• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

Page 411 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Pog can use Giro as Tour prep and still winning it.
Perhaps he could, but the point is, it's doubtful that's the optimal prep. Altitude camp and Giro, done correctly, has the possibility to see him in better shape than he's ever been, which he will need if he is to have a shot at Vingo. Many seem to assume he will come out of the Giro tired and less than 100% for the Tour, but I'm not so sure. A Pog in this kind of shape, nearing his physical prime, just might be the guy who could come out of an altitude camp and the Giro totally flying. In for a penny, in for a pound.
 
He is clearly even better then in the last years. He wasn't even pushing really hard in the last 20km.
Sounds like his biggest test was getting the song in his head for the last 2 hrs to go away. His interview at the finish is all I've seen and it's pretty good. Middle of the race was tough and no one responded to his effort to thin the small front pack.
After that it's all your own rythm, which is good aside from the song....
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmdirt and Faserr
Great. Now you half ass the Giro and you're suboptimally prepared for Giro/Tour double.
Any attempt at the Giro is usually sub optimal prep for the TdF but not the double. Not sure where altitude training fits in but why would trying to win the Giro underdone* leave you sub optimally prepared for the TdF? It might actually result in the opposite with this guy?

How else can he realistically optimize for the Giro/Tour double?

*Remember the Giro this year has less climbing and the competition doesn't look very stiff although there are a bunch of 2nd tier contenders. So depending how the Giro is raced there is a chance Pogacar won't be cooked and his body recovers just in time for the TdF.
 
Is Evenepoel racing MSR? If he is then that will be great for Pogi as he will be the best Domestique Tadej could ask for. However, I think it's unlikely for him to win as we saw that he was so far away from dropping van der Poel last year that he was dropped himself. I don't see how attacking earlier will help because then the riders would just be less tired when he attacks and Pogi will probably wear himself out trying to drop them like last year. Having Evenepoel there would help if he attacks first but even so, I can't see it being enough. Although if he is significantly stronger then maybe. I think his best chance is if the weather is awful and there is crosswinds and the race gets split earlier on. Then there is a lot more fatigue and some riders will miss the split. As for Paris Roubaix, Pogi trained specifically for Flanders last year and I think that is close to his limit in terms of type of races. I think that is too flat for him. unless he totally trains differently
 
Is a Cipressa attack suicide at MSR?
Bruyneel said in a podcast last year the last person to successfully do this was in the 1990's (I think. And I can't remember who he said). And strongly suggested it was because of that 'era... wink wink' and that it could not be done in today's peloton. Everyone too fast, too strong, and a group would catch that person on the straight before the poggio.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Poursuivant
Attack Poggio when other big riders are boxed in probably, so first few corners maybe even. This obviously also depends on positioning and wind, etc. It's just very hard to imagine Pogacar straight up dropping MvdP if the latter is right on the suckwheel.

MVP is normally #1 favourite at MSR due to his cycling assets (superb explosivity and descending). But doesn't he need some races before he hits his peak form? MSR is his first road race of the season AFAIK and Pogi is already in red hot form.
 
MVP is normally #1 favourite at MSR due to his cycling assets (superb explosivity and descending). But doesn't he need some races before he hits his peak form? MSR is his first road race of the season AFAIK and Pogi is already in red hot form.
Well, MVDP did ride MSR as his first race of the season in 2022 and he finished 3rd (He was not in red hot form though. He was just following wheels). Different conditions though. In 2022, he was coming off that back issue from his Olympics MTB crash. This time, he's trying to peak again after being in red hot form throughout the CX season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan and jono
Bruyneel said in a podcast last year the last person to successfully do this was in the 1990's (I think. And I can't remember who he said). And strongly suggested it was because of that 'era... wink wink' and that it could not be done in today's peloton. Everyone too fast, too strong, and a group would catch that person on the straight before the poggio.

1996 I think was the last time that a group formed on the Cipressa stayed away to the finish. But that was a group of 4 ultimately and not a single person.

Edit: also seems like the chase was very unorganized for whatever reason
 
At some point in the future, probably. But not in a Giro-Tour year. He looks thinner than normally early in the season. He already looks like during TdF, they may have found a way to make him thinner than ever for the double.
Take note, all would-be challengers, this Teddy is the leanest and meanest yet. They must have figured a drop in body fat percentage, without losing power, ups his power to weight ratio; as the only way to beat Vingegaard in July. Although it's only March, it looks like they have succeeded in the upgraded version of Tadej. Looking forward to what further feats he may pull off in the future.
 
Take note, all would-be challengers, this Teddy is the leanest and meanest yet. They must have figured a drop in body fat percentage, without losing power, ups his power to weight ratio; as the only way to beat Vingegaard in July. Although it's only March, it looks like they have succeeded in the upgraded version of Tadej. Looking forward to what further feats he may pull off in the future.
They used liposuction on his face ... fat deposits there don't help performance.

Hold my drink, I'll be going now