Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Oldermanish]

In most federations the olympics is a bigger goal than a worlds championship. Cycling is different in that it has a rich world championship history and is coveted. Being a professional sport, the pros were not allowed to compete for a large part of its history. So the answer is complicated and narrow to cycling itself.

You are so right on most federations that have small exposure. The importance becomes as much about sustaining the federation than eventual fostering of extraordinary talent. It's similar to the entire OAC in that respect. Federations, facilitators are usual beneficiaries while athletes can be totally stiffed. Hence the possible response about Tadej's partner. We don't know, do we?
You also make a good case of Alpine and Nordic skiing as the legends tend to be revered as opposed to being quickly monetized and discarded. They are also extremely difficult sports to excel and consistency can be the best reward.
That could also pose a question about cycling in the current hyper-polarized fandom that's come from social media. Blocks of loyal fans often are quick to denigrate and discard seriously successful, hard working cyclists in favor of their flavor of year rider. Hard work may be less revered because it is becoming generationally rare? Is it because of the influx of new fans or the easy opportunity to voice an opinion? From a promotional standpoint it can be a successful market increase for a sponsor or an immediate load of baggage they'll shed. Sponsors aren't as loyal because their markets fluctuate do to e-commerce. I may be getting off track (or the planet) but cycling has made technological and physiological advances but still has that veneer of traditional reverence for fair play and dedication. Not sure new fans give 2 sh*ts about that stuff.

 

[scribers]

Hm, I think the Olympic road race has gained a lot of prestige since it's open for pros, it's not like when Pascal Richard won and nobody really cared. Mathieu Van der Poel did a Tour similar to the one in 2023. Why? In 23 preparing for Glasgow. What do you think he's preparing now? Zürich in 2 month? No, he's sacrificed Tour stage chances for the second year in a row, to be at the top in early August. So I wouldn't be too sure that all these 10 cyclists wouldn't trade a monument for the Olympics. A Giro or a Vuelta, different thing

Pogacar not going most likely 3 reasons, not necessarily in this order:
1 Tired
2 The route is not really for him, the plan probably was more to help Mohoric anyway
3 Girlfriend trouble

As for Zürich, I really don't see the route as all that favorable to him there either, seems a bit on the easy side, but we'll see.

2. Leads to 1. = 4. Compromises worlds and Lombardia.

3. Is just something that annoys him (and apparently most people

 

[scribers]

Simple question - do you think Carapaz is better known for being Olympic champion or winning the Giro.

For Carapaz the Olympics gold is a big deal because his country has won very few Olympic gold medals. He is an outlier exception

Ecuador at the Olympics - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Unchained]

I did it.. Using some silly still images.. I changed my position!! Something about this guy.. I connect!! I went up by 1cm, and slammed my seat forward based on where I generally see Pogacar in front of rear hub and bottom bracket spindle.. I need money and I think I can beat him w enough coffee and clothing!!
Seriously.. seat was probably too low.. and feel pressure on my arms and shoulders with more forward position. Because I am injury free ,I will keep tweaking forward and aft position.. The seat height has me thinking my legs are about the same length.. Lower saddle has my left leg..3-4 centimeters longer.. No kidding!! I am spinning a little better..
Looking for [[content removed]] vacation options in Slovenia!!

 

[Unchained]

Moose I always get a Bend vibe!!

 

[Escarabajo]

Simple question - do you think Carapaz is better known for being Olympic champion or winning the Giro.

Winning the Giro 100%. In Ecuador they might think they are equal but that's because they are relatively new to cycling. Additionally, when he won the Olympics he was already very popular in Ecuador for winning the Giro.

 

[Unchained]

Winning the Giro 100%. In Ecuador they might think they are equal but that's because they are relatively new to cycling. Additionally, when he won the Olympics he was already very popular in Ecuador for winning the Giro.

I watch Latin America coverage for most races and the people calling the races pay all Columbian and other Latin Americans with crazy respect!! Carapaz w or without a result is a great interview!! Guy has humility in spades. He is is happy with his own success, and he is quick w a compliment and spreads it around.
Even if the guy didn't have first level talent.. In front w positive exposure.. He is positive about others involuntarily.. Don't love everything but guy puts it out there.. TDF..gut check.. He raced.. Impressive..
If your kid or dog gets lost, you want this guy finding them..

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

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.

Well, two training rides in his own Europe, eyh?

 

[Miha81]

Tadej Pogacar for NOS: "I don't think the route at this year's Olympics suits me. I've been thinking about it for a while, but the Olympics are the Olympics, of course I wanted to compete in them. Yes, the last four months have also been really crazy for me, first the preparations for the Giro and then the race, followed by the preparations for the Tour and then the race itself. In the middle of all this, my grandfather died. I want to spend some time at home and then prepare for the WC."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815878361769730409

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/1815878361769730409

 

[Salvarani]

Tadej Pogacar for NOS: "I don't think the route at this year's Olympics suits me. I've been thinking about it for a while, but the Olympics are the Olympics, of course I wanted to compete in them. Yes, the last four months have also been really crazy for me, first the preparations for the Giro and then the race, followed by the preparations for the Tour and then the race itself. In the middle of all this, my grandfather died. I want to spend some time at home and then prepare for the WC."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815878361769730409

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/1815878361769730409

Nothing wrong that reasoning and explanation. Sounds very wise and understandable. Conspiracy theorists wont like it though.

 

[velaso montador]

Tadej Pogacar for NOS: "I don't think the route at this year's Olympics suits me. I've been thinking about it for a while, but the Olympics are the Olympics, of course I wanted to compete in them. Yes, the last four months have also been really crazy for me, first the preparations for the Giro and then the race, followed by the preparations for the Tour and then the race itself. In the middle of all this, my grandfather died. I want to spend some time at home and then prepare for the WC."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815878361769730409

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/1815878361769730409

Mentally its properly draining aswell to first prep for each big things like that and then the next without much break in between.

Its for a reason no-one been able to do this since Pantani and been deemed impossible in cycling today for a long time.

 

[Miha81]

Nothing wrong that reasoning and explanation. Sounds very wise and understandable. Conspiracy theorists wont like it though.

Who wants to take a dump on him will take it every time he does something (or doesn't do something).

Hating on person that you don't know says more about you than person in question so it is better to simply ignore these posters

 

[velaso montador]

Who wants to take a dump on him will take it every time he does something (or doesn't do something).

Hating on person that you don't know says more about you than person in question so it is better to simply ignore these posters

I have had 3 people on ignore for a long time now and the fact many properly can guess who it is says very much I think nevermind some people are just weird.

 

[velaso montador]

Nothing wrong that reasoning and explanation. Sounds very wise and understandable. Conspiracy theorists wont like it though.

Give them a break it properly haven't been easy to watch the best cyclist of all time do historic numbers, be crowned the best and so on and basically just spank everyone in every possible terrain knowned to man while doing the Giro-Tour double.

Oh and historic climbing numbers too. Its been rough for someone you describe as that. Should properly give em a break after all its hard to witness the best and history being written, poor guys...

 

[Salvarani]

Who wants to take a dump on him will take it every time he does something (or doesn't do something).

Hating on person that you don't know says more about you than person in question so it is better to simply ignore these posters

Give them a break it properly haven't been easy to watch the best cyclist of all time do historic numbers, be crowned the best and so on and basically just spank everyone in every possible terrain knowned to man while doing the Giro-Tour double.

Oh and historic climbing numbers too. Its been rough for someone you describe as that. Should properly give em a break after all its hard to witness the best and history being written, poor guys.

You are both right guys! We rest now just like the GOAT, before the fall comes

 

[scribers]

I have no one on ignore. How am I supposed to torment them like that??

 

[Peyroteo94]

Some people seem to forget Pogacar prepared GT's since November for the first time. I knew he would be better in long efforts at altitude (and under 2000m too) because he has been doing this specific training all year and not just after classics. And now we know the answer, he is godly good (probably best climber ever) when his focus is only in climbing and time trialling. Plateau de Beille wasn't a outlier performance and this is the scariest part, if we analyse his performance in Adet and specially in Isola, he completely destroyed the field by doing insane w/kg performances. I never saw this discrepancy in level between a rider and the rest. I already said this one time, thank god we have other incredible GT rider (top3 of all times) in Vingegaard, if not Pogacar would dominate and destroy every GT he would be in.

 

[velaso montador]

Some people seem to forget Pogacar prepared GT's since November for the first time. I knew he would be better in long efforts at altitude (and under 2000m too) because he has been doing this specific training all year and not just after classics. And now we know the anwser, he is godly good (probably best climber ever) when his focus is only in climbing and time trialling. Plateau de Beille wasn't a outlier performance and this is the scariest part, if we analyse his performance in Adet and specially in Isola, he completely destroyed the field by doing insane w/kg performances. I never saw this discrepancy in level between a rider and the rest. I already said this one time, thank god we have other incredible GT rider (top3 of all times) in Vingegaard, if not Pogacar would dominate and destroy every GT he would be in.

All this is true, and the most intriguing part is the climbing and the scariest part as you say about it is we analyze it its no one off its legit a whole new level and the long climbing is so much better than everyone else with crazy numbers.

Oh and I get that your wanne polite and thats correct and while that is true what you say it is, but this was a destruction in every possible terms you could ask for while everyone else being at their best and he did it while doing the Giro-Tour. 6 stage wins in both Giro and Tour and in the mountains making meat out of everyone while their all at their best level ever.
Thats a display of power hardly seen before and a destruction theres no other way of putting it.

 

[velaso montador]

Some people seem to forget Pogacar prepared GT's since November for the first time. I knew he would be better in long efforts at altitude (and under 2000m too) because he has been doing this specific training all year and not just after classics. And now we know the anwser, he is godly good (probably best climber ever) when his focus is only in climbing and time trialling. Plateau de Beille wasn't a outlier performance and this is the scariest part, if we analyse his performance in Adet and specially in Isola, he completely destroyed the field by doing insane w/kg performances. I never saw this discrepancy in level between a rider and the rest. I already said this one time, thank god we have other incredible GT rider (top3 of all times) in Vingegaard, if not Pogacar would dominate and destroy every GT he would be in.

You should check this if you havent.

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

 

[Peyroteo94]

All this is true, and the most intriguing part is the climbing and the scariest part as you say about it is we analyze it its no one off its legit a whole new level and the long climbing is so much better than everyone else with crazy numbers.

Oh and I get that your wanne polite and thats correct and while that is true what you say it is, but this was a destruction in every possible terms you could ask for while everyone else being at their best and he did it while doing the Giro-Tour. 6 stage wins in both Giro and Tour and in the mountains making meat out of everyone while their all at their best level ever.
Thats a display of power hardly seen before and a destruction theres no other way of putting it.

No mate. I just don't embrace this necessity to downgrade a rider (in this case Vingegaard) to exalt other rider (in this case Pogacar). I'm not saying you do that but there are people who do. For me Pogacar is this big because he has a rider like Vingegaard to push his limits. His level is increasing significantly year after year and Vingegaard is the main reason for that, I have zero doubt about that. How can I downgrade a superb rider like Vingegaard when despite being a little bit boring and a little bit robotic off the bike (IMHO), he is an agressive and attacking rider with a mental toughness beyond insane and give us incredible fights against Pogacar. Without Vingegaard, Pogacar would be a record holder already in the Tour with 5 wins alongside Hinault, Anquetil, Indurain and Merckx. This is crazy! He is just 25 years old and could be a 5 time Tour's champion if it wasn't for Vingegaard.
I want to say a last thing, I don't like when some people say Pogacar is so much better than Vingegaard at GT's (or vice versa) because facts tell us this isn't true. Someone posted something that said Pogacar was 34 seconds (if we took that time Vingegaard was celebrating in champs elysées in 2022) faster than Vingegaard if we combined all GT's they faced each other. I will enjoy this time because they won't be here forever. Yesterday, I was cheering for Federer against Nadal, Nole, Murray and now they are all retired or close to retirement. I can say the same about Messi and Ronaldo. Just enjoy them because after all, more than any rider (and I am a Pogi's fanboy, everyone knows that) I love cycling and cycling is bigger with this rivalry.

 

[velaso montador]

No mate. I just don't embrace this necessity to downgrade a rider (in this case Vingegaard) to exalt other rider (in this case Pogacar). I'm not saying you do that but there are people who do. For me Pogacar is this big because he has a rider like Vingegaard to push his limits. His level is increasing significantly year after year and Vingegaard is the main reason for that, I have zero doubt about that. How can I downgrade a superb rider like Vingegaard when despite being a little bit boring and a little bit robotic off the bike (IMHO), he is an agressive and attacking rider with a mental toughness beyond insane and give us incredible fights against Pogacar. Without Vingegaard, Pogacar would be a record holder already in the Tour with 5 wins alongside Hinault, Anquetil, Indurain and Merckx. This is crazy! He is just 25 years old and could be a 5 time Tour's champion if it wasn't for Vingegaard.
I want to say a last thing, I don't like when some people say Pogacar is so much better than Vingegaard at GT's (or vice versa) because facts tell us this isn't true. Someone posted something that said Pogacar was 34 seconds (if we took that time Vingegaard was celebrating in champs elysées in 2022) faster than Vingegaard if we combined all GT's they faced each other. I will enjoy this time because they won't be here forever. Yesterday, I was cheering for Federer against Nadal, Nole, Murray and now they are all retired or close to retirement. I can say the same about Messi and Ronaldo. Just enjoy them because after all, more than any rider (and I am a Pogi's fanboy, everyone knows that) I love cycling and cycling is bigger with this rivalry.

Thats your opinion i think its somewhat partly politcal correct than anything else.
I agree however on Pogacar wouldnt be so good as he is without Vingegaard up untill now agreed and thats good indeed but I think thats about to change and that VIngegaard is part of that and deserves nothing but respect I fully agree on so bascially we agree on most of this, Also that Vingegaard in himself is historically good ive never disagreed on never.
But its still a difference from that to Pogacar which clearly is evident that is all, nothing to do for me that Vingegaard is not good cause he is extremely good. But lets leave it there otherwise can take it into another thread hehe

But that it was a destruction this Tour while everyone did their best numbers ever and while Pogacar did the Giro-Tour double is hardly extreme to say when we saw what fashion he won in imo. That beeing said we agree on most of this still so all good mate.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Thats your opinion mate i think its somewhat more politcal correct than anything else.
I agree however on Pogacar wouldnt be so good as he is without Vingegaard up untill now agreed and thats good indeed but I think thats about to change and that VIngegaard is part of that and deserves nothing but respect I fully agree on so bascially we agree on most of this, Also that Vingegaard in himself is hisotrically good ive never disagreed on. But its still a difference from that to Pogacar which clearly is evident that is all, nothing to do for me that Vingegaard is not good cause he is extremely good. But lets leave it there otherwise can take it into another thread hehe

But that it was a destruction this Tour while everyone did their best numbers ever and while Pogacar did the Giro-Tour double is hardly extreme to say when we saw what fashion he won in imo. That beeing said we agree on most of this still so all good mate.

Of course it is my opinion but I am everything but polite. For example I don't understand all this hype around Roglic and how he could beat Pogacar and Vingegaard if it weren't his injuries. For me this is BS and I'm the first one to say Roglic has no business in a GT against Pogi/Vingo and I say this since 2022. I can say the same about Remco, I am a huge fan of him but I am almost sure he will never be close to Vingo/Pogi in GT's but time will tell.

 

[velaso montador]

Of course it is my opinion but I am everything but polite. For example I don't understand all this hype around Roglic and how he could beat Pogacar and Vingegaard if it weren't his injuries. For me this is BS and I'm the first one to say Roglic has no business in a GT against Pogi/Vingo and I say this since 2022. I can say the same about Remco, I am a huge fan of him but I am almost sure he will never be close to Vingo/Pogi in GT's but time will tell.

Indeed mate but it will always be emotion involved in the thinking process in these things for someone often at least. First rule in investment banking the second you let your emotions dictate your opinion to some degree you walk away - from the investment thesis.

But yes true and I agree of course (not about the Evenpoel part, before yes not now. I believe he is closer to Vingegaard than Vingegaard is Pog. People evolve and Evenpoel sure is doing that)

 

[dazaau]

Tadej Pogacar says decision not to select girlfriend Urska Zigart helped sway Olympic no-show

The Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar says the Slovenian federationâs decision not to select his girlfriend Urska Zigart for the Olympics was one of the reasons behind his 11th-hour decision to withdraw from the Paris Games.

www.theguardian.com

Speaking before that race, the 25-year-old said of Zigart’s non-selection: “It’s not the main reason, but for sure it didn’t help. I think she deserves her spot. She’s the double national champion in road race and time trial.”

 

[CyclistAbi]

I feel that Pogi is underestimating the importance of becoming an Olympic gold medallist. If you have a shot at that you always should take it. You instantly become an immortal regardless of all the talk on how it supposedly doesn't mean all that much in cycling world.