Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Berniece]

This may also cloud his judgment

Most successful Olympics in a century for Team Belgium | VRT NWS: news

The 2024 Olympic Games came to an end with an impressive closing ceremony in Paris on Sunday evening. Despite some disappointment, particular for our hockey teams and women’s basketball team, Team Belgium put in a strong performance at the Paris games. The medals tally of 10 is the greatest...

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Or he did something extremely unique, in an amazing fashion against the best in the field, so he’s proud of it

 

[Peyroteo94]

"Nobody's speaking any more about my third place in the Tour de France," he says. "So you can really see that the Olympics, and especially a double gold medal is just above everything. I was speaking about this with my wife as well. I think the last week that I had at the Olympics, the Saturday-to-Saturday week with the two gold medals, what I achieved in Paris will be the highest moment of my sporting life."

https://archive.is/6EXut

It is a third place... let him win a Tour and then wait to see the apocalypse he will cause in Belgium. 50 years since Merckx.

 

[velaso montador]

"Nobody's speaking any more about my third place in the Tour de France," he says. "So you can really see that the Olympics, and especially a double gold medal is just above everything. I was speaking about this with my wife as well. I think the last week that I had at the Olympics, the Saturday-to-Saturday week with the two gold medals, what I achieved in Paris will be the highest moment of my sporting life."

https://archive.is/6EXut

I love Evenepoel but Tour is the best in cycling theres many things in cycling above OL even WC, monuments, Giro. Flandern would be greater even I love Evenepoel but its not hard to keep it real - from a general term different country value OL different but from a general view in cycling its several monuments even who holds a higher pedigree, just like fotball. Winning OL in fotball im sure is the best for some selected few but in general terms its not very highly rated at all just like cycling where its second tier still nice but second tier.

 

[velaso montador]

He is one WC away from having the best season ever.

Yes in a age where cycling is blossoming.

 

[Peyroteo94]

if he accepts he has no chance, then he has a mentality problem. Remco has too keep pushing himself and he does that by throwing down with the best at the TdF.

I get that a Giro win is (at least to a lot of people) a better improvement on Remco's palmares at this point compared to another TdF 3rd. But to me he is too close to the mutants to just fold.

What is too close to you? Facts say he is not remotely close. 9 minutes, lost time uphill, downhill, he would have lose time in the gravel stage if Vingegaard wasn't there, lost time in TT's (if we combine both) despite being the best Time trialist in the world. Where was he close? I really fail to see.

 

[velaso montador]

I get that a Giro win is (at least to a lot of people) a better improvement on Remco's palmares at this point compared to another TdF 3rd. But to me he is too close to the mutants to just fold.

Evenepoel is the second best rider in the world pretty clear.

Mutants? is also overblowned, its Pogacar then there is everyone else.. Evenepoel is very close to Vingegaard in GT already while only beeing 24 and will only get better so ofc shouldnt fold nor will he...

 

[Peyroteo94]

Evenepoel is the second best rider in the world pretty clear.

Mutants? is also overblowned, its Pogacar then there is everyone else.. Evenepoel is very close to Vingegaard in GT already while only beeing 24 and will only get better so ofc shouldnt fold nor will he...

Remco is not close to Vingegaard at all. He was dropped by Vingegaard in almost every hilly/mountain stage and next year will not be different specially due to Vingegaard being able to perfectly prepare the Tour.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes in a age where cycling is blossoming.

Yes, I can't see who is gonna beat him. Only a chaotic race can really hurt him and this is because Slovenia is not a great team.

 

[velaso montador]

Remco is not close to Vingegaard at all. He was dropped by Vingegaard in almost every hilly/mountain stage and next year will not be different specially due to Vingegaard being able to perfectly prepare the Tour.

While that is true Evenepoel is still closer to Vingegaard than Vingegaard is Pogacar so he shouldnt fold was the only point nothing else, not that he would or will.

Also he is 24 expect improvements of top level which is not the same as base foundation, when and in how many years and if remains to be seen.

 

[velaso montador]

Yes, I can't see who is gonna beat him. Only a chaotic race can really hurt him and this is because Slovenia is not a great team.

Evenepoel in WC route is a beast he will be good and better than anyone in the world not named Pogacar (on paper) Also think he will be a ally for Pogacar their now best buds and the respect Evenepoel have for Pogacar and also to some degree other way around is mutual mainly cause of the way approach racing and strenght.

A scenario where Evenepoel and Pogacar is alone and clear from the rest no one will not pull, Evenepoel is not like that, expect a long range attack.

 

[kingjr]

I love Evenepoel but Tour is the best in cycling theres many things in cycling above OL even WC, monuments, Giro. Flandern would be greater even I love Evenepoel but its not hard to keep it real - from a general term different country value OL different but from a general view in cycling its several monuments even who holds a higher pedigree, just like fotball. Winning OL in fotball im sure is the best for some selected few but in general terms its not very highly rated at all just like cycling where its second tier still nice but second tier.

This was about his view, though, not yours or mine.

 

[Peyroteo94]

While that is true Evenepoel is still closer to Vingegaard than Vingegaard is Pogacar so he shouldnt fold was the only point nothing else, not that he would or will.

Also he is 24 expect improvements of top level which is not the same as base foundation, when and in how many years and if remains to be seen.

He needs to improve a lot and expect Jonas and Tadej to not improve. It will not happen.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Evenepoel in WC route is a beast he will be good and better than anyone in the world not named Pogacar (on paper) Also think he will be a ally for Pogacar their now best buds and the respect Evenepoel have for Pogacar and also to some degree other way around is mutual mainly cause of the way approach racing and strenght.

A scenario where Evenepoel and Pogacar is alone and clear from the rest no one will not pull, Evenepoel is not like that, expect a long range attack.

He is a beast when Pogacar is not racing and in a certain way we can say the same about Pogacar. In hilly classics, if one of them is not racing, the other wins easily.

 

[Peyroteo94]

This was about his view, though, not yours or mine.

He changed his view but he doesn't know how it will be when he wins the Tour (if he ever wins it. I don't believe).

 

[Berniece]

I love Evenepoel but Tour is the best in cycling theres many things in cycling above OL even WC, monuments, Giro. Flandern would be greater even I love Evenepoel but its not hard to keep it real - from a general term different country value OL different but from a general view in cycling its several monuments even who holds a higher pedigree, just like fotball. Winning OL in fotball im sure is the best for some selected few but in general terms its not very highly rated at all just like cycling where its second tier still nice but second tier.

It’s how he won it, and against who. Winning the double at Olympics isn’t an easy feat. Has anyone done it at a WC yet? I don’t think so. That’s why it’s very high up his list of performances.

 

[velaso montador]

It’s how he won it, and against who. Winning the double at Olympics isn’t an easy feat. Has anyone done it at a WC yet? I don’t think so. That’s why it’s very high up his list of performances.

I agree thats true. I love Evenepoel and think he was coming way before he came to the Tour this year, also think he will just get better and better. And again agree on the way it was won highly respectable its no small feat to win BOTH speaks of how unique he is nothing else, its very very nice.

Its still levels to these things from a general point of view thats all. Flandern even is above OL alone - from a general point of view in cycling. Doubt anyone is doubting the uniques of Evenepoel, even before the OL double and if they was they was wrong.

Nevertheless I agree the way he won nothing but respectable but people ruining by saying its bigger than a Tour thats just not true from any standpoint not the least a strenght perspective to status, its like you say its high up there without a doubt it is indeed and speaks alot of how unique and rare he is for sure.

 

[Berniece]

I agree thats true. I love Evenepoel and think he was coming way before he came to the Tour this year, also think he will just get better and better. And again agree on the way it was won highly respectable its no small feat to win BOTH speaks of how unique he is nothing else, its very very nice.

Its still levels to these things from a general point of view thats all. Flandern even is above OL alone - from a general point of view in cycling. Doubt anyone is doubting the uniques of Evenepoel, even before the OL double and if they was they was wrong.

Nevertheless I agree the way he won nothing but respectable but people ruining by saying its bigger than a Tour thats just not true from any standpoint not the least a strenght perspective to status, its like you say its high up there without a doubt it is indeed and speaks alot of how unique and rare he is for sure.

I agree that a lot of monuments are above the OL, I think it’s the combination that makes it so unique for him. Only TDF will top that, maybe next year

 

[Peyroteo94]

What he did is remarkable but the Tour is still the Tour.

 

[mariosommelier]

I agree that a lot of monuments are above the OL, I think it’s the combination that makes it so unique for him. Only TDF will top that, maybe next year

Not happening.

 

[Peter von]

What is too close to you? Facts say he is not remotely close. 9 minutes, lost time uphill, downhill, he would have lose time in the gravel stage if Vingegaard wasn't there, lost time in TT's (if we combine both) despite being the best Time trialist in the world. Where was he close? I really fail to see.

9 mins is less than Pogi gained on Vingegaard between TdF23 and TdF24, if you want to use mins.

Remco is constantly improving his bike handling, his preparations and it's way to easy for him to just accept he'll never be good enough.
And yeah finishing 2nd or just closer would to me also be pretty big for him.

added:

Evenepoel is the second best rider in the world pretty clear.

Mutants? is also overblowned, its Pogacar then there is everyone else.. Evenepoel is very close to Vingegaard in GT already while only beeing 24 and will only get better so ofc shouldnt fold nor will he...

I didn''t coin the term mutants, just got bored of calling them Vingo and Pogi all of the time.
I don't want to call the difference between them next year either

 

[Peyroteo94]

9 mins is less than Pogi gained on Vingegaard between TdF23 and TdF24, if you want to use mins.

Remco is constantly improving his bike handling, his preparations and it's way to easy for him to just accept he'll never be good enough.
And yeah finishing 2nd or just closer would to me also be pretty big for him.

He must not accept but every indicator says he will never catch those unless they start aging very quickly. Remco is competing against 2 of the top 3 GT riders of modern times. They are natural climbers and improve his climbing shape very easily, Remco is not like that, he needs time to become a little better than he was. These past few years shown me that Pogacar/Vingegaard improve so fast year after year because they born to climb.

 

[Peter von]

He must not accept but every indicator says he will never catch those unless they start aging very quickly. Remco is competing against 2 of the top 3 GT riders of modern times. They are natural climbers and improve his climbing shape very easily, Remco is not like that, he needs time to become a little better than he was. These past few years shown me that Pogacar/Vingegaard improve so fast year after year because they born to climb.

Bu this is the nature of sports imo.

the pair keeps pushing each other to new hights, but they also set new standards for younger dudes like Remco.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Bu this is the nature of sports imo.

the pair keeps pushing each other to new hights, but they also set new standards for younger dudes like Remco.

Yeah, this rivalry is like Nole vs Nadal and everyone else is miles behind (Federer doesn't exist ahahah)

 

[stonerider]

Remco's biggest challenge is himself. Pog and Vinge have no problem maintaining their optimal racing weight. That is Remco's biggest challenge to keep improving.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Remco's biggest challenge is himself. Pog and Vinge have no problem maintaining their optimal racing weight. That is Remco's biggest challenge to keep improving.

Next year, he will have pressure to fight for the win. Let's see if he will not crumble.