Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Bolder]

UAE Tour (this race is messing with me)
MSR
E3 Harelbeke
RVV
LBL
This is a light program before Dauphiné. 11 days racing. He can rest a little bit after RVV, LBL is a race he can win without being close to top shape. But one thing I will tell you, if needs to sacrifice something, I hope it is LBL and not RVV even if his win in LBL is almost a sure deal if he shows up.

I want him to do LBL against an in-form Remco. That's one matchup I'm really looking forward to and I think Remco could give him a good fight.

I think doing the Vuelta would depend on how deep he goes in the Tour. If he cruises again then I don't see him having a problem with a second GT even that late in the season.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I want him to do LBL against an in-form Remco. That's one matchup I'm really looking forward to and I think Remco could give him a good fight.

I think doing the Vuelta would depend on how deep he goes in the Tour. If he cruises again then I don't see him having a problem with a second GT even that late in the season.

There is no fight between an in-form Pogacar and an in-form Remco so I prefer to see Pogi vs MVP in RVV.

 

[scribers]

I use to worry about a top notch remco, but the gaps in racing are clear on all terrains short of flat ITT

 

[Peyroteo94]

I use to worry about a top notch remco, but the gaps in racing are clear on all terrains short of flat ITT

An in form Pogacar will drop Remco wherever he wants in LBL. You can choose between Roche aux Faucons or Redoute. Next year, UAE will take a huge upgrade in classics, specially hilly. Dead weight is gone and young riders like Del Toro, Christen and Morgado will be better.
LBL team:
Pogacar
Del Toro
Christen
Narvaez
Novak
Yates
And a rider to work in the beginning.
This team will put a hard tempo and will limit this race to sheer power.

 

[Salvarani]

It's not about that, but how it not fits in his schedule. RVV will drain his resources and preparation for other races.

Exactly.

Not lining up for RVV and PR is a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things.

One of them being a race he has already won.

I rather he continues with a schedule that includes MSR, LBL, Lombardia, Worlds and two GTs. Add a big stage race that he hasnt won yet outside of that like Basque, Romandie, Suisse or Dauphine.

He needs to include time for rest and preparation for other races during the season. It just makes more sense to me.

Target RVV and PR in a couple of years.

 

[Salvarani]

An in form Pogacar will drop Remco wherever he wants in LBL. You can choose between Roche aux Faucons or Redoute. Next year, UAE will take a huge upgrade in classics, specially hilly. Dead weight is gone and young riders like Del Toro, Christen and Morgado will be better.
LBL team:
Pogacar
Del Toro
Christen
Narvaez
Novak
Yates
And a rider to work in the beginning.
This team will put a hard tempo and will limit this race to sheer power.

Dont like that line-up.

I think Del Toro and Yates wont be in the LBL team.

Going by this years team... I find it more likely that Christen replaces Hirschi. Narvaez replaces Ulissi. Herregodts could replace Bax.

Novak is a solid dom so he should be there again.

Guys like Wellens or Sivakov are very good options for this race. Who didnt even race it last season. They would be better to pick for this race.

Then you have guys like Covi or Baroncini, who could get a final spot as well.

 

[hayneplane]

Dont like that line-up.

I think Del Toro and Yates wont be in the LBL team.

Going by this years team... I find it more likely that Christen replaces Hirschi. Narvaez replaces Ulissi. Herregodts could replace Bax.

Novak is a solid dom so he should be there again.

Guys like Wellens or Sivakov are very good options for this race. Who didnt even race it last season. They would be better to pick for this race.

Then you have guys like Covi or Baroncini, who could get a final spot as well.

I would think it more likely that Wellens and Baroncini do a heavy cobbled classics campaign and will be past their best by LBL.

 

[Salvarani]

I would think it more likely that Wellens and Baroncini do a heavy cobbled classics campaign and will be past their best by LBL.

So, Sivakov and Covi then? With Christen, Novak, Narvaez and Herregodts. Plus one final rider, who could be a number of different riders for the last selection. I think that composition makes the most sense.

Wellens has also managed to race 10 LBLs. He is very all-round and hasnt done a "heavy" cobbles classics campaign many times, or at all, but can still get good results there.

Baroncini is all-round too. He can do both. Got room to still improve.

I find it more likely that Morgado, Pollit, Vermeersch and so on are the leaders for the cobbles. With maybe guys like Wellens and Baroncini doing some, but not all.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Dont like that line-up.

I think Del Toro and Yates wont be in the LBL team.

Going by this years team... I find it more likely that Christen replaces Hirschi. Narvaez replaces Ulissi. Herregodts could replace Bax.

Novak is a solid dom so he should be there again.

Guys like Wellens or Sivakov are very good options for this race. Who didnt even race it last season. They would be better to pick for this race.

Then you have guys like Covi or Baroncini, who could get a final spot as well.

Why?

 

[Salvarani]

Why?

Just a bad composition, not that the riders are bad of course.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Just a bad composition, not that the riders are bad of course.

For a hilly race, you don't trust Yates and Del Toro? Last 120 km of LBL are up and down.

 

[Salvarani]

For a hilly race, you don't trust Yates and Del Toro? Last 120 km of LBL are up and down.

The composition you posted is bad. It is only climbers.

I think for LBL, neither of the above are really needed.

Guys like Novak, Christen, Narvaez, Sivakov/Wellens are more than enough for this race.

Two guys like Herregodts and Covi to do the donkey work.

If you not picking the above straight up you probably can have a guy like Almeida/Yates etc but that just a nice luxury.

The composition you posted is not a bad team on paper, but it is not practical.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The composition you posted is bad. It is only climbers.

I think for LBL, neither of the above are really needed.

Guys like Novak, Christen, Narvaez, Sivakov/Wellens are more than enough for this race.

Two guys like Herregodts and Covi to do the donkey work.

If you not picking the above straight up you probably can have a guy like Almeida/Yates etc but that just a nice luxury.

The composition you posted is not a bad team on paper, but not practical.

One guy for the first part (130 km) and Novak. 2 riders to control the break and then Christen and Del Toro will work.

 

[Salvarani]

One guy for the first part (130 km) and Novak. 2 riders to control the break and then Christen and Del Toro will work.

Nah. Dont like having those two as the final ones at all.

Christen will work earlier like he did in Lombardia.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Nah. Dont like having those two as the final ones at all.

Christen will work earlier like he did in Lombardia.

Mate. This is how they would do donkey work:
LBL has a flat first half in the race so Covi (or other rider) and Novak (after) will control the break.
Then, with 100 km to go, Christen and Del Toro will work. It's missing Yates and Narvaez to kill all riders and launch Pogacar.

 

[Salvarani]

Mate. This is how they would do donkey work:
LBL has a flat first half in the race so Covi (or other rider) and Novak (after) will control the break.
Then, with 100 km to go, Christen and Del Toro will work. It's missing Yates and Narvaez to kill all riders and launch Pogacar.

Yeah, sounds good mate. Wont be the team, nor is it a good composition.

As I said I think Herregodts will replace Bax, Christen will replace Hirshi and Narvaez replaces Ulissi.

Novak is a solid bet.

My picks for the last three spots would be any out of Sivakov, Wellens, Covi, Yates, Almeida or even Soler before ever thinking of sending Del Toro here.

And I definitely dont see a team including both Christen and Del Toro for this race. Most likely it will only be Christen, as Morgado will race cobbles and Del Toro will have other objectives.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yeah, sounds good mate. Wont be the team, nor is it a good composition.

As I said I think Herregodts will replace Bax, Christen will replace Hirshi and Narvaez replaces Ulissi.

Novak is a solid bet.

My picks for the last three spots would be any out of Sivakov, Wellens, Covi, Yates, Almeida or even Soler before ever thinking of sending Del Toro here.

And I definitely dont see a team including both Christen and Del Toro for this race. Most likely it will only be Christen, as Morgado will race cobbles and Del Toro will have other objectives.

I wouldn't mind Sivakov instead of Del Toro. UAE is full of good riders, they can put 2 rosters good enough to control the entire race. I'm curious to see if Narvaez can win FW next year. Dude has an insane kick

 

[hayneplane]

So, Sivakov and Covi then? With Christen, Novak, Narvaez and Herregodts. Plus one final rider, who could be a number of different riders for the last selection. I think that composition makes the most sense.

Wellens has also managed to race 10 LBLs. He is very all-round and hasnt done a "heavy" cobbles classics campaign many times, or at all, but can still get good results there.

Baroncini is all-round too. He can do both. Got room to still improve.

I find it more likely that Morgado, Pollit, Vermeersch and so on are the leaders for the cobbles. With maybe guys like Wellens and Baroncini doing some, but not all.

Theoretically you are right that in terms of skill set and talent the riders you mention could do both.

Where I significantly disagree is that UAE have such depth that other than Pogacar dipping into both sets of classics the rest of the team will be massively shuffled.

I don’t foresee Covi getting selected for any major race.

 

[Poursuivant]

Is 2025 the year he attacks on Cipressa? He will have a natural ally in Remco

 

[Shortcut]

I don't think so. UAE will gonna try drop some guys on cipressa, with del Sivakov, Del Toro, after that Del Toro and Wellens are gonna push till Poggio. Finally Narvaez will be lead out for Pogi. That is perfect scenario for Pogi.

 

[scribers]

Those doms are not strong enough to drop nearly all of the realistic favorites on the cipressa. Pog will have to go alone and stay away. They tried it last year so this is not a new concept. It didn't work because the favorites busted up UAE's train at the bottleneck before the foot of the Cipressa. Everyone was talking about it happening before the race and the favorites were fully alert to it.

 

[Cookster15]

Before 2024 I would have agreed it better Pogacar not waste his energy on lesser races like MSR. Not now. He still has to be careful to avoid a repeat of his mistakes in 2022 but both Pogacar and UAE are much stronger.

I also find it hard to believe Vingegaard can seriously challenge Pogacar at the Tour even with a perfect unhindered season. Can I remind everyone we had a taste of what was to come way back on stage 8 of the 2021 Tour.

As for UAE tour, that is in February, he won't have to be 100% and is of little consequence to Pogacar's recovery for the remainder of the season. Do we still have people who doubt Pog's recovery after what we saw this year?

 

[Shortcut]

I think they will try this year again with that. narvaez really can be a difference maker. They only problem last year was MvDP everybody else dropped. MvDP brought Pogi back. Also Remco being in race could be good for Pogacar.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogi can't win MSR unless WVA and MVP don't race. This or Manie needs to comeback. It's time to bring this iconic climb

 

[Shortcut]

Pogi can't win MSR unless WVA and MVP don't race. This or Manie needs to comeback. It's time to bring this iconic climb

Even as a Pogi fan i wouldn't want them bringing Manie back. There shouldn't be any "shortcuts" for Pogi's win. Last three editions were great just because Pogi is trying doing everything.