Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Skalman]

29 is basically peak age for a road cyclist.

If he isnt at his peak now im seriously afraid...

 

[samhocking]

Roglic already won a gold for Slovenia. Pog has a bronze.

He just won them the double as well, which is huge and being reported all over the world.

What more can he do?

Are you Slovenian? Or why are making it seem like he is letting anyone down? Just curious

If anyone deserves a break… it’s him.

And this Olympics could be Mohoric chance. Good route for him. He gets a chance to shine and the team riding for him. Could be his only chance to make the country proud in the Olympics.

I simply consider the Olympics RR more like Le Tour because both events do transcend cycling itself for a Nation and so when your form is as high as Pogacar's is right now, to forfeit a chance for 4 years with no guarantee that form will be there, you escape illness, crashes etc and especially as 2028's Olympic course still not known yet seems shortsighted imo. The only guarantee is you're as good as your last race and his last race and entire season was about as good as any rider ever got to in the history of cycling, so he should be racing Olympics, it's one days racing he could be back with Urška for a late walk along Port Hercule that evening with a gold medal even!

 

[Berniece]

On real note.

Besides who are we to say he isnt tired I cant remember anyone in recent time doing what he just did, The double nevermind the fashion he did it in. Also his goals have been clear since day 1 this year and its never been the OL.

Next big goals always been WC and Lombardia.

A lot of riders do the double, some even the triple

 

[Skalman]

I think the whole story about his fiancé are total BS, i mean how old are you? 5 ?skipping Olympics because your girlfriend doesn't get picked might be the dumbest i have ever heard, that simply doesn't happen

 

[Jan the Man]

If he was to win either Lombardia or WC one of em wouldnt that then be the best season in history?

Not only the double but 12 stage wins aswell, 1 or 2 monuments depending or WC surely that would be the best in history?

Add in what era he does it and its bonkers. Forgot strade aswell...

Strong argument if he won both WC and Lombardia it would be the best season in history.

Merckx' 71 season had the Tour, Worlds, 3 monuments, Paris Nice, Dauphine, Midi Libre, Het-Volk and myriad of other wins.

 

[James M]

Backstage pass last episode

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJItKgBS73s

Cheers these are so cool to se behind the scenes.

 

[bNator]

So what would have been the grounds for selecting Pintar and Bujak?
My impression of Zigart is that she is a pure climber, and so Paris route not well suited to her. Does the route suit Pintar and Bujak better?
Is it a case of "We have no hope at all of a medal, so let's give these women, probably not far off retirement, a chance to call themsleves Olympians" (I realise that doesn't really apply to Bujak, she was in Tokyo)
Is there some beef between Zigart and the federation? There might be now, but was there before the selection?

I know national federations are neither obliged nor accustomed to defending themselves, but if there were to do so, what rationale would they give?

This time, the coach did try to defend himself. Basically he is saying that:
1. Last year, Pintar was ranked higher in UCI at the time when olympic quotas were being determined so she gets the road race spot because of that (even if she currently lags Urska by 100+ places in UCI standings and lost to her in national championship road race by 11 minutes. Yes... 11)
2. The TT spot gets Bujak for her WC TT performance in 2023. Which means she automatically gets the road race spot.

Here's the full article.

 

[Gigs_98]

I don't think it's diva of him. I'm sure a lot of people here have been talked out of a trip by a significant other/partner when the destination is known for its hedonism.

If anything, it's sign that Tadej puts family and monogamy before everything else. Reminds me of Bartali with his dedication to Christian democratic values.

I can see how we are trying to look at this whole topic much too rational when relationship dynamics are almost per definition emotional. We probably shouldn't think he's playing political games with his federation when in reality he just wants to take time off with the person he loves instead of leaving her for a place where she was "forbidden" to compete.

But I also really don't see him skipping the olympics because they are too hedonistic. Though I do find the thought of Pogacar having to run from all these hyper attractive athletes who can't stop throwing themselves at a double winner, very funny.

 

[Brullnux]

But I also really don't see him skipping the olympics because they are too hedonistic. Though I do find the thought of Pogacar having to run from all these hyper attractive athletes who can't stop throwing themselves at a double winner, very funny.

If he went he'd be like Smithers at the club in that Simpsons episode. Way too stressful!

 

[James M]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815709509580456234

View: https://x.com/VelonCC/status/1815709509580456234

 

[Salvarani]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815709509580456234

View: https://x.com/VelonCC/status/1815709509580456234

The GOAT

 

[Peyroteo94]

He is clearly targetting the rainbow jersey. He will take 10 days off and start his last peak for the season.

 

[velaso montador]

Strong argument if he won both WC and Lombardia it would be the best season in history.

Merckx' 71 season had the Tour, Worlds, 3 monuments, Paris Nice, Dauphine, Midi Libre, Het-Volk and myriad of other wins.

Yes I agree.

 

[James M]

Insane numbers.
Even though least impressive sure among the other but at Col d'Eze basically 8w/kg for 4min at the end of the Giro- Tour double and at the end of the stage.

stage 15 aka the best climbing performance of all time: he did 7.27W/kg for 40min! at the end of that hard stage in the heat haha dude is a xxxxx monster.

Its just what weve seen his treshold is just so much better he can ride away with ease almost on every mountain we saw it before stage 15 too so no surprise at all they simple cant sustain the numbers he can for any amount before blowing up!

Power Analysis: Pogačar's Power Numbers Are the Highest We've Ever Seen in Professional Cycling

In this column, we dive into the power numbers of Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, and more at the Tour de France.

velo.outsideonline.com

 

[scribers]

I’ve heard these estimates somewhere here before back in the winter

 

[Escarabajo]

I am going to get a lot of hate for this but putting the Olympics at the same level with a GT or even a monument is Rubbish.

Let's do this simple exercise. Pick 10 riders and ask them if they would trade, not the Tour, but a Vuelta or a Giro for the Olympic gold? and record their answers.

I understand that in some countries the gold is very important like Ecuador and Colombia, but even there, there is no comparison. Some people would want to make it look like it is very, very important, but simply put, they would choose a GT. Hec, I would choose the rainbow jersey for that matter.

Pogi, do you want to go in history and do the double with the Olympics, or do you want to do the double with the WC?
I think He already decided.

 

[James M]

I am going to get a lot of hate for this but putting the Olympics at the same level with a GT or even a monument is Rubbish.

Let's do this simple exercise. Pick 10 riders and ask them if they would trade, not the Tour, but a Vuelta or a Giro for the Olympic gold? and record their answers.

I understand that in some countries the gold is very important like Ecuador and Colombia, but even there, there is no comparison. Some people would want to make it look like it is very, very important, but simply put, they would choose a GT. Hec, I would choose the rainbow jersey for that matter.

Pogi, do you want to go in history and do the double with the Olympics, or do you want to do the double with the WC?
I think He already decided.

Dont think you will get any hate for that I couldnt agree more myself. Makes 100% sense. OL is simply below in that pecking order for sure.

 

[Salvarani]

I’ve heard these estimates somewhere here before back in the winter

And they laughed and ridiculed him for those claims!

[[deleted content]]

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815736147764474052

View: https://x.com/IntermarcheW/status/1815736147764474052/photo/1

 

[Salvarani]

I am going to get a lot of hate for this but putting the Olympics at the same level with a GT or even a monument is Rubbish.

Let's do this simple exercise. Pick 10 riders and ask them if they would trade, not the Tour, but a Vuelta or a Giro for the Olympic gold? and record their answers.

I understand that in some countries the gold is very important like Ecuador and Colombia, but even there, there is no comparison. Some people would want to make it look like it is very, very important, but simply put, they would choose a GT. Hec, I would choose the rainbow jersey for that matter.

Pogi, do you want to go in history and do the double with the Olympics, or do you want to do the double with the WC?
I think He already decided.

Olympics is the biggest race now all of a sudden, havent you heard?

 

[James M]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815736147764474052

View: https://x.com/IntermarcheW/status/1815736147764474052/photo/1

Hahaha is that for real? Talk about whos the boss.

 

[James M]

Pogačar has an FTP close to 7w/kg oh dear god

 

[Peyroteo94]

Well, he is more successful. And Roglič is very successful. Pogačar has just been crushing it.

Pogacar is a lot more popular. No one comes close to Pogacar's popularity nowadays. Not even Remco

 

[Scarponi]

I am going to get a lot of hate for this but putting the Olympics at the same level with a GT or even a monument is Rubbish.

Let's do this simple exercise. Pick 10 riders and ask them if they would trade, not the Tour, but a Vuelta or a Giro for the Olympic gold? and record their answers.

I understand that in some countries the gold is very important like Ecuador and Colombia, but even there, there is no comparison. Some people would want to make it look like it is very, very important, but simply put, they would choose a GT. Hec, I would choose the rainbow jersey for that matter.

Pogi, do you want to go in history and do the double with the Olympics, or do you want to do the double with the WC?
I think He already decided.

If it was Rio course he would do the Olympics too though I assume

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

From a scheduling perspective it makes a lot of sense to skip Olympics. And I don't give two fecks about the dumbass patriotic "gotta show up for your country" nonsense.
However, while not the biggest pinnacle in cycling, the Olympics are the Olympics and for every athlete a special event. With the 4 year cycle the opportunities to win a medal are pretty scarce and even for the greatest often a tricky thing to achieve (e.g. neither Djokovic nor Federer have managed a Singles Gold in their career). To voluntary skip now while being on great form might definitely be he'll regret later, he might only have 1-2 more chances to win gold in his career.
And while I don't think Urska being snubbed was the sole reason, there's definitely something amiss with regards to his relation to the National team, I remember a few years ago already reading how there are different camps within the federation. His message on instagram also reads a bit cold and maybe a slight snub regarding the federation.