Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

We will have answers in two days. We will have rain so he can win the Tour in these 2 stages, specially in Tourmalet. I can definetly see Pogacar attacking and make a 60 km solo. Jumbo have no answers for Yates in the mountains. At least, until the Alps where Kuss will be in top shape.

 

[Nick2413]

We will have answers in two days. We will have rain so he can win the Tour in these 2 stages, specially in Tourmalet. I can definetly see Pogacar attacking and make a 60 km solo. Jumbo have no answers for Yates in the mountains. At least, until the Alps where Kuss will be in top shape.

You think Pog is taking minutes on Jonas on Tourmalet?

 

[Peyroteo94]

You think Pog is taking minutes on Jonas on Tourmalet?

If it is raining? 2 minutes in everyone bar Vingegaard is a sure bet. 30 seconds to Vingegaard is very possible (I will say again, if it is raining). After Tourmalet, both will do a TT to the line and give the edge to Pogacar if this situation happens.

 

[Andy schleck]

We will have answers in two days. We will have rain so he can win the Tour in these 2 stages, specially in Tourmalet. I can definetly see Pogacar attacking and make a 60 km solo. Jumbo have no answers for Yates in the mountains. At least, until the Alps where Kuss will be in top shape.

Jumbo don't need a answer to adam yates in the mountains. He is not gonna deliver anything. He is better in one week races than in grand tours. Majka will help more pogacar than yates. Even kelderman does better GC tours than adam yates.

 

[Nick2413]

If it is raining? 2 minutes in everyone bar Vingegaard is a sure bet. 30 seconds to Vingegaard is very possible (I will say again, if it is raining). After Tourmalet, both will do a TT to the line and give the edge to Pogacar if this situation happens.

I don’t think the rain has that much of an effect. Long high mountains trump rain for Pog. More likely he gets slightly dropped then comes back on the descent and wins the mountain sprint for the stage.

 

[Rob5091]

Hmm... did he have that stuff on his arm yesterday?

Yes.

 

[Lorzenz08]

I don’t think the rain has that much of an effect. Long high mountains trump rain for Pog. More likely he gets slightly dropped then comes back on the descent and wins the mountain sprint for the stage.

I agree but Tourmalet is "only" 80km into the stage, I think Pog should be fresh enough to not have it be a big factor. I think Tourmalet won't be an issue at all.

 

[solo80k]

Jumbo don't need a answer to adam yates in the mountains. He is not gonna deliver anything. He is better in one week races than in grand tours. Majka will help more pogacar than yates. Even kelderman does better GC tours than adam yates.

I think UAE is ready to isolate Jonas pretty easily - we saw it already on stage 2 with Majka and Yates setting a furious pace. The problem is different - can Pog deliver a final blow? Therefore using Yates as decoy to make simultaneous attacks can be beneficial (at least if Yates survive until real mountains).

 

[Rob5091]

I think UAE is ready to isolate Jonas pretty easily - we saw it already on stage 2 with Majka and Yates setting a furious pace. The problem is different - can Pog deliver a final blow? Therefore using Yates as decoy to make simultaneous attacks can be beneficial (at least if Yates survive until real mountains).

Vingegaard and Pogacar have been very equally matched. Last year Jumbo had Roglic, now with a stronger UAE and without Roglic, Vingegaard is going to be isolated often. Kuss especially needs to step up his game for Jumbo.

 

[Andy schleck]

I think UAE is ready to isolate Jonas pretty easily - we saw it already on stage 2 with Majka and Yates setting a furious pace. The problem is different - can Pog deliver a final blow? Therefore using Yates as decoy to make simultaneous attacks can be beneficial (at least if Yates survive until real mountains).

Stage 2 it was a medium mountain stage. Things will be different in the real mountains. I think it will be a mano a mano between the two. Kelderman and kuss will be at the same level of yates and majka.

 

[Ripper]

I am not 100% sure wtf UAE are doing right now, tbh. They are burning matches unnecessarily, and way to go telegraphing Yates' role. At least they've cleared up some mystery

 

[Nick2413]

Will stage 5 be the first attempt to take time, or is the goal going to be purely about bonus seconds and limiting time losses?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Will stage 5 be the first attempt to take time, or is the goal going to be purely about bonus seconds and limiting time losses?

Pog will attack at the end of MB for bonuses and continue only if there's no Vinge on his wheel. Normally even Pog & Vinge action to distance the rest of GC would be possible (MB is hard) but Vinge doesn't give a s**t about other GC guys and is not willing to cooperate with Pog (likely rating his sprinting chances against the Slovenian very low).

 

[ontheroad]

A fully fit Pog never got any more than a 2 metre gap on Vingegaard during last years Tour.

His best chance might still be to hoover up bonus seconds, win the TT and put the onus back onto Vingegaard to attack in the high mountains. We still don’t know what shape Pog is in but he didn’t have the ideal preparation anyway.

 

[Lequack]

I wish I could be as relaxed as Pog in a cold bath

 

[Peyroteo94]

Today, he was clearly afraid of crashing. Didn't try to be in the front, avoiding chaos and fights for position.
Tomorrow is a big day for him, the first real flat stage where every sprinter will try to win. I really fear a massive crash but just hope UAE protects Pogi at all cost.

 

[Netserk]

Will stage 5 be the first attempt to take time, or is the goal going to be purely about bonus seconds and limiting time losses?

I think UAE will be the only team interested in bringing the break back, while many riders will have a go.

 

[Escarabajo]

I am not 100% sure wtf UAE are doing right now, tbh. They are burning matches unnecessarily, and way to go telegraphing Yates' role. At least they've cleared up some mystery

What mistery? there is no mistery. Vingo was never going to react to Adam Yates attacks. And that was clear in the first 2 stages.
And Vingo was not going to react to Adam as Pogi reacted to Roglic.

 

[Lorzenz08]

Will stage 5 be the first attempt to take time, or is the goal going to be purely about bonus seconds and limiting time losses?

I think stage 5 looks too easy, only 5th day, first climb is only 70km in so everyone will be fresh to respond to attacks, and the last climb is too soft for monsters like Pog or Vingo to crack imo.
There will probably be few try, but I doubt any will result in a gap.

Stage 6 looks more suited for gaps to happen, but I feel like it's still only the 6th day, legs are still fresh...

Idk many people expect a lot of those stages, but I'm inclined to say that nothing special will happen. Pog to win by sprint.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Offline]

Today, he was clearly afraid of crashing. Didn't try to be in the front, avoiding chaos and fights for position.
Tomorrow is a big day for him, the first real flat stage where every sprinter will try to win. I really fear a massive crash but just hope UAE protects Pogi at all cost.

Mikkel Bjerg said to Eurosport that it was little to crazy today and they didn't want to risk anything.
Tomorrow will be tricky!

 

[Andy schleck]

I think stage 5 looks too easy, only 5th day, first climb is only 70km in so everyone will be fresh to respond to attacks, and the last climb is too soft for monsters like Pog or Vingo to crack imo.
There will probably be few try, but I doubt any will result in a gap.

Stage 6 looks more suited for gaps to happen, but I feel like it's still only the 6th day, legs are still fresh...

Idk many people expect a lot of those stages, but I'm inclined to say that nothing special will happen. Pog to win by sprint.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

I believe stage 6 will be a surprise for many people. I bet that jumbo will make the race hard on aspin and above all on tourmalet. I think vingegaard will test pogacar on tourmalet.

 

[Red Rick]

I think UAE will be the only team interested in bringing the break back, while many riders will have a go.

Are there bonus seconds on MB?

To me it looks like the first place where Vingegaard may attack himself. Better spot than stage 6, and I wouldn't like waiting till Puy de Dome.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

And yet still wasting energy like last year

Atleast the times he’s been wasting energy this year has resulted in seconds gained.
Last year he sprinted full gas to the line on both stages before the Granon without it being bonusseconds up for grabs…

 

[Netserk]

Are there bonus seconds on MB?

To me it looks like the first place where Vingegaard may attack himself. Better spot than stage 6, and I wouldn't like waiting till Puy de Dome.

Yes for bonuses. Catching the break would put the bonus seconds on the line in play, where Pogi will gain more than Vingegaard can gain on the climb. If he is strong enough to solo home, he is strong enough to wait another day.

I'd sit back and relax, depending on the composition try to put Benoot in the break. Likewise for stage 6. If Pogi wants the bonus seconds in play, they can chase all day.

 

[Andy schleck]

Are there bonus seconds on MB?

To me it looks like the first place where Vingegaard may attack himself. Better spot than stage 6, and I wouldn't like waiting till Puy de Dome.

I disagree, i think tourmalet is a better place to vingegaard attack, or in the last 5 km of cambasque after jumbo make the race hard on tourmalet until that last 5 km of cambasque.

MB is 17 km from the finish and a short climb for vingegaard. It's not worth for vingegaard try to go to the bonus with a attack. Pogi is very good in climbs like MB.