Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[gregrowlerson]

It’s a bizarre feeling to see Pogacar being taken to the cleaners by someone while he’s at this stage in his career with no discernible issues. One bad day can happen to anybody and maybe that’s all it was, but this feels like a head scratcher. Vinegaard basically had the same rapid rise to the top as him too. Something seems a bit odd about all of this, the constant fluctuation of top riders is almost comical it seems.

Not that comical. Try watching women's tennis.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I remember some of that. 9 year old me still had no doubt Lance would win. And then finally, after all those years, I was looking forward to the epic battle that never was in 2006.

It was an epic battle, just in a different way

 

[gregrowlerson]

What we need is to come down to 3 seconds or less Pogacar is behind Vingegaard, setting up for a showdown in Paris.

As always, WVA would get in the way.

 

[SHAD0W93]

As always, WVA would get in the way.

But it would be helpful unless Vingegaard finished fourth.

 

[Rollthedice]

It is a too big deficit to a similar level climber who has the support of a far stronger team. Normally he can't put 2 minutes into Vinge in the remaining 3, 4 potential opportunities left so that he can try for the overall win on the final TT. Overconfidence and feeling invincible might have cost Pogacar this Tour.

 

[ashhutch1997]

I just have a feeling that Pogi will end up pulling off a Fuente Dé....

 

[gunara]

I just have a feeling that Pogi will end up pulling off a Fuente Dé....

Majka gives you power, once in every ten years

 

[Ripper]

It is a too big deficit to a similar level climber who has the support of a far stronger team. Normally he can't put 2 minutes into Vinge in the remaining 3, 4 potential opportunities left so that he can try for the overall win on the final TT. Overconfidence and feeling invincible might have cost Pogacar this Tour.

It's of course still too early to tell and all up for grabs. However, this could prove to be correct. Pure watts to pummel everyone into submission has been the only strategy so far.

 

[Netserk]

Given how long it has been since Majka tested positive, he seems quite okay. So I think he will be as strong in the Pyrenees as he was on Granon.

 

[Oldermanish]

Not that comical. Try watching women's tennis.

It plays to the realistic idea that younger climbers can gain time on older climbers. 10 years ago they would rarely have that opportunity as established stars usually called the shots. Minus a hay bale....this could be Vingo getting gapped on the cobbles behind a crash and Primoz riding in that position. Primoz still looks good after injury and a week of hard mountain domestique duty.

 

[Lorzenz08]

It's of course still too early to tell and all up for grabs. However, this could prove to be correct. Pure watts to pummel everyone into submission has been the only strategy so far.

To be fair, it wouldn't be a losing strategy if he wouldn't have had applied the strategy so far from the finish of the stage.

 

[Miha81]

He stated in Slovenian interview that he used the stage to observe the competition. He did not want to share what were his conclusions

 

[Lorzenz08]

He stated in Slovenian interview that he used the stage to observe the competition. He did not want to share what were his conclusions

Nice
Pogie plotting something

 

[Miha81]

Nice

I just hope he didn't conclude that Vigo is too comfortable holding his wheel

 

[Peyroteo94]

We have some rain next week!! There is a chance!!!

 

[Salvarani]

Even Vingegaard had to feel the pace today or it is wishful thinking on my part, wanting the race to get a bit closer until the last ITT. I want the suspense that it could go either way.

I think it was the right move to just go as hard as he could today, keeping the pace up throughout the climb. Who knows, maybe Vingegaard had to dig deep today to stay with Pog. One of these days the bill might come to pay for these efforts for him too.

 

[Miha81]

We have some rain next week!! There is a chance!!!

Yeah, I noticed. According to some weather reports there will be a lot of rain next week. Wednesday seems the only dry day.

 

[Nick2413]

Yeah, I noticed. According to some weather reports there will be a lot of rain next week. Wednesday seems the only dry day.

3 Days in a row of major mountains is going to create havoc one way or another, especially with some rain. There’s plenty of room to gain 2 minutes or lose 20. With Pog’s attacking style we’re going to get a show no matter what happens.

 

[dercuforever]

Hautacam in the rain ... A stomp of all the adversity ?
I think I saw this once ...

 

[Oldermanish]

It's of course still too early to tell and all up for grabs. However, this could prove to be correct. Pure watts to pummel everyone into submission has been the only strategy so far.

Difficult to apply that on a flat stage (tomorrow) and the rest day. No excuse to be under-rested come Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[Ripper]

Difficult to apply that on a flat stage (tomorrow) and the rest day. No excuse to be under-rested come Tuesday or Wednesday.

It is not just day to day recovery, it is cumulative fatigue over 3 weeks.

 

[Wookski]

Difficult to apply that on a flat stage (tomorrow) and the rest day. No excuse to be under-rested come Tuesday or Wednesday.

What makes you think tomorrow will be easy?

 

[BullsFan22]

Today would have been a perfect day to utilize the move that Pogačar made had he had a full team. Just him attacking was never going to work. Even Landis (yeah, yeah I know) had a number of his Phonak teammates to soften the race and to launch him into orbit so far from the finish. Pogačar isn’t as good as he was last year, but he needs teammates, regardless how good he is and how strong the other GC men are.

 

[solo80k]

Today would have been a perfect day to utilize the move that Pogačar made had he had a full team. Just him attacking was never going to work. Even Landis (yeah, yeah I know) had a number of his Phonak teammates to soften the race and to launch him into orbit so far from the finish. Pogačar isn’t as good as he was last year, but he needs teammates, regardless how good he is and how strong the other GC men are.

UAE needs more investments in the team, a co-leader would be an interesting solution. I'd say they need at least one strong all-rounder/ITT specialist and 2 mountain goats. The guys like Hirshi shouldn't be included in the Tour team.

 

[Rackham]

UAE needs more investments in the team, a co-leader would be an interesting solution. I'd say they need at least one strong all-rounder/ITT specialist and 2 mountain goats. The guys like Hirshi shouldn't be included in the Tour team.

Almeida would have been very useful.

Not as a co-leader or as a domestique but as a second GC rider targeting top 5. His presence high up in GC would always give Jumbo something else to watch & chase. They could have taken Ayuso as well if he'd prepared for the Tour.

In the end this is a very weak UAE team, made even weaker by Covid. Add the fact Vingegaard looked like he was on a casual Sunday ride on Pogacar's wheel yesterday (& on Alpe D'Huez) & Pog has an almighty uphill struggle to win this Tour against a rider who looks to be his equal (& maybe even stronger, which is crazy) & Jumbo's armada.