Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Red Rick]

I think part of the appeal is also there being less pressure to win, so he can ride much more freely.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Likely some training for cobbles already.

 

[Poursuivant]

Interesting prospect, think he could go on to win some races. Maybe a few jerseys.

 

[Bolder]

He wouldn't be able to finish the race in Dendermonde today tho.

Finish? I bet he'd have Top 20'd.He does have some CX skills and Dendermonde wasn't a particularly technical course today. Big question is whether he's doing running training, I think.

 

[yaco]

WELL Pogacar beat Mezgec by 15 seconds today in the cyclocross race in Slovenia.

 

[hayneplane]

He wouldn't be able to finish the race in Dendermonde today tho.

Why not. Not suggesting he would have got a top 5 finish but it seems ridiculously dismissive to claim he would DNF.

 

[Red Rick]

To be honest I would assume Pogacar would be very underprepared riding CX on the yolo than specifically aiming to ride a limited CX schedule.

 

[Terrefretter]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1475205029569122304

View: https://twitter.com/davidcrmelj/status/1475205029569122304?t=so3X4D5FIog_TP_99dlRcg&s=19

 

[Bonimenier]

Why not. Not suggesting he would have got a top 5 finish but it seems ridiculously dismissive to claim he would DNF.

On a course like Dendermonde it's not impossible he would have been lapped and taken out of the race as that happened to 50% field today. Really depends on how good he runs and rides through the mud. But in most races he probably would be able to finish.

 

[Mick Dundee]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1475205029569122304

View: https://twitter.com/davidcrmelj/status/1475205029569122304?t=so3X4D5FIog_TP_99dlRcg&s=19

Showing some nice skills there.. I’d be intrigued to see how he’d fair in an MTB race too, perhaps one of the less technical climbers circuits?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Showing some nice skills there.. I’d be intrigued to see how he’d fair in an MTB race too, perhaps one of the less technical climbers circuits?

Albstadt and Leogang would be right up his street; in fact he'd probably be more suited to MTB than CX because of the climbs.

 

[Lequack]

Showing some nice skills there.. I’d be intrigued to see how he’d fair in an MTB race too, perhaps one of the less technical climbers circuits?

He did some of that as well

 

[yaco]

Both Pogacar and Mezgec would be competitive in the elite Cyclo-cross if they had a GREATER focus - I am certain that Mezgec has been Slovenian champion in Road/Cyclocross and MB.

 

[Nirvana]

Both Pogacar and Mezgec would be competitive in the elite Cyclo-cross if they had a GREATER focus - I am certain that Mezgec has been Slovenian champion in Road/Cyclocross and MB.

XCO in 2015 and 2017 and CX in 2017 (with Pogacar 6th in that) but the level is likely really low.

 

[Gargamel35]

I would think riding in these kind of races is very good for bike handling skills? A part that is maybe missing in Roglič's arsenal.

 

[bNator]

Well Pogacars favourite MTF some 15 km from his home also happens to be Slovenia’s biggest MTB downhill/trail centers. I bet he spent a lot of time descending there…

edit:
Random video of a descent

 

[rokovski]

He was riding with other bike, covered brand, changed to Colnago for last lap?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1475089685978431488

View: https://twitter.com/IgorTominec/status/1475089685978431488?t=SZnC1jHnlVcsRJ3I1F0yhw&s=19

 

[yaco]

XCO in 2015 and 2017 and CX in 2017 (with Pogacar 6th in that) but the level is likely really low.

My guess is they could finish top 15 and maybe sneak into the top 10.

 

[Lequack]

He was riding with other bike, covered brand, changed to Colnago for last lap?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1475089685978431488

View: https://twitter.com/IgorTominec/status/1475089685978431488?t=SZnC1jHnlVcsRJ3I1F0yhw&s=19

Good spot.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Both Pogacar and Mezgec would be competitive in the elite Cyclo-cross if they had a GREATER focus - I am certain that Mezgec has been Slovenian champion in Road/Cyclocross and MB.

Well, it depends on what you would deem competitive. I don't think they would come close to the two giants, but behind that, sure. I think if Alaphilippe were to take it up again, that he might actually be able to do some damage.

 

[Red Rick]

Well, it depends on what you would deem competitive. I don't think they would come close to the two giants, but behind that, sure. I think if Alaphilippe were to take it up again, that he might actually be able to do some damage.

I'm really not sure how well road physiology translates to CX, but I'd probably put Alaphilippe a lot higher than Pogacar in it. But still the intervals in CX are even a lot shorter than what's ideal for Alaphilippe.

What's the best race to look at even. The old Boonen charity CX race where a bunch of road guys would get themselves dirty?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'm really not sure how well road physiology translates to CX, but I'd probably put Alaphilippe a lot higher than Pogacar in it. But still the intervals in CX are even a lot shorter than what's ideal for Alaphilippe.

What's the best race to look at even. The old Boonen charity CX race where a bunch of road guys would get themselves dirty?

This is Alaphilippe at the world cup CX 2013 in Rome for espoirs.

 

[CyclistAbi]

The funny thing is on how Remco looked older in 2013.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Tadej clearly likes riding his bike. Same as Wout.

You would never have seen Jan Ullrich in a cyclocross race in December - Ulle actually didn‘t like riding his bike.

With Ulle, you had to wait until Sarthe or even Romandie to see him doing a bike race. With Pogi and Wout, you see them racing all year long. That‘s great.

 

[tobydawq]

Tadej clearly likes riding his bike. Same as Wout.

You would never have seen Jan Ullrich in a cyclocross race in December - Ulle actually didn‘t like riding his bike.

With Ulle, you had to wait until Sarthe or even Romandie to see him doing a bike race. With Pogi and Wout, you see them racing all year long. That‘s great.

Okay, but Ullrich isn't exactly a reasonable baseline to measure up against.