Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[KZD]

It was mightly impressive how he was able to respond to all those attacks in the last climb and then drop everyone in the end especially given that he has been racing hard in the last days.

 

[Gargamel35]

Just love watching him race, he just makes every race exciting

Depends. If you are a fan, this is great and fun. For all the others it's kind of boring.

 

[Parker]

Depends. If you are a fan, this is great and fun. For all the others it's kind of boring.

At the moment there is an interest in what he can achieve. But four or five years down the line (when he'll only be 27), it'll a different matter if it continues with no jeopardy. He may inadvertently be the biggest boost women's cycling ever has if people look for interest elsewhere.

 

[Big Doopie]

Depends. If you are a fan, this is great and fun. For all the others it's kind of boring.

I really disagree.

I am not a fan. In fact I would like one of his competitors to beat him.

But I relish his riding and his panache. As a cycling fan it’s fun to watch.

Also, you never know how long you will have with him. There are injuries or always someone even better who comes along.

 

[gunara]

I really disagree.

I am not a fan. In fact I would like one of his competitors to beat him.

But I relish his riding and his panache. As a cycling fan it’s fun to watch.

Also, you never know how long you will have with him. There are injuries or always someone even better who comes along.

Scary to just imagine someone better than he is now.
I usually don't enjoy an athlete who looks almost flawless and is too dominant in many departments, but this kid still hasn't bored me so far.

I sometimes even suspect that Roglic - assuming that he has shorter time left - will only be the earliest yet an average items in his future long list of failed challengers, from Pog's personal history point of view.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Definitely possible. Maybe even probable. But there’s an optimistic part of me that says Rog and Pog have looked marginally better than each other on various stages across GTs and classics with really only one, albeit definitive, stage with Pog dominant. Based on the data we have, it’s very possible Rog and Pog are very close.

 

[hayneplane]

Normally sprinters dominate the standings in terms of volumes of wins but given how hungry he is to ride for the win every time he pins on a race number I am curious particularly in terms of world tour wins how high up the list he will be for 2022.

 

[stonerider]

You can see that Pog wants to show Remco who the boss is...love it!

 

[Poursuivant]

By the end of next July, he will have 6 GT’s to his name.

 

[KZD]

By the end of next July, he will have 6 GT’s to his name.

Are you including monuments or do you mean July 2023?

 

[AlfaLum]

With the way he is going I can actually see him win all three GTs within the same calendar year. Just ridiculous how much better he is than everyone else.

 

[Velolover2]

The number one San Remo favorite?

There is no MVDP and Wout doesn't seem 100%.

 

[Poursuivant]

Are you including monuments or do you mean July 2023?

Yes 2023

 

[Salvarani]

An incredible rider. He could become one of the absolute greatest riders cycling has ever seen.

Dont take it for granted. We never know how long this may continue or what will happen in the future, with him and Roglic. Their style of racing is just incredible. People were asking for riders to do what they are not afraid to do. Careful what you wish for! I am gonna enjoy it for now and appreciate it.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Win 36 today and his 27th WT win in 3.25 seasons. Not even the sprinters are hitting that high currently. He is on an astronomical pace right now.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Well, is he the favourite for Milano San Remo at this point? Probably really close to it. Same for Flanders, and most likely outright favourite for Liege when that rolls around.

Absolutely insane, cant wait for it. When you think about a very similar rider like Nibali, a GT specialist and great classics riders who also likes to attack, Pogacar has almost achieved what Nibali has in 3 years compared to Nibali's 15 years. And that guy aint no scrub (although hes obviously overrated by some on this forum).

 

[Lequack]

An incredible rider. He could become one of the absolute greatest riders cycling has ever seen.

Dont take it for granted. We never know how long this may continue or what will happen in the future, with him and Roglic. Their style of racing is just incredible. People were asking for riders to do what they are not afraid to do. Careful what you wish for! I am gonna enjoy it for now and appreciate it.

Definitely we should not take it for granted. We're watching something amazing. Hats off to Pogacar again today, truly a champion.

 

[Salvarani]

Well, is he the favourite for Milano San Remo at this point? Probably really close to it. Same for Flanders, and most likely outright favourite for Liege when that rolls around.

Absolutely insane, cant wait for it. When you think about a very similar rider like Nibali, a GT specialist and great classics riders who also likes to attack, Pogacar has almost achieved what Nibali has in 3 years compared to Nibali's 15 years. And that guy aint no scrub (although hes obviously overrated by some on this forum).

He is more like a Valverde to me, but more complete as a rider.

Not the same style in how they race or how they achieve their wins at all. They always race to win though. The same hunger.

Pog is better in the TT than Valverde ever was and Valverde has not won has many GTs. Pog has already past that. Although "only" one win. The guy has nine podiums (including his win) and finished in the top 10 twenty times. A crazy record when you think about it. So it is not like he was ever a bad GC-rider in the GTs.

 

[JosefK]

This is shaping up to be a very cannibalistic year. I've never really seen anyone like him. Armstrong was insanely dominant at the TDF, but he set up his schedule to do very few other races. Tadej does everything, wins everywhere. It's amazing to see.

 

[Open Horizon]

With each passing month, he makes former titans - Indurain, Armstrong, Ullrich, Froome, Contador - look more pathetically one-dimensional.

 

[KZD]

Yes 2023

I think that's too optimistic and it would require him to ride Tour-Vuelta-Giro-Tour which could be too early to do but I see him winning one GT this year (likely the Tour) and one on the next and I really hope that he races the Giro in 2023 as he always seems strong racing in Italy and unlike the Vuelta he could win it without being at his best.

Well, is he the favourite for Milano San Remo at this point? Probably really close to it. Same for Flanders, and most likely outright favourite for Liege when that rolls around.

Absolutely insane, cant wait for it. When you think about a very similar rider like Nibali, a GT specialist and great classics riders who also likes to attack, Pogacar has almost achieved what Nibali has in 3 years compared to Nibali's 15 years. And that guy aint no scrub (although hes obviously overrated by some on this forum).

I would put him on par with Alaphilippe and Van Aert for San Remo although neither of these two has been looking in top shape. As for Flandres, I still put Van Aert, Asgreen and possibly Van der Poel ahead him as its the kind of race where having a strong team matters and its his debut. As for LBL, he could be the number 1 favourite atleast if Alaphilippe doesn't rise his level San Remo and Itzulia.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Imagine Eddy Merckx watching at home.

 

[Red Rick]

Alaphilippe honestly seems way off for MSR.

Sanremo is hard because nobody is not gonna react to his attack there plus in a typical MSR leading group I dont see Pog having the best sprint.

Vlaanderen is similar, hes kinda outgunned in the sprinting department there and would thus need to get away somehow. Van Aert and VdP are focus hard on that race.

 

[hayneplane]

Alaphilippe honestly seems way off for MSR.

Sanremo is hard because nobody is not gonna react to his attack there plus in a typical MSR leading group I dont see Pog having the best sprint.

Vlaanderen is similar, hes kinda outgunned in the sprinting department there and would thus need to get away somehow. Van Aert and VdP are focus hard on that race.

Cant see Ala doing his usual trick of ripping the field apart halfway up the Poggio as he looks way off the required form and is very much building for Liege instead.

This is looking good to be the most interesting MSR in decades. I expect UAE to try and set a white hot pace on the Capos and try and put a level of fatigue in the field that never happens in this race that will actually allow a strike on the Cipressa. Not the most plausible scenario but I can dream.

 

[sir fly]

Thinking about the way he rode away at SB and the strength we already knew he masters assures me he can have a serious shot at MSR.
More than at RVV, paradoxically (imo). There he'll need the right mix of contenders in order to capitalize on his strengths.