Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Koronin]

Are you sure Valverde will retire before Pogacar?

As Pogacar is 18 and a half years younger, I think there is a good chance that Valverde will retire before Pogacar. Or at least that Valverde will retire from the elite level before Pogacar. (He may go race Masters as he's talked about for years to come.)

 

[TheBigRing]

Congrats to Pogačar! This kid is a joy to watch.

 

[JosephK]

It's hard to predict the progression of a promising young cyclist. But in any case, this was a big stage for Pogacar's first GT win. Already won the Tour of California this year, and now that accomplishment looks small in comparison with where he's at now/today, in the Vuelta--winning the biggest mountain stage and looking to gain time in the TT on some great GC contenders ahead of him. A top 5 placing on GC is a very real possibility. I don't want to jinx it by suggesting the podium--that would really be insane.

 

[tobydawq]

As Pogacar is 18 and a half years younger, I think there is a good chance that Valverde will retire before Pogacar. Or at least that Valverde will retire from the elite level before Pogacar. (He may go race Masters as he's talked about for years to come.)

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

 

[Lequack]

This win must be a huge confidence boost for him yes. And a stage win not from a breakaway but from a GC group agaisnt the like of Quintana and other favorites, just amazing.

@DiegoUlissi and @AlexRiabushenko congratulating @TamauPogi for stage victory at @lavuelta !

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1168200145076461568

View: https://twitter.com/TeamUAEAbuDhabi/status/1168200145076461568

 

[Lequack]

Also his girlfriend was waiting for him at the finish.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Lequack, please make sure you don't get slapped with a restraining order for stalking

 

[tobydawq]

Does anybody know how far we have to go back to find a younger Grand Tour stage winner than him?

Certainly before this millennium.

 

[SafeBet]

Does anybody now how far we have to go back to find a younger Grand Tour stage winner than him?

Certainly before this millennium.

Coppi?

 

[roundabout]

Coppi?

Someone in the 80's according to this chart

https://sicycle.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/gtages1.jpg?w=1140

 

[CraZyCaLL]

Does anybody now how far we have to go back to find a younger Grand Tour stage winner than him?

Certainly before this millennium.

Argentin, Giro 1981

 

[del1962]

Vuelta a España 1981 | Stage 4 | Results

View full results of Stage 4 in Vuelta a España 1981 from Salamanca to Cáceres over 206 kilometre. Won by Celestino Prieto before Pedro Muñoz (2nd) and Jesús Suárez (3rd).

www.procyclingstats.com

According to my calcs I found this one, I have no idea if others

 

[Koronin]

This is a link to la Vuelta stats on Twitter with a partial answer to the question. This is just for la Vuelta.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1168198100357435393

View: https://twitter.com/lavuelta_stats/status/1168198100357435393

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I guess the length of the stage was in his benefit. Circumstances (Lopez & Roglic crashing) were also not against him. But still riding away from Quintana & Soler is no small feat. Now i'm extra curious to see if they'd pull him out. Come to think of it, maybe the stagewin is an extra excuse to pull him out ("already a success").

 

[hayneplane]

I guess the length of the stage was in his benefit. Circumstances (Lopez & Roglic crashing) were also not against him. But still riding away from Quintana & Soler is no small feat. Now i'm extra curious to see if they'd pull him out. Come to think of it, maybe the stagewin is an extra excuse to pull him out ("already a success").

You would hope not unless he flags and ships 5+ minutes on a single stage. He might be very young so it’s natural to think that he has over a decade to get big results but you should seize the moment as it may possibly prove to be the best shot ever.

 

[Escarabajo]

Nobody is pulling him out. He is actually in the big radar now. No free rides for him anymore.

 

[SafeBet]

Someone in the 80's according to this chart

https://sicycle.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/gtages1.jpg?w=1140

For whatever reason I read Grand Tour winner and not Grand Tour stage winner.

 

[KZD]

I guess the length of the stage was in his benefit. Circumstances (Lopez & Roglic crashing) were also not against him. But still riding away from Quintana & Soler is no small feat. Now i'm extra curious to see if they'd pull him out. Come to think of it, maybe the stagewin is an extra excuse to pull him out ("already a success").

I really hope they don't pull him out.
Sure, it wasn't even planned that he would a Grand Tour this season however after what he is showing it would be a mistake unless he cracks in this second week, because the third week isn't even that hard, the climbs are much more gentle than Mas de la Costa, Los Machucos...
I still think the fifth place is the most likely for him. He might catch Quintana and Lopez in the TT but since he struggled in Mas de la Costa, the same can probably happen in Los Machucos and Puerto de Acebo. It would be the team's best GC result in a Grand Tour this season

 

[Red Rick]

For whatever reason I read Grand Tour winner and not Grand Tour stage winner.

Think one of the first TdF winners was 19.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Pogi is the real deal. The guy was already outclimbing guys like Pernsteiner and Cattaneo at the age of 18 in the Tour of Slovenia and one year later he was able to hang with Majka on the climbs in the same race.
It's really impressive that a first year neopro is already on this level as a stage racer, it shows you the benefit of riding for a ct team that allows you to compete with top riders in 1 or 2 races per season as an u23 rider.

 

[hfgon1]

I guess the length of the stage was in his benefit. Circumstances (Lopez & Roglic crashing) were also not against him. But still riding away from Quintana & Soler is no small feat. Now i'm extra curious to see if they'd pull him out. Come to think of it, maybe the stagewin is an extra excuse to pull him out ("already a success").

It would be totally crazy to pull him out. This kid can win the general classification, he is absolutely in the mix and also a much better time trialist then Quintana or Lopez. I don't say that he will win it all but he has the possibility and you never know how the next years will go. So try to take this possibility

 

[Red Rick]

Obviously just let Pogacar ride for what he's worth and only pull him out if he ends up in a gruppetto.

 

[Lequack]

Tadej enjoying some Haribos

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1168800185855725568

View: https://twitter.com/TeamUAEAbuDhabi/status/1168800185855725568

 

[starlord]

Henao's drunk?

 

[Lequack]

Henao's drunk?

Haha yes it seems so