Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[CyclistAbi]

Pogačar likes classics and hence he for sure will participate at PR in the future. Winning it is a different thing. But it's not like he hasn't win a lot of times that wasn't expected. The biggest issue likely is what if he crashes and gets an injury. But at some point they will risk it.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He is heading to Amstel and I don't think who can beat him. This is probably bad because everyone will ride to make Pogacar loose so he really needs to step his A game and drop all riders with 30 km to go.

 

[Red Rick]

He is heading to Amstel and I don't think who can beat him. This is probably bad because everyone will ride to make Pogacar loose so he really needs to step his A game and drop all riders with 30 km to go.

Amstel shouldn't be that easy to win for Pogacar. It's not a race where you can brute force everything and just solo for 40km normally.

 

[Netserk]

Amstel shouldn't be that easy to win for Pogacar. It's not a race where you can brute force everything and just solo for 40km normally.

He can solo from Keutenberg. But I expect him to hammer Eyserbosweg, and then keep pounding until he is alone.

 

[Red Rick]

He can solo from Keutenberg. But I expect him to hammer Eyserbosweg, and then keep pounding until he is alone.

There hasn't been a solo winner in years, so that should be quite hard to do. But then Van Aert and MvdP aren't racing.

Still should suit him a lot less than De Ronde. I think at least Pidcock if he's good should be able to follow Pog uphill.

 

[Netserk]

I trust Pogi to hold off chasers alone better than Ala and Fuglsang could together. Those strong enough to pull that off would rather have company that they can beat in the sprint. I'm sure that if Van Aert could get a gap over Cauberg, no one would catch him.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

We can't assume that Pog will still be in peak form though. I find his form in Ardennes a bit of enigma. Amstel is less suiting to him than RVV or Liege.

 

[Red Rick]

I trust Pogi to hold off chasers alone better than Ala and Fuglsang could together. Those strong enough to pull that off would rather have company that they can beat in the sprint. I'm sure that if Van Aert could get a gap over Cauberg, no one would catch him.

Possibly.

Could be that modern Amstel doesn't get solo wins cause the getting away solo part is very hard, not because the chases are doing so good. Getting that gap could be hard because Pog hasn't really shown he has the highest 1 minute W/kg in the world

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Possibly.

Could be that modern Amstel doesn't get solo wins cause the getting away solo part is very hard, not because the chases are doing so good. Getting that gap could be hard because Pog hasn't really shown he has the highest 1 minute W/kg in the world

But who says he has to win alone? Sprint from a small group is his strong side if there are no big boys like Vans.

 

[frisenfruitig]

Yeah there aren't that many guys who can both stick with him uphill and also beat him at the line. Pidcock possibly but it's not like he is definitely faster.

 

[Didinho]

Yeah there aren't that many guys who can both stick with him uphill and also beat him at the line. Pidcock possibly but it's not like he is definitely faster.

Hermans or Higuita maybe.
No Matthews I guess, after his DNF in the Ronde?

 

[Peyroteo94]

The startlist is pretty weak compared to other years so Pogacar can win solo. No one has the endurance he has and probably he will likely ask UAE to put a hard tempo before his normal nuclear bomb

 

[Peyroteo94]

Possibly.

Could be that modern Amstel doesn't get solo wins cause the getting away solo part is very hard, not because the chases are doing so good. Getting that gap could be hard because Pog hasn't really shown he has the highest 1 minute W/kg in the world

Eyserbosweg, right after Kruisberg, is perfect for him. An almost 3 minute climb. Can't see who can follow him there. Probably Higuita and that's it.

 

[Gigs_98]

I agree this race will not be a walk in the park for him, even if his shape is still great. Nuking Eyserbosweg is one thing but even if he drops everyone he would have to attack an almost full peloton. And there is not the same guarantee of small chasing groups with bad collaboration that you have in the Ronde. If Pog is clearly the strongest I can absolutely see an alliance against him. But then if he doesn't break away solo early I'm also not as confident in his sprint as I would be in races like Lombardia

 

[Netserk]

I agree this race will not be a walk in the park for him, even if his shape is still great. Nuking Eyserbosweg is one thing but even if he drops everyone he would have to attack an almost full peloton. And there is not the same guarantee of small chasing groups with bad collaboration that you have in the Ronde. If Pog is clearly the strongest I can absolutely see an alliance against him. But then if he doesn't break away solo early I'm also not as confident in his sprint as I would be in races like Lombardia

There would always form a smaller chasing group behind him, and teams represented there won't chase in the peloton.

 

[Peyroteo94]

UAE will rip the peloton apart in Eyserbosweg. I can't see a 20 more peloton after that.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Valkenburg will have some showers thos weekend. The cyborg will strike again.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So Pogi is planning to do all three Ardennes classics. It is a proper classics season, isn't it? He'll probably try to mini-peak for Liege. Before that he will get crushed by true climbers on Mur de Huy (as a warm-up). Not sure about Amstel but probably he'll try to win (but he may fail).

 

[Monsi]

But then if he doesn't break away solo early I'm also not as confident in his sprint as I would be in races like Lombardia

How come? 253 km and no Wout nor MVDP on the start line. His sprint has always been great after long, hard races. As long as UAE make it a hard race, even if Pogacar is not solo by the finish, he would be the heavy favorite to win the sprint.

 

[Monsi]

So Pogi is planning to do all three Ardennes classics. It is a proper classics season, isn't it? He'll probably try to mini-peak for Liege. Before that he will get crushed by true climbers on Mur de Huy (as a warm-up). Not sure about Amstel but probably he'll try to win (but he may fail).

Still not certain whether he is really riding Fleche. He is still on the provisional PCS startlist for Fleche but whether he is actually riding, we won't know until after Amstel, probably.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Still not certain whether he is really riding Fleche. He is still on the provisional PCS startlist for Fleche but whether he is actually riding, we won't know until after Amstel, probably.

Yup, riding Amstel + Liege (and skipping Fleche) would probably make more sense at this stage.

 

[Monsi]

Yup, riding Amstel + Liege (and skipping Fleche) would probably make more sense at this stage.

Yup, it would be similar to Pogacar riding E3 a week before Ronde (and also skipping Dwars). A hard effort one week before LBL should be enough warmup for Pogacar.

 

[Gigs_98]

How come? 253 km and no Wout nor MVDP on the start line. His sprint has always been great after long, hard races. As long as UAE make it a hard race, even if Pogacar is not solo by the finish, he would be the heavy favorite to win the sprint.

I'm not perfectly aware who is racing AGR but I'm quite confident they will have a better sprint than Enric Mas and Mikel Landa

 

[Breh]

Who are the big favorites for Fleche Wallone anyway?

Pidcock? Gaudu? Teuns?

 

[Monsi]

I'm not perfectly aware who is racing AGR but I'm quite confident they will have a better sprint than Enric Mas and Mikel Landa

Oh they are. The likes of Cosnefroy, Higuita, Powless, Pidcock, etc are faster than Mas/Landa but I'd still rate Pogacar's sprint higher than theirs, especially after 250+ km.

Who are the big favorites for Fleche Wallone anyway?

Pidcock? Gaudu? Teuns?

This year's Fleche is actually so open. Teuns is defending champion but I don't think he's in the same form as he was last year. Pogacar would be a big favorite but his past performances in this race has been underwhelming. Martinez was fifth last year but he's also not in top shape. Not sure how to rank Gaudu and Pidcock for this race.