Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[HashRouge]

That said, while we are still quite far out, he is currenly listed for the TdF on PCS:
Pogačar, Almeida, Novak, Yates, Wellens, Narváez, Soler, Sivakov
While the following guys will do the Giro:
Yates, Ayuso, del Toro, Arrieta, Majka, McNulty, Vine

UAE Team Emirates - XRG 2026

UAE Team Emirates - XRG is the name of the cycling team in 2026. The main riders listed on the team are Tadej PogaÄar, Adam Yates and João Almeida.

www.procyclingstats.com

I think they'll take Politt. I don't know what Narvaez would bring to the Tour squad - surely they need another big rouleur type? Unless they expect Novak to do everything on his own.

NGL I really miss Majka and Bjerg on the TdF teams. I think I'm just sentimental about 2022 and 2023. I preferred it when UAE weren't quite so stacked and had a good, but slightly more "normal" team.

 

[2WpK]

Remco looked so strong across the past couple of weeks. Such a strange collapse.

I actually predicted this. He hasn't raced enough. No amount of training can build the durability that racing can. He looked great when he first raced again due to fresh legs but the durability is not there. He started showing this fade at FW.

 

[AmRacer]

Eddy is the problem that pogacar will be concerned with. The 5 giros and 19 monuments are the impossible task

If Mathieu isn't at his best next year, Pogi can win all 5 monuments. And he will have #10 with Lombardia.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Eddy is the problem that pogacar will be concerned with. The 5 giros and 19 monuments are the impossible task

I don't think what Merckx did over half a century ago keeps Pogacar up at night one bit. Racing now is a different endeavor than in the 1970s. From 1960 to 1988, just before the fall of the Soviet Union, cycling at the Tour was basically a two-country affair: France and Belgium. Cycling is much more of an international sport now, with far greater competition. Look at the top cyclists now: Slovenia, Denmark, Slovenia, Netherlands.
The Pog vs. Merckx debate, though understandable, is tiresome and inapposite, frankly.

 

[scribers]

I don’t think it’s inappropriate as history compares itself in cycling. Merckx was certainly gauge against predecessors I’m how time was well.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I don’t think it’s inappropriate as history compares itself in cycling. Merckx was certainly gauge against predecessors I’m how time was well.

I think it's natural to want to compare greats from different eras. Same thing goes in futbol and basketball. But the era in which Merckx raced was so different. The sport has broadened its reach significantly since then. Regardless of how that comparison shakes out, what Pogacar is doing has no peer in at least the last several decades.

 

[Rou]

So Contador thinks that UAE should be worried about a potential burnout for Pogacar and too much fatigue for the Tour because of the classics.
I also had these fears in January. However having seen his performances (specifically on Cipressa, Hafeet and Redoute) my fears are much smaller now.
The thing is Pogacar was stronger in LBL this year compared to last year without having done an altitude camp.
His base level looks higher than last year. We will see what he can do after some altitude training.

 

[Offline]

So Contador thinks that UAE should be worried about a potential burnout for Pogacar and too much fatigue for the Tour because of the classics.
I also had these fears in January. However having seen his performances (specifically on Cipressa, Hafeet and Redoute) my fears are much smaller now.
The thing is Pogacar was stronger in LBL this year compared to last year without having done an altitude camp.
His base level looks higher than last year. We will see what he can do after some altitude training.

Totally agree! And last year he did LBL-Giro before Tour.

 

[James M]

So Contador thinks that UAE should be worried about a potential burnout for Pogacar and too much fatigue for the Tour because of the classics.
I also had these fears in January. However having seen his performances (specifically on Cipressa, Hafeet and Redoute) my fears are much smaller now.
The thing is Pogacar was stronger in LBL this year compared to last year without having done an altitude camp.
His base level looks higher than last year. We will see what he can do after some altitude training.

Pogacar had far more race kilometers in his legs last year—significantly more. Although they weren't as intensive, I believe he's in a better situation this year from a fresh standpoint alone than he was last year with Giro-Tour double.

While Contador struggled with fatigue from attempting the Giro-Tour double, Pogacar was better than ever and hasn't shown the same vulnerability. This year involves an easier total workload relative to last year, especially close to the TDF, giving him plenty of time to build up. Especially compared to last year—zero concerns this year there, on the contrary.

 

[Fos]

This year we are going to find out what the Pogi 2.0 can achieve with a complete preparation for Tour.

 

[Fos]

I actually predicted this. He hasn't raced enough. No amount of training can build the durability that racing can. He looked great when he first raced again due to fresh legs but the durability is not there. He started showing this fade at FW.

Short preparation so good peak but lack of recovery while days passing by. It happened to Pogi and Jonas in Tour.

 

[Lequack]

Behind every victory are beautiful moments with teammates, rivals and the fans. This year’s #LBL had it all
PS: Domen Novak really doing his best Harry Potter impression.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDBT-udjtOc&feature=youtu.be

 

[scribers]

Pogacar had far more race kilometers in his legs last year—significantly more. Although they weren't as intensive, I believe he's in a better situation this year from a fresh standpoint alone than he was last year with Giro-Tour double.

While Contador struggled with fatigue from attempting the Giro-Tour double, Pogacar was better than ever and hasn't shown the same vulnerability. This year involves an easier total workload relative to last year, especially close to the TDF, giving him plenty of time to build up. Especially compared to last year—zero concerns this year there, on the contrary.

Mental strength is also a factor in all of this. Reading @mou's recent tweets with the article about psychological training is something Pogi is also working on in his arsenal. I never had contador as being particularly strong mentally, in fact it might be his worst skill set. And it shows in his doubts while appropriating Pogi's situation from his perspective. Tell yourself you can't do something and what you visualize is what you become. This is exactly what happened to Remco at LBL in my opinion.

 

[Oldman]

Eddy is the problem that pogacar will be concerned with. The 5 giros and 19 monuments are the impossible task

You think Tadej races with regards to the records set by others? He enjoys what he's doing and is gracious in defeat. If he harbors inner pressure it's clearly well hidden come race day.

 

[Oldman]

Mental strength is also a factor in all of this. Reading @mou's recent tweets with the article about psychological training is something Pogi is also working on in his arsenal. I never had contador as being particularly strong mentally, in fact it might be his worst skill set. And it shows in his doubts while appropriating Pogi's situation from his perspective. Tell yourself you can't do something and what you visualize is what you become. This is exactly what happened to Remco at LBL in my opinion.

Remco couldn't visualize deeper training and stronger legs. That was his problem.

 

[Ulle97]

Currently on 9 monuments, how many do you think Pogacar can win in his career?
Merckx's record on 19 looks a long way off.

I think he'll top out around 13 or 14. He's bound to hit the wall at some point and as history has shown us, a rider's dominance is pulled away quicker than we anticipate.

 

[Red Rick]

Currently on 9 monuments, how many do you think Pogacar can win in his career?
Merckx's record on 19 looks a long way off.

I think he'll top out around 13 or 14. He's bound to hit the wall at some point and as history has shown us, a rider's dominance is pulled away quicker than we anticipate.

Pogacar isn't exactly showing signs of slowing down and being finished in 3 years

 

[Lorzenz08]

Currently on 9 monuments, how many do you think Pogacar can win in his career?
Merckx's record on 19 looks a long way off.

I think he'll top out around 13 or 14. He's bound to hit the wall at some point and as history has shown us, a rider's dominance is pulled away quicker than we anticipate.

I would bet on 15-17

 

[Samu Cuenca]

By the time he retires, Strade may have become an official monument.

 

[Ulle97]

Pogacar isn't exactly showing signs of slowing down and being finished in 3 years

Exactly my point. Whenever a rider shows utter dominance, we live through the moment seeing nothing only their total supremacy. Take Vingegaard for example after his 2nd Tour win and that famous Combloux TT. The world of Grand Tour cycling looked pretty bleak for the rest of the competition, including Pogacar who was slipping into the role of bridesmaid. Jonas was talked about as a 10 time grand tour winner. Now, he might struggle to win another.

 

[scribers]

You think Tadej races with regards to the records set by others? He enjoys what he's doing and is gracious in defeat. If he harbors inner pressure it's clearly well hidden come race day.

No one can convince me pogi isn’t well aware of Merckx’s palmares against his own.

 

[scribers]

Exactly my point. Whenever a rider shows utter dominance, we live through the moment seeing nothing only their total supremacy. Take Vingegaard for example after his 2nd Tour win and that famous Combloux TT. The world of Grand Tour cycling looked pretty bleak for the rest of the competition, including Pogacar who was slipping into the role of bridesmaid. Jonas was talked about as a 10 time grand tour winner. Now, he might struggle to win another.

I can think of maybe 1 person who would have thought Vingo would win unlimited tours

 

[hayneplane]

Mental strength is also a factor in all of this. Reading @mou's recent tweets with the article about psychological training is something Pogi is also working on in his arsenal. I never had contador as being particularly strong mentally, in fact it might be his worst skill set. And it shows in his doubts while appropriating Pogi's situation from his perspective. Tell yourself you can't do something and what you visualize is what you become. This is exactly what happened to Remco at LBL in my opinion.

Surely Contador was mentally strong to deal with the Armstrong situation/inter team rivalry and still win the Tour.

 

[scribers]

Remco couldn't visualize deeper training and stronger legs. That was his problem.

He’s now saying he had better numbers than when he won and it was a team problem. He got left in the dust and got off the back because the cameras were pestering him

 

[scribers]

I would bet on 15-17

I’m going with 21