Primož Roglič

[Red Rick]

Is Roglic' apparent inability to attack from quite a distance out on MTF's (despite being a superior climber and time trialer to most of his rivals) a possible suggestion that he is cleaner than some other riders, past and present?

Not really.

But I do think it's interesting we suddenly have multiple riders who can suddenly be close to top 50 at everything in cycling.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Not really.

But I do think it's interesting we suddenly have multiple riders who can suddenly be close to top 50 at everything in cycling.

Yeah, before the 90's there were more guys who could win stage races and classics, but there was less depth in the peloton.

Then there was an era of specialisation. Most riders who excelled in GT GC didn't do anything in the classics.

Then we had Nibali who was sort of a throwback to a bygone era with an ability to win the biggest three week races, and one day races.

But Vincenzo couldn't do everything. So yeah, I do also find this era interesting in the way that you pointed out. Perhaps some of it is that over time, road racing is attracting the best talent from other disciplines (track, mountain bike, cyclo cross), which it possibly didn't do as much 20-30 years ago.

 

[Ruklaw]

Is Roglic' apparent inability to attack from quite a distance out on MTF's (despite being a superior climber and time trialer to most of his rivals) a possible suggestion that he is cleaner than some other riders, past and present?

Is the inability apparent?

I think he's just quite conservative in his approach. He obviously feels that he is better avoiding bad days down the line by saving his strength, instead of by attacking and building up a time gap which might leave him the more fatigued down the line - there are very hard days to come.

It might also be that if he were to attack and show his strength then the inevitable doping questions would be asked - frankly it seems to me that Pog and Rog are so much stronger than the rest that they might as well be on motorbikes.

 

[saganftw]

except for pogacar, there are no other riders in the peloton with ability to attack and sustain that attack for longer period of time (vs top competition) - pogacar did it in tirreno, did it in tour de france and even he was then unable to do it again in 3rd week

everyone else rides to slowly drop competition first, either by himself or with help of teammates, usually the tempo is setup so high an attack from group of favourites doesnt last for long

seems to me that yates is capable of doing it but wastes his energy that way, carapaz possibly too but again it worked only once in tour de suisse (olympics were more of a result of breakaway riding than attacking on a climb), bernal did it but against weaker competition and its not exactly a strong point for roglic either - his thing is killing oponents by chipping away 15 seconds here and there, by the third week he is up 60 seconds

it just looks like unless its Pogacar in top form, nobody dares to attack early and keep going, because to do that you would have to push 6,3 -6,5 w/kg so no other favourite can follow including their domestiques

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Is Roglic' apparent inability to attack from quite a distance out on MTF's (despite being a superior climber and time trialer to most of his rivals) a possible suggestion that he is cleaner than some other riders, past and present?

What inability?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Since the 2019 Giro final week I've only seen Roglic tired once, in Liege this year.

His ability to hold a peak form for a long time and still be better than fresher rivals is really bizarre. Only other rider I saw do this in the last 10 years is Valverde.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What inability?

That quote aged about as well as my comment about Froome sitting up in the Salamanca TT to be fresh to help Wiggins in week 2.

Of course, it was not made without reason, but it's been more typically a stylistic choice borne out of some conservative race strategy in the team car or perhaps just being so good at the puncheur thing to not trust the other skills even when required, à la Purito.

 

[SafeBet]

Since the 2019 Giro final week I've only seen Roglic tired once, in Liege this year.

His ability to hold a peak form for a long time and still be better than fresher rivals is really bizarre. Only other rider I saw do this in the last 10 years is Valverde.

Pogacar?
I mean ok, he cracked in Bretagne Classic but I don't even remember the last time I saw him cracking before it.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Pogacar?
I mean ok, he cracked in Bretagne Classic but I don't even remember the last time I saw him cracking before it.

Pogacar has been a bit more inconsistent but you make a good point.

In Slovene nationals he was weak and he got destroyed by Roglic in Pais Vasco. And in 2020 he was not super profilic outside of TDF and February races.

 

[Red Rick]

Pogacar?
I mean ok, he cracked in Bretagne Classic but I don't even remember the last time I saw him cracking before it.

Cracked like an egg in the Dauphine MTF last year.

 

[Nick2413]

Is there any benefit to 2nd place finishes since you don’t have to get tested? Might be moot since he and others have won several stages but it seems some guys get a lot of 2nds when they seemingly could’ve won.

 

[Finn84]

I don't know about Vuelta, but in Tour GC leader is tested daily. Roglic led GC after all four stages he finished 2nd.

 

[Rackham]

Dodging dope tests is so 2000's.

It's an archaic practice from a distant past. These current riders breeze through all tests whether in competition or out of competition.

Roglic was in red for the first rest day (i.e. probably got tested for breakfast lunch & dinner) & still attacked the following day & dropped everyone.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Seen some interviews of this guy recently, he looks incredibly lean, 0% body fat, already 4 weeks after vuelta. His ability to never get tired and just do a season long peak is also getting ridiculous. Moto GP.

Don't know how he has the ability to just keep his body on the absolute limit for so long.

 

[Ghirmay4Ever]

Most offensive rider right now in my opinion, he seems to have absolutely zero weaknesses in his rider profile and worst of all, he has no form, he's just constant all year round.

 

[therealthing]

Still carrying peak form since 2019 Vuelta, with only maybe 2 or 3 days where it lapsed momentarily.

At least Pogacar isn't at his TDF level all season. Makes him seem somehow slightly more believable.

 

[Red Rick]

Well he did do a really limited schedule before the Tour.

 

[scapewalker]

I find it easier to stomach being on form all year like Roglic compared to Pogacar being completely off the past few weeks.

 

[BlueRoads]

Both is somehow weird, being absolute top level all year long without peaks and jumping up and down without a pattern that I can actually detect. But then I simply don't know what's normal anymore.

 

[Bolder]

I just can't believe in Roglic as a rider these days. It looks too easy.

I kind of get the impression that Pogacar is not training or racing with 100 pct commitment right now. But maybe the Tour took a little more out of him than I thought.

 

[topt]

Still carrying peak form since 2019 Vuelta, with only maybe 2 or 3 days where it lapsed momentarily.

At least Pogacar isn't at his TDF level all season. Makes him seem somehow slightly more believable.

I find it easier to stomach being on form all year like Roglic compared to Pogacar being completely off the past few weeks.

The Clinic is the best thing since Seinfeld

 

[BlueRoads]

The Clinic is the best thing since Seinfeld

So, honestly, what are the things that you find suspicious?

 

[topt]

So, honestly, what are the things that you find suspicious?

I mean we are all guessing here but to me its more likely you are not doping if you can hold about the same form for most of the year, heard Dan Loyd say the same thing.

 

[BlueRoads]

I mean we are all guessing here but to me its more likely you are not doping if you can hold about the same form for most of the year, heard Dan Loyd say the same thing.

Okay. Well, for me it's the other way around, I am less suspicious towards clear peaks which are built and then gradually go down, but it's just from some stuff I read and saw over the years, and I'm very far from an expert on these things, so maybe I'm wrong.

 

[topt]

Okay. Well, for me it's the other way around, I am less suspicious towards clear peaks which are built and then gradually go down, but it's just from some stuff I read and saw over the years, and I'm very far from an expert on these things, so maybe I'm wrong.

you mean like Armstrong