Rafal Majka discussion thread

[Lequack]

Can't believe no one has wrote anything here for the last 4 years! Even though Majka has been instrumental in Pogacar's many wins, not to mention the two TDF wins as well. It's a shame he doesn't get much chances to go for himself anymore, but he seems really happy and positive every day.

And this is a nice moment

https://twitter.com/x/status/1789324723270152236

View: https://twitter.com/majkaformal/status/1789324723270152236

https://twitter.com/x/status/1789310225406722293

View: https://twitter.com/BikeBlz/status/1789310225406722293

 

[Landeirovic]

2

Can't believe no one has wrote anything here for the last 4 years! Even though Majka has been instrumental in Pogacar's many wins, not to mention the two TDF wins as well. It's a shame he doesn't get much chances to go for himself anymore, but he seems really happy and positive every day.

And this is a nice moment

https://twitter.com/x/status/1789324723270152236

View: https://twitter.com/majkaformal/status/1789324723270152236

https://twitter.com/x/status/1789310225406722293

View: https://twitter.com/BikeBlz/status/1789310225406722293

2021 he got his chance in Vuelta and got a stage win.

2022 2x stage win Slovenia and 2e gc

2023 by helping the team. 12e gc Valenciana, 9e Gc Sicilia, 10e Gc Romandia, 14e GC Dauphine. 14e GC Tour France.

Got his chance in Poland his own country. 1 stage win and 8e gc.

This year 2e Gc Asturias. And i hope if Pogacar his gap is big enough in week 3. That Majka can go in the breakaway for try to get his win in every grand tour.

 

[Lequack]

Majka still seems young in my heart. He will be missed, he was a major reason for may of Pog's big wins.

Rafal Majka (UAE Emirates) will retire at the end of the season. Turning pro in 2011, the Pole (35 years old) won 3 stages and 2 polka dot jerseys in the Tour de France. 3rd in the Vuelta 2015, he had transitioned to a domestique role - notably alongside Pogacar - in recent seasons.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1951586271169495138

View: https://x.com/LeGruppetto/status/1951586271169495138

 

[Tanakka]

Majka still seems young in my heart. He will be missed, he was a major reason for may of Pog's big wins.

Rafal Majka (UAE Emirates) will retire at the end of the season. Turning pro in 2011, the Pole (35 years old) won 3 stages and 2 polka dot jerseys in the Tour de France. 3rd in the Vuelta 2015, he had transitioned to a domestique role - notably alongside Pogacar - in recent seasons.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1951586271169495138

View: https://x.com/LeGruppetto/status/1951586271169495138

Not a bad age to retire at, though:
he'll be 36 in september and therefore, by the time the legit WT races start in 2026, he'd be 36.5 y.o..
Plus, I had heard like almost a year ago that he had already been promised a staff role within UAE, so...

Too bad, 'cause in 2025 he still showed that he could be usefull (i.e. at the Giro), but it makes sense.
Better to got out this way than to pull a Froomey (especially without finding anybody crazy enough to match the humongous salary they - somehow - gave Froom for these last 4 tragic years).

 

[HashRouge]

I like Majka a lot. Shame he didn't get to do one last GT with Pogacar - he surely would have been at least as good as Yates in the Tour this year (I think better, personally).

 

[staubsauger]

I like Majka a lot. Shame he didn't get to do one last GT with Pogacar - he surely would have been at least as good as Yates in the Tour this year (I think better, personally).

Yates certainly was unexpectedly bad. Looking at Majkas 2024 Giro d'Italia I tend to agree he might have been better given the motivation for one last assistance & hoorah!

 

[Unchained]

Not a bad age to retire at, though:
he'll be 36 in september and therefore, by the time the legit WT races start in 2026, he'd be 36.5 y.o..
Plus, I had heard like almost a year ago that he had already been promised a staff role within UAE, so...

Too bad, 'cause in 2025 he still showed that he could be usefull (i.e. at the Giro), but it makes sense.
Better to got out this way than to pull a Froomey (especially without finding anybody crazy enough to match the humongous salary they - somehow - gave Froom for these last 4 tragic years).

Being so young, still capable and with experience in everything about racing winning and losing, fantastic climbing credentials, Majka would be a dream come true for staffer, mentor, manager of young riders. What he has done for Del Toro is remarkable and he gives off confidence, Guys like Jan Christen, Del Toro probably learned lots about racing and training, conduct from an example like Majka. If you look at his year his retirement can only come from another positive position change because his form could keep him in the game, if not with UAE some other team, guy is a real contributor, races hard..

View: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/IBu4NtNK5hI

Del Toro is the winner, but all the work and control the setup was done by Majka who in this recent race looked effortless in controlling everything.. Giro he was just as good..

 

[Izzyeviel]

really sad to hear he's retiring, I just hope he has an happy retirement & stays in the sport somehow.

 

[KZD]

Great rider that turn from a GC contender into one of the best climbing domestiques in the world. Will be missed but wish him the best in this new chapter of his life.

 

[tobydawq]

Since he's holding his own pretty good in the Giro so far, and since he derails the Contador quite frequently, I think he deserves his own thread. I might change the title when people agree about a nickname

Always nice to see the emoji using young Rick (and I know he loves it when it's brought attention to).

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

PCS has him listed for Il Lombardia.

I was hoping he'd stay on for a couple more years, but wish him all happiness and success in future endeavors.

 

[Red Rick]

Always nice to see the emoji using young Rick (and I know he loves it when it's brought attention to).

I'm being made to feel old again....

It's funny because he was originally nicknamed "The Bee" and the thread title was something like "Rafal Majka, The Bee or Not The Bee", which is ironic considering he would later spend the latter part of his career fighting the Jumbo/Visma bees.

 

[tobydawq]

I'm being made to feel old again....

It's funny because he was originally nicknamed "The Bee" and the thread title was something like "Rafal Majka, The Bee or Not The Bee", which is ironic considering he would later spend the latter part of his career fighting the Jumbo/Visma bees.

That was an ace thread title, I'll give young Rick that.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I'm being made to feel old again....

It's funny because he was originally nicknamed "The Bee" and the thread title was something like "Rafal Majka, The Bee or Not The Bee", which is ironic considering he would later spend the latter part of his career fighting the Jumbo/Visma bees.

When I see Rafal Majka I certainly don‘t think of a bee as the appropriate animal even in a Saxo-Tinkoff jersey. Honestly his broad upper body makes me think he‘s more of a Bizarro Kruijswijk.

 

[Red Rick]

When I see Rafal Majka I certainly don‘t think of a bee as the appropriate animal even in a Saxo-Tinkoff jersey. Honestly his broad upper body makes me think he‘s more of a Bizarro Kruijswijk.

It was based on some Polish kids TV show with a bee named Maja or something. I'd ask The Hitch but he left a long time ago

 

[QueenStagiaire]

It was based on some Polish kids TV show with a bee named Maja or something. I'd ask The Hitch but he left a long time ago

Well, Biene Maja is a German TV series, I probably should have gotten the reference.

 

[tobydawq]

Well, Biene Maja is a German TV series, I probably should have gotten the reference.

I don't think the reference is obvious at all. Maja is a very common girl's name in Denmark, I've certainly never thought it sounded like Majka...

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I don't think the reference is obvious at all. Maja is a very common girl's name in Denmark, I've certainly never thought it sounded like Majka...

Yeah, I guess, but no Danish girl is a bee AFAIK. But yes, it‘s not obvious.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I suggested it on the previous thread as a joke after some people offered some even crapper nicknames.

The reason was that in Poland (which is where majka is from) one of the most popular kids tv shows was pszczolka maja - maja the bee.