- Sep 14, 2019
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Thought so as well.
The race was too easy.
Vinge was barely breathing, no need to waster energy.
The writing was on the wall when Maijka stopped pulling due to bike trouble and Kuss immediately went to the front and upped the pace considerably. That would only happen if Vingegaard was feeling very strong. Only Pog and Quintana could match the acceleration as they pulled out a gap on the group behind.
Pog has tried in vain but will have lost nothing in defeat if he is eventually dethroned. In fact he will probably have gained more affection in defeat than he did during either of his 2 wins. Nobody likes a robot and he has managed to race with verve and panache on the bike while displaying good humour and a relaxed manner off it. He still has the charisma of a champion and will go down swinging until the end.
Pog has tried in vain but will have lost nothing in defeat if he is eventually dethroned. In fact he will probably have gained more affection in defeat than he did during either of his 2 wins. Nobody likes a robot and he has managed to race with verve and panache on the bike while displaying good humour and a relaxed manner off it. He still has the charisma of a champion and will go down swinging until the end.
We however mustn’t forget that Pog probably still will have his insanely strong day, on Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday. The day he had in PDBF 2020, and Grand-Bornand 2021. With such a day, he will/would be able to drop Vingegaard by three minutes, or more…
- Nov 16, 2013
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I think this is a fantasy. I don't see a way he can win this race, unless something happens to Vingegaard.
- Mar 13, 2009
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With Soler gone I think things look very dicey for Pogi.
Kuss > Majka
Van Aert > McNulty.
And then Jumbo has always 1 extra. He needs to just hope Vinge has a bad day or Jumbo throws it tactically somehow.
Kuss > Majka
Van Aert > McNulty.
And then Jumbo has always 1 extra. He needs to just hope Vinge has a bad day or Jumbo throws it tactically somehow.
- Jul 8, 2017
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Don't see how Jumbo can tactically screw this up. It's just that stages are pretty straight forward. Their goal should be easy: Don't let Majka/Mcnulti in the break if WVA isn't there. And that should be easy achievable with Laporte and NVH.
Other than that it's up to Pog being stronger than Vingo (which seems to be opposite in the high mountains) or something bad happening.
I am 100% Convinced that Tadej knows exactly how big of a gap he can have comfortably and win this thing. I think he also know Jonas was last year the only one to really match and drop him when Pogi was dominating... Pogi's been testing things this whole time with the team and taking notes. given that, I fully believe Tadej is enjoying not being in the lead, giving his friends a chance to win stages, while just keeping that 2 minute gap going.
In short, he will dominate the rest of this week, and really the only thing that could hold him back is the heat... which he hates, but he also seems the thrive in. Look if you took Wout and Jonas together, they'd have a chance, but the way tadej was at the start of this this season, I dont think now is the time he's gonna start fading. its his last time to be in white, and he always does great in it. So here's to an awesome week.
But lets be real, Im really just waiting to see him cheering for Urska in the motorhome when this is all over.
In short, he will dominate the rest of this week, and really the only thing that could hold him back is the heat... which he hates, but he also seems the thrive in. Look if you took Wout and Jonas together, they'd have a chance, but the way tadej was at the start of this this season, I dont think now is the time he's gonna start fading. its his last time to be in white, and he always does great in it. So here's to an awesome week.
But lets be real, Im really just waiting to see him cheering for Urska in the motorhome when this is all over.
- Jul 7, 2013
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Pog will have to drop a watt bomb ala PDBF or Le Grand Bornand (the weather was favourable then but unfortunately not now) and/or count on Vinge's weaker day to gain anything close to 2 minutes. Hopefully he will make the race epic on one of the next two days but Vinge is looking very strong even after his crash.
Kuss, despite being icredibly strong today, has never proven to be that good for several days. He needs 2 more super days.
Van Aert will also likely not come further than the foot of the final climb tomorrow. And that is stretching it. He is amazing, but he is not superman. He could prove me wrong though
UAE has a weaker team but I expect a man to man fight tomorrow of Thursday. Ultimately that will seal the tour.
I dont Think Tadej can lose Jonas though. He has proven since the tour of the basque country 2021 what his speciality is: sticking to Tadej’s wheel
- Nov 16, 2013
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- Jul 7, 2013
- 8,141
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I know and he will try something tomorrow. But his advantage is particularly big in cold weather when other guys lose like 0.3-0.4 w/kg. The main difference between this Tour and Tour'21 was Granon vs cold Le Grand Bornand, other than that Pog and Vinge were almost inseparable.
- May 16, 2015
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Has Pogacar ever won a mountain race by riding away from the field and winning by 30 secs or more (like Froome or Vinegaard in stage 11)? Because this is what he has to do to have a chance in this TdF.
He always wins mountain stages by riding with a group then outsprinting the others - that's not going to cut it here. Too much damage was done in stage 11.
He always wins mountain stages by riding with a group then outsprinting the others - that's not going to cut it here. Too much damage was done in stage 11.
Well last year he took almost 3 min in one stage. So far from over, especially with parcour we have in next two days and with TT.
Cookster15
Moderator
- May 14, 2011
- 6,205
- 6,716
- 23,180
Pog is a long shot. But strange all these defeatist comments weren't yesterday. What did you expect on today's parcours? He still has opportunities. Save the crying for tomorrow or Thursday (Hautacam) if Pog still can't lay a blow.
That’s what he did when he gained 3 mins on everyone on stage 7 or 8 last year, but the breakaway was far ahead so he didn’t technically win.
He has also attacked from far in the Vuelta, in his Lombardia win and in his SB win.
- Mar 13, 2009
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- 3,482
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Last year he won one by 3 minutes. Earlier this year in the Tirreno by +1 minute. Actually he has done this plenty of times. However now is the first time in a long time where he's properly matched uphill
The swings of fortune in cycling are incredible. I don't use the word..epic..lol. First week until stage 11 it was funny to see and hear how Pog..according to expert analysts..could do no wrong. Couldn't see anyone beating him (the same ones calling jumbo dumb..the move , horner, etc ) And jumbo stage 5 fiasco ..and forum DS pretenders calling them dumb...shift to NOW...does not seem like pog can overcome the loss fr stage 11. Cruel sport. I think WVA is strongest guy in this race with what he has done ...despite going against geezer old tactics ..cycling has changed.
- Dec 22, 2017
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TP is a slightly better TT'r on paper than Vingegaard but he's going to have to find a couple of minutes before the TT if he wants to win. This won't be a repeat of 2020. Next 2 stages will be brutal, and it may come down to fatigue on Thursday.
Also Peyresourde 2020 and Prati de Tivo in TA 2021 when VdP won. This actually seems like some sort of phenomenon now.
- Jun 7, 2011
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lol, yes?
Vuelta 2019
Tirreno 2021
Tirreno 2022
Tour 2020
Tour 2021
Well in the two TDF stages there was actually a guy from the break ahead. Last year it was Teuns, can't remember who it was in 2020. But in both occasions he rode away from his competitors for GC.
Going to come back in a couple of days to see how well this post will have aged smh
- Jun 7, 2011
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ATM Pog seems closer to cracking a 2nd time than Vingegaard a 1st. He hasn't seemed unbeatable or inhuman so far. And he's been wasting a lot more energy than Vingegaard with his raid in the cobbled stage, his counters/attacks in stage 11 all those stupid sprints all the time for god knows what reason. But you know, he does have that magic blood ™ as his doctor explained.
Majka is much more dependable though. Prime Kuss could rival any climber, but 'Prime Kuss' goes MIA about as often as an elderly prostate patient needs to find a toilet.
If he claws back a minute on the remaining MTFs, everything is still possible in a 40k TT. Ask Roglic. I don't think last year's TT is that relevant since Pog didn't need to go all out.
I also play a lot of videogames and like superhero movies.
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