Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Krzysztof_O]

@Põhja Konn @Salvarani

That would be something but Liege is too important to do some crazy things in FW. A usual uphill drag race is upon us on Wednesday.

 

[Gigs_98]

Yeah, nobody can tell me he isn't the outstanding favorite on Wednesday just because he didn't do well there the last two times.

 

[Põhja Konn]

@Põhja Konn @Salvarani

That would be something but Liege is too important to do some crazy things in FW. A usual uphill drag race is upon us on Wednesday.

He has already won Liege once, while FW is the one big Ardennes race he has unfinished business with. Also handling three one day races in a week shouldn't really be an issue for a double TDF winner unless his form is starting to wear thin and he feels the need make a choice between FW and LBL.

 

[Monsi]

He has already won Liege once, while FW is the one big Ardennes race he has unfinished business with. Also handling three one day races in a week shouldn't really be an issue for a double TDF winner unless his form is starting to wear thin and he feels the need make a choice between FW and LBL.

LBL is still the more important race even if he hasn't won FW yet so he'll want to save something for Sunday. He'll also probably want an easier effort on Wednesday (it's "only" a 1 km uphill dash to the finish anyway) so he could be somewhat fresh for LBL.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He has already won Liege once, while FW is the one big Ardennes race he has unfinished business with. Also handling three one day races in a week shouldn't really be an issue for a double TDF winner unless his form is starting to wear thin and he feels the need make a choice between FW and LBL.

Liege is still a monument and a prestigious duel with Remco is on the cards. Plus it's not the same as a GT if your main rival does only one classic in a week while you race all three. As for his form I agree, if he feels to be at the end of his peak then skipping one of those would surely make sense.

 

[Escarabajo]

When we talk about Pogacar and peak I get confused.

Another one for Pogacar. Impressive. Sometimes I just watch the races just to see how he rides and at what point he is going to explode the races. No contest for this one.

 

[hayneplane]

Another big race won!

His palmares is already a thing of beauty.

What a rider!

It’s been an outstanding year so far of filling in the gaps in his palmares. The most glaring gap is no pre Tour one week stage race in TDS or CDD.

 

[hayneplane]

Even today he was on training mode. The way he finished Amstel (very relaxed) was very different from the way he finished Flanders

To be fair being chased by MVDP on the flat with a monument win at stake is a very different proposition to holding off Ben Healy. Flanders also was his 2nd biggest objective of the season whereas Amstel is very nice but not season defining in any way.

 

[Filippo_3467]

In a grand tour especially with a course and weather to his liking Pogi ight be unstoppable. In my eyes there's no discussion that he is the best cyclist in the world because of his versatility.

But on the other hand maybe he doesn't net another 10 monuments to get to a Merchx Level if other teams wake up. There's no reason for anyone with the intention of winning to ride with Pogacar not even a van Aert in Flanders e.g. On the other hand this phase of super cyclists racing often means other teams are already going into races with the mindset of finishing Top 5 or Top 10 is enough. The gap between the best handful of teams and the others is gigantic.

I personally thought the racing between 2018 and 2020 was more fun because of the openess of the racing with so many contenders, but of course the level was much lower. That's not the fault of the top level talent but I would really like if they get more challenged. Today felt like a procession for Pogi with questionable officiating and team tactics. As I said that's not Pogis fault he just says thank you and adds to his impressive tally.

 

[YavorD]

I kinda root for him to win the remaining 2 races, hoping that he gets bored and goes for something different like Giro-Vuelta. Still I can't see that happening before 2025.

 

[Cookster15]

Incredible even if everyone expected him to win. But if he doesn’t win the TdF it will be still be very disappointing. Hopefully the course and not making the errors he did last year means Pogacar can avenge his defeat.

 

[Cookster15]

When we talk about Pogacar and peak I get confused.

Another one for Pogacar. Impressive. Sometimes I just watch the races just to see how he rides and at what point he is going to explode the races. No contest for this one.

I don’t think he genuinely peaks for these races. Just a mild tuning of his prep to ensure he isn’t too tired and not lose the condition he needs to build for the TdF. I am sure that is possible. But he really is a phenomenon.

 

[Cookster15]

It’s been an outstanding year so far of filling in the gaps in his palmares. The most glaring gap is no pre Tour one week stage race in TDS or CDD.

If he doesn’t regain the TdF title I think he would be very disappointed despite filling all those relatively minor race gaps in his palmares.

 

[bNator]

Let’s instead for a moment consider the possibility he does regain his TDF title… If THAT happens, it will be the single best season I have ever witnessed by anyone. Admittedly I only started “witnessing” in Indurain era.

I like the fact that Pogi aims for greatness. It would be such a waste of talent had he not do that. Totally worth the risk in my opinion.

 

[Poursuivant]

I think if he doesn’t win TDF you can’t call his season a failure, he has picked up win after win after win. I honestly expect him to complete the triple this week which will mean at least two monuments in a season, how can that ever be a failure.

 

[hayneplane]

If he doesn’t regain the TdF title I think he would be very disappointed despite filling all those relatively minor race gaps in his palmares.

You can hardly call Flanders relatively minor

 

[Blanco]

I think if he doesn’t win TDF you can’t call his season a failure, he has picked up win after win after win. I honestly expect him to complete the triple this week which will mean at least two monuments in a season, how can that ever be a failure.

Even if he doesn't win anything till the end of the season, you can't call it a failure.

 

[houtdffan]

Let’s instead for a moment consider the possibility he does regain his TDF title… If THAT happens, it will be the single best season I have ever witnessed by anyone. Admittedly I only started “witnessing” in Indurain era.

I like the fact that Pogi aims for greatness. It would be such a waste of talent had he not do that. Totally worth the risk in my opinion.

Jalabert 1995 blows anything Pog has done to date out of the water. That was a Merckx season

Pog and Remco last year were not as far off that level, however, as one thinks. I can easily see Pog having multiple Merckx level seasons

 

[Peyroteo94]

Jalabert 1995 blows anything Pog has done to date out of the water. That was a Merckx season

Pog and Remco last year were not as far off that level, however, as one thinks. I can easily see Pog having multiple Merckx level seasons

No, Merckx wins. What Jalabert did is impressive because he was so regular and always on the podium but he missed big wins.

 

[bNator]

Jalabert 1995 blows anything Pog has done to date out of the water. That was a Merckx season

Pog and Remco last year were not as far off that level, however, as one thinks. I can easily see Pog having multiple Merckx level seasons

If Pog wins TDF it will have been a better season than Jalabert’s 1995.

 

[Big Doopie]

Jalabert?

He has absolutely nothing to do with either Pog or Merckx.

Nothing.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yeah, there is simply a big group at the bottom but the pace is really nuclear only at the end. So positioning is important and the moment one goes for it (not too early, not too late). Pog has one of the best uphill kicks surely (in theory none in this FW has better) but it seems more evident in mountain stages than in this race with only one very short effort starting from a big group and after an easy race.

Due to the lack of world class punchers. That is basically the main reason i consider Pogi can win FW this year. As if he will be grinding it out with lets say Mas. Then likely he will came ahead. Considering the field maybe we will see a reduction on penultimate climb this year. But all in all the Mur is tricky and hence a surprise win by somebody else is also possible.

 

[gunara]

It's only AGR, but that Keutenberg drone shot where he's powering away from Pidcock while Healy wrestling his bike in a distance is one for vivid memory. It's pretty and scary at once.

 

[houtdffan]

No, Merckx wins. What Jalabert did is impressive because he was so regular and always on the podium but he missed big wins.

Jalabert won everything in 1995, except the TDF, where he finished 4th

 

[houtdffan]

Jalabert?

He has absolutely nothing to do with either Pog or Merckx.

Nothing.

Jalabert in 1995 was the last time someone had a Merckx level season