Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Panda Claws]

Against potential (weak) Giro opponents, Majka may be more useful than he was in the Tour.

I always watch this clip when I want to laugh as Wout destroyed Majka

Oh that's right WvA is going for Giro GC.

Pog vs WvA

 

[johnymax]

Hmm... just like I thought. Pogi is afraid of Rogla, that's why he is allin for the Giro. I can't blame him, he knows...

 

[Squire]

Ayuso, Almedia and the rest including Remco are a step below...They maybe coming but they are not there yet

While I agree with your main point, there is the chance of Ayuso being a bit more of a wildcard than we might think. His age indicates some more margin for improvement, and nobody are there yet until they suddenly are there. It takes just one step up from where he was this year until he follows Vinge/Roglic/(Kuss) on those Vuelta climbs.

 

[Escarabajo]

I wonder how much money they gave Pogacar?

 

[scribers]

Pog will not stand a chance against Vinge.

Talk is cheap in December!

 

[scribers]

I wonder how much money they gave Pogacar?

It’s always a mystery. Bruyneel doesn’t even know how much cash the Astana Kazakhs were paid when he had to redirect his entire GC squad to the giro on short notice

 

[scribers]

I wonder how much money they gave Pogacar?

We should all be giving pogi something for redirecting the Cian discussion towards a rider who has actually won things

 

[Rob5091]

It seems UAE team management got spooked by Visma winning all 3 GTs and Roglic going to Bora.
The answer seems to be to send Teddy to as many GT's as possible!

 

[scribers]

They allowed skeletor a small smile when they delivered this news to his altitude hyperbaric chamber

 

[Potomac]

The double! Yes!

 

[Savant12]

Looking forward to seeing Pog in Pink.

 

[yaco]

Majka, Vine and Grosschartner doesn't scream much support, especially once the aussie crashes off.

I would take at least McNulty and Fisher Black instead of Molano and Oliveira.

Pogacar, Vine, Majka, McNulty, Grosschartner, Fisher Black, Bjerg, Novak would be more reliable, despite not having a secondary leader.

Molano will go because there is a chance to win a sprint stage - With Pogi doing two GT's you have to leave crumbs for the other riders on the team.

 

[kn0s]

Is there something I'm missing from the Olympic route, since so many are mentioning it? From what I see it doesn't look very realistic for Pogi.

 

[Cassirer]

I doubt Vine can help much though, probably a lot of pressure on Grosschrartner to hit a really good level.

Is the doubt regarding Vine (not just by Ilmaestro) only regarded to his bike handling? If he doesn't crash he should be able to do great damage as a mountain dom (big if of course).

 

[bNator]

Is there something I'm missing from the Olympic route, since so many are mentioning it? From what I see it doesn't look very realistic for Pogi.

...and Pog himself said the Olympic games are not his goal in 2024 since the route doesn't suit him - he is going to focus on WCRR.

But to paraphrase Mark Twain - never let the facts get in the way of a good story

 

[Rob5091]

I wonder how much money they gave Pogacar?

Another interesting question ...
also-
Seems like Pogacar bought up doing the Giro
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/a-...o-ditalia-tour-de-france-olympics-and-worlds/

"Not to repeat the same races every year, to change a little bit the schedule, life ... to make new challenges. If you do the same story every year for my body, it would not be good. I think they saw this in the team, and when I proposed this to them, they immediately said 'yes'."

Pogačar also said that his shape has consistently been better in the spring and that he performs better in the cooler temperatures.

(Visma and Bora hoping for a hot July?!)

 

[Bolder]

Vingegaard without Wout, Roglic and Van Hooydonck will not walk a Tour where he will face a team with Pogacar, Ayuso, Almeida and Yates.

But I don't think all of them will agree to ride for Pogacar. That's probably just as well. I'd give Ayuso a free hand.

The problem will be if Vingegaard trains only for the Tour and Pogacar is wreaking his usual classics havoc plus the Giro. No one's getting close to Vingegaard in that case.

...and Pog himself said the Olympic games are not his goal in 2024 since the route doesn't suit him - he is going to focus on WCRR.

But to paraphrase Mark Twain - never let the facts get in the way of a good story

I think it's not bad for him. The Olympics course is likely to be very hot in the Paris finishing circuits, but if Pog can make the selection he will obviously be a medal contender. If he can follow wheels when the final attack up cobbles on Rue Lepic in Montmartre comes it will be a MSR situation. (if it rains Lepic will be very slimy,making an attack harder)

It's not a climbers' course per se but after 275 km and 2800 m dénivelé positif it could favor him as much as anyone. The key will be who has to chase whom. I expect Remco to attack from long distance so giving Wout a chance to sit on, for example.

I've not been following too closely but Slovenians would include Roglic, Mohoric and Tratnik, too?

Really looking forward to the race as we live near Place de Clichy.

 

[Netserk]

If the Tour is such a lost cause for Pogacar vs Vingegaard as many here seem to suggest, it only makes sense for him to go to Italy and bag another GT win first and soften the blow of the inevitable Danish skeletor triumph.

Given how well he rode from Tourmalet to Le Bettex, I don’t think winning in a straight fight is a lost cause for Pogi. It’s just hard.

 

[Elos Anjos]

It has to be said that perhaps Pogi wouldn't go to the Giro if not for the last two years Tour outcome, but nevertheless he is showing again and again how courageous he is.

 

[Froome]

Vingegaard without Wout, Roglic and Van Hooydonck will not walk a Tour where he will face a team with Pogacar, Ayuso, Almeida and Yates.

He's got kuss and kelderman. That's enough. They can also go with cian uijdtbroeks.

 

[CyclistAbi]

I know they previously announced it but I would be surprised now if they put him into Algarve.

Looks like they want him ultra fresh for MSR having seen how going deep in TA has hurt riders in the recent past.

Yes, according to PCS now Pogi will start his season at Strade Bianche.

 

[Berniece]

He's got kuss and kelderman. That's enough. They can also go with cian uijdtbroeks.

I wouldn't count on Cian, it was probably negotiated that he can ride a GT as leader or at least free agent. You aren't going to burn someone so young immediately at the TDF.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Yes, according to PCS now Pogi will start his season at Strade Bianche.

PCS is not a source, they don't have contact with teams or riders. They just add what is reported on social media

 

[Froome]

It has to be said that perhaps Pogi wouldn't go to the Giro if not for the last two years Tour outcome, but nevertheless he is showing again and again how courageous he is.

Courageous 😂 he will win easily, without proper competition against him. Then, he will go to the Tour, without the same pressure.

He's not a coward, but "courageous" is also too much.

He would be courageous if he tried something like paris roubaix, or tour vuelta for the first time, facing vingegaard and even roglic two consecutive times.

He was courageous when he tried tour de flandres. Riding the giro in a year without proper competition against him, is not being courageous, it's being smart, and not getting a third year without winning a grand tour.

 

[AmRacer]

I wouldn't count on Cian, it was probably negotiated that he can ride a GT as leader or at least free agent. You aren't going to burn someone so young immediately at the TDF.

Except for Poggi then.