Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[proffate]

With proper training, a bit more weight he would be more suited for it

I don't disagree, I just don't think he has to be at 100% to have a chance to win it. PR involves so much luck that doing it 3 times at 95% preparation is probably better than once at 100%.

 

[Lequack]

Magnificent ride today, nothing really else to say, just watch the master at work.

 

[Kwaremonster]

I don't disagree, I just don't think he has to be at 100% to have a chance to win it. PR involves so much luck that doing it 3 times at 95% preparation is probably better than once at 100%.

I have the feeling that, like with Van der Poel riding Lombardia for the win, Pogacar riding Paris Roubaix is more an idea in the head of fans then one in the head of the rider himself..

 

[AmRacer]

I have the feeling that, like with Van der Poel riding Lombardia for the win, Pogacar riding Paris Roubaix is more an idea in the head of fans then one in the head of the rider himself..

Tadej wants to win all five monuments. PR is the most difficult for him so he will ride it when he has won the others.

 

[kn0s]

Great performance at strade. It was not in the least bit surprising, attacking the same place as last time, for the same solo exhibition (bit extra as race changed) still non of the other genetic freaks there to make it a little interesting.

Looking forward to seeing him against his "real" competitors.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I have the feeling that, like with Van der Poel riding Lombardia for the win, Pogacar riding Paris Roubaix is more an idea in the head of fans then one in the head of the rider himself..

I'm sure Pogi wants to have a shot at Roubaix. He can try it with his standard early spring body mass from previous years (i.e. 67 kg) or he can gain even more wattage by approaching 70 kg. In this case Vuelta would be the most feasible GT to target - he will have more time to trim down and he surely wants to win the Vuelta at some point anyway.

 

[hfgon1]

Heroic, epic but boring ride at Strade Bianche. Normally you wonder about why a competitor is throwing away his chances if attacking 80km from the finish line. Seeing this from Tadej I just thought: Ok, race is over. Everyone else is riding for 2nd place. There wasnt even a doubt in my head about him staying away 80km from the peloton, or grupetto as Pidcock described them. Impressive ride but deciding a race with 80km to go is a bit boring. Broadcast just started. Come on man, let us have some fun watching...

 

[Krzysztof_O]

In a way it's good for Pog and cycling that Vingo actually beat him in the last two TdFs. He would've less fans and motivation otherwise and there would be less suspence in GTs!

 

[KZD]

One trend that I have been noticing with Pogačar in one day races is that he is winning them in an increasingly impressive fashion

- Liège 2021 he won a 5 men sprint and actually struggled a bit in the uphill rise after Roche Aux Faucons

- Lombardia 2021 he actually went solo on Passo di Ganda but then legend Masnada brought him back and Pogi had to beat him in the sprint

- Strade 2022 solo on Monte Sante Marie but finishes 'just' some 40 seconds ahead of Valverde.

- Grand Prix Montreal 2022 wins a five men sprint

- Lombardia 2022 exchanges blows with Mas before beating him in the sprint

- Ronde 2023 drops two time winner Van der Poel in the last Oude Kwaremont then solos to the finish with around 20 seconds to spare

-Amstel 2023 goes solo some 30km from the finish line after dropping Pidcock and Healy gets a little help along the way to beat Healy by around 40/50? seconds

- Flèche 2023 this one was just an uphill sprint up Mur d'Huy as usual

- Lombardia 2023 drops a reduced group on the first of the descent of Passo di Ganda, wins with around a minute.

- Strade 2024 drops everyone on Monte Sante Marie 81km from the finish line to win with more than 2:30 minutes.

This shows that not only Pogačar is one of the best stage racers of this generation, he is also one of the best one day riders of the last decades, dare I say, and it seems that he is getting even better at them so I am convinced yesterday was the beginning of a legendary season.

 

[Offline]

One trend that I have been noticing with Pogačar in one day races is that he is winning them in an increasingly impressive fashion

- Liège 2021 he won a 5 men sprint and actually struggled a bit in the uphill rise after Roche Aux Faucons

- Lombardia 2021 he actually went solo on Passo di Ganda but then legend Masnada brought him back and Pogi had to beat him in the sprint

- Strade 2022 solo on Monte Sante Marie but finishes 'just' some 40 seconds ahead of Valverde.

- Grand Prix Montreal 2022 wins a five men sprint

- Lombardia 2022 exchanges blows with Mas before beating him in the sprint

- Ronde 2023 drops two time winner Van der Poel in the last Oude Kwaremont then solos to the finish with around 20 seconds to spare

-Amstel 2023 goes solo some 30km from the finish line after dropping Pidcock and Healy gets a little help along the way to beat Healy by around 40/50? seconds

- Flèche 2023 this one was just an uphill sprint up Mur d'Huy as usual

- Lombardia 2023 drops a reduced group on the first of the descent of Passo di Ganda, wins with around a minute.

- Strade 2024 drops everyone on Monte Sante Marie 81km from the finish line to win with more than 2:30 minutes.

This shows that not only Pogačar is one of the best stage racers of this generation, he is also one of the best one day riders of the last decades, dare I say, and it seems that he is getting even better at them so I am convinced yesterday was the beginning of a legendary season.

Very true. Still young and still getting better and better!

 

[scribers]

In a way it's good for Pog and cycling that Vingo actually beat him in the last two TdFs. He would've less fans and motivation otherwise and there would be less suspence in GTs!

Yes, pog has a legit foil in Vingo.

Pog might be more inclined to focus on the tdf if he hadn’t won it twice already. That he can look elsewhere for challenges that exhibit his all around qualities is also good for cycling

 

[scribers]

Heroic, epic but boring ride at Strade Bianche. Normally you wonder about why a competitor is throwing away his chances if attacking 80km from the finish line. Seeing this from Tadej I just thought: Ok, race is over. Everyone else is riding for 2nd place. There wasnt even a doubt in my head about him staying away 80km from the peloton, or grupetto as Pidcock described them. Impressive ride but deciding a race with 80km to go is a bit boring. Broadcast just started. Come on man, let us have some fun watching...

It’s like we all knew ahead of time coverage was making a mistake with only the showing less than half the race.

 

[proffate]

Heroic, epic but boring ride at Strade Bianche. Normally you wonder about why a competitor is throwing away his chances if attacking 80km from the finish line. Seeing this from Tadej I just thought: Ok, race is over. Everyone else is riding for 2nd place. There wasnt even a doubt in my head about him staying away 80km from the peloton, or grupetto as Pidcock described them. Impressive ride but deciding a race with 80km to go is a bit boring. Broadcast just started. Come on man, let us have some fun watching...

Ask the other galacticos why they didn't bother to sign on.

 

[Lorzenz08]

The legend hit again.

I just hope he doesn't get injured and stays healthy for the Giro/TdF.

 

[Elos Anjos]

From the King himself:

"Yes you will see in Paris-Roubaix one day" - Tadej Pogacar on Paris-Roubaix debut and admiration for Jonas Vingegaard

Paris-Roubaix and Jonas Vingegaard were the main topics of an interview Tadej Pogacar recently gave. The UAE Team Emirates rider admits that he will race the French classic one day, but is first tackl...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[kn0s]

From the King himself:

"Yes you will see in Paris-Roubaix one day" - Tadej Pogacar on Paris-Roubaix debut and admiration for Jonas Vingegaard

Paris-Roubaix and Jonas Vingegaard were the main topics of an interview Tadej Pogacar recently gave. The UAE Team Emirates rider admits that he will race the French classic one day, but is first tackl...

cyclinguptodate.com

"A bit of talent" some of his colleagues might take a little offence. He clearly is one of the most genetically gifted riders racing right now. Many train just as hard, without the gifts he was born with.

 

[bNator]

"A bit of talent" some of his colleagues might take a little offence. He clearly is one of the most genetically gifted riders racing right now. Many train just as hard, without the gifts he was born with.

There is absolutely noone who would get offended by his statement. He even put his team before everything else in that statement. What was he supposed to say even: you need to have a lot of talent which my colleagues don’t have and they can work as hard as they like but still we’ll see each other in the douches? 🤪

 

[Krzysztof_O]

"A bit of talent" some of his colleagues might take a little offence. He clearly is one of the most genetically gifted riders racing right now. Many train just as hard, without the gifts he was born with.

It almost sounds like he's a bit above average Joe, with VO2max in 50s.

 

[Alien Performance]

I will tell my grandchildren about the day I watched Tadej win Roubaix

 

[Alien Performance]

The lottery of MSR aside, I don't think it's beyond him to win all five monuments in the same year if he built a season around it

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Does anybody think that Pogacar's explosivity may actually suffer this spring (due to seemingly lower mass) and MSR could be even more difficult than before? MVP being in worse shape than last year (due to no races before) may be his biggest hope.

The lottery of MSR aside, I don't think it's beyond him to win all five monuments in the same year if he built a season around it

In theory, yes. Larger body mass in the spring followed by trimming down for Lombardy.

 

[KZD]

Does anybody think that Pogacar's explosivity may actually suffer this spring (due to seemingly lower mass) and MSR could be even more difficult than before? MVP being in worse shape than last year (due to no races before) may be his biggest hope.



In theory, yes. Larger body mass in the spring followed by trimming down for Lombardy.

I am always a bit bearish regarding Pogačar's chances in MSR but I don't think he will be any worse this year and not riding Paris Nice or Tirreno could mean that he is fresher for that race.

Still we have to keep in mind that his biggest one day race goal even above winning all five monuments is becoming World Champion.

 

[Froome]

I am always a bit bearish regarding Pogačar's chances in MSR but I don't think he will be any worse this year and not riding Paris Nice or Tirreno could mean that he is fresher for that race.

Still we have to keep in mind that his biggest one day race goal even above winning all five monuments is becoming World Champion.

The problem for Pogacar is that even if he goes more fresher, the route is a lot easy, so it's difficult to do better than last year.

 

[KZD]

The problem for Pogacar is that even if he goes more fresher, the route is a lot easy, so it's difficult to do better than last year.

The route will be identical to last year so Pogačar's problem will be dropping the likes of Van der Poel and Pedersen and keep them from coming back. This is why I don't think he will win but his chances are not smaller than last year especially with Van Aert not doing the race.

 

[Berniece]

The route will be identical to last year so Pogačar's problem will be dropping the likes of Van der Poel and Pedersen and keep them from coming back. This is why I don't think he will win but his chances are not smaller than last year especially with Van Aert not doing the race.

Like he did the past two years he needs to go all out on the Poggio, and see who's left. If no one is left, good, if MVDP is left, barely take any turns.