Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[scribers]

Hearing the rumours about UAE telling Poga to ease off to give other teams a chance to win is lowkey killing the excitement I had for the remainder of this giro.

Gcn article suggest pogi said this himself

 

[red_flanders]

Seems pretty obvious he's dialed it back, and is conserving so he has a better shot at the Tour.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Sharing pie with the peleton is converging with Teddy's goal (saving himself for the double) so UAE may continue to let most breakaways go.

 

[tobydawq]

Sharing pie with the peleton is converging with Teddy's goal (saving himself for the double) so UAE may continue to let most breakaways go.

He probably wants to win in Livigno and the Grappa stage. But yeah, otherwise he'll probably let breaks go.

 

[Stasat]

Not sure how to take this quote but sounds like he's been ill as well? Perhaps a factor in UAE chilling out a bit.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys getting sick, but I’m getting better. I’m almost OK,” Pogačar said after the stage Thursday. “In the peloton on the day before the rest day, there were a lot of guys coughing and snorting, so I hope they are all right.”

 

[bNator]

Not sure how to take this quote but sounds like he's been ill as well? Perhaps a factor in UAE chilling out a bit.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys getting sick, but I’m getting better. I’m almost OK,” Pogačar said after the stage Thursday. “In the peloton on the day before the rest day, there were a lot of guys coughing and snorting, so I hope they are all right.”

He said so a couple of days ago, that he’s not sure if he’s caught a cold or if it’s just allergies…

 

[Peyroteo94]

Guys, if he got a cold and still won 2 stages, it means he is good to win the whole thing.

 

[samhocking]

His skin has certainly flared up and face looking a bit more bloated than his 13 year old usual complexion, but that's to be expected, allergies, pollen, lowering immune system now past the first week etc.
As for the peloton asking fir gifts, this seems mostly the media claiming it based on Pogacar's comments, I can't say I've read a single statement from a rider or a team claiming Pogacar should gift them anything. Definitely should ignore Lantern Rouge too, those guys get most of what they claim is happening wrong / saying it for hits anyway. How can they possibly be correct when they're not waiting for the team and rider comments after each stage but going live or doing a podcast. They're not even there, they are passive TV fans like any fans so generally not going to know much more than us anyway or can only state the obvious and often be wrong about it.

 

[OJRvE]

As for the peloton asking fir gifts, this seems mostly the media claiming it based on Pogacar's comments, I can't say I've read a single statement from a rider or a team claiming Pogacar should gift them anything.

Why would any other rider say that to the media? Would just look like a sour loser. It makes much more sense the DSs are threatning UAE behind closed doors.

 

[scribers]

Fairly sure bardet was openly complaining about uae not letting his break stay away

 

[yaco]

His skin has certainly flared up and face looking a bit more bloated than his 13 year old usual complexion, but that's to be expected, allergies, pollen, lowering immune system now past the first week etc.
As for the peloton asking fir gifts, this seems mostly the media claiming it based on Pogacar's comments, I can't say I've read a single statement from a rider or a team claiming Pogacar should gift them anything. Definitely should ignore Lantern Rouge too, those guys get most of what they claim is happening wrong / saying it for hits anyway. How can they possibly be correct when they're not waiting for the team and rider comments after each stage but going live or doing a podcast. They're not even there, they are passive TV fans like any fans so generally not going to know much more than us anyway or can only state the obvious and often be wrong about it.

Lantern Rouge based their discussion on printed comments from the previous day.

 

[pelotonIQ]

But I think the lack of genuine competition is the biggest killer of excitement this Giro . That’s not UAE’s or Pogacar’s fault.

Was there ever going to be competition at this giro? Everyone knew what was going to happen. The hype around this giro was to see the destruction Pogacar would inflict on this race and the amount of stages he would add ontop of his maglia rosa.

But no, UAE has other ideas than letting him chase greatness.

 

[tobydawq]

Why is it they call it a cannibal anyway?

Cannibalism is defined as eating one's own species, not overeating.

Pogi is eating a lot of bike races, not riders.

He is a rider, not a race.

Explain.

 

[Berniece]

Was there ever going to be competition at this giro? Everyone knew what was going to happen. The hype around this giro was to see the destruction Pogacar would inflict on this race and the amount of stages he would add ontop of his maglia rosa.

But no, UAE has other ideas than letting him chase greatness.

Due to Vinegegaard's fall they now see the opportunity for a different kind of greatness => the double. So they focus on that now.

 

[solo80k]

Was there ever going to be competition at this giro? Everyone knew what was going to happen. The hype around this giro was to see the destruction Pogacar would inflict on this race and the amount of stages he would add ontop of his maglia rosa.

But no, UAE has other ideas than letting him chase greatness.

He's got 3 stages already, I think he can win 2/3 more. I assume winning ~25% of stages in a single GT isn't bad result.

 

[red_flanders]

Why is it they call it a cannibal anyway?

Cannibalism is defined as eating one's own species, not overeating.

Pogi is eating a lot of bike races, not riders.

He is a rider, not a race.

Explain.

You may be over-thinking it.

 

[sam6]

So Pogi is sick then?

 

[bNator]

Due to Vinegegaard's fall they now see the opportunity for a different kind of greatness => the double. So they focus on that now.

Nice try😁 Double was always a goal - go check their statements. It has nothing to do with Vingegaards fall. In fact - if Pog really was so much afraid of Vinge, he would cancel his Giro and “sneak” a Tour victory while the boss is not there. Yet he risks losing it with the double?

 

[Salvarani]

Nice try😁 Double was always a goal - go check their statements. It has nothing to do with Vingegaards fall. In fact - if Pog really was so much afraid of Vinge, he would cancel his Giro and “sneak” a Tour victory while the boss is not there. Yet he risks losing it with the double?

You hit the nail on the head with this one.

 

[Nick2413]

I think it’s fair to say the double became a huge topic as soon as the Itzulia crash happened, and prior to that it was seen by most as somewhat a hedging of bets knowing he’d at least win the Giro, but yes it was indeed their stated goal.

 

[rm2021]

Nice try😁 Double was always a goal - go check their statements. It has nothing to do with Vingegaards fall. In fact - if Pog really was so much afraid of Vinge, he would cancel his Giro and “sneak” a Tour victory while the boss is not there. Yet he risks losing it with the double?

Remco and Roglic will also be in the Tour, it will not be that easy, even without the presence of Vingegaard.

The truth is Pogacar is a very talented rider, but also one of the most lucky riders(luck merchant like someone said here), because he almost never face the top riders in the races he won in the last year, but also this year. For some reason he almost never faces Van der Poel, Roglic, Remco, or Vingegaard, and when he faces them he wins way way less, and sometimes gets absolutely annihilated, like he was by Vingegaard in the TOUR, Van der Poel in the worlds, and also Evenepoel in the Worlds 2022.

When was the last time Pogacar faced Roglic in a one week race? I really don't remember. Pogacar chooses very well the calendar and unfortunately, Van aert, Remco, Vingegaard, Remco and Roglic in the last years, had really bad luck.

The crash by Remco in 2020, was a shame, because Pogacar would had a lot of trouble in one day races against him.

If we look at pure power, there is some riders like Vingegaard and Remco who can push more watts than Pogacar.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I think it’s fair to say the double became a huge topic as soon as the Itzulia crash happened, and prior to that it was seen by most as somewhat a hedging of bets knowing he’d at least win the Giro, but yes it was indeed their stated goal.

Well, definitely Vingo's crash upped Pogacar's Tour chances significantly but not only his: also Roglic's and Evenepoel's. Regardless of Vingo's situation, to maximize Tour chances Pog & UAE should save themselves and let breakaways win many stages (the way they are doing now).

 

[scribers]

Nice try😁 Double was always a goal - go check their statements. It has nothing to do with Vingegaards fall. In fact - if Pog really was so much afraid of Vinge, he would cancel his Giro and “sneak” a Tour victory while the boss is not there. Yet he risks losing it with the double?

Bruyneel said he would definitely had cancelled the giro and fixated on the tour.

Thank goodness he isn’t managing pogi. There would be no Flanders win. No giro. And possibly *** early season results. But probably 4-6 tour wins

 

[Berniece]

Nice try😁 Double was always a goal - go check their statements. It has nothing to do with Vingegaards fall. In fact - if Pog really was so much afraid of Vinge, he would cancel his Giro and “sneak” a Tour victory while the boss is not there. Yet he risks losing it with the double?

He was always going to ride both but it was never a realistic goal. Now it is.

Also what do you mean “Nice try”?

 

[Salvarani]

He was always going to ride both but it was never a realistic goal. Now it is.

Also what do you mean “Nice try”?

It is very much and always was a "realistic" goal.

He has won the Tour twice... finished second twice.

He did a pretty light spring to go into the Giro fresh with a view to use it as base/training as well. Knowing he should be great enough to win over the guys here anyway, if nothing out of the ordinary happens.

Pulling off the double, win both the Giro and the Tour, was always gonna be a difficult task... but I dont agree with the wording of it not being a realistic goal for a rider of his caliber, even before the Itzulia crash. It only enhanced his chances, but it will still be a hard task.