Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Panda Claws]

Easier version of Pais Vasco.

Thanks! Hopefully it'll start attracting a more interesting field in the future then thanks to the Slovenian wonderboys.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It's been a stellar first half of the year for him: 3 stage-race wins + LBL. To me the best cyclist of this period. Tadej says he's almost ready for the Tour.

Pogacar: ‘I’m almost ready for the Tour de France’

UAE Team Emirates rider walks away from five-day Tour of Slovenia with the overall win and building form

www.cyclingnews.com

Additional 0.1 w/kg should be enough to crush Sky drones, right?

 

[Mayomaniac]

I don't doubt that he's ready, but what will be his team for the Tour?
De La Cruz, Majka & Polanc are a given, but guys like McNulty and Hirschi have underperformed a bit in their prep races and no idea about Formolo (who was set to ride Giro+Tour, that was the reason why he didn't race from MSR until LBL), one of those 3 will miss the Tour.
Bjerg for the flat stages is a no brainer for me, but do you bring Kristoff after a rather poor season or do you bring Trentin instead? Not bringing a sprinter at all and bringing Laengen instead wouldn't be the worst option.

 

[glassmoon]

I don't doubt that he's ready, but what will be his team for the Tour?
De La Cruz, Majka & Polanc are a given, but guys like McNulty and Hirschi have underperformed a bit in their prep races and no idea about Formolo (who was set to ride Giro+Tour, that was the reason why he didn't race from MSR until LBL), one of those 3 will miss the Tour.
Bjerg for the flat stages is a no brainer for me, but do you bring Kristoff after a rather poor season or do you bring Trentin instead? Not bringing a sprinter at all and bringing Laengen instead wouldn't be the worst option.

He will use most of the Jumbo team

 

[Pinot's goat]

I don't doubt that he's ready, but what will be his team for the Tour?
De La Cruz, Majka & Polanc are a given, but guys like McNulty and Hirschi have underperformed a bit in their prep races and no idea about Formolo (who was set to ride Giro+Tour, that was the reason why he didn't race from MSR until LBL), one of those 3 will miss the Tour.
Bjerg for the flat stages is a no brainer for me, but do you bring Kristoff after a rather poor season or do you bring Trentin instead? Not bringing a sprinter at all and bringing Laengen instead wouldn't be the worst option.

Looking at his results, De La Cruz should not be a given.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Looking at his results, De La Cruz should not be a given.

His climbing in the breakaways looked fine in the Tour de Suisse, I'd probably bring him.

 

[will-10]

PCS longlist atm:

• POGAČAR Tadej
• MAJKA Rafał
• POLANC Jan
• BJERG Mikkel
• HIRSCHI Marc
• KRISTOFF Alexander
• FORMOLO Davide
• DE LA CRUZ David
• MCNULTY Brandon

 

[titan31]

Majka and Polanc are shoe ins but the other spots are up for debate alright. I think McNulty will definitely be there and same can be said for Hirschi but Hirschi in particular needs to get into some form quickly. After that it's 3 from De La Cruz, Formolo, Bjerg, Laengen, Kristoff, Trentin and theres even a decent argument for Ulissi.

I don't think Kristoff or Trentin will be allowed sprint freely either. They'll be allowed if it's a small group and they have a chance (same as WVA last year) but I think they're mainly there to be road captains and they're good enough uphill to be of some use on lower slopes or hilly stages unlike a lot of the pure sprinters.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Majka and Polanc are shoe ins but the other spots are up for debate alright. I think McNulty will definitely be there and same can be said for Hirschi but Hirschi in particular needs to get into some form quickly. After that it's 3 from De La Cruz, Formolo, Bjerg, Laengen, Kristoff, Trentin and theres even a decent argument for Ulissi.

I don't think Kristoff or Trentin will be allowed sprint freely either. They'll be allowed if it's a small group and they have a chance (same as WVA last year) but I think they're mainly there to be road captains and they're good enough uphill to be of some use on lower slopes or hilly stages unlike a lot of the pure sprinters.

Ulissi recently said in an Interview with La Gazzetta (after he won that stage in Slovenia) that he surely won't be at the Tour.
The guy has never raced more than 1 gt per year in his career, has only raced the Tour once and hasn't raced the Vuelta since 2013, that's kinda crazy. One would think that a team would send the kind of rider that Ulissi is to the Vuelta as a stagehunter on a regular basis.

I agree about Kristoff or Trentin not being allowed to sprint freely, the team needs some experienced guys for the flat stages, mainly if the wind is blowing on some of the potential crosswind stages.

 

[Landeirovic]

The team will

Pogacar
Majka
Formolo
Bjerg
Mcnulty
De La Cruz
Polanc
Hirschi

 

[titan31]

Ulissi recently said in an Interview with La Gazzetta (after he won that stage in Slovenia) that he surely won't be at the Tour.
The guy has never raced more than 1 gt per year in his career, has only raced the Tour once and hasn't raced the Vuelta since 2013, that's kinda crazy. One would think that a team would send the kind of rider that Ulissi is to the Vuelta as a stagehunter on a regular basis.

I agree about Kristoff or Trentin not being allowed to sprint freely, the team needs some experienced guys for the flat stages, mainly if the wind is blowing on some of the potential crosswind stages.

Ya, I just think the argument to bring Ullissi is he's actually in good form. He had a relatively good Giro result and looked to get stronger in the last week and was strong in Slovenia too (albeit lack of competition there). I doubt he would but if I was at UAE and looking at who to bring, he'd be in consideration anyway just on race results.

 

[Pinot's goat]

The team will

Pogacar
Majka
Formolo
Bjerg
Mcnulty
De La Cruz
Polanc
Hirschi

They need another rider for the flat.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

The team will

Pogacar
Majka
Formolo
Bjerg
Mcnulty
De La Cruz
Polanc
Hirschi

I would take out de la cruz or hirschi and put trentin in there.

Majka, formolo, mcnulty, polanc is a great climbing team. But they don't have an answer to Luke Rowe/dylan van baarle or tony martin.

Of course Bjerg is very strong but hes only 22 or something, not really a road captain. So i would put trentin in there. I would probably leave hirschi out at this stage, delacruz is strong in grand tours. But maybe Hirschi has better numbers.

 

[BlueRoads]

There's one reason I'd bring Hirschi and that's for descents. But he's not even good there this season, as far as I've seen.
But in general it could pay out to have a world class descender in front of you, because I think Pogacar is okay there but not great?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Why no Ulissi? Is it a joke? He placed second in the ToS, won the queen stage and was strong in the mountains.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Why no Ulissi? Is it a joke? He placed second in the ToS, won the queen stage and was strong in the mountains.

because he had a big block of racing, and finished he giro before slovenia.

its normal for those coming off giro to be good in june. see pedrero in occitanie, sobrero in slovenia etc. but to take him on another grand tour in july is ridiculous

 

[Krzysztof_O]

because he had a big block of racing, and finished he giro before slovenia.

its normal for those coming off giro to be good in june. see pedrero in occitanie, sobrero in slovenia etc. but to take him on another grand tour in july is ridiculous

Ok, this makes sense. His form could fall off the cliff at the Tour.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ok, this makes sense. His form could fall off the cliff at the Tour.

The guy also has never done 2 gts in one season before, so it would be a big gamble.

 

[BlueRoads]

And I'm not sure Ulissi brings something to the team the others don't have and Pogacar needs. He has good mountain helpers with Majka and de la Cruz, not the best, but since he's the best climber himself and there is more than one other team who's serious about the win he might find allies on other teams on occasion. Maybe not at Ineos or Jumbo, but at Movistar for instance.
He really needs a good road captain, best some help on the descents as well, and strong guys on the flat for possible cross wind problems or to bring him back in other cases of bad luck. I think he doesn't really need another half-mountain guy if he has Formolo with him.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

Polanc is def a yes, As a fellow slovenian he is important for Tadej and he showed in Slovenia he is in good shape.

Majka en Bjerg are in for sure too.

Formolo is fully preparing for the Tour at altitude camp and seems in too. He might not be the best, but he is deadly loyal and will give it all to work for Tadej.

Mcnulty, Hirschi, DLCruz and Kristof I am not sure of.

Not sure how much of a help uphill Mcnulty will be.

Hirschi is way out of shape.

I believe Peiper has said Kristof is good for the moral in the team but yeah not sure that is enough.

I would opt for DLcruz, Dombrowski ans Laengen for the flat

 

[RedheadDane]

Not sure how much of a help uphill Mcnulty will be.

Wasn't he pulled from the Giro - and a chance to ride for his own GC - specifically to go to the Tour?

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

Wasn't he pulled from the Giro - and a chance to ride for his own GC - specifically to go to the Tour?

Yes, that was said when he was pulled from the giro. Not sure after seeing the last stage of the Basque country and Dauphine if that will happen. When Dombrowski won his stage he made a better impression uphill then Mcnulty ever did this season.

 

[Landeirovic]

For me in the flat stages Mcnulty or Polanc can do some good work to. Laengen look in very good condition to. But he said dont do Tour the France. From what i read. Hirschi, Formolo, De La Cruz go. Mcnulty confirmed to go Tour to. Polanc slovenian boy is a go. And Majka they bought him for Tour. Bjerg look me the perfect option for the flat stages. Kristoff look in a poor condition this year.

 

[Extinction]

It will be interesting to see how he handles being in the hot seat at the Tour, with a team that clearly doesn't have the firepower of Ineos and Jumbo Visma. Pogacar, however, has displayed a domininance and/or super form at the races he entered so far this year, even if he did not win Pais Basque, that he probably can win even without a super team supporting him. At the same time, Ineos and Jumbo Visma should be able to challange him for the golden fleece. Whatever happens I just hope none of the contenders crash out, so we can see a proper race.

 

[Escarabajo]

I hope they bring the worst team. It would make for a fun Tour.
For example I think they should take Kristof.

 

[Leinster]

It will be interesting to see how he handles being in the hot seat at the Tour, with a team that clearly doesn't have the firepower of Ineos and Jumbo Visma. Pogacar, however, has displayed a domininance and/or super form at the races he entered so far this year, even if he did not win Pais Basque, that he probably can win even without a super team supporting him. At the same time, Ineos and Jumbo Visma should be able to challange him for the golden fleece. Whatever happens I just hope none of the contenders crash out, so we can see a proper race.

Should they? Will they?

I know it's not really comparing like-with-like since Roglic and VanAert have been pretty much in hiding since the Ardennes, and Dumoulin is only now back on the road, but J-V's support crew, ie the guys that they'll be relying on to get Primoz to the crucial points in the race, haven't been exactly lighting fires since. All the while, Ineos, UAE, Bahrain, Movistar, even EF and ISN have been picking up GC results, or at least a few mountain stage wins.