Mark Padun- Made it Ma, Top of the world

[Krzysztof_O]

So Bahrain have selected Fred Claus instead of Mark Padun. Of course it makes no sense and we'll have to wait till the Vuelta for Padun to drop Pogacar.

They realized that 7 watts/kg is an overkill and let Mark eat mommy's dishes to reach more human 6.7 w/kg at Vuelta. Pogi must be celebrating as if he had just won the Tour.

 

[CyclistAbi]

So Bahrain have selected Fred Claus instead of Mark Padun. Of course it makes no sense and we'll have to wait till the Vuelta for Padun to drop Pogacar.

If they would instead select Santa Claus, that would still feel a bit strange, Padun would drop Santa.

 

[Cookster15]

I think Ullrich usually had more to lose than 4.5kg though

Ullrich was also a far superior time trialist than Padun so I am not sure the best example other than off season weight gain.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

If they would instead select Santa Claus, that would still feel a bit strange, Padun would drop Santa.

Nah, Santa would gift him the win.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Nah, Santa would gift him the win.

Depends on if he was good or bad last year.

 

[Rollthedice]

So Bahrain have selected Fred Claus instead of Mark Padun. Of course it makes no sense and we'll have to wait till the Vuelta for Padun to drop Pogacar.

Maybe we'll have to wait for Vuelta 2025, who knows?

 

[will-10]

More Santa (m)Brogio than Claus...

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Overlooked in favour of a Fred, that has to sting.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Padun me? He's not doing the Tour? What on earth?

 

[gregrowlerson]

Padun me? He's not doing the Tour? What on earth?

Initially I thought it was just a bad joke also....

 

[Netserk]

Padun me? He's not doing the Tour? What on earth?

His wings melted.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Pello Bilbao is the undisputed leader of this team, no room for possible defectors like Padun who will make things too obvious.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Padun is also out of contract after this season. Maybe he didn't want to sign a contract extension before the Tour and this is the result...

 

[Escarabajo]

Pello Bilbao is the undisputed leader of this team, no room for possible defectors like Padun who will make things too obvious.

Do they have undisputed leader at Bahrain at the Tour? why would you do that?

 

[CyclistAbi]

No Padun no Maillot Jaune in June.

 

[solo80k]

Padun is also out of contract after this season. Maybe he didn't want to sign a contract extension before the Tour and this is the result...

Still very stupid, even if he walks away to other team. Sponsors should be pissed since he could easily get a stage win, or even perform well in the GC. This is screen time robbery.

The only fact that could be a reasonable factor is if something's wrong with his biological passport.

 

[BlueRoads]

For me there are two possible reasons: clinic issues, if only fear of a public outcry in France, or a focus on the Vuelta for him, where he might achieve even more.

 

[Skalman]

Yeah, if he is healthy this makes no sense at all, he is obviously in form, so I believe in the outcry version. Then they might send him to Vuelta even so but i don't think that was the original plan.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Padun Pounds Pogacar
TDF 2022 headline

 

[movingtarget]

Two on the podium would have shown a lack of manners..................

 

[TMJ]

Does anyone here think Mark Padun is a serious threat to win La Vuelta?
He was a climbing God at the Criterium du Dauphine as recently as early June, winning back-to-back mountain stages and leaving the world's elite in his wake.
We know there are amazing things happening within Bahrain-Victorious and big Mark finished third at the recent Vuelta a Burgos (43 seconds behind his team leader and winner Mikel Landa).
Maybe having to look after Landa and stick with him when he inevitably has a dodgy spell at some crucial moment will kill his chances.
Or do you think the team will allow him to spread those climbing wings and give him the freedom to show the world what he can do?

 

[will-10]

I think he could literally finish anywhere between 1st and last and it wouldn't be a surprise. A true enigma in the making

 

[SafeBet]

I wouldn't bet on Padun being consistently good over three weeks of racing. Stranger things have happened, of course, but if there's one thing he always lacked was consistency. He is also a terrible TTer, at least on paper.

 

[tobydawq]

He is also a terrible TTer, at least on paper.

All the better then that Jesus will be present at both TT's

 

[hayneplane]

I think he could literally finish anywhere between 1st and last and it wouldn't be a surprise. A true enigma in the making

Post Olympics as well would not surprise me at all if we had a winner from left field like Padun. Could be a re-run of Cobo 10 years on