Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Red Rick]

Cool, thats your opinion then. I dont agree with it.

Of course, he "suffers" and get tired in the end since he has had a tough schedule. He has raced all the monuments up until that point and the Tour. He needs a break in August to then peak for Lombardia. It has worked pretty damn good three years in a row.

I dont get how some are so obessed about him doing two GTs in a year? Like whats the point?

Somethings gotta give and it not as simple as just take it easier in this race here or whatever.

The schedule he currently rides is definitely the most awesome you can do.

I'm not obsessed with doing 2 GTs in a year.

But the current schedule is possibly suboptimal for Sanremo, has no Roubaix, might be a bit much for Liege, and he also hasn't had a good race at the WC in 2021 or 2022 when it was in it's normal slot. In 2024, with both Olympics and Worlds on parcourses where he's in with a shot, it could be prudent to go a little bit less hard in February/March.

And going less hard early can also simply be not making 50km solos in Jaen for no reason, he can still just win it.

 

[Salvarani]

I'm not obsessed with doing 2 GTs in a year.

But the current schedule is possibly suboptimal for Sanremo, has no Roubaix, might be a bit much for Liege, and he also hasn't had a good race at the WC in 2021 or 2022 when it was in it's normal slot. In 2024, with both Olympics and Worlds on parcourses where he's in with a shot, it could be prudent to go a little bit less hard in February/March.

And going less hard early can also simply be not making 50km solos in Jaen for no reason, he can still just win it.

I think you are just nit-picking and arguing about nothing atm.

MSR... are you being serious Rick? Pogacar would be lucky to win this race in his career. He will have many tries going at it, but he will have to rely a lot on luck to win this one. How on earth is he supposed to optimally "peak" for that? Does it really matter at all what he does before that race? I think not.

PR is just speculation atm, so why drag it there? He dont know how he will even feel after that, if he takes on that race. He also has already won LBL.

He needs to win every race in the same season for you? MSR-Ronde-PR-LBL-TOUR-Olympis-Worlds-Lombardia. How realistic is that? You want to throw in a second GT here as well. Just take it easier in Feb/March. Like that will matter.

He is going away with a lot of big wins this season, each season so far, and he is giving himself the chance to go for all these races. Thats probably the most important thing in this whole discussion and he is doing with great success so far. They should change nothing.

 

[Red Rick]

I think you are just nit-picking and arguing about nothing atm.

MSR... are you being serious Rick? Pogacar would be lucky to win this race in his career. He will have many tries going at it, but he will have to rely a lot on luck to win this one. How on earth is he supposed to optimally "peak" for that? Does it really matter at all what he does before that race? I think not.

PR is just speculation atm, so why drag it there? He dont know how he will even feel after that, if he takes on that race. He also has already won LBL.

He needs to win every race in the same season for you? MSR-Ronde-PR-LBL-TOUR-Olympis-Worlds-Lombardia. How realistic is that? You want to throw in a second GT here as well. Just take it easier in Feb/March. Like that will matter.

He is going away with a lot of big wins this season, each season so far, and he is giving himself the chance to go for all these races. Thats probably the most important thing in this whole discussion and he is doing with great success so far. They should change nothing.

You're making it out like I'm proposing gigantic sacrificing for unattainable goals. All I'm suggesting is going less hard in Andalucia and Paris Nice lol. How is that gonna hurt Pogs seasons, unless you specifically care super much about getting the most wins in a season.

I don't say he needs to win all these races. But I do think he can schedule better to get more out of these races than he's already doing. I am not at all claiming he's had a failed season. Far from. But that doesn't mean he can't do better.

 

[Salvarani]

You're making it out like I'm proposing gigantic sacrificing for unattainable goals. All I'm suggesting is going less hard in Andalucia and Paris Nice lol. How is that gonna hurt Pogs seasons, unless you specifically care super much about getting the most wins in a season.

I don't say he needs to win all these races. But I do think he can schedule better to get more out of these races than he's already doing. I am not at all claiming he's had a failed season. Far from. But that doesn't mean he can't do better.

What does "going less hard" even mean though? Not win? Do nothing? Thats never gonna happen. Thats not realistic either. He would be better off just training. He races to push himself and win. It is already why his schedule is as condensed as it is. When you say "going hard", it might not feel or be like that for him at all either.

They probably already see these races as prep and stepping stones, but he is there to try and go for the win anyway. He wants to win. Just like when he does the races leading up to Lombardia, but he is still ready for main event.

I think the schedule is already condensed enough and I very much disagree with what you are arguing here (since I think you are basically arguing about nothing). Thats cool with me. You have your opinion. I have mine. We can leave it at that.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogacar is good all year, specially in spring season where temperature is low. Pogacar at 85/90 % is better than 99% of the peloton. He didn't peak for Paris Nive at all, his base level is so much superior to others riders that he can win easily a lot of races.
For me, he should target SB, Tirreno, MSR and Tour de Flandres and then rest and prepare the Tour. Forget the Ardennes.

 

[KZD]

I'm not obsessed with doing 2 GTs in a year.

But the current schedule is possibly suboptimal for Sanremo, has no Roubaix, might be a bit much for Liege, and he also hasn't had a good race at the WC in 2021 or 2022 when it was in it's normal slot. In 2024, with both Olympics and Worlds on parcourses where he's in with a shot, it could be prudent to go a little bit less hard in February/March.

And going less hard early can also simply be not making 50km solos in Jaen for no reason, he can still just win it.

What its remarkable is that despite your claims of a suboptimal preparation for some of the biggest one day races, Pogačar has won five monuments in the last three seasons while the mighty Jumbo has won zero.

Seriously, Pogačar is on track to get into double digit monument wins if there is something where I don't think it makes sense to criticise him is one-day races. I am also of the opinion that Roubaix might be too risky especially after two years without winning the Tour and with the Olympics right after.

 

[Red Rick]

What its remarkable is that despite your claims of a suboptimal preparation for some of the biggest one day races, Pogačar has won five monuments in the last three seasons while the mighty Jumbo has won zero.

Seriously, Pogačar is on track to get into double digit monument wins if there is something where I don't think it makes sense to criticise him is one-day races. I am also of the opinion that Roubaix might be too risky especially after two years without winning the Tour and with the Olympics right after

Well maybe, just maybe, I take into account that Pogacar is more talented at one day races than anyone at Jumbo? Like Pogacar is simultaneously the mostest specialest boy in the peloton but if I then try to set some standards like that and suggest aiming for that it's ridiculous all of a sudden.

It's like saying you're not allowed to say Djokovic bottled Wimbledon because he won the 3 other Slams. No, that's not how it works.

 

[vwpe]

He is already the best cyclist of all time, notice i didnt say greatest he has yet to ride many more years and win to get the greatest but theres never been a cyclist better walking on this earth than him.

 

[Salvarani]

It doesnt work to compare Tennis to Cycling either.

He is basically back to saying he needs to win everything... please. What a troll.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

By circumstance, this is actually the largest winning margin in Lombardia since 1996 even though Pogačar didn‘t really dominate.

 

[Poursuivant]

Poggy has these suckers right where he wants them for Lombardia

(Pats self on back)

 

[Red Rick]

It doesnt work to compare Tennis to Cycling either.

He is basically back to saying he needs to win everything... please. What a troll.

This is starting to approach Evenepoel fanboyism.

I make a suggestion how I'd approach the season differently if I were him and fans are offended as if I called him a meme gravel rider.

 

[Salvarani]

This is starting to approach Evenepoel fanboyism.

I make a suggestion how I'd approach the season differently if I were him and fans are offended as if I called him a meme gravel rider.

Stop taking it personal, as I said. You are just wrong in your take this time Rick. Stop deflecting now.

Move on.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I'm not obsessed with doing 2 GTs in a year.

But the current schedule is possibly suboptimal for Sanremo, has no Roubaix, might be a bit much for Liege, and he also hasn't had a good race at the WC in 2021 or 2022 when it was in it's normal slot. In 2024, with both Olympics and Worlds on parcourses where he's in with a shot, it could be prudent to go a little bit less hard in February/March.

And going less hard early can also simply be not making 50km solos in Jaen for no reason, he can still just win it.

I agree that maybe he can save his matches for later instead of crushing competition for fun in February and early March. This would probably be optimal for San-Remo to Liege period. But suboptimal for Milan-San Remo? He's normally very strong in this part of the season anyway (even if he's failed to win it). Plus he was able to keep great form from February to April. Not sure if it would help with a possible GT double - maybe he's simply not this kind of rider to suceed at it and chooses big one-day races (where he excels) instead. Every year Tour takes a lot out of him - even if tired or not in peak form he can prepare form for one day (like WC or Lombardy) but another GT is a different beast.

 

[Netserk]

I think it only makes sense for Pogi to go to the Vuelta in non-Olympic years when the WCRR doesn't suit him. So maybe in 2029.

 

[tobydawq]

I think he needs to cut down in February/March and perhaps cut *** like Amstel too now that he's won it.

The Dutch slamming the major Dutch race will always be confusing to me.

 

[Red Rick]

The Dutch slamming the major Dutch race will always be confusing to me.

I'm a poor representation of Dutch cycling fans. When Kruijswijk crashed out the Giro I was full "OMG NIBALI CAN WIN THIS NOW" in like 2 minutes.

MvdP skips it because he's secretly Belgian.

So that mystery is solved.

 

[tobydawq]

I'm a poor representation of Dutch cycling fans. When Kruijswijk crashed out the Giro I was full "OMG NIBALI CAN WIN THIS NOW" in like 2 minutes.

MvdP skips it because he's secretly Belgian.

So that mystery is solved.

I think Van der Poel got it wrong.

In all my life, Amstel has been a very prestigious classic. It isn't shít by any stretch of the imagination.

Especially not now that there will probably not be any more cars who try to mess with the outcome of the race.

 

[DNP-Old]

The Dutch slamming the major Dutch race will always be confusing to me.

You'd understand if you got your hands on an Amstel beer.

 

[hayneplane]

I don't know about this PR talk. It would be fun, but it's very risky. Seasons can easily be ruined there. I think it will be a hard race for him to win also, so maybe not the best risk/reward.

You can crash anywhere as the LBL crash showed or Remco/Carapaz on Saturday that harmed their chances whilst not really being their fault for crashing.

I don’t see PR as any riskier than the craziness of some of the 1st week flat stages in the Tour.

 

[hayneplane]

Not the highest of priorities but the race I think he might find it toughest to win based on his record so far is San Sebastián as he tends to end the Tour dead physically and mentally and then need to get back up for an Autumn peak for worlds and Italian classics. In theory that race fits him like a glove but the position in the calendar is his biggest opponent.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pogacar will end as #1 in UCI rankings for the third consecutive year and has been the leader non stop for 100+ weeks. This is an impressive consistency and dominance. He's not just a computer #1, who collects points here and there. It's a strong era of cycling super-stars (Vingo, Roglic, Evenepoel, Van der Poel, Van Aert), who perform superbly well and he leads because of an all-year round excellence in both one-day and stage races unseen since ancient times. Getting #1 in this era is as difficult as it gets but it looks easy for Teddy. Legend already.

 

[Nick2413]

Pog’s win over MVDP in Flanders was his biggest achievement since PDBF in my opinion. It sticks out as the most memorable moment of the season maybe next to Vingegaard’s TT.

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Adding my voice to the chorus. So happy to watch Pogačar win Il Lombardia and super impressed with his 2023 season. RVV remains the high point for me, but also the RR WC bronze.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pog’s win over MVDP in Flanders was his biggest achievement since PDBF in my opinion. It sticks out as the most memorable moment of the season maybe next to Vingegaard’s TT.

Last 50-60 km of Flandres were ridiculous by Pogacar. First he attacked hard on the penultimate Kwaremont, then together with Vans they closed a substantial gap to a very strong breakaway and at the end he distanced a very in-form MVP with another brutal attack. What a battle of attrition it was!