He was there last year. Finished 13th. Not bad at all, but he was never in the thick of the action with the top riders.Will be interesting to see how he fares in Strade Bianche.
That schedule is crazy. I suppose they expect some races to get cancelled. Or they are milking him. Or he isn't human.
Depending on what Ardennes and Italian fall classics mean it could be over 80 racing days.It is probably about 60-70 race days.
He raced 62 days in 2019 so it is not like he is a complete stranger to it.
The plan can always be changed, if it gets too much.
Apparently, Sky set the programming standard during their rise to the top.To me it's not so much about the amount of days itself, but about the quality of the races and the fact that he probably enters most races to win them and there are two GTs in there. Usually I'd say two GTs, okay, then prepare for the Tour with smaller stage races and the Ardennes if you like, but then I would not also do the NCs, the EC, Italian fall classics, if you also do the Worlds, in a year with the Olympics... I mean, maybe he is such a freak that he can do it, I don't want to say it's a bad idea. Maybe in the end he wins it all. Or maybe he enters for instance the Vuelta mostly as a helper on a few stages. I just find the schedule really astonishing.
Depending on what Ardennes and Italian fall classics mean it could be over 80 racing days.
Surely closer to 80 than 70.
To me it's not so much about the amount of days itself, but about the quality of the races and the fact that he probably enters most races to win them and there are two GTs in there. Usually I'd say two GTs, okay, then prepare for the Tour with smaller stage races and the Ardennes if you like, but then I would not also do the NCs, the EC, Italian fall classics, if you also do the Worlds, in a year with the Olympics... I mean, maybe he is such a freak that he can do it, I don't want to say it's a bad idea. Maybe in the end he wins it all. Or maybe he enters for instance the Vuelta mostly as a helper on a few stages. I just find the schedule really astonishing.
If I had to guess, I say he'll do at least 2 out of 3 races in the Ardenness (AGR, FW, LBL). For the Italian classics it's way to early to speculate. They are late in the season. He might not be doing them at all if he's had enough. But if he rides, I expect him to ride at least Lombardia and another race for preparation.Ardennes could just be LBL, maybe Fleche, and the Italian fall races could just be Lombardia.
That could be it when it comes to those races.
Better than Valverde ever was? I would wait a bit with that...Well, it's nothing we wouldn't expect from Valverde. And Pogacar is probably better than he ever was. Is he as consistent? I guess there's only one way to find out.
He might win the Tour this year, you're right.Better than Valverde ever was? I would wait a bit with that...
This comparison doesn't make sense. How can you compare Valverde's schedule to Pogi's? You think the better the rider is, the more busy schedule one has to have? It doesn't work that way. Age should absolutely be considered and it's a big factor here.Well, it's nothing we wouldn't expect from Valverde. And Pogacar is probably better than he ever was. Is he as consistent? I guess there's only one way to find out.
This comparison doesn't make sense. How can you compare Valverde's schedule to Pogi's? You think the better the rider is, the more busy schedule one has to have? It doesn't work that way. Age should absolutely be considered and it's a big factor here.
Better than Valverde ever was? I would wait a bit with that...
Sour grapes, I'm sure he needed a ton of his money to somehow find the guy who won l'Avenir that year and finished 4th in the Tour of Slovenia, after already finishinng 5th in that races one year before when he was just 18 years old.Lefevere: "Matxin spotted Tadej Pogacar with our money"
"Two years ago, during the World Cup Bergen, Matxin asked me if he could become a sports director. I decided that, as he had given us a lot, he could leave, despite his contract with us. But I forgot one thing: I should have told him that he couldn't enter the riders he had spotted with our money, " said Lefevere .
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Sour grapes, I'm sure he needed a ton of his money to somehow find the guy who won l'Avenir that year and finished 4th in the Tour of Slovenia, after already finishinng 5th in that races one year before when he was just 18 years old.
Patrick is a bit delusional when it comes to their scouting ability, Pogi wasn't exacty hard to find.
Sour grapes, I'm sure he needed a ton of his money to somehow find the guy who won l'Avenir that year and finished 4th in the Tour of Slovenia, after already finishinng 5th in that races one year before when he was just 18 years old.
Patrick is a bit delusional when it comes to their scouting ability, Pogi wasn't exacty hard to find.
You aren't impressed by him having scouted Remco, either???
I suspect much of the schedule after the Tour is speculation. Good chance he doesn’t ride the vuelta, I think. Olympiques are definitely in doubt as are some European spring races, depending on how vaccinations evolve.That schedule is crazy. I suppose they expect some races to get cancelled. Or they are milking him. Or he isn't human.
I agree that everyone's program is subject to health protocols, unfortunately. It could turn out much like this season. Bummer, that.I suspect much of the schedule after the Tour is speculation. Good chance he doesn’t ride the vuelta, I think. Olympiques are definitely in doubt as are some European spring races, depending on how vaccinations evolve.