerc was hyper motivated to finish as high up as possible (namely by beating him). That's the same vibe Lipowitz gives me.
@Rackham
Good to hear there are at least two of us, likely more. As for Rogla having fun and enjoying, Vuelta maybe, the rest is work. As for pointing fingers, it will stop once Rogla will be properly supported on ultimate climbs again. Romandie is rather perfect for that, team doing most of the work up to and including the ultimate climb on stage 5. Then Rogla can flex a bit.
Good to hear there are at least two of us, likely more. As for Rogla having fun and enjoying, Vuelta maybe, the rest is work. As for pointing fingers, it will stop once Rogla will be properly supported on ultimate climbs again. Romandie is rather perfect for that, team doing most of the work up to and including the ultimate climb on stage 5. Then Rogla can flex a bit.
- Jul 16, 2015
- 5,562
- 14,281
- 23,180
The team is top heavy with leaders and not enough good mid tier climbers or rouleurs. It's why the analysis surrounding the team's results is often biased by the perception of "oh look there's a bunch of Red Bull towards the higher finishing positions so they must be getting something right!". No. It's an imbalanced squad across the board, from classics races to stage races.
They need a Kruijwijk, a Gesink, or a Kuss. Yes I'm nostalgic for at least that part of the bees era.
@Rackham
They are generally speaking more than good enough individually but nobody wants to ride for anybody. So all in all most believe RBH can't win this race and in grand scheme of things a podium position is really not a noble goal. So what i want to see this time is relentless team support from start to finish with a strict hierarchy set and lets see on how that one goes. The team fully focused on themself.
They are generally speaking more than good enough individually but nobody wants to ride for anybody. So all in all most believe RBH can't win this race and in grand scheme of things a podium position is really not a noble goal. So what i want to see this time is relentless team support from start to finish with a strict hierarchy set and lets see on how that one goes. The team fully focused on themself.
- Mar 15, 2022
- 824
- 1,626
- 7,180
I wouldn't bet on that.
According to Friebe (The Cycling podcast) Roglič wanted to try 2vs1 on Seixas in Itzulia, even sacrificing his own result. But I guess team and Lipowitz had other ideas...
- Sep 12, 2022
- 10,287
- 11,534
- 22,180
Dumb move of the team unless they are going for UCI points... The whole point of having 2 great riders is that you can attack separately. Some from afar, to try something new, and break the better riders.
Good that you clarified this, because I was under the impression that Roglic didn't want to do an attack from afar.
They can basically do at the Tour whatever they want and likely will do just that but here at Romandie we will be watching closely.
That is the team is strong enough to take on responsibility early, considering the stage profiles. They should be able to support race leader jersey and prevent surprises for the most part. At some hot spots, the key is to pace hard and to stay together. If by any chance Lipo or Rogla covers some solo attack then it's forbidden to do a pull beyond sprinting in the finale.
As for that solo attacking ***, they can do that if they won't learn to do better on some other race. And when all of their leaders are in the team of leaders. Then around 1% chance exist for something to crack, either them or the opponents, constantly pressing. Two solo leaders are not enough for racing like that considering the field.
Armchair Cyclist
Moderator
- Mar 22, 2010
- 16,094
- 12,099
- 28,180
That's very different from the tactic you were proposing a few weeks ago for the TdF.
- Aug 13, 2011
- 8,187
- 12,677
- 23,180
Shhhhhh, 8 climbers riding their own race is way better.
- Jul 9, 2009
- 8,051
- 1,526
- 20,680
So what? Bora should elbow UAE off the front and then as a group make a really hard pace on the climb until Pogi attacks and drops them all as a group.
They are not capable riding like that at the Tour 2026 plus i am rather sure that by now there is substantially bigger list of people that would support taking Rogla, Lipo, Remco and Giulio to the Tour 2026 as a part of the same team. And that won't happen either.
A reminder that Rogla and Remco haven't even ridden a bike race together and they are in the same team.
Supposedly.
Who cares what UAE or Pogi will be doing RBH has more then enough on their plate.
- Aug 13, 2011
- 8,187
- 12,677
- 23,180
Roglic and GP aren’t prepared for the Tour.
It does stink neither want to have a similar program. Maybe if Roglic took part in LBL he could have helped maintain the gap for his leader.
If you want to beat Pogacar you have to care about what he is doing.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 55,624
- 47,006
- 28,180
Contrary, I think Romandie is the perfect chance to do the absolute opposite and just give him 28 minutes for no reason. Take all the action out of the race, race for 2nd in the most negative way possible.
FYI Jai was there in the group, when Remco was waiving, trying to maintain the gap.
You don't really have to care about Pogi, when beating him, although it is nice.
- Jul 16, 2015
- 5,562
- 14,281
- 23,180
I think the peloton should literally go on strike behind UAE. Let them ride away and win with a one hour advantage. Imagine the media hellstorm.
I have to confess that I'm extremely disappointed. I've never known Roglic to be a quitter but he just said he didn't train for Romandie and that he is not going for GC when this is a race that was on his program.
What a letdown of a year compared to other illustrious riders that are also retiring. How is it possible that he has just given up when Nairo Quintana is still winning?
And please, don't give me the "team doesn't support him" or "he doesn't get on well with teammates", I don't know whether that's true or not but even if it was, when has that stopped Roglic from riding for his own results?
I truly don't understand why he didn't retire last year if he was planning to just don't give a *** on his final year.
What a letdown of a year compared to other illustrious riders that are also retiring. How is it possible that he has just given up when Nairo Quintana is still winning?
And please, don't give me the "team doesn't support him" or "he doesn't get on well with teammates", I don't know whether that's true or not but even if it was, when has that stopped Roglic from riding for his own results?
I truly don't understand why he didn't retire last year if he was planning to just don't give a *** on his final year.
Well, let's not be unfair. If Roglic were racing in Asturias like Nairo Quintana or in Galicia like Yates, he'd also be winning, and absolutely dominating. Furthermore, given how the Tour of the Alps unfolded, if you replaced him with Giulio on that RB Bora team, he could have won the race too, based on his performance in Milan-Torino and first part of Itzulia, unless he'd had a bad day like the final stage of the Itzulia Basque Country.
I simply think he's going here with very low expectations because the Itzulia Basque Country was a tough blow to his morale, although sometimes Roglic performs better when he says he's not coming with high expectations.
I simply think he's going here with very low expectations because the Itzulia Basque Country was a tough blow to his morale, although sometimes Roglic performs better when he says he's not coming with high expectations.
- Aug 13, 2011
- 8,187
- 12,677
- 23,180
- Feb 20, 2012
- 55,624
- 47,006
- 28,180
You want Roglic to be remembered as a whiner and a sore loser that threw awain his final year after one of the best careers just because the team had other priorities? Nobody will really remember the good times, only the fans, he will be ridiculed like Froome
I would have thought he would do the exact opposite, have a blistering last hurrah to prove everybody wrong, that's the Rogla *I* love
- Feb 20, 2012
- 55,624
- 47,006
- 28,180
TRENDING THREADS
-
Liège - Bastogne - Liège 2026, one-day monument, 26th April- Started by Krzysztof_O
- Replies: 2K
-
Paris-Roubaix 2026, one day monument, April 12- Started by Lequack
- Replies: 2K
-
Itzulia Basque Country 2026, April 6-11- Started by Dazed and Confused
- Replies: 2K
-
Ronde van Vlaanderen 2026, monument, April 5 (men's)- Started by Krzysztof_O
- Replies: 1K
-
Teams & Riders The Remco Evenepoel is the next Eddy Merckx thread- Started by DNP-Old
- Replies: 40K
-
Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread- Started by Lequack
- Replies: 44K
-
Tour de Romandie neither one-day nor monument, 28/04-03/05 2026- Started by QueenStagiaire
- Replies: 64
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram