Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[how yes no?]

I'm sorry for talking about Remco in the Tadej thread, but the alternative is talking about Tadej in Remco thread and that thread has enough problems as it is.

I have a mirror question about both riders.

If Evenepoel gets dropped (by at least Pogačar, but not by crash or similar misfortune) in Liege what could be the "excuse"?

If Pogačar gets dropped (by at least Evenepoel, but not by crash or similar misfortune) in Liege what could be the "excuse"?

 

[johnymax]

I'm sorry for talking about Remco in the Tadej thread, but the alternative is talking about Tadej in Remco thread and that thread has enough problems as it is.

I have a mirror question about both riders.

If Evenepoel gets dropped (by at least Pogačar, but not by crash or similar misfortune) in Liege what could be the "excuse"?

If Pogačar gets dropped (by at least Evenepoel, but not by crash or similar misfortune) in Liege what could be the "excuse"?

Pogi's excuse: too much racing, peak shape since february, three races in a week, getting tired

Remco: first race after altitude camp (although he has shown he is usually very good in these situations), not in peak shape, because peaking for third week of the Giro

 

[Lequack]

An interesting video about Pog's fit on the bike

View: https://youtu.be/9n6nTNiacm8

 

[Salmon Spread]

I'm sorry for talking about Remco in the Tadej thread, but the alternative is talking about Tadej in Remco thread and that thread has enough problems as it is.

I have a mirror question about both riders.

If Evenepoel gets dropped (by at least Pogačar, but not by crash or similar misfortune) in Liege what could be the "excuse"?

If Pogačar gets dropped (by at least Evenepoel, but not by crash or similar misfortune) in Liege what could be the "excuse"?

Does Pogacar make excuses? He doesnt seem like the sort to do so. His form must be on a downward trajectory, I imagine his peak was a few weeks ago at Flanders. I expect him to be somewhere close, but I'm not sure he's favourite over Evenepoel. It's part of what makes it easy to be a fan though, the fact that he races even he's not 100%. Other riders with a different psychology would skip this race if they knew they weren't at 100%

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pogi's excuse: too much racing, peak shape since february, three races in a week, getting tired

Remco: first race after altitude camp (although he has shown he is usually very good in these situations), not in peak shape, because peaking for third week of the Giro

Pretty much this.

 

[Nick2413]

This is one of the first big showdowns Pog has with Remco in a long time where they’re both in good shape and clear cut favorites. I think he will thrive on that kind of motivation, even if the last few months have started to become a bit of a blur.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Wondering why there‘s not too much talk about Tadej‘s pedaling style… On pictures taken from in front of him, he looks quite different to many riders. He seems to sit quite lowly, seems to sit in a a little bit „uncomfortable“ position, moves his feet and legs little bit differently to most, and somehow looks as if he „dances“ on the pedals.

It looks a little bit „strange“, I‘d even say - but, it clearly works for him, and is super fast.

What makes it look additionally special is that he wears his bibshorts quite long (down to the knees), and they are not „even“, seen from the front (the shorts)…

 

[ice&fire]

Wondering why there‘s not too much talk about Tadej‘s pedaling style… On pictures taken from in front of him, he looks quite different to many riders. He seems to sit quite lowly, seems to sit in a a little bit „uncomfortable“ position, moves his feet and legs little bit differently to most, and somehow looks as if he „dances“ on the pedals.

It looks a little bit „strange“, I‘d even say - but, it clearly works for him, and is super fast.

What makes it look additionally special is that he wears his bibshorts quite long (down to the knees), and they are not „even“, seen from the front (the shorts)…

Coming after the era of peak Froome, Pogacar's pedaling style looks normal.

 

[Big Doopie]

This is one of the first big showdowns Pog has with Remco in a long time where they’re both in good shape and clear cut favorites. I think he will thrive on that kind of motivation, even if the last few months have started to become a bit of a blur.

Wrong. Pog was in superb shape at worlds last year (a race he absolutely targeted) between his win in Montreal and his win at Lombardy. To say otherwise is simply ludicrous.

Now if u said he may have had bad legs on that day, we are then talking some sense.

 

[how yes no?]

Wrong. Pog was in superb shape at worlds last year (a race he absolutely targeted) between his win in Montreal and his win at Lombardy. To say otherwise is simply ludicrous.

Now if u said he may have had bad legs on that day, we are then talking some sense.

Mohorič asked to be the leader for the WC because he said it was one of the few courses the were actually tailor made for him and he felt he could compete for the win.
I'm not sure how intentional it was but I wouldn't be even a bit surprised if Pogačar just didn't want to contest this, not to create further drama in the small nation that we are.

 

[skippo12]

Wrong. Pog was in superb shape at worlds last year (a race he absolutely targeted) between his win in Montreal and his win at Lombardy. To say otherwise is simply ludicrous.

Now if u said he may have had bad legs on that day, we are then talking some sense.

If I remember it correctly Tratnik was still ahead of the peleton when Evenepoel attacked. Not the kind of situation where Pogacar should be chasing.
Not to mention that despite his impressive results his form wasn´t as good as it is right now. He was getting dropped by Mas just a week later. That´s not happening if Pogacar is anywhere close to his best level.

 

[Big Doopie]

If I remember it correctly Tratnik was still ahead of the peleton when Evenepoel attacked. Not the kind of situation where Pogacar should be chasing.
Not to mention that despite his impressive results his form wasn´t as good as it is right now. He was getting dropped by Mas just a week later. That´s not happening if Pogacar is anywhere close to his best level.

It’s called bad legs.

He just had outsprinted WVA at Montreal (who was himself targeting the worlds). Lol. Pog even tried to separate from the pack and couldn’t. And Mas was coming out of the Vuelta in the best shape of his life. And Pog giving it up for Tratnik against Remco. That is utterly ridiculous.

Pog was in superb form and targeting the worlds. Just because he is the most dominant rider right now does not mean he cannot get beat. Wtf r u all smoking?

 

[nightowl]

It’s called bad legs.

He just had outsprinted WVA at Montreal (who was himself targeting the worlds). Lol. Pog even tried to separate from the pack and couldn’t. And Mas was coming out of the Vuelta in the best shape of his life. And Pog giving it up for Tratnik against Remco. That is utterly ridiculous.

Pog was in superb form and targeting the worlds. Just because he is the most dominant rider right now does not mean he cannot get beat. Wtf r u all smoking?

Pog’s worlds form was weird last year. He was good before and after but was clearly not feeling it at worlds for whatever reason. Apart from one dig with like 200km to go he just sat in the peloton and did nothing and there’s no way a flying Pog would race like that

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

If I remember it correctly Tratnik was still ahead of the peleton when Evenepoel attacked. Not the kind of situation where Pogacar should be chasing.
Not to mention that despite his impressive results his form wasn´t as good as it is right now. He was getting dropped by Mas just a week later. That´s not happening if Pogacar is anywhere close to his best level.

So, if a countryman is ahead, and one of the big favorites starts to chase him, you are saying the other big favorite being a countrymen of the rider ahead, should not try and mark that chasing rider? That must be a new tactic i had not yet heard of before. And it wasn't Tratnik, but Primozic.

 

[Nick2413]

Wrong. Pog was in superb shape at worlds last year (a race he absolutely targeted) between his win in Montreal and his win at Lombardy. To say otherwise is simply ludicrous.

Now if u said he may have had bad legs on that day, we are then talking some sense.

Fair, but that’s more what I meant, both being on a good day where they can have a proper duel. Opposed to when one of the 2 doesn’t remotely factor into the race.

As for a Pog at Worlds, he’s never really impressed and it’s probably a mix of a lot of factors but it feels like he’s not targeting it, even if he really is.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Yet I'm at awe at Nadal winning RG every single time. I know it's monotone, but there is always a bit of amazement when you are witnessing this kind of greatness.

See my response to the big 4 dominating in tennis has been "boring, go away already" for years now. One Tsonga or Monfils grand slam win would've been infinitely more memorable than all that monotony. I'll take underdogs and surprises any day over robotic winning machines in any sport.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Coming after the era of peak Froome, Pogacar's pedaling style looks normal.

Yeah, Froomey‘s sitting style looked/-s special, too. Froome however pedaled like most do pedal.

Tadej seems to dance, to „run“, on his pedals. In addition to that he wears shoelaces (unlike most), this looks quite dynamic. But also a bit uncomfortable, which it certainly isn‘t.

But the principle is wellknown, at least since Graeme Obree: putting the rider into a not too comfortable bike position, can make him finish faster, if he tolerates it, and if the position offers low wind resistance.

 

[Cassirer]

Froome however pedaled like most do pedal.

Noone pedals like froome, thankfully.

 

[Extinction]

Interesting comment by Maurizio Fondriest in today's la Gazzetta dello Sport, which sort of echoes what Bruyneel said about Tadej winning "too much" and getting the whole field against him:

"I'm curious to see what kind of course UAE will impose on the race, if Pogacar will "make" the race or, having already won so much, he will leave space to the others [on the team] whilst keeping himself for Liege. If I were him, I'd opt for the second hypothesis, because he's already won so much and could become annoying."

Could it be that within che cycling's inner sphere Tadej already has become "annoying"?

Personally I don't think he'll "gift" anything away and that he wants the Ardennes triple-crown, however, there is something to be said about being a modern-day Cannibal and the deleterious effects it could levy upon UAE, which I get the sense is already not the most well-liked team in the pack. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Blanco]

See my response to the big 4 dominating in tennis has been "boring, go away already" for years now. One Tsonga or Monfils grand slam win would've been infinitely more memorable than all that monotony. I'll take underdogs and surprises any day over robotic winning machines in any sport.

There's no big 4...

 

[tobydawq]

There's no big 4...

There certainly was at some point in the early 2010's.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

There certainly was at some point in the early 2010's.

Was McEnroe still playing then?

 

[tobydawq]

Was McEnroe still playing then?

No.

 

[dazaau]

Interesting comment by Maurizio Fondriest in today's la Gazzetta dello Sport, which sort of echoes what Bruyneel said about Tadej winning "too much" and getting the whole field against him:

"I'm curious to see what kind of course UAE will impose on the race, if Pogacar will "make" the race or, having already won so much, he will leave space to the others [on the team] whilst keeping himself for Liege. If I were him, I'd opt for the second hypothesis, because he's already won so much and could become annoying."

Could it be that within che clycling's inner sphere Tadej already has become "annoying"?

Personally I don't think he'll "gift" anything away and that he wants the Ardennes triple-crown, however, there is something to be said about being a modern-day Cannibal and the deleterious effects it could levy upon UAE, which I get the sense is already not the most well-liked team in the pack. Just my 2 cents.

If pog is focusing on Liege, why race a few days before a big race, after just winning a classic a few days ago? You wouldn't. Here to try and win.

Pogi seems very popular. And winning is better than being liked by the peloton.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Going to smoke ‘em all in Liege.