Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I underestimated him at la Vuelta last year. Won't do that again.

But that goes for his rivals as well. In last year's Vuelta they didn't pay him any mind until it was too late. They won't give him the same leeway now.

 

[Red Rick]

Pogacar was barely gifted anything and the last Vuelta and all of it's way undone by the TTT crash anyway.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pogacar was barely gifted anything and the last Vuelta and all of it's way undone by the TTT crash anyway.

This is simply not true. He was dropped more than once but the tempo dropped and he got back on. But we'll never know how much time he would have lost. If they can drop him now, they're not going to let that happen that easily.

 

[Red Rick]

This is simply not true. He was dropped more than once but the tempo dropped and he got back on. If they can drop him now, they're not going to let that happen that easily.

When did he get dropped and let back in? He got dropped a number of times, and he dropped all the otherse a few times as well. Then he ripped it on the final mountain stage. Most obvious move in history to follow, so I can only conclude they didn't have the legs after MAL had tried before him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

When did he get dropped and let back in? He got dropped a number of times, and he dropped all the otherse a few times as well. Then he ripped it on the final mountain stage. Most obvious move in history to follow, so I can only conclude they didn't have the legs after MAL had tried before him.

I'm not talking about the last stage where he clearly was that strong. I also can't remember which stage it was, but there was a climb where he was struggling with Majka i think, both were dropped, but got back after the tempo dropped. In my minds this happened a few times as well. I'm only saying something like that is less likely to happen.

 

[Blanco]

He has very little experience in riding finals in classics, it was his first second monument. Could easily have spent too much energy in the final, could have been bad positioning or maybe he was banking on others doing the work for him (considering van der Poel, Matthews etc were still in his group). Or maybe he just didn't have the legs that day. But i do think that he has the potential to follow (not necessarily beat) Alaphilippe there.

I don't think so. Pog is phenomenal rider and very fast for a climber, but I don't think he can follow Alapoggio. He's a monster there, that hill is made for him, something like Cauberg/Gilbert. Only a prime Sagan can follow him there, Van Aert couldn't quite.
Roglic? Well given how is he riding these days, he could maybe do that, but I must see it to believe it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I don't think so. Pog is phenomenal rider and very fast for a climber, but I don't think he can follow Alapoggio. He's a monster there, that hill is made for him, something like Cauberg/Gilbert. Only a prime Sagan can follow him there, Van Aert couldn't quite.
Roglic? Well given how is he riding these days, he could maybe do that, but I must see it to believe it.

Fair enough. Maybe we'll know for sure in the next few years.

 

[Koronin]

But that goes for his rivals as well. In last year's Vuelta they didn't pay him any mind until it was too late. They won't give him the same leeway now.

I'd say that the two who finished ahead of him on the podium either didn't fully underestimate him or were just good enough that even underestimating him didn't make a huge difference.

 

[Oldermanish]

I don't think so. Pog is phenomenal rider and very fast for a climber, but I don't think he can follow Alapoggio. He's a monster there, that hill is made for him, something like Cauberg/Gilbert. Only a prime Sagan can follow him there, Van Aert couldn't quite.
Roglic? Well given how is he riding these days, he could maybe do that, but I must see it to believe it.

I think we are seeing it now. Whether any of the riders on form can maintain or improve in three weeks is the big unknown. There isn't enough racing basis to confirm how that will work. We can all agree Wout is the Daddy of all of them now.

 

[Blanco]

I think we are seeing it now. Whether any of the riders on form can maintain or improve in three weeks is the big unknown. There isn't enough racing basis to confirm how that will work. We can all agree Wout is the Daddy of all of them now.

I'm talking about following Alaphilippe on the Poggio here, not sure if you understand it.
Oh, and your "Daddy" is working for Grand Daddy.

 

[Oldermanish]

I'm talking about following Alaphilippe on the Poggio here, not sure if you understand it.
Oh, and your "Daddy" is working for Grand Daddy.

No, I didn't understand that alone. I was responding to Wout's form. He is beastly strong and he may be able to do most anything in a single-day race. He's working for the likely winner of the Tour, now as is Dumo, Kuss and a host of other talented folks. I didn't miss that part.

 

[Red Rick]

"psst Primoz you wanna drop everyone together and gift me a stage while you take the Lusette boni's so you still get yellow"

 

[Oldermanish]

Looks like today's stage was the first team failure for Tadej. He's in a bit of a hole now but some hilly terrain is coming up. His success may rely on getting some freedom from the favorites to reclaim some time. I'm not sure he'll get that chance until later in the Tour, if ever. Crosswinds will teach ya...

 

[Lequack]

Tough luck for him. I wouldn't consider it a failure, he and his team were held up when Landa and his teams crashed or got tangled up. It's simply bad luck.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Tough luck for him. I wouldn't consider it a failure, he and his team were held up when Landa and his teams crashed or got tangled up. It's simply bad luck.

Wasn't he hanging at the back, and held up by the McLaren guys because of that? In that case it's not really bad luck imho, just a risk of hanging at the back, you know that can happen and in a crosswind stage, you shouldn't take any chances.

I think getting on the podium has just become a lot harder. He should keep a cool head and keep any attacks for the final week, or he'll risk blowing himself up trying to make up for lost time.

 

[Red Rick]

He'll just crank out a mountain solo again no biggie just making it fair to the other guys.

 

[SHAD0W93]

He'll just crank out a mountain solo again no biggie just making it fair to the other guys.

That's considerate of him.
Hopefully he doesn't let this bring him down, that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes. (Unless you're Porte or Dutch)

 

[Mayomaniac]

Wasn't he hanging at the back, and held up by the McLaren guys because of that? In that case it's not really bad luck imho, just a risk of hanging at the back, you know that can happen and in a crosswind stage, you shouldn't take any chances.

I think getting on the podium has just become a lot harder. He should keep a cool head and keep any attacks for the final week, or he'll risk blowing himself up trying to make up for lost time.

He had a flat before that and was just coming back, so a bit of bad luck was also involved.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He had a flat before that and was just coming back, so a bit of bad luck was also involved.

Ah, i didn't know that.

 

[CyclistAbi]

It was bad luck, but bad luck as a result of having the third puncture already in this race. Something is therefore not right in that area. I would say the team is responsible for this one, not Pogačar.

P.S. A chance of podium likely got away today, but as Pogačar is a fighter, he likely won't be switching to plan B, will hence still try to climb back higher in GC. Trying to initiate a long range attack, on a stage JV won't respond. That might do it.

 

[Koronin]

Well did that insane attack on stage 20 of last year's Vuelta in an attempt to at least get on the podium and it succeeded in that respect. So I do think he'll at least try something at some point.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Something like that yes, or maybe this time in collaboration with some other rider. Maybe, with a bit of luck, Pogačar could find himself being able to cope and play along, when for example JV would make a move.

We'll see.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Maybe Pogačar and Roglič meet on TikTok, and we will get to see the result of that meeting tomorrow.

P.S. Likely not, but fingers crossed anyway.

 

[SafeBet]

P.S. A chance of podium likely got away today

Jesus he lost a minute.
Right now he's 1'28" behind the leader. You wanna know the last Tour de France with a smaller gap between yellow jersey and third place in Paris? 2008...

Let's stop acting like gaining back a minute in a GT is an insurmountable feat, especially when there's a gazillion mountain stages yet to ride.
He didn't lose podium chances yesterday. He won an opportunity to prove he's a great attacker.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

He didn't lose podium chances yesterday. He won an opportunity to prove he's a great attacker.

Agreed - doubt his team wants to risk it, though. Pog could still finish on the podium by following wheels, after all. I think he'll just follow team orders.

It would have been better for the race if the Pogacar - Landa group had lost more time.