Pogi won both the 2020 and the 2021 edition of the Tour so saying he wasn't dominant doesn't add up. When he was pushed out of his comfort zone, chasing down both Rogla and Jonas, that is what cracked him. Now RBH has three such riders and then some plus Jonas and Visma will for sure apply pressure too, among others. So just disregarding all this and believing Pogi can't struggle, fine, have such opinion but saying RBH sending one of them as a leader, possibly with a weak team, for that to be a better strategy, that is capitulating up front.
Surely you understand the difference between "dominant" and winning. Surely you can see he's not the rider he was 2+ years ago. Surely you can see that when Vingo and Visma used a multi-rider attack tactic, that it was close between Pogi and Vingo. And that it hasn't been close at all for 2 years. Which obviously makes all the difference.
I didn't disregard anything, and I think it's possible for Pogi to struggle. I just think right now it's unlikely, and if a team doesn't have 1 rider near the level of the best, there's a big limit on what 3 riders (or 2, or 4) not near his level can actually do. Because not only is Pogi a LOT better than he was in 2020 and 2021, but his team is as well. And they can drive a pace on climbs which takes everything the other leaders have just to hold the wheel. Then Pogi can put in more.
It's kinda hard to attack a guy when you're already on the limit. This is why UAE goes to the front, raises the pace, and launches Pogi. No one does anything because no one can. Stage racing 101. See Postal, Sky, etc.
To be clear, I don't think that's an argument (again) that they should only send one leader. I've never said they should send 1. If they send 3, great. Whatever they think will work. But it's not going to matter at all on the big cols. So they would have to find a way, like Visma before them, of attacking in other spots. I would like to see it.
The problem with all your arguments here is that you start from a place of "I want Roglic at the Tour" and "all the dismissal of Roglic hurts my feelings" rather than a place of "What are the best tactics for RBH" and "what is the best way for RBH to plan the season". It seems to lead to some fairly naive "analysis" regarding who they should and shouldn't take.
So basically we are saying the same thing it's you just have issues mentioning Rogla in the same scenario.
Honestly, do you read? I have no issue whatsoever with Rogic going. I think he's stronger than everyone who is writing him off. I just don't think sending 3 leaders to the Tour is a particularly likely scenario. Whoever those 3 might be. But...again...it's possible and I have no issue with it.
Read people's posts. If you need clarification, ask instead of making things up.
For sure RBH can now crack UAE, team vs team, that is if they do their due diligence, especially when it comes to roster selection and if they choose to.
Anything is possible. Not going to happen on the big cols, so please explain how and where they can "crack" UAE and what exactly you mean by "cracking" them.
Exactly, they need to take the mentioned three riders plus some good climbers and of course somebody for the flats, or two. Basically they can't afford to split their best up and send them to different GTs, unless some do the Tour too. Main reason for it they now have a roster to compose one AAA team, they don't have enough riders of such calibre to form two such teams.
So one or two (progress!) guys for the flats. Pulling for 3 weeks, almost every day. Not going to happen. For reasons everyone here has tried to tell you over and over again.
So bottom line, riders are free to choose their schedules but at the Tour the best ones will need to participate.
I seriously doubt that. The team has an interest in all rider schedules. Remco is probably the most free to choose his own schedule, but the team is gonna have something to say about even his schedule. Certainly the other riders are not "free to choose". They can have their preferences and asks. The team will decide.
And all please stop whining on how hard life is, as a rider riding for a super team at the Tour, that is the ultimate goal and not something one should be scared off. It pays well too.
What the f*** are you even talking about.
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