Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Barkintheeye]

I ran the stats for the podiums of the 5 Monuments from 2004-2021.

The top 5 names are (# of 1/2/3 podium finishes):

1. Cancellara (7/6/3)
2. Boonen (7/3/1)
3. Gilbert (5/0/6)
4. Valverde (4/5/1)
5. Nibali (3/2/1)

If victories in other notable spring classics (Amstel, Strade Bianche, Gent-Wev, Flèche W, E3, Omloop HN, DBP, DDV) are added the following names would be added:

1. Peter Sagan (7/3/0)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (6/4/1)
3. Wout Van Aert (6/1/1)
4. Niki Terpstra (5/1/3)
5. Mathieu van der Poel (5/1/3)
6. Nibali down to #10

Pogacar has some way still to go but is clearly on an extraordinary path to overall fame. Evenepoel has yet to make the lists. Valverde is just spectacular.

The three big in spring classics in “modern” cycling are still Cancellara, Boonen and Gilbert. The benchmark for all others to beat.

 

[Akuryo]

Yeah Nibali atttwcking but not managing to go solo screwed him over hugely. Cancellara always had a very underrated sprint at the end of longer races.

UNDERrated?! The dude won bunch sprints at the Tour. I'd call him many things but never underrated when it came to sprints.

 

[tobydawq]

???

What's this? He had Nibali in the front and team tactics dictated that was fine even if it was quite evident that he couldn't win and Sagan could - and was strong/technically inclined enough to bridge. But Nibali was too vain. And Sagan was only 22 so he would get plenty of opportunities later.

 

[hayneplane]

UNDERrated?! The dude won bunch sprints at the Tour. I'd call him many things but never underrated when it came to sprints.

When did Fabian Cancellara win anything remotely approaching a bunch sprint in the Tour?

 

[SHAD0W93]

UNDERrated?! The dude won bunch sprints at the Tour. I'd call him many things but never underrated when it came to sprints.

He didn’t sprint against them, more rode everyone off his wheel at like 600-700 meters to go and maintained that to have like 3-4 bike lengths before the sprint started at 200 meters.

 

[Akuryo]

When did Fabian Cancellara win anything remotely approaching a bunch sprint in the Tour?

2007. Going from far out but at the end still technically a bunch sprint.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Pogacar a different animal altogether from previous dominant GT riders in modern era. Wish Roglic had been a cyclist from his youth.

 

[johnymax]

Pretty good ride I'd say. He took my advise seriously I see: Be in top shape early in the season and get some wins in smaller races with weaker fields like UAE Tour, SB and T-A, because he'll have no chance against Roglič in TdF and Vuelta. Pogi is smart.

 

[Blanco]

Tadej Merckx!

 

[tobydawq]

He didn’t sprint against them, more rode everyone off his wheel at like 600-700 meters to go and maintained that to have like 3-4 bike lengths before the sprint started at 200 meters.

Those are some exceedingly long bikes you use for measurements...

 

[sir fly]

Tadej Merckx!

Teddy* Merckx

*BlueRoads©

 

[Red Rick]

Sagan not winning MSR looks less like a mystery now I look at his results again there.

He was seen as the big favorite cause he could win both as a puncheur and as a sprinter, but I think his sprinting in Sanremo has been really bad. 2012 is literally the only time he won the main sprint. Every biggwr sprint after hes been thorougly taken to the cleaners and even badly underperformed in small group sprints

 

[Netserk]

What's this? He had Nibali in the front and team tactics dictated that was fine even if it was quite evident that he couldn't win and Sagan could - and was strong/technically inclined enough to bridge. But Nibali was too vain. And Sagan was only 22 so he would get plenty of opportunities later.

Sauce? is what it meant—that Sagan wasn’t allowed to bridge.

 

[Netserk]

Sagan not winning MSR looks less like a mystery now I look at his results again there.

He was seen as the big favorite cause he could win both as a puncheur and as a sprinter, but I think his sprinting in Sanremo has been really bad. 2012 is literally the only time he won the main sprint. Every biggwr sprint after hes been thorougly taken to the cleaners and even badly underperformed in small group sprints

Gaviria took him out the only good year where he was in a peloton sprint for the win. So I wouldn’t only blame his sprint in 2017, 2016, 2013, 2012 & 2018. That was his window.

 

[tobydawq]

Sauce? is what it meant—that Sagan wasn’t allowed to bridge.

You're not making yourself any clearer to me with the first part of that post.

Do you think Nibali would have been completely fine with Sagan closing the gap on the descent?

 

[Netserk]

Is it something you have read the team, Nibali or Sagan say, or your interpretation?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Those are some exceedingly long bikes you use for measurements...

ain’t that the truth looking back at it again but it’s hard to say when 200 meters starts and I think it’s at 4:23 in the video.


At 4:18 is the overhead.

View: https://youtu.be/ZNne994CO7Q

 

[tobydawq]

ain’t that the truth looking back at it again but it’s hard to say when 200 meters starts and I think it’s at 4:23 in the video.


At 4:18 is the overhead.

View: https://youtu.be/ZNne994CO7Q

Are you kidding? At 4:23 there are probably 15 metres to the line...

Another forgotten thing about that stage was that they rode at a pace of less than 36 km/h for almost 240 kilometres, so the stage ended an hour later than Tour stages normally do.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I think the only races he probably can't win are pan flat sprint stages - but even then he'd be competitive. He seems to be able to do almost anything; climb, descend, ITT, and has a decent sprint.

I suspect he'd even be competitive In a MTB World Cup......

 

[Forever The Best]

I feel like hottakes right now so here we go.


Then of course there is Pogacar, the other young and upcoming star. He's not gonna be the next big thing either and I'd bet quite a bit that the hype surrounding him will largely disappear after this tour. He will without a doubt become a great rider, he might very well win a gt one day, but I get serious Enric Mas vibes by him who basically did the exact same thing as him at the Vuelta, just a year earlier and nobody is hyping him now. Of course Pogacar was even younger but still. There is something about him that makes me think he just peaked very early and got lucky with a super weak Vuelta field.

Ages better and better.
Sorry Gigs.

 

[Red Rick]

Ages better and better.
Sorry Gigs.

Makes me realise I can never have the shitest take on the forums and want to retire.

5 flaming hot takes and they all turned out the complete opposite

 

[rokovski]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1500418436136120322

View: https://twitter.com/BDebevec/status/1500418436136120322?t=EDNESk2i3pRaRyXDSfWMow&s=19

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

the literal new Merckx

 

[Lequack]

the literal new Merckx

Eddy Merckx: Tadej Pogacar is a Campionissimo

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eddy-merckx-tadej-pogacar-is-a-campionissimo/

 

[Monsi]

Epic performance by Tadej. He went deep today as it was a long solo effort. He may pay for it during the TT on Monday but no worries - stage 6 is still one week away

Tbf, one of Pogacar's biggest strengths is his recovery. He just seems to recover very well. I remember when he went on that 30+ km solo raid at the Tour and then he attacked and gained time again the very next day. I won't be shocked if he finishes in the top 3 in the TT tomorrow.