- Mar 20, 2022
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- Jul 7, 2013
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Pogacar's biggest problem will be the speed of Vans at the finish but their skill and experience on technical cobble sections can also save them some watts compared to the Slovenian.
- Jul 7, 2013
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Very hard to apply vs such powerhouses. It will be an uphill battle for Pogacar but it's PR and luck plays its role as well.
- Mar 20, 2022
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I'm bot worried about their experience and skill. Pogacar has watts for them and skill too. He is very good in positioning himself and he already shown great skill in those cobbles (in the Tour). I'm only worried about his sprint, I think he can follow MVP and WVA but he will need to drop them. I don't believe he will be able to do that and I think his sprint is not good enough (even after a hard race) to beat both WVA and MVP
- Nov 16, 2013
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- Jul 7, 2013
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If Vans and Pogacar engage in battle royale I'm not sure if anyone else will be able to follow. Philipsen is a versatile sprinter with good endurance but I don't think he has an engine like those 3.
- Jun 17, 2024
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MvdP and Wout has weight and the technical advantage, and obviously sprint on paper. But Pogacar has more overall watt and a far far superior aerobic engine over 5+hours of racing, and PR is just a prolonged slugfest.
This is all guesswork but I still think MSR remains his hardest race to win.
This is all guesswork but I still think MSR remains his hardest race to win.
- Jul 7, 2013
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Actually both Vans have more pure watts than Pogacar and PR is more about watts than watts per kilo of course. As for 5+ hours of racing MVP surely has shown awesome engine in long races, Wout is maybe less reliable in this territory.
- Mar 20, 2022
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Pogacar has an aero bike now. Can't wait to see him there and battle with those two.
But even then Philipsen could be very important tactically, thus putting some impact on the race.
If his sprinter is some 30 seconds back, that's perfectly good reason for VDP not to work with Pogacar and Van Aert (who likely faster than VDP).
- Mar 20, 2022
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I agree but Visma will have Laporte and UAE will have Politt, Veermesh too. It is possible the opposite scenario happens and UAE or Visma can play the numbers card
Judging by results Philipsen is stronger than them. And Alpecin have the other Vermeersch too. They don't lack numbers for this race.
- Mar 20, 2022
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I agree but I also think Visma and UAE don't lack numbers too so in the end it will come to WVA vs MVP vs Pogacar
- Jun 17, 2024
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Sure indeed, Mvdp certaintly does like that, but not against Pog, everyone else yes. But its all a bit of unknowns which can go both ways honestly about him in PR to what degree at least how impactfull certain things is for him and to what degree effect him imo, its very merky.
I still think MSR remains his hardest race, but gladly admit its plenty unknows in regards to PR, which can turn out to go both ways and it can show to be PR is miles harder, or he can make it into RVV 2.0 to a lesser degree, its merky, to much stuff which are not clearly knowned to what degree for me.
Or some of the other cards. This race has the set up for a "surprise" winner.
Having Philipsen as the fastest sprinter gives a big advantage to Van Der Poel. He is more important second card than either Pollitt or Laporte.
- Mar 20, 2022
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It is true unless Millan surprise us and shows a big performance in PR. And there is also the luck factor, I'm pretty sure someone will lose the race in Arenberg (or even before).
- Oct 30, 2023
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I think the engines are in this order 1. Pogi 2. MVP 3. WVA
The pressure Pogi can put in will have to begin early and he will shed WVA very early. I think Wout is operating at the same level as several other riders behind him at the moment.
The pressure will eventually ride MVP off too, but Pogi will have to begin this effort early and it will have a price to be paid somewhere on his schedule. I think it's worth it though. I'd give up a TdF win to see him win P-R. I am not sure he doesn't feel the same.
- Jul 7, 2013
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PR Roubaix engine is not the same as Liege/Lombardy/TdF engine though (where watts per kilo matter a lot and Pogacar has less accumulated fatigue due to his climbing superiority).
- Oct 30, 2023
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I am going out on a limb here (apparently) and state emphatically P-R does not have a weight requirement. If you are saying the terrain is harder on the body for a lighter rider, I am saying this is not the case considering equipment. Watts per kw is still a factor here. You have to push that weight down the road to the finish.
- Nov 16, 2013
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But you don't have to lift your weight against gravity which is why it isn't an advantage to be light on a flat road. I do believe that it isn't as advantageous to be big in PR as hearsay claims but it isn't a disadvantage either. Watts pr. kg don't play a role in that race. Watts do. Whether Pogi can match Van der Poel, I don't know. I tend to think he can't because Mathieu showed last year how insanely much better he was than the second best.
- Mar 20, 2022
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Weight is important in PR. Pogacar can probably compete because he is a freak, not because weight isn't that important. History shows heavier riders have an advantage and are the ones who compete in this race for the win.
Weight is important due to more grip on the cobbles.
- Mar 20, 2022
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When we talk about weight, it is obviously muscle mass. If not, a 180 kg "Biggest Loser" contender would be PR top favourite.
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