Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Rou]

Vuelta isn´t confirmed.
If he wins the TDF I think he won't go

We learned about Roubaix 3 weeks before he went there and it was planned in December. I don't think the PCS schedule is a reliable source.

 

[AmRacer]

The remaining part of his season:
Dauphine
Tour
Vuelta
World's RR
Lombardia
66 total race days. Normal and completely doable.

But peaking from June to October is without rest

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Vuelta isn´t confirmed.
If he wins the TDF I think he won't go

I think that he won't do Vuelta anyway (no matter the Tour result), he will be too tired. His spring schedule is anything but preparation for a GT double. He will rest after the Tour and focus on WC and Lombardy

 

[Cycling111]

We learned about Roubaix 3 weeks before he went there and it was planned in December. I don't think the PCS schedule is a reliable source.

I'm not saying it for PCS. He avoids commenting on his participation in Vuelta. When he talks about the second half of the season, he only talks about TDF and WC.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Just a couple of days ago I too was wondering whether in 2026 he could skip 'UAE Tour' and 'SB'.

The " 'UAE Tour' thing" is so maddening:
I get that they are the UAE team afterall, and they pay him a lot of money, but, damn, it's such a waste.
Can't they send Ayuso?

SB is a different story, though, yeah, even more so having him won already three of them, it might still be worth sacrificing.

I don't think the Giro adds much to Pog's legacy and whatnot.
Potentially, if it had the same firepower as the TdF, the Giro could even be the superior GT, but as the things stand it's all about the TdF.

To be honest I don't think the Vuelta would add anything either, but I undestand that he hasn't won it yet and therefore...
It's meaningless, but ok.

Vuelta adds a lot. 11 GTs (unless he wins 6 TdF) is his goal and he needs to win all 3

 

[Rou]

One more thing: In 2023 Vingegaard confirmed his Vuelta participation in an interview on stage 21 of the Tour. I can't believe that it wasn't planned and he just decided to do it during the Tour.

 

[Rou]

But peaking from June to October is without rest

No. The misconception is the word peaking. Was Pogacar in peak shape in Liege? Was Pogacar in peak shape in Lombardia 2023 when he won? It was the opposite - he was dead after Glasgow but still won Lombardia.
Pogacar does not need to be in monster shape for the first half of the Vuelta.
He can manage his peaks. Just because he is better than the others doesn't mean he is in peak form.

 

[YavorD]

Vuelta adds a lot. 11 GTs (unless he wins 6 TdF) is his goal and he needs to win all 3

I thought he is setting his own goals, but now I learned that he has to ask this forum first and then decide what's his goal(s).

 

[Peyroteo94]

No. The misconception is the word peaking. Was Pogacar in peak shape in Liege? Was Pogacar in peak shape in Lombardia 2023 when he won? It was the opposite - he was dead after Glasgow but still won Lombardia.
Pogacar does not need to be in monster shape for the first half of the Vuelta.
He can manage his peaks. Just because he is better than the others doesn't mean he is in peak form.

This is truth however he is facing Vingegaard not Roglic or Remco.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I thought he is setting his own goals, but now I learned that he has to ask this forum first and then decide what's his goal(s).

And I'm pretty sure he wants Vuelta in his palmares.

 

[Rou]

This is truth however he is facing Vingegaard not Roglic or Remco.

You are right but I don't know what version of Jonas we will see from now on.
One interesting hint: Merjin Zeeman was a key figure in Visma guys. Since he left the team is not the same and I don't think a lot of people realise how important he was for that team.

 

[Cycling111]

One more thing: In 2023 Vingegaard confirmed his Vuelta participation in an interview on stage 21 of the Tour. I can't believe that it wasn't planned and he just decided to do it during the Tour.

Perhaps Vingegaard didn't have it in his calendar, but he felt strong after finishing the TDFin 2023 and decided to go.
This year, he confirmed Vuelta in January.

Pogacar aún no ha confirmado la Vuelta.

In any case, we can't compare him to Vingegaard. Pogacar said in January that his biggest goal is the WC.

 

[Rou]

IMO his biggest goal in the spring was San-Remo and his biggest goal of the year - TDF. It's not even sure that the World's will be in Africa this year.

 

[Peyroteo94]

You are right but I don't know what version of Jonas we will see from now on.
One interesting hint: Merjin Zeeman was a key figure in Visma guys. Since he left the team is not the same and I don't think a lot of people realise how important he was for that team.

The best version. Don't fool yourself... he is doing a Froome 2015-2017.

 

[Peyroteo94]

IMO his biggest goal in the spring was San-Remo and his biggest goal of the year - TDF. It's not even sure that the World's will be in Africa this year.

I hope it is. Cycling can grow a lot in Africa with these worlds!

 

[Netserk]

One more thing: In 2023 Vingegaard confirmed his Vuelta participation in an interview on stage 21 of the Tour. I can't believe that it wasn't planned and he just decided to do it during the Tour.

Vingegaard later said that they planned to do both Tour and Vuelta already in November, but that it'd depend on how he felt at the end of the Tour.

 

[snipeheem]

The best version. Don't fool yourself... he is doing a Froome 2015-2017.

I dont know if you not over rate Jonas a little. The gap between him and Pog is big.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I dont know if you not over rate Jonas a little. The gap between him and Pog is big.

Well, Pogacar got his a** kicked in the past so he surely won't underrate Jonas.

 

[andrew_s]

I must admit that what I'm waiting for is an attempt on a Giro-Tour-Vuelta season.
Last year was off the cards on account of the worlds.

The next obvious season would be 2029 (sprint Worlds, no Olympics), but it could happen after any future Giro-Tour if a 3rd or 4th Worlds was thought to be less of an incentive.
I don't see it being announced in advance of a Tour win.

 

[AmRacer]

I must admit that what I'm waiting for is an attempt on a Giro-Tour-Vuelta season.
Last year was off the cards on account of the worlds.

The next obvious season would be 2029 (sprint Worlds, no Olympics), but it could happen after any future Giro-Tour if a 3rd or 4th Worlds was thought to be less of an incentive.
I don't see it being announced in advance of a Tour win.

GC Kuss did that

 

[Cookster15]

The best version. Don't fool yourself... he is doing a Froome 2015-2017.

As a Pogi fan I still fear a rise of Vingegaard too.

According to data the best version of Vingegaard was 2024 PdB - not when he defeated Pogacar in the Tour twice as he never hit those sustained watts/kg. But taking away his Itzulia crash logically Jonas should be capable of a higher level. Mostly less fade in the 3rd week., not so much a higher peak level since he already did his best ever peak climbing performance at PdB.

After PdB Vingegaard dropped time on stages 19 ,20 and 21. Whilst he was still good enough to beat Remco at the Nice TT I think the time lost over the last 3 stages can be put down to his rushed preparation and loss of base-load conditioning. And the most obvious fade was 19 - Bonette.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I dont know if you not over rate Jonas a little. The gap between him and Pog is big.

Until I see Pogacar beating Vingegaard this year, I will not say Vingegaard can't beat Pogacar (in future events).
Vingegaard knows how to peak and already beat Pogacar twice in the Tour.

 

[James M]

I dont know if you not over rate Jonas a little. The gap between him and Pog is big.

On this particukar topic, he severely overrates Vingegaard. He said he would drop everyone in Algarve and Nice too so yeah. I dont get this looking behind for answer thing as its any relevence to now and wont give you anything but the wrong aswers oh well. Not that it matters.

He also thinks Vismas mediocer team now, with Kuss, are better climbers than Almeida, at least he's consistent

 

[HashRouge]

As a Pogi fan I still fear a rise of Vingegaard too.

According to data the best version of Vingegaard was 2024 PdB - not when he defeated Pogacar in the Tour twice as he never hit those sustained watts/kg. But taking away his Itzulia crash logically Jonas should be capable of a higher level. Mostly less fade in the 3rd week., not so much a higher peak level since he already did his best ever peak climbing performance at PdB.

After PdB Vingegaard dropped time on stages 19 ,20 and 21. Whilst he was still good enough to beat Remco at the Nice TT I think the time lost over the last 3 stages can be put down to his rushed preparation and loss of base-load conditioning. And the most obvious fade was 19 - Bonette.

Same here. I have nightmares about that TT followed by the Col de la Loze stage

I will never underestimate Jonas Vingegaard. He's a superb GT rider and if he can get to July in top form, I don't see why he couldn't compete for the victory. I don't read too much into last year for the reasons you say. The Itzulia crash had to have affected him, particularly further through the Tour. It really impacted his ability to push Pogacar to the limit of climbs like Bonette.

I hope he can be good this year anyway, I like Pogacar more when he has a battle on his hands, a la MSR, Flanders and Roubaix this year.

 

[Peyroteo94]

On this particukar topic, he severely overrates Vingegaard. He said he would drop everyone in Algarve and Nice too so yeah. I dont get this looking behind for answer thing as its any relevence to now and wont give you anything but the wrong aswers oh well. Not that it matters.

He also thinks Vismas mediocer team now, with Kuss, are better climbers than Almeida, at least he's consistent

Maybe he had a different approach this year. But I can ensure one thing, if I overrate Vingegaard, what you do with Remco is even worse.
And you ask Pogacar who is his biggest rival and he will say Vingegaard. Vingegaard is the guy who made Pogacar better, the guy who Pogacar looks every morning and works 6 hours a day to not lose against him. Not MVP, it's Vingegaard. I don't have any doubt in mind. I am sure I am not overrating him, he is a freak in July and Visma is putting all their eggs in the Tour. They will be good!