26 years today. He’s getting old.
He was born in the 90s, so he probably has some wacky opinions.
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26 years today. He’s getting old.
No, it is for Tadej Pogacar. The GOAT of cycling.Hello, this is not the Merckx thread!!!
Win worlds and Lombardia and then surely only active haters could deny that this is the greatest ever season as it would be:Why would this be the best season ever? The constant need for you guys to search for a reason that he’s close to Merckx is getting silly
Important is look to some rankings that give 6200 points for Merckx's best season. Some day, a random rider will get 2nd in every important race and will have 7000 PCS points. Best season ever!Win worlds and Lombardia and then surely only active haters could deny that this is the greatest ever season as it would be:
Giro + 6 stages
Tour + 6 stages
Worlds
2 monuments
Catalunya + 4 stages
Only 2 Merckx seasons can even be in the conversation 72 and 74.
72:
Giro + 4 stages
Tour + 7 stages
3 monuments
74:
Giro + 2 stages
Tour + 8 stages (more stages raced than now)
Worlds
Tour de Suisse
As you rightly said a page or two back it’s big wins that are all important otherwise you end up with an assertion that Valverde is a top 5 all time rider.Important is look to some rankings that give 6200 points for Merckx's best season. Some day, a random rider will get 2nd in every important race and will have 7000 PCS points. Best season ever!
Not just that. Points classification wasn't sprinter friendly (In Merckx's time, Pogacar would have 300 points more just from winning points classification in both Giro and Tour), peloton (as a whole) is way more professional and specialized now and like you said due to a higher level of riders, Pogacar races less because he needs to prepare better his targets. Merckx has 20 days of racing more per season than Pogacar.As you rightly said a page or two back it’s big wins that are all important otherwise you end up with an assertion that Valverde is a top 5 all time rider.
The points will likely stack up higher for Merckx as everyone rode a lot more race days than current era.
It's about being able to perform all season long, multiple races at the highest level WHILE at the same time still winning Giro+Tour+3 monuments. Big difference with PogacarThese rankings give us a good indicator of a rider performance but we still need to understand numbers are just numbers.
I bet no one here believes that it is more important to get a 2nd in LBL and 2nd in PR than winning a Tour de Flandres. However, a Tour de Flandres win give 275 PCS points and 2nd in both LBL and Paris Roubaix give 400 points.
But what highest level? All riders raced all season, they didn't prepare races like they do today. How can you not understand that? It's so obvious Merckx couldn't race today like he raced in his era but you fail to see it.It's about being able to perform all season long, multiple races at the highest level WHILE at the same time still winning Giro+Tour+3 monuments. Big difference with Pogacar
He raced all the time AND at the same time destroyed everyone. That on it's own is already an amazing feat. The way he won his 7 MSR's shows how much completer, and better he was than Pogacar.But what highest level? All riders raced all season, they didn't prepare races like they do today. How can you not understand that? It's so obvious Merckx couldn't race today like he raced in his era but you fail to see it.
Are you 60 old? If you aren't, how can you know "the way" he won 7 MSR. And I fail to see how win 7 MSR is an indicator of how much better Merckx is than Pogacar. It is like saying Oscar Freire is a lot better than Pogacar because he won 3 WC and 3 MSR.He raced all the time AND at the same time destroyed everyone. That on it's own is already an amazing feat. The way he won his 7 MSR's shows how much completer, and better he was than Pogacar.
Its amazing that ppl think this well a very few handful as Pogacar is in the real world already crowned so it doesnt really matter.He raced all the time AND at the same time destroyed everyone. That on it's own is already an amazing feat. The way he won his 7 MSR's shows how much completer, and better he was than Pogacar.
I've also seen Casablanca, does that make me 82 years old?Are you 60 old? If you aren't, how can you know "the way" he won 7 MSR. And I fail to see how win 7 MSR is an indicator of how much better Merckx is than Pogacar. It is like saying Oscar Freire is a lot better than Pogacar because he won 3 WC and 3 MSR.
ThisThe unprecedented season and fashion Pogacar did it in, first to do the double in modern time, to become the best climber of all time along with everything else and numbers he did after the double, in Liege etc its just next level everyone knows that, it really put certain few out of their mind didnt it
Its not hard to grasp he is just the best really easy stuff, data and numbers never lie and he is so much better than anyone else its laughable honestly to even talk about it imo - Merckx included.
Cavendish > Pogacar confirmedHe raced all the time AND at the same time destroyed everyone. That on it's own is already an amazing feat. The way he won his 7 MSR's shows how much completer, and better he was than Pogacar.
I quit, just live in your own bubble and continue to see Pogacar winning and cement his legacy. Unfortunately for you, you didn't watch Merckx but you are watching Pogacar.I've also seen Casablanca, does that make me 82 years old?
It's HOW he won MSR, Freire won most MSR and WC the same way. Merckx won MSR in sprint, short attack, long attack. Basically every possible way.
I did watch Merckx, my point of Casablanca was that you can still watch old footage.I quit, just live in your own bubble and continue to see Pogacar winning and cement his legacy. Unfortunately for you, you didn't watch Merckx but you are watching Pogacar.
This is a little premature. And I really doubt the competition was as fierce in the 60s and 70s as today. Agree with your later comment that Pog can become the GOAT if he has more seasons like this one where he completely destroys his opposition. Who says he can't?He raced all the time AND at the same time destroyed everyone. That on it's own is already an amazing feat. The way he won his 7 MSR's shows how much completer, and better he was than Pogacar.
We are watching the GOAT!I quit, just live in your own bubble and continue to see Pogacar winning and cement his legacy. Unfortunately for you, you didn't watch Merckx but you are watching Pogacar.
Taking you at face value what would you consider to be a better season than any that has gone before that isn’t just absurdly ludicrous like winning every race you enter.I did watch Merckx, my point of Casablanca was that you can still watch old footage.
I do think Pogacar can become the GOAT though. I just don't think he can ever have a better season than Merckx had. Pogacar can become the GOAT if he has more seasons like this one where he completely destroys his opposition. But you don't become the GOAT if you only did it once.