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A few numbers on Pogacar's season thus far:
28 racing days
6 wins
17 top10s
Worst placement in a race this year is 43rd (echeleons stage in the TdF)
Valverde's level of consistency.
28 racing days
6 wins
17 top10s
Worst placement in a race this year is 43rd (echeleons stage in the TdF)
Valverde's level of consistency.
You just ruined him for me.
That is more like Sagan level of consistency. Remarkable for a GC rider
Quintana accelerated in the final climb from a group including Lopez and Valverde and Pogacar just followed his wheel to drop him later on.
He was involved in a crash today. It didn't look serious but a close meeting with the tarmac is never a good thing. Hopefully it won't affect his performance in the Alps. It'd be a shame.
The bad news is that Formolo hit the deck pretty hard, they suspect that he broke his left collarbone. Pogi could end up having 2017 Aru levels of team support in the 3rd week if things go on like this...
If he's feeling alright, Pogi will need to pretend he is a rider for TJV with Roglic domming for him. Follow Rogla up the hills and go around at the finish.
Yeah, that too. It sucks. But to be completely honest he's been having poor support since the beginning of the race. Like the team didn't believe in him from the beginning. It's not like Formolo and Aru were of great help. Only Polanc is always with him and has given him help as much as he could and today Laengen did a great job, too.
Although I've heard what Saronni said yesterday on live tv on RAI and I liked how he said that the team needs to protect Tadej at all costs. He was a bit harsh towards Aru maybe but he was right in my opinion.
I remember when some members of the forum had decided that, because Pog finished 4th at :56 in a prep race, the Dauphine, he was no longer the world beater that getting 3rd with 3 stage wins at the Vuelta at 21 and beating the odds-on Tour favorite in national champs TT would have indicated...We all back aboard the Pogacar express where we belong?! If he were on Ineos, it'd be a joke. So I'm glad he's not, but I hope he wins anyway
Only problem I see in this is if he punctures, needs food or whatever.
Which was his starting weakness as a GC contender. He'll need to freelance and hope he guesses correctly. Looking at his crash today it was a horrible road and almost anyone could have gone down. Fortunately for him he didn't look scuffed up. His strongest ally, Formulo....not so good. Aru hadn't been much a part of the game from the start.
Arkea saw Barguil on the deck, too. Maybe Tadej and Nairo can combine? They may need to.
Not sure it's that much of a problem. Turns out, few of the GC guys have a really strong team. Roglic's strongest mountain domestiques are Dumoulin and van Aert/Gesink. Kuss and Bennett have mostly been a no-show so far. Bernal has Carapaz and can hope that Sivakov pulls through, but other than that, who has a strong team or real mountain doms? For the time being he can ride Roglic's coat tails and take advantage should an opportunity arise. I 'm still not expecting him to be an actual contender for yellow, more like a podium spot. But if he's still got something in the tank, he'll have to try and snatch it as late as possible. But again, the same goes for Quintana, Landa, Bardet, Martin etc
He's beaten Roglic in the NC ITT so that should give him some confidence.
He's beaten Roglic in the NC ITT so that should give him some confidence.
To be fair, Kuss was very much a key to Roglic's stage victory, and he suffered a crash shortly thereafter, which affected his form. Hopefully, he will recover and once again be a factor going forward.
I understand, but that doesn't change the fact that as it stands, not even Jumbo has a super strong mountain team. Maybe Sivakov will recover for Ineos, maybe not. But how often have we seen a top 12 in GC after 2 mountainstages, consisting of 12 different teams?
And how awesome to have only the team leaders left to contest the final climb of the day this past weekend, without the contingent of super-domestiques! Can’t really remember the last time we had that conversation circumstance for consecutive stages during the tour?
Pogačar more or less has Polanc working for him. He is already a rather mature rider, considering his age, hence he will likely try to ride a bit conservative, knowing he already unleashed one long range attack in week 1. He has a stage win now, focusing on GC position is therefore a bit easier. I wouldn't change much in this regard, stay close to Roglič and try to keep up. If the legs will allow, deep in week 3, try to attack on a good day, and see how that goes. Especially if Roglič and Bernal will be too focused on each other, to notice. Knowing that a bad day might follow.
As for the future, for sure, his team must do a better job and proper hierarchy should get established. And somehow i feel that Pogačar is on the radar of the biggest teams.
As for the future, for sure, his team must do a better job and proper hierarchy should get established. And somehow i feel that Pogačar is on the radar of the biggest teams.
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