Il Lombardia 2025, monument, October 11

[Red Rick]

Some of the best races this year were exciting because of Pogacar — MSR especially, which in my opinion was the best major race of the season. Paris–Roubaix and Flanders were also pretty good, with Pogi as the main animator, and Strade Bianche too.


Unfortunately, Il Lombardia might end up being pretty dull, just like the Worlds and the European Championships were. But honestly, I can’t blame Pogacar for that — he’s just doing what every pro cyclist (and every pro athlete) is supposed to do: try to win.


If the races are boring, it’s not on him — it’s on the competition for not being strong enough to make it a real fight.

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[Cookster15]

ohwaityoureseriousletmelaughevenharder.gif

Pogacar isn't physically suited to PR or MSR compared to others (like MVDP). So absolutely he has made those races more exciting this year. Of course this GdL looks a forgone conclusion but stranger things have happened.

 

[Red Rick]

Pogacar isn't physically suited to PR or MSR compared to others (like MVDP). So absolutely he has made those races more exciting this year. Of course this GdL looks a forgone conclusion but stranger things have happened.

I'm mainly talking about cherry picking the 3 race days where he has a positive effect on the race, and even in RVV/Roubaix, and Amstel I don't think it's the biggest difference compared to the race without him. Every other race he's shown up has been a complete non-contest and the only mitigating factor there is a number of times the #2 easily beat the rest for #2.

 

[Tim Cahill]

For the first time in my 27 years of being a cycling fan, I will not be watching a monument. We all know exactly what's going to happen, and who will win. I'm not wasting anymore of my time watching the same result.

Get where you're coming Ash from with the ennui and as of now the odds seem massively in your favour, but you know now you've posted this it has the potential to become the mother of all backfires.

I shall watch, not just for the scenery but because I still believe the best thing about sport is that the weak can sometimes beat the powerful if the circumstances align, and I'd like to be there when they do. It hasn't happened much recently admittedly, but I watched Roger Hammond bang his head against a wall for 10 years in the classics and am in the middle of Fred Wright doing exactly the same thing so probably developed a bit of resilience to the disappointment.

I'd at least keep an occasional eye on proceedings if I were you.

 

[SafeBet]

4 years ago on the 9th of October, the best decision of my life: to marry my wife.
Tadej Pogacar won his first Lombardia on that day and was never defeated afterwards.
Should I divorce to end the streak?

 

[tobydawq]

I'm mainly talking about cherry picking the 3 race days where he has a positive effect on the race, and even in RVV/Roubaix, and Amstel I don't think it's the biggest difference compared to the race without him. Every other race he's shown up has been a complete non-contest and the only mitigating factor there is a number of times the #2 easily beat the rest for #2.

Cherry picking three out of the five monuments is not cherry picking.

 

[tobydawq]

4 years ago on the 9th of October, the best decision of my life: to marry my wife.
Tadej Pogacar won his first Lombardia on that day and was never defeated afterwards.
Should I divorce to end the streak?

I think you should.

It shouldn't be too hard to understand from her point of view.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

4 years ago on the 9th of October, the best decision of my life: to marry my wife.

Do you still consider it the best? Will Teddy destroy your marriage?

 

[Red Rick]

Cherry picking three out of the five monuments is not cherry picking.

RVV and Roubaix are crazy races every year. The added effect was relatively marginal, and in the case of Roubaix, it was mostly his name presence alone because.

Only Sanremo got elevated by a huge degree.

I could start listing the races where Pogacar's presence killed the race, but I don't have all week.

 

[tobydawq]

RVV and Roubaix are crazy races every year. The added effect was relatively marginal, and in the case of Roubaix, it was mostly his name presence alone because.

Only Sanremo got elevated by a huge degree.

I could start listing the races where Pogacar's presence killed the race, but I don't have all week.

Lol, if he hadn't been in Roubaix, Van der Poel would just have soloed from 70 kms out... To say he didn't add to that race by anything but name is simply ridiculous.

 

[SafeBet]

Do you still consider it the best? Will Teddy destroy your marriage?

I stopped believing it was the best on the very same day, when I realized I couldn't watch Lombardia live.
Not that year and not in the foreseeable future, because celebrating the anniversary would take precedence.

At least I didn't marry in April and will never miss Flanders / Roubaix.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

My guess its a defense mechanism and part of the third steps in the stages of grief. Considering the same guys said the same after TDF 24 but yet here they are. Considering the state of things, I’d let them grieve in peace.

And keep in mind, boys, Im just addressing the point that they need to point out they wont watch, not that they have a different opinion or dislike the dominance and greatness, which is completely fair and subjective.

Maybe it is simply that people who are quite happy and balanced consider sport to be more interesting when it is closely competed.

There is a reason why there are not large viewership figures for a person sitting in a library reading a book.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I stopped believing it was the best on the very same day, when I realized I couldn't watch Lombardia live.
Not that year and not in the foreseeable future, because celebrating the anniversary would take precedence.

At least I didn't marry in April and will never miss Flanders / Roubaix.

Good to know that Teddy's dominance in Lombardy actually helps with your marriage. He's such a good boy!

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

I'll be there for the views and the fight for the remaining podium places.
Yet again

 

[TrickyD]

I’ll have this on in if I’m in, but I’m not going to make any sort if special effort to be in. Pogacar doesn’t leave things to chance. If by some miracle someone can stay with his first attack there will still be at least another two climbs for him to shake them off, which he will. We know the drill by now. He’ll gradually weed it down to a group of 4 or 5, then he’ll take off. Remco will be left with a small group that will include probably Healy, someone from Lidl, Ayuso and Del Toro. He’ll get annoyed that they aren’t working together and will take off alone. Over the course of the final 40-50km he’ll pull Pogacars gap down from 1:30 to 1:15. He’ll put a couple of minutes into everyone else. 10 minutes will cover the top 10.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

4 years ago on the 9th of October, the best decision of my life: to marry my wife.
Tadej Pogacar won his first Lombardia on that day and was never defeated afterwards.
Should I divorce to end the streak?

A marriage is like Lombardia: It goes up and down, but it's also got great curves and beautiful scenery. However, it will sometimes already be over after 5 hours once a Slovenian guy makes his move.

 

[dobrien]

Lol, if he hadn't been in Roubaix, Van der Poel would just have soloed from 70 kms out... To say he didn't add to that race by anything but name is simply ridiculous.

+10000 to this, But for one overcooked corner we might have had an all-time epic on our hands; as it was he made the race VASTLY more exciting. Silly to suggest otherwise.

 

[dobrien]

I’ll have this on in if I’m in, but I’m not going to make any sort if special effort to be in. Pogacar doesn’t leave things to chance. If by some miracle someone can stay with his first attack there will still be at least another two climbs for him to shake them off, which he will. We know the drill by now. He’ll gradually weed it down to a group of 4 or 5, then he’ll take off. Remco will be left with a small group that will include probably Healy, someone from Lidl, Ayuso and Del Toro. He’ll get annoyed that they aren’t working together and will take off alone. Over the course of the final 40-50km he’ll pull Pogacars gap down from 1:30 to 1:15. He’ll put a couple of minutes into everyone else. 10 minutes will cover the top 10.

This sounds just dreadful, and is almost certainly spot on. That said, I'm one of the types who gets great enjoyment out of watching the race even if I know the conclusion, so if by some miracle Tadej gets a fight there is always the replay.

 

[Gratemans]

+10000 to this, But for one overcooked corner we might have had an all-time epic on our hands; as it was he made the race VASTLY more exciting. Silly to suggest otherwise.

Most of the races he participates in have become boring, but objectively speaking, yes, of course he makes PR and MSR way more exciting.

 

[Brullnux]

Lol, if he hadn't been in Roubaix, Van der Poel would just have soloed from 70 kms out... To say he didn't add to that race by anything but name is simply ridiculous.

It's a bit of an impossible counter-factual as the dynamics of Roubaix vary so much year on year, who gets punctures and where, etc. It's not like RVV where it's fairly straightforward to see Van der Poel would've walked it had Pogacar not been there.

That said, Paris-Roubaix was good with him there and I think that's the more important question than whether it was improved or not by his presence (not really possible to answer).

 

[cen]

I am predicting classic Remco-Roglic refusing to pull meme. One final time before joining of forces.

 

[Cycling111]

I am predicting classic Remco-Roglic refusing to pull meme. One final time before joining of forces.

I don't think Roglic will be at Remco's level in a race over 200 kilometers. Although this Lombardia is 10 kilometers shorter than last year.

 

[BigCoward]

There is a reason why there are not large viewership figures for a person sitting in a library reading a book.

You think if there were 2 people evenly matched, racing to finish, people would watch it?

 

[RedheadDane]

There is a reason why there are not large viewership figures for a person sitting in a library reading a book.

Unless the person is reading out loud.

Anyway, I probably won't be able to watch. My older sister suggested we "hold Saturday" at their house.
We meet up for dinner every Saturday, but when it's at my parents' there's a general understanding that I'll just plonk myself down in front of the telly and watch some random bike race. Even if it does run the risk of being accused of being a boring aunt...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Unless the person is reading out loud.

I will spending a lot of the day in airports, so I wouldn't mind them doing race commentary over the PA systems.