Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Roku]

Tratnik‘s start at Jumbo was a success recently, but what about Polanc at UAE team in 2023? He hasn‘t raced yet, and starts at Tour of Slovenia, according to PCS:

Jan Polanc

Jan Polanc (born 1992-05-06 in Kranj) is a professional road racing cyclist from Slovenia, currently riding for UAE Team Emirates. His best results are 2 stage wins in Giro d'Italia and winning Trofeo Laigueglia.

www.procyclingstats.com

He is close to Pogacar normally, a loyal helper snd someone Pog trusts and likes to race with. So I assume Polanc either crashed or has health troubles, doesn‘t he?… :-(

It's definitely weird. He was supposed to start the season earlier, he was on the startlist for Andalucía and some other races in February. Hope it's a relatively minor issue and not anything serious or clinic-related...

 

[rokovski]

Pogattacker, hats off.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Very impressive ride by Teddy today, reminiscent of last year's Flandres. He has a great shot at top3 in Flandres but by now he must have realized that beating the two big boys from the north in their playground is very difficult. If he wants to win he has to do it alone - easier said than done.

 

[shalgo]

I wonder if he is the fastest ever to 1000 CQ points in a season. He has 1076 after today.

EDIT: Well, this season certainly isn't the fastest ever. He did it on March 19th last year.

EDIT 2: I think Pogacar's 2022 and 2023 are the fastest-ever to 1000 CQ points. Boonen did it a couple of times by April 1st and April 2nd, but I haven't anyone else who did it faster.

 

[jmdirt]

Very impressive ride by Teddy today, reminiscent of last year's Flandres. He has a great shot at top3 in Flandres but by now he must have realized that beating the two big boys from the north in their playground is very difficult. If he wants to win he has to do it alone - easier said than done.

"Teddy"?

 

[Poursuivant]

Very impressive ride by Teddy today, reminiscent of last year's Flandres. He has a great shot at top3 in Flandres but by now he must have realized that beating the two big boys from the north in their playground is very difficult. If he wants to win he has to do it alone - easier said than done.

Yes, and he seemed to know this with his two accelerations in the last 5/10k or so that got him nowhere. I am hoping that races like this are a good school for him on how he can win against this field. He was out of position a couple of times too, noticeably when VDP did his first big attack. You have to make him third favourite for next week simply because he will need to drop both the vans.

 

[Salvarani]

Great result.

So versatile and all-round.

When was the last rider to win or podium each of these races below?

L-B-L, Lombardia, TdF and E3.

 

[Didinho]

You never know if one of his rivals are behind for some reason, he only needs to drop the other one. He always got to play his cards in Flanders, ride hard from the bottom.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

You never know if one of his rivals are behind for some reason, he only needs to drop the other one. He always got to play his cards in Flanders, ride hard from the bottom.

He had only one of them last year and still it was too difficult (despite him being in great form).

 

[Gigs_98]

He's in a tricky position. Not strong enough to drop MvdP uphill and not fast enough in a sprint to drop either him or WvA. If he wants to win the Ronde I think he has to get creative with an opportunistic move.

 

[Didinho]

He's in a tricky position. Not strong enough to drop MvdP uphill and not fast enough in a sprint to drop either him or WvA. If he wants to win the Ronde I think he has to get creative with an opportunistic move.

A surprise attack in the last km's (when they're more spent than today) and watching eachother. But these 2 will always ride I'm afraid.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Much love for Pogacar. Incredible panache, attacking style. One of a kind.

Probably no one in this forum remembers the last time a TdF winner is head to head with cobble big boys.

The new (and possible the only) Eddy Merckx.

 

[Monsi]

Today just continues to show that Pogacar is the best all-rounder road cyclist right now. He's the only rider at the moment who could challenge for GC wins at mountainous stage races and Grand Tours and also challenge for the win at cobbled classics like E3 and RvV. Not to mention, he could also go for the win at hilly classics. Chapeau to him today and also to MVDP and Wout.

Really cheering for Pogacar to win RvV.

 

[Salvarani]

Much love for Pogacar. Incredible panache, attacking style. One of a kind.

Probably no one in this forum remembers the last time a TdF winner is head to head with cobble big boys.

The new (and possible the only) Eddy Merckx.

I asked a question above and only found one answer so far.

 

[Red Rick]

Much love for Pogacar. Incredible panache, attacking style. One of a kind.

Probably no one in this forum remembers the last time a TdF winner is head to head with cobble big boys.

The new (and possible the only) Eddy Merckx.

Geraint Thomas actually won E3.

Pogacar has yet to exceed him.

Also Bradley Wiggins took a serious shot at Roubaix in 2016

 

[Netserk]

Great result.

So versatile and all-round.

When was the last rider to win or podium each of these races below?

L-B-L, Lombardia, TdF and E3.

No podium in E3, but Bugno won De Ronde.

Merckx is the last one (and I guess only one) to fit the bill before today.

 

[Pantani_lives]

It's a good thing for cycling that a guy like Pogacar does these cobbled classics. I'm aware that he's already won a race or two in July, but in Flanders he's discovered what real racing is like.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It's a good thing for cycling that a guy like Pogacar does these cobbled classics. I'm aware that he's already won a race or two in July, but in Flanders he's discovered what real racing is like.

Yeah, this is the true racing for him. In most stage races he has various options to win: either drop everyone or outsprint everyone. Here none on those works.

 

[Poursuivant]

Yeah, this is the true racing for him. In most stage races he has various options to win: either drop everyone or outsprint everyone. Here none on those works.

It might need something crazy like an attack from a long way out, before the usual hills where the difference is made. I’m sure today has gave him and UAE something to think about for next Sunday.

 

[Netserk]

It's a good thing for cycling that a guy like Pogacar does these cobbled classics. I'm aware that he's already won a race or two in July, but in Flanders he's discovered what real racing is like.

If only he would discover how to start a climb like Taaienberg in good position.

 

[Gigs_98]

Geraint Thomas actually won E3.

Pogacar has yet to exceed him.

Also Bradley Wiggins took a serious shot at Roubaix in 2016

True, but Thomas wasn't yet a gc rider in 2015. He was already a decent climber, but no more a gc contender than someone like Van Aert is today. Once he focused on gc racing he never again contended on the cobbles.

Wiggins meanwhile completely stopped riding for gc after 2013 and became more of a TT specialist. Also, while he did get a top 10 in PR once, he was never really a force in his attempts there. I feel like if you name him you could just as well name Nibali, who at least had his shot at the Ronde when he was still a gc contender.

So I guess technically you are right that there have been TdF winners near the front of cobbles races, but really, none of those performances compare with Pogacars.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

True, but Thomas wasn't yet a gc rider in 2015. He was already a decent climber, but no more a gc contender than someone like Van Aert is today. Once he focused on gc racing he never again contended on the cobbles.

Wiggins meanwhile completely stopped riding for gc after 2013 and became more of a TT specialist. Also, while he did get a top 10 in PR once, he was never really a force in his attempts there. I feel like if you name him you could just as well name Nibali, who at least had his shot at the Ronde when he was still a gc contender.

So I guess technically you are right that there have been TdF winners near the front of cobbles races, but really, none of those performances compare with Pogacars.

The only way for Thomas to win this race against the top dogs from today would be to fly under the radar, attack at some point and gain advantage before others realize it's too late. Pogacar will never have that luxury - he's the guy, who animates those races and is the most marked man as everybody expects his attack at some point (no matter if it's Poggio or Kwaremont).

 

[Unchained]

If intelligence is the deciding factor in the TDF, give it to Pogocar now, showed again that he makes great decisions on the bike. If he would have jumped away and it stuck.. Great, but trying and it didn't was just as good for me as a fan. Well played

 

[jmdirt]

Much love for Pogacar. Incredible panache, attacking style. One of a kind.

Probably no one in this forum remembers the last time a TdF winner is head to head with cobble big boys.

The new (and possible the only) Eddy Merckx.

Thank you for assuming that I'm young!

 

[Salvarani]

It was a good appetizer on whats to come next weekend.

Pog was the only one trying in the end, but was closed down immediately in the finale. Hard to tell how strong the other guys were. Both seemed content with it ending in a sprint and not going for a big attack. Either not having the best day or just wanting to perserve energy for future endeavors.

Ronde will be a tougher race. Maybe a better chance to go solo for Pog. He was very close to drop MVDP last year, by the looks of it. We will see.