Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Valv.Piti]

I never said its just down to the riders. Its up to the riders when you have this kind of finale - if the climbers want to sit there and attack with 3 km to go of Peyresourde, im not blaming the route on this one, but the riders considering the landscape of the GC and the remaining mountain stages.

Look I have been very critical of many routes, and I miss proper queen stages. Im probably what you'd call very conservative regarding routes, and I dont like shorter and shorter stages and I agree with your overall sentiment about routes generally getting easier and easier (in the high mountains, not outside of that). But on the other hand, there definitely are opportunity and it wouldn't make sense to me to blame the route if the riders soft-pedal the Alps.

 

[Netserk]

I never said its just down to the riders. Its up to the riders when you have this kind of finale - if the climbers want to sit there and attack with 3 km to go of Peyresourde, im not blaming the route on this one, but the riders considering the landscape of the GC and the remaining mountain stages.

Look I have been very critical of many routes, and I miss proper queen stages. Im probably what you'd call very conservative regarding routes, and I dont like shorter and shorter stages and I agree with your overall sentiment about routes generally getting easier and easier (in the high mountains, not outside of that). But on the other hand, there definitely are opportunity and it wouldn't make sense to me to blame the route if the riders soft-pedal the Alps.

The terrain is good enough for end of the stage action. But with Pogi and Rogla, we could hope to have more than that, unfortunately we won't.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Well at least we know him having "superior recovery at the end of 3 week - secret gen/DNA" is bullcrap, considering it's only the 5th day

First 3 days of the Tour were crazy and fast. Recovery abilities confirmed

 

[BigCoward]

Imperious. Looks like we'll see the most convincing TdF win since 2013.

2014 was more convincing than 2013

 

[Mayomaniac]

His team looks far from unbeatable when it comes to the mountain stages. If Ineos play their cards right and JV don't go full Rabofail, the can put him under pressure.
Now if you just wait for the final climb you're probably not gonna beat this version of Pogi (unless he has a meltdown, gets sick or crashes).

 

[Big Doopie]

2014 was more convincing than 2013

however to be fair -- there were reasons for that (froome and contador out), even if you think nibali would have still won...

 

[Big Doopie]

Imperious. Looks like we'll see the most convincing TdF win since 2013.

...a poster here has been saying that for quite a while... ;-)

even a broken clock is right twice a day.

 

[Rackham]

...a poster here has been saying that for quite a while... ;-)

even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Yeah but Roglic is crippled.

I mean a mummified crippled Roglic only lost 44 seconds today, so that "convincing Pogacar win" scenario only came about because Roglic went into the ditch. That was not predictable.

2013 Froome meanwhile was inherently head & shoulders above all his rivals. He was in 2014 as well, but he himself went into a ditch & had a DNF which made Nibali look like a Terminator.

Just some food for thought.

 

[Salvarani]

He is better this year. Still developing. Incredible.

 

[Poursuivant]

He will be the next man to do the Giro Tour double

 

[Big Doopie]

Yeah but Roglic is crippled.

absolutely. i do not disagree. perhaps the extent of the gap between them would not end up as much ultimately, but it would be waaaaaay wider than last year.

i posted elsewhere -- it is silly to think Rog would be much (if any) improved on last year. meanwhile the only variable likely to be in ascendence is an amazing 21 year old, now 22.

this has been the history of cycling forever. and for the umpteenth time I suggest you look at the difference between the manner of Fignon's two wins.

 

[Open Horizon]

He will be the next man to do the Giro Tour double

If he does the Vuelta this year, as was rumoured, and then the Giro next year, he could quite easily become the reigning GT King of Kings

 

[Eeslliw]

He will be the next man to do the Giro Tour double

He will do triple Giro, Tour and Vuelta in one season .

On a serious note (or not). He is on trajectory to one of the greatest seasons in history. So far he won:

• UAE Tour
• Tirreno-Adriatico
• LBL
• Tour of Slovenia

What he can still win:

• TDF (very likely, but still has to bring it home)
• RR OI or TT OI (maybe even both )
• Vuelta (if he will even go, this one is really unlikely)
• Il Lombardia (don't know if he will even ride it, but still)

Scary at 22y old. Beating everyone on climbs and TTs. How can you beat this guy?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

2nd Tour in the bag. GG

 

[Red Rick]

This TT is probably less phenomenal than the one last year, and I still want to see how his climbing holds up to his ITTing, but he's definitely in absolute cruise control.

I'm not anticipating any teaming up scenarios, they never happened against Skineos, they won't happen against UAE.

 

[BigCoward]

Theoretically there are only 2 people who 'may' be able to beat him over next few years. Remco if his TT is even better than Pog and he can just follow in the mountains/learn to descend. Or Bernal if the tour rigs it so there are only 30km of TT and a few proper 7/hour 5 or 6 climb stages at altitude.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Could be a record-breaking season for Poga, if the team doesn't slow him down. He's been ON in every single race. Only slight disappointment was Itzulia.

 

[Rollthedice]

This TT is probably less phenomenal than the one last year, and I still want to see how his climbing holds up to his ITTing, but he's definitely in absolute cruise control.

I'm not anticipating any teaming up scenarios, they never happened against Skineos, they won't happen against UAE.

How's his climbing? Better than his TT-ing.

 

[SafeBet]

Now tell me again it doesn't make sense to pick him for the Olympics TT.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Scary at 22y old. Beating everyone on climbs and TTs. How can you beat this guy?

The last guy who was even more impressive than Pogacar at a young age was Ullrich in 1997 (he was 23 back then). Incredibly, he didn't won any TdF later.

 

[Red Rick]

Now tell me again it doesn't make sense to pick him for the Olympics TT.

Struggling to find many people that said "If Pogacar beats everyone in that first Tour ITT then they should definitely pick Roglic"

 

[BigCoward]

The last guy who was even more impressive than Pogacar at a young age was Ullrich in 1997 (he was 23 back then). Incredibly, he didn't won any TdF later.

There's only 5 stages done, let's wait and see how impressive this gets.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

There's only 5 stages done, let's wait and see how impressive this gets.

I actually meant Pogacar's GT palmares so far: TdF victory, third at Vuelta and already 7 GT stages, all at the age of 22. WOW.
In the last 3 decades you won't find a youngster more impressive than him except Ullrich as far as GTs are concerned.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tadej blasting to TDF victory #2

 

[hfer07]

Wow,

We already knew about his skills & potential before last year's tour-yet he raised the bar by winning it in the last stage when all odds declared Roglic ......

& here we are on stage 5 of this year's Tour thinking he's going to be marked & Challenged by INEOS & Jumbo............. SO it happens he's already a minute + 45 secs ahead of his nearest challenger - and we haven't gotten to the mountains yet......


So what are the "limits" for this new rider Superstar? Should we start calling it the "Pogacar Reign" already? given what we've seen so far, who can realistically stop him?
Imagine if Pogacar goes to INEOS?