Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

He's fit, nay super! However, the season is long and there will be bigger fish to fry.

Yeah, exactly… And beating Landa is always a little bit ungrateful, also - everyone then says, „Ah, it‘s Landa, ok - the guy who climbs decently, but mostly gets beaten, somehow“… ;-)

 

[Extinction]

Yeah, exactly… And beating Landa is always a little bit ungrateful, also - everyone then says, „Ah, it‘s Landa, ok - the guy who climbs decently, but mostly gets beaten, somehow“… ;-)

It's an awesome display and to think Landis said at the Tour of Poland 2020 "We must win now, before Remco wins everything."

 

[hayneplane]

It's an awesome display and to think Landis said at the Tour of Poland 2020 "We must win now, before Remco wins everything."

The new breed of superstars are like insatiable piranhas obsessively winning and not even leaving crumbs on the table for the mere mortals of the very good in the world tour peloton.

 

[Extinction]

The new breed of superstars are like insatiable piranhas obsessively winning and not even leaving crumbs on the table for the mere mortals of the very good in the world tour peloton.

Let's see what happens with the other Bigs during the classics. However, that he has stuffed Mas, who is in good form evidently from the confidence of his post-Tour season, one wonders if Tadej will have rivals during the first campaign from Strade to Liege? If he keeps winning like this throughout it will be interesting to say the least.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Let's see what happens with the other Bigs during the classics. However, that he has stuffed Mas, who is in good form evidently from the condidence of his post-Tour season, one wonders if Tadej will have rivals in the first campaign?

Nobody is unbeatable. Last spring Pogacar was in monstrous form and still lost Milan-San Remo and Flandres (he put on some great shows though).

 

[Extinction]

Nobody is unbeatable. Last spring Pogacar was in monstrous form and still lost Milan-San Remo and Flandres (he put on some great shows though).

Yea, but he is now even better.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Yea, but he is now even better.

He's better now than in February last year but time will tell if in March he is also better than during last year's March/early April (he was really amazing then crushing top rivals in TA and Strade and nearly cracking MVP in Flandres). He seems a bit thinner now, indicating possible w/kg improvement (but probably not pure wattage).

 

[Izzyeviel]

is he doing ronde again?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

is he doing ronde again?

Yup, it's one of his main goals for the season.

 

[BR2]

He was completely dominating every race that suited him in 2022 apart from the Tour. (Where he still won 3 stages and got second.)
His build-up/schedule this year is a bit of a mystery to me. I really would have thought they'd go for a focus on the Tour because it looked like he just raced full speed all year and they didn't put enough emphasis on getting the perfect form at exactly the moment when he needed it.
But I have no idea about his numbers, maybe it was something entirely else that "went wrong" last year. Or maybe he will have a "pause" in spring.

 

[BR2]

Yup, it's one of his main goals for the season.

Okay, no pause in spring then...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Okay, no pause in spring then...

He's going to have a break in May and that should be good enough for him.

But then again we've heard theories about Remco actually wanting to win the Tour this year, so I can't deny the possibility that Pogačar will decide to ride the Giro as a nice warm up.

 

[Lequack]

Another day, another magnificent win. I guess this is how it feels to be a sprinter in the first week of the Tour, just constants wins one after the other.

 

[Extinction]

He's better now than in February last year but time will tell if in March he is also better than during last year's March/early April (he was really amazing then crushing top rivals in TA and Strade and nearly cracking MVP in Flandres). He seems a bit thinner now, indicating possible w/kg improvement (but probably not pure wattage).

He'll be better on age alone. Remember he is still just 24 and thus should be entering his peak phase.

 

[Nick2413]

If there really is such a thing as a peak anymore, it seems he’s pushing the envelope a bit early. Even if not though, if he doesn’t go on to win all the big races now, we’ll never be able to hear the end of how he peaked too early and ruined everything with his schedule change.

 

[Andy schleck]

If there really is such a thing as a peak anymore, it seems he’s pushing the envelope a bit early. Even if not though, if he doesn’t go on to win all the big races now, we’ll never be able to hear the end of how he peaked too early and ruined everything with his schedule change.

He peaks in the Tour france, but during almost all year, he can be at 90/95% of his best shape.

 

[Scarponi]

If there really is such a thing as a peak anymore, it seems he’s pushing the envelope a bit early. Even if not though, if he doesn’t go on to win all the big races now, we’ll never be able to hear the end of how he peaked too early and ruined everything with his schedule change.

All the big riders of the last 15 years have had a few seasons of absolute domination from Feb to July. None of them last over 5 years though, will be interesting to see how many seasons he can do this.

 

[Oldermanish]

He'll be better on age alone. Remember he is still just 24 and thus should be entering his peak phase.

He's been a stud for awhile, starting early. His physical skills may be limitless but the will to focus, train, manage pressure and compete are the defining factors now; as it always has been. This'll be true of Remco, Jonas and others. The greats we compare them too found something more that motivated the next season's effort...and the next.
When we compare his efforts to the "greats" we can't quite factor in the added pressure microscopic social media and armchair physiologists bring that prior champions didn't deal with. There comes a point where our favorites will cash in and go to the beach rather than fail our internet expectations.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He'll be better on age alone. Remember he is still just 24 and thus should be entering his peak phase.

Maybe so, maybe not. He's been probably at his VO2max peak for a few years now. Judging by his climbing he's been at a similar level in 2020-2022 with no noticable improvement (but his 1-day races improved). Advancements in training methods let cyclists fulfill their potential (I mean ability to sustain the highest percentage of their VO2max for a given time period) at a young age and guys like Pogacar, Evenepoel and Bernal are excellent examples of that. I thought that a slight weight reduction was the most probable room of improvement for Pogacar and maybe this year it's actually the case.

 

[Extinction]

He's been a stud for awhile, starting early. His physical skills may be limitless but the will to focus, train, manage pressure and compete are the defining factors now; as it always has been. This'll be true of Remco, Jonas and others. The greats we compare them too found something more that motivated the next season's effort...and the next.
When we compare his efforts to the "greats" we can't quite factor in the added pressure microscopic social media and armchair physiologists bring that prior champions didn't deal with. There comes a point where our favorites will cash in and go to the beach rather than fail our internet expectations.

But Pogacar doesn't seem to be phased by anything, doesn't appear to know what the word pressure is. I think he'll be around, motivated and hungry, for years yet.

 

[Salvarani]

But Pogacar doesn't seem to be phased by anything, doesn't appear to know what the word pressure is. I think he'll be around, motivated and humgry for years yet.

He doesnt seem to take a hit when he has not won either. He moves on to the next race.

 

[Extinction]

Maybe so, maybe not. He's been probably at his VO2max peak for a few years now. Judging by his climbing he's been at a similar level in 2020-2022 with no noticable improvement (but his 1-day races improved). Advancements in training methods let cyclists fulfill their potential (I mean ability to sustain the highest percentage of their VO2max for a given time period) at a young age and guys like Pogacar, Evenepoel and Bernal are excellent examples of that. I thought that a slight weight reduction was the most probable room of improvement for Pogacar and maybe this year it's actually the case.

He looks better than ever, which could be owing to age (one wonders how he'll be at 27-28, the perfect cycling age) and the even fiercer determination that comes with last year's defeats and other riding stars to reassert his Lordship.

 

[Extinction]

He doesnt seem to take a hit when he has not won either. He moves on to the next race.

Indeed, it all seems like fun and play to him. His reaction to defeat at the Tour was only serene, at least outwardly.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He looks better than ever, which could be owing to age (one wonders how he'll be at 27-28, the perfect cycling age) and the even fiercer determination that comes with last year's defeats and other riding stars to reassert his Lordship.

I actually think that for those young phenoms the best cycling age is now. As for determination and motivation boost after last year's TdF defeat I agree that this could be a factor that enables him to improve his performance. But time will tell how the season unfolds.

 

[Valanga]

I actually think that for those young phenoms the best cycling age is now. As for determination and motivation boost after last year's TdF defeat I agree that this could be a factor that enables him to improve his performance.

I think you're right. Stating that 27-28 is the perfect cycling age might stem from the times when cycling was less scientific, at least in the junior ranks.
So it took time to detect the junior phenomena, and then some time to develop and train those. And then you're 27/28 when you're reaching the peak.

Nowadays, even juniors take monthly VO2max, lactate, ... tests and whatnot and already train like a pro. And they reach their peak sooner.

Maybe.