Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Zoetemelk-fan]

These two sprints are brought up alot in this context. If you look at them, they seem more like Mads messing up, than difference in straight up sprint strength.

Closing my eyes, my retina have a clear picture of Mads continuing his trend here into 2025 of strong man displays with close, but no cigar at the finish line, even with his DS in both his ears, a megaphone in each.
But I would be delighted to be corrected.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

There's still one thing the poor man's Wout has and the silver Wout dreams about!

You're right. Wout has only won the Tour of Denmark once.

 

[scribers]

He's locked in. He looks hungry. For the characteristic that defines Pogacars type that means only one thing.

You know what they say about big hands..

..big watts!

 

[Peyroteo94]

No one will work with him anyhow. So he might as well be alone. A 20 rider composition behind him is not bringing him back as they won't want to drag the group of favorites to him.

Being alone is really difficult. Everything has to fall in place and add a little bit of luck.

 

[scribers]

Tail wind is our luck be a lady

 

[2WpK]

Tail wind, faster bike, stronger team, injured Philipsen. This is the year.

 

[scribers]

I just tried to listen to LRCP and these guys are stuck on the idea that Pedersen, MVP, and anyone else they consider to be a favorite is also going sub 9 minute on the cipressa climb by following Pogi.

I had to just stop listening there.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Tail wind is our luck be a lady

Luck is not in Pogacar's side. There will be no rain and let's see how is the wind.

 

[yaf2]

Luck is not in Pogacar's side. There will be no rain and let's see how is the wind.

Rain is the last thing he wishes coz on cipressa descent there will be riders who would put their lives at stake to win a monument more than him

 

[YavorD]

Rain is the last thing he wishes coz on cipressa descent there will be riders who would put their lives at stake to win a monument more than him

Fair point.
On these descents you can lose as much as you gain on the shallow climbs, and even more, if it's raining.
So I'm not sure why rain would benefit Pogacar exactly in MSR.

 

[AmRacer]

Pogi drags Mathieu, Pidcock and Mads down Poggio. Tadej is the first to attack towards the finish line and he wins because the other three look at each other.

 

[yaf2]

Pogi drags Mathieu, Pidcock and Mads down Poggio. Tadej is the first to attack towards the finish line and he wins because the other three look at each other.

U never watch each other when a rainbow Jersey is attacking in the front. All eyes on him

 

[Poursuivant]

I watched last years Cipressa again before. UAE took about 4/500m into the start of the climb before Covi piloted Pog to the front and put in a great turn and had it all in single file.

Del Toro and Wellens latched on just as Covi relented and Del Toro done about 2km on the front. After he had it strung out, He was dying after about 1.5km and then what was left of the peloton started to bunch on the front. Wellens then came to the fore but Pog was in discussions with him and it seemed like he didn’t want Wellens to kill himself before Poggio.

Apparently last year the peloton climbed Cipressa in 9:26. Considering last year Pogi didn’t want all the team to go full gas as he didn’t plan to attack there, and that Del Toro did too long a pull, and that their positioning cost them at the start, I think if they play it perfectly, Pog will go under 9 minutes and break the Cipressa record.

They will need to get to the front early, have Narvaez, Del Toro and Wellens do crazy strong pulls and move off fluidly, and the peloton will be whittled right down before Pog can attack and we see who can match him.

 

[scribers]

I think he did plan to attack there and all the favorites knew it. Pogis train was sabotaged and plan b was the poggio (again)

 

[Peyroteo94]

I think he did plan to attack there and all the favorites knew it. Pogis train was sabotaged and plan b was the poggio (again)

And now other teams will do the same.

 

[Cookster15]

Today I watched all Pog's attacks on Poggio in the last 3 editions. Some of them were very strong and yet he couldn't get a decisive gap. It's especially difficult vs MVP (who's the biggest problem as he's also stronger in the section after Poggio top) but there are also a few other guys who are able to minimize the gap and catch Pog downhill. I really don't know if Poggio alone is enough to separate Pog from the rest. They may try thermonuclear pace and attack on Cipressa indeed.

Agree. Not sure I agree with Ewan. He is a sprinter so maybe not the best opinion on Pogacar's chances even though he's a professional who has contested MSR.

Pogi is a rider who wins grand tours. Only 3 or 4 riders in the peloton are capable of that. Sprinters capable of thermonuclear pace are abundant.

Pogi's best chance is to attack on the Cipressa to gap and tire out the sprinters and their teams before the Poggio. And knowing Pogi, he can attack a second time on the Poggio if needed. Only MVDP has the engine to hang with him. So Pog will have to drop MVDP by attacking Poggio at the bottom. A tough ask. But this is Pogacar.

 

[Sandisfan]

Pogi drags Mathieu, Pidcock and Mads down Poggio. Tadej is the first to attack towards the finish line and he wins because the other three look at each other.

U never watch each other when a rainbow Jersey is attacking in the front. All eyes on him

With Mads there I think he is the first to chase but Mathieu and Pidcock plus another might each look at each other for a while. I am sure you could think of a fairly possible combo of riders who would pull the second group fiasco.

 

[dazaau]

Last year it looked like pogi was at 20th position and his train had to come from at least 30th. No idea if they’ve made the adjustment necessary but the real race here is to the foot of the cipressa. UAE knows they need to lead here to launch and everyone else knows they need to block here to stay in it.

Sounds like a great recipe for a season impacting mega crash

 

[SafeBet]

Fair point.
On these descents you can lose as much as you gain on the shallow climbs, and even more, if it's raining.
So I'm not sure why rain would benefit Pogacar exactly in MSR.

Plus all of the other big favorites bar Pippo are very good in rain and bad weather.
Pog might have a competitive advantage over Vingo or other GC guys in bad weather, but not over VdP, Pedersen and Pidcock.

 

[dazaau]

Plus all of the other big favorites bar Pippo are very good in rain and bad weather.
Pog might have a competitive advantage over Vingo or other GC guys in bad weather, but not over VdP, Pedersen and Pidcock.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1898426964458795226

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/1898426964458795226

 

[Peyroteo94]

Plus all of the other big favorites bar Pippo are very good in rain and bad weather.
Pog might have a competitive advantage over Vingo or other GC guys in bad weather, but not over VdP, Pedersen and Pidcock.

Last year, he was completely destroyed in SB.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Last year, he was completely destroyed in SB.

I wouldnt count on rain favoring Pog. It probably won't rain for most of the course and in the finale it will make descents more dangerous.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I wouldnt count on rain favoring Pog. It probably won't rain for most of the course and in the finale it will make descents more dangerous.

Rain and cold are important to make MSR harder. The goal is to reduce the peloton before and in Cipressa. It is easier for UAE to be in the front with just a peloton of 80 riders than a peloton of 130 riders.

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

While I don't think Pogačar will win MSR, I'm going to enjoy watching him try - hopefully for many years.

 

[Peyroteo94]

While I don't think Pogačar will win MSR, I'm going to enjoy watching him try - hopefully for many years.

It would be great to see him winning his first MSR like Vino won the Olympic RR.