Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Cookster15]

'I feel ready, I expect a lot from my legs' – Tadej Pogačar back to bullish best ahead of Rwanda World Championships road race and in search of revenge for heavy TT defeat

'I didn't catch my rhythm, I didn't catch my legs, but after Sunday, I think I've got used to the environment' says defending World Champion

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Peyroteo94]

'I feel ready, I expect a lot from my legs' – Tadej Pogačar back to bullish best ahead of Rwanda World Championships road race and in search of revenge for heavy TT defeat

'I didn't catch my rhythm, I didn't catch my legs, but after Sunday, I think I've got used to the environment' says defending World Champion

www.cyclingnews.com

Bold statement.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Where is Primoz?

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[Lorzenz08]

Hmm let see on Sunday, lot of suspense until then

 

[Cycling111]

'I feel ready, I expect a lot from my legs' – Tadej Pogačar back to bullish best ahead of Rwanda World Championships road race and in search of revenge for heavy TT defeat

'I didn't catch my rhythm, I didn't catch my legs, but after Sunday, I think I've got used to the environment' says defending World Champion

www.cyclingnews.com

This is very different from the LR headline. I think he's saying what he needs to say to avoid worry.

He said that what happened on Sunday was a legs problem. He also said it's a shame that Mont Kigali is so far away and hinted that he won't attack from afar.

Now I have more doubts about his shape.

 

[Cookster15]

Now I have more doubts about his shape.

We will see by Sunday but I struggle to make any sense of this if true.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Where is Primoz?

Friday.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Friday.

Why too late? Seems very illogical.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Why too late? Seems very illogical.

It's rather logical, to be in and to keep good form, coming from the altitude just after having a quality training block in the legs. Heat and humidity is something Rogla is good at adapting to and handling. Less smog as i assume roads will be closed on Sunday. A bit less exposure to possible illness.

So a couple of briefings, some mingling and reconnaissance, then lets do it, everybody knows why they are here for.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I dunno. I guess we’ll see, but it sure like a lot of people had a really time in the ITT after showing up a couple days before. See: Pogacar. People who did the ITT and have been adapting all week surely are at an advantage.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It's rather logical, to be in and to keep good form, coming from the altitude just after having a quality training block in the legs. Heat and humidity is something Rogla is good at adapting to and handling. Less smog as i assume roads will be closed on Sunday. A bit less exposure to possible illness.

So a couple of briefings, some mingling and reconnaissance, then lets do it, everybody knows why they are here for.

He is not used to Kigali, humidity and air quality specially. You don't have this in Europe.

 

[Berniece]

He is not used to Kigali, humidity and air quality specially. You don't have this in Europe.

You can simulate this. At least that's what Hermans did. Not sure if Roglic did this too.

 

[Red Rick]

I for one am absolutely shocked Pogacar isn't exactly saying what he's gonna do

 

[Peyroteo94]

I for one am absolutely shocked Pogacar isn't exactly saying what he's gonna do

It's not that unusual...

 

[Peyroteo94]

Most interesting quote IMO. He doesn't feel comfortable in the TT bike.

Does that make it difficult to predict how you will feel?
"When I arrived here, my legs weren't at their best. Since I switched to the road bike, there have been no more problems. I'm accustomed to the conditions, and my legs are responding well."

"Since I switched, there have been no more problems": Tadej Pogacar speaks out ahead of the World Championships

Tadej Pogacar celebrated his 27th birthday last Sunday, but there wasn't much for the Slovenian to celebrate. During the individual World Championship time trial in Kigali, he was overtaken just befor...

www.idlprocycling.com

 

[KoopaCycling]

Pogacar is a great champion, but him saying wollongong was no good sounded a bit churlish.
I'd almost like to see Pogacar have a bad season and win almost nothing. Just to see if he remains smiling.
Odds are he won't. Which would be only natural. what champion would be happy not winning. It's just that his fans have a skewed view. Now i'm also wondering what he said about Glasgow. That constant turning was far more controversial.

I guess i'm starting to have a similar sentiment that other people have towards remco fans. I like pogacar himself, but some of his fans.. they be annoying.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogacar is a great champion, but him saying wollongong was no good sounded a bit churlish.
I'd almost like to see Pogacar have a bad season and win almost nothing. Just to see if he remains smiling.
Odds are he won't. Which would be only natural. what champion would be happy not winning. It's just that his fans have a skewed view. Now i'm also wondering what he said about Glasgow. That constant turning was far more controversial.

I guess i'm starting to have a similar sentiment that other people have towards remco fans. I like pogacar himself, but some of his fans.. they be annoying.

First of all, it's his opinion. Can he have it?
Regarding Kigali, he says it has a really nice local circuit and this course is way more fun than Wollongong because it's way more tough specially due to altitude.
He is a climber, not a sprinter, of course he will prefer tougher races.

"It's a really nice local circuit, but it's not that super tough. You get some altitude for free, but it's still the toughest World Championship I've seen. Much more fun than Wollongong, for example, where Remco won in 2022. This is a really cool course. It's also very different from last year, when I attacked very early in Zurich. That was perhaps a bit too far."

 

[KoopaCycling]

Most interesting quote IMO. He doesn't feel comfortable in the TT bike.

Does that make it difficult to predict how you will feel?
"When I arrived here, my legs weren't at their best. Since I switched to the road bike, there have been no more problems. I'm accustomed to the conditions, and my legs are responding well."

"Since I switched, there have been no more problems": Tadej Pogacar speaks out ahead of the World Championships

Tadej Pogacar celebrated his 27th birthday last Sunday, but there wasn't much for the Slovenian to celebrate. During the individual World Championship time trial in Kigali, he was overtaken just befor...

www.idlprocycling.com

Florian Vermeersch said something similar.
It will be an interesting WC, though perhaps a bit boring. With people saying that once you go in the red it's harder to recover. Draft being less helpfull, ... . i'm guessing this will create a quick natural selection 100 km's of the finish line.
And than 1 or 2 major attacks which will leave the rest unable to recover and gasping in the dust. If Pogacar (and to a far lesser extent Del Toro and/or Remco as also rans) don't win this, i'll be very surprised indeed.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Florian Vermeersch said something similar.
It will be an interesting WC, though perhaps a bit boring. With people saying that once you go in the red it's harder to recover. Draft being less helpfull, ... . i'm guessing this will create a quick natural selection 100 km's of the finish line.
And than 1 or 2 major attacks which will leave the rest unable to recover and gasping in the dust. If Pogacar (and to a far lesser extent Del Toro and/or Remco as also rans) don't win this, i'll be very surprised indeed.

But you also need to be very strong if you want to do a long solo. You can easily go over your limit and explode.

 

[Cycling111]

Hermans says altitude training is essential for this WC. A cyclist like Hermans does it, but not one of the favorites.

I wonder if Pogacar's coach advised him to do altitude training or simply didn't say anything, as it seems.
Del Toro hasn't done altitude training either. UAE has preferred to have him in smaller races to achieve a record for victories.

It seems to be a problem for the team's riders because the team has prioritized a record over their riders doing their best for this WC.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Hermans says altitude training is essential for this WC. A cyclist like Hermans does it, but not one of the favorites.

I wonder if Pogacar's coach advised him to do altitude training or simply didn't say anything, as it seems.
Del Toro hasn't done altitude training either. UAE has preferred to have him in smaller races to achieve a record for victories.

It seems to be a problem for the team's riders because the team has prioritized a record over their riders doing their best for this WC.

Talent my friend is very important. There are riders who don't need much to be good at altitude. Others really suffer there.

 

[Berniece]

Hermans says altitude training is essential for this WC. A cyclist like Hermans does it, but not one of the favorites.

I wonder if Pogacar's coach advised him to do altitude training or simply didn't say anything, as it seems.
Del Toro hasn't done altitude training either. UAE has preferred to have him in smaller races to achieve a record for victories.

It seems to be a problem for the team's riders because the team has prioritized a record over their riders doing their best for this WC.

Pogacar is there now for almost 10 days. He's adjusted

 

[Cycling111]

Talent my friend is very important. There are riders who don't need much to be good at altitude. Others really suffer there.

Those with talent also need to acclimatize. When the whole peloton is saying it, it's for something.

In fact, and judging by what Pogacar has said, the time trial seems to be a consequence of poor planning/lack of training with ITT Bike.

And what he said about feeling better is clearly because he did those two trainings at the altitude in Kigali, and it must have helped him feel better. We'll see if it's enough.

UAE wins by sheer talent accumulation and signing the best from other teams. But it's clear they're still doing a lot of things wrong.
The approach to the Vuelta was terrible; they won stages because the riders they have. Just look at the fact that Ayuso won two stages against Movistar riders, a guy signed to lead Lidl. But the way the general classification was approached. was a disaster.
That's the epitome of what they're all about: they win by having best riders, not by doing things right. With a mediocre squad, they'd have a lot of problems, like in 2019-2022, when Pogacar rescued the team from mediocrity. Then they started signing Almeida from QS after a 2021 great season, Ayuso, and all the junior talents like Morgado.

 

[Berniece]

Those with talent also need to acclimatize. When the whole peloton is saying it, it's for something.

I'm not how this is for Pogacar, but it's not something for everyone. Some people, genetically, don't have that many issues with altitude. Apparently Uijtdebroeks and Van Wilder are two riders who genetically barely lose any power at altitude. Others do and need altitude training to prepare.

I agree that Pogacar seems to fall in that second category after his ITT performance.

 

[Cycling111]

At least the decision to do the time trial was a good one because he's been at Kigali for a week.