Pogacar vs Contador, who has the best career now?

[yesdanielbryan]

Good morning guys.

Considering that at the moment there aren't races, I thought to propose you comparisons of cyclists; I'd like to know in particular who has the better career between Pogacar and Contador at the moment.
Contador won only grand tours (3 Tour de France, 3 Giro d'Italia, 3 Vuelta), no monuments, one week races (2 Paris Nice, 1 Tirreno Adriatico, 4 Basque Country, 1 Catalunya), 3 stages at TDF, 2 at Giro, 6 at Vuelta.
Pogacar won 2 TDF, 2 second TDF, 1 third Vuelta, 3 Giro di Lombardia, 1 Liegi, 1 Ronde van Vlaanderen, 1 Amstel, 1 Fleche, 1 Strade Bianche, 1 Paris Nice, 2 Tirreno, 1 third at Liegi, 1 third at WC and Olympics, 11 stages TDF, 3 at Vuelta.

So Contador won more GT, but didn't win classics, but what's the better career at the moment, in 2023, who has the better palmares?

Thank you very much

 

[Gigs_98]

It depends. Do you think Contador has won 9 GTs and 3 Tours then arguably Contador has the better palmares. Otherwise it probably depends on how you value versatility.

 

[Squire]

Ah, gotta love the random off-season discussions!

I'm a bit biased here, as I'm quite nostalgic for the earlier years that I followed cycling and I see Contador as much more of a mythcial figure than Pogacar.

But if Pogacar was to never win a race again, I'd have to put Contador first even when trying to be objective. Three of each GT and an eight year spell between 2008-2015 (only interrupted by 2013 and the short lay-off in 2012) where him winning was more or less regarded as a foregone conclusion in every GT he showed up to ranks so far above 'only' two TDFs that Pogacar can't compensate with his much more impressive non-GT palmares.

At the end of Pogacar's career there might be a different conclusion though, even though I somehow don't see him winning GTs well into his 30s.

 

[yesdanielbryan]

Ah, gotta love the random off-season discussions!

I'm a bit biased here, as I'm quite nostalgic for the earlier years that I followed cycling and I see Contador as much more of a mythcial figure than Pogacar.

But if Pogacar was to never win a race again, I'd have to put Contador first even when trying to be objective. Three of each GT and an eight year spell between 2008-2015 (only interrupted by 2013 and the short lay-off in 2012) where him winning was more or less regarded as a foregone conclusion in every GT he showed up to ranks so far above 'only' two TDFs that Pogacar can't compensate with his much more impressive non-GT palmares.

At the end of Pogacar's career there might be a different conclusion though, even though I somehow don't see him winning GTs well into his 30s.

In your opinion, how many monuments Pogacar has to win to arrive to Contador palmares?

 

[topcat]

The answer is clearly Nibali but Pog will probably surpass him next year.

 

[Panda Claws]

At this point Contador. No real discussion imo.

Contador has 7 to 9 major wins (all GT's) vs Pogacar's 7 of which 3 are Lombardia.
Pogacar's few semiclassics also don't weigh up against Contador's stunning record in major one-week races.

 

[Cookster15]

Who has the best career is too early to say - Pogačar is in the middle of his career and Contador is retired.

As of today, Contador is clearly ahead but on current trajectory I'd put Pogačar ahead by the day he retires. Pogačar is way more versatile and has a better sprint. But as of now he has a few grand tour wins to win - including the Giro and Vuelta. And he ran into a Danish roadblock at the TdF.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Sticking to official numbers Contador has 7 GTs (including 2 Tours) while Pogacar has 2 GTs (both Tours) and 5 monuments. Contador has a bunch of other important one-week races while Pogacar has a bunch of important one-day races and stage races. It's close, Maybe I would slightly favour Contador due to a GT being somewhat above monument in my book. OTOH Pogacar's all-round achievements favour him regarding versatility. However, while Contador may still be slightly ahead in terms of achievement I rate Pogacar as the best rider in modern cycling (and maybe even in history given that cycling is more competitive now than 40-70 years ago).

 

[Red Rick]

The one they called Alberto Contador Velasco. He was the Lord of Saxobank, and the Greatest of the Nine

 

[Panda Claws]

Contador at Pogacar's age had one Tour de France and one Paris-Nice.

 

[Netserk]

Contador at Pogacar's age had one Tour de France and one Paris-Nice.

Pogi at Albert Withen's age had nothing. Wow, what a relevant comment.

 

[Panda Claws]

Pogi at Albert Withen's age had nothing. Wow, what a relevant comment.

It really is all-or-nothing with you. A few posts above I already clearly stated that right now it is Contador so no I am not making some grand point in Pogacar's favor there. Imagine moaning about the relevancy of comments -in the correct thread- on a peanut gallery cycling forum on a saturday.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

Pantani_lives already did the scientific work on this. It's almost a draw but won't be by mid-2024.

 

[Froome]

Contador, but pogacar will have a better palmares than contador when he finishes his career.

 

[Gigs_98]

I mean, surely nobobdy is doubting Pogacar will, notwithstanding completely unforeseeable circumstances, end his career with a better palmares than Contador, right? Like, there is absolutely nothing to argue about on that front.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I mostly agree, but Contador looked liked he’d win 7 Tour and then Froome, crashes, clinic, etc., limited him to 3 (2). It’s certainly possible Pogi keeps riding the Tour every year and doesn’t win again, leaving him with 2 GTs.

 

[Blanco]

Still Contador...
But the question is for how long?

 

[yesdanielbryan]

I mostly agree, but Contador looked liked he’d win 7 Tour and then Froome, crashes, clinic, etc., limited him to 3 (2). It’s certainly possible Pogi keeps riding the Tour every year and doesn’t win again, leaving him with 2 GTs.

I agree, however this argument can be made also for Pogacar, without Vingegaard he would have 4 Tour at 25. Probably also top Contador or Froome wouldn't be able to beat Vingegaard of last 2 Tour.

 

[iBanesto]

Pogacar idolised Contador.

There is some similarity when they are climbing out of the seat.

 

[Red Rick]

I mean, surely nobobdy is doubting Pogacar will, notwithstanding completely unforeseeable circumstances, end his career with a better palmares than Contador, right? Like, there is absolutely nothing to argue about on that front.

"Alberto, how do you like your chances of having a better palmares than Pogacar when he retires?"

Alberto:

 

[KZD]

I am calling this one a draw at least if we consider Contador's official record.

Tour de France - advantage Pogačar
2 overall wins for both but Pogačar was two times second which trumps other Contador placements and he has a staggering 11 stage wins against Contador's 3.

Other major races - advantage Contador
5 overall wins in the Giro + Vuelta for Contador while Pogačar has 5 monument wins. Pogačar also has third place in the Vuelta, Olympics and Worlds. Still, because the Giro and the Vuelta are more important than the monuments and he has more stage wins, I give this one to Contador.

Other important races - draw
Contador has more wins than Pogačar in smaller stage races (4 wins in Itzulia is impressive) but Pogačar equals things with wins in Strade, Amstel and Flèche.

 

[DNP-Old]

In the context of these two riders, I do not find a Vuelta or Giro to be worth more or be more important than a monument.

 

[Berniece]

In the context of these two riders, I do not find a Vuelta or Giro to be worth more or be more important than a monument.

Depends which monument. I find the Vuelta and Giro more worth than Lombardia. But that’s subjective of course

 

[Red Rick]

In the context of these two riders, I do not find a Vuelta or Giro to be worth more or be more important than a monument.

Beating Fausto Masnada and Bagioli confirmed equal to beating Froome in the Vuelta.

 

[DNP-Old]

Beating Fausto Masnada and Bagioli confirmed equal to beating Froome in the Vuelta.

Beating Leipheimer, Aru, Bruseghin confirmed equal to beating Van der Poel, Roglic, Evenepoel, Van Aert.