Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Netserk]

I don't disagree with your premise that you can't claim someone would have easily won a GT when they DNF halfway the GT.

But saying that Remco has a history of looking strong in the first half of a GT and failing in the last week is a big stretch to me.

His first Giro does not count imo. I think everybody agreed (at least in hindsight) that it was a bad idea to even start that Giro considering his abysmal and rushed preparation after his crash.

He won his first Vuelta and had to leave his second Giro because of Covid while being in the leader's jersey. That leaves only his Vuelta this year where he failed in the second half but one failed GT can hardly prove a 'history' of failing in the last week.

While you may dismiss the first three, they all had the same pattern, including his victory.

 

[AmRacer]

I don't disagree with your premise that you can't claim someone would have easily won a GT when they DNF halfway the GT.

But saying that Remco has a history of looking strong in the first half of a GT and failing in the last week is a big stretch to me.

His first Giro does not count imo. I think everybody agreed (at least in hindsight) that it was a bad idea to even start that Giro considering his abysmal and rushed preparation after his crash.

He won his first Vuelta and had to leave his second Giro because of Covid while being in the leader's jersey. That leaves only his Vuelta this year where he failed in the second half but one failed GT can hardly prove a 'history' of failing in the last week.

Remco hasn't yet finished ahead of Rogla, Poggi, Vinge and Thomas in a GT.

 

[KZD]

Giro and Lombardia should be his best chances.

Anything else would be a bonus, but possible if things goes his way.

Thinking he will win it all is not realistic, but he will probably be a contender for every single one unless unforeseen things happen.

Both in LBL and at the World Championships, he and Remco should be the biggest favourites, so bad luck aside Pogačar has a high chance of winning one of them.

If he wins at least Giro + 2 monuments or Giro + WCRR, it would already be a great season anything above that would be legendary.

 

[Berflamand]

While you may dismiss the first three, they all had the same pattern, including his victory.

I don't think it's a controversial take to at least dismiss his first Giro?

While he might have performed a little less in the second half of his first Vuelta, he still comfortably won that Vuelta so I wouldn't call that failing.

Even if there is a pattern (which to me is debatable considering the circumstances) I think it's way too soon to call it a 'history' of failing in the second half of a GT.

I'm not saying it might never become a pattern or a history because even as a big Remco fan I'm also a bit cautious as to where his true GT potential lies but at this point (at least for me) the sample size is too small to make such claims already.

 

[Berflamand]

Remco hasn't yet finished ahead of Rogla, Poggi, Vinge and Thomas in a GT.

I don't think that dismisses anything I have said?

 

[hayneplane]

All killer no filler.

I would imagine he will add the national championships between Giro and Tour plus a couple of the Italian hilly classics as prep for Lombardia.

Would bring it to around 62 race days which is actually quite low but all of them high quality and intensity.

The insane thing is he will line up for every race he pins on a bib number to his jersey as a top 3 favourite to win at minimum.

Of course it would be preposterous to expect him to win it all but a healthy crash free Pogacar will surely at minimum win Giro+Catalunya along with at least 1 major one day race.

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Of course it would be preposterous to expect him to win it all but a healthy crash free Pogacar will surely at minimum win Giro+Catalunya along with at least 1 major one day race.

A million hearteyes!

I would love to see that and for the major one day race to be Il Lombardia.

 

[Rob5091]

It'll be interesting to see if Pogacar's schedule changes next year. To be at 100% for so long will be tough.

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Perhaps there is someone, somewhere, on this forum not fed up with me posting social media reels of Pogačar popping wheelies and holding up traffic. No? Tough luck, here's another.

Like I said. The uphill wheelie training seems to be going swimmingly. I expect dominance in all unicycle races he enters.

Also, Urška and her boyfriend in Christmas sweaters.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1740122444948717982

View: https://twitter.com/BikeBlz/status/1740122444948717982?t=F4_X_h5_IJRnze8V7sFyuQ&s=19

https://twitter.com/x/status/1739265185599099137

View: https://twitter.com/lucasaganronald/status/1739265185599099137?t=OXDWV0VmS6Wdgk2lO7ZG-w&s=19

 

[CyclistAbi]

Like Sagan, only better, due to the sweater.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Where I come from those two fingers over Urška Žigart's head mean that Pogi had some hanky panky with other person.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Where I come from those two fingers over Urška Žigart's head mean that Pogi had some hanky panky with other person.

In Slovenia you are just being goofy, making such gesture, when taking a picture, other person obviously not knowing about it.

We do have a saying "nasaditi rogove". That is likely on what such gesture means in your culture. Bottom line, in Slovenia we wouldn't be that direct. Making such gesture to admit it. In Slovenia you would just deny it altogether.

 

[scribers]

It'll be interesting to see if Pogacar's schedule changes next year. To be at 100% for so long will be tough.

I look at last season for clues. He came out hot between P-N and looked pretty good in MSR, right through to Flanders and Ardennes. Outlier is LBL and it's impact on his abilities at the tour. Maybe that bit of a sag riding into shape at the Tour concluded, because he looked really good at Worlds. And in spite of all that, looked super strong at Lombardia. So that is one long early run of form, and two other strong areas of the calendar across the entire season. With no altitude training from what I understand until before the tour.

 

[scribers]

I see him being very ready for LBL + Giro. A sag in form between the tour and olympics, and dumps the olympics if a collapse in the tour. Training plus canada to be in optimum condition for Worlds (his stated target). And Lombardia is what it is if he can approach what he's done the last few years, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Remco or even Vingo couldn't grab a win here.

 

[Rob5091]

I see him being very ready for LBL + Giro. A sag in form between the tour and olympics, and dumps the olympics if a collapse in the tour. Training plus canada to be in optimum condition for Worlds (his stated target). And Lombardia is what it is if he can approach what he's done the last few years, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Remco or even Vingo couldn't grab a win here.

It will be very interesting to see Pogacar's form and attitude at the Tour. Will he ride for Ayuso and Almeida if he feels not at 100% or go home? (what the h*ll happens if Pogacar blows up after a week with his teammates long down on GC after riding for him?) It is a new scenario too with 3 other guys to watch (Roglic, Vingegaard & Remco) and 3 different teams (Bora, Visma and QS).

 

[scribers]

It will be very interesting to see Pogacar's form and attitude at the Tour. Will he ride for Ayuso and Almeida if he feels not at 100% or go home? (what the h*ll happens if Pogacar blows up after a week with his teammates long down on GC after riding for him?) It is a new scenario too with 3 other guys to watch (Roglic, Vingegaard & Remco) and 3 different teams (Bora, Visma and QS).

I think Ayuso has already stated Pogi is the leader of the tour. But if all goes well, Pog should sit on Vingo's wheel (as if) and let the race come to him. The tactics (lack of) of UAE will just be an appetizer to the fireworks from all the contenders in the race.

If Pog blows up, I doubt he leaves the tour. It would have to be a Remco level implosion to get him off the podium in my view.

 

[bNator]

I don't disagree with your premise that you can't claim someone would have easily won a GT when they DNF halfway the GT.

But saying that Remco has a history of looking strong in the first half of a GT and failing in the last week is a big stretch to me.

His first Giro does not count imo. I think everybody agreed (at least in hindsight) that it was a bad idea to even start that Giro considering his abysmal and rushed preparation after his crash.

He won his first Vuelta and had to leave his second Giro because of Covid while being in the leader's jersey. That leaves only his Vuelta this year where he failed in the second half but one failed GT can hardly prove a 'history' of failing in the last week.

Ok, on the second reading, saying he has a history of failing is putting it a bit strongly. But that's not how I meant it which is proven by the other examples I have given. For most of my examples, it would be more more appropriate to say they have a history of winning a GT. Also for Remco.

What I meant was his ratio of delivering a GT win is not nearly high enough for anyone to be able to claim he would "easily" have won a GT had he finished. Especially if we consider what happened in la Vuelta.

 

[Lequack]

New jersey

 

[scribers]

Don't like it. Too similar to young rider jersey. The dark components always looked good on the white

 

[Lequack]

Training hard, and eating hard

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Training hard, and eating hard

I hope they enjoyed it…

Michael Matthews seems to be Pog‘s favourite road training partner. They apparently get along well. Certainly good for both of them. Pog anyways won‘t find a training partner who‘s stronger than him. So Matthews is a perfect choice - because Matthews is a brutally strong rider, on each terrain.

Glad for these two…

P.S.: Ah, I forgot that his Urska might be his actual favourite training partner. But of course Matthews comes closer concerning physical strength…

 

[tobydawq]

Training hard, and eating hard

His cheeks seem to be shrinking. The Giro/Tour double is a lock.

 

[Berniece]

Pog anyways won‘t find a training partner who‘s stronger than him.

Vingegaard?

 

[rokovski]

Training hard, and eating hard

Rider in the back cant decide what to order after seeing pros eating donuts😆 "beer or donut?" 😁

 

[ice&fire]

Rider in the back cant decide what to order after seeing pros eating donuts😆 "beer or donut?" 😁

I know what I would do.
Being in possession of a donut is not equal to eating a donut, no matter what WADA says.
On the other hand, beer acidity is up there with that of isotonic sport drinks.