Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

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These 6 seconds will be important

I'm not so sure. The ITT should create some gaps. And then there's Wednesday & Saturday as well. But to be honest 10 seconds is so minimal, everything could be won or lost on a mechanical on a flat stage as well.

I don't know. It looked like script has turned. Reminded me on last year TDF when Vinge had an upper hand. I hope I am wrong.

Rest day tomorrow. Short ITT on Tuesday. Tbh this is way too close to call & one day's certainties regarding which one is stronger is then contradicted (slightly) the next day.

IMO it could also be said Jumbo are sitting way too sure of themselves considering the gap is so miniscule. It's like 2020 but way closer (& remember how Rog took time off Pog on Loze in that Tour as well, yet it didn't matter in the end).
 
I don't know. Pogacar couldn't distance Roglic by a centimeter in 2020, then he destroyed him in the TT. Not saying that's going to happen again but I don't think today means that much for how they'll do on Tuesday.
 
Yep, he must deeply regret letting Yates attack in stage 1.
If the reverse had happened to Vinge you and everyone else would be crying foul and everything always happens to Jumbo.







Another day done that “suites Vinge” and still no time lost. They’re very close together and the time trial should keep it up with one or the other taking a little time, which I think is Pog.

And as said before the start, Adam and Majka are going to be more valuable than Kuss and Kelderman.
 
If the reverse had happened to Vinge you and everyone else would be crying foul and everything always happens to Jumbo.







Another day done that “suites Vinge” and still no time lost. They’re very close together and the time trial should keep it up with one or the other taking a little time, which I think is Pog.

And as said before the start, Adam and Majka are going to be more valuable than Kuss and Kelderman.

To be fair. We don´t know how much the crash took out of Kuss. Or even more likely (looking at Hindley today) how he is going to feel in the coming days. If Kuss isn´t up for the challenge on Loze Jumbo could be in trouble. Unless VIngegaard can do it all by himself he is the one that can set a pace that actually hurts Pogacar.
 
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To be fair. We don´t know how much the crash took out of Kuss. Or even more likely (looking at Hindley today) how he is going to feel in the coming days. If Kuss isn´t up for the challenge on Loze Jumbo could be in trouble. Unless VIngegaard can do it all by himself he is the one that can set a pace that actually hurts Pogacar.
Even before today the only time Kuss and Kelderman looked better was stage 5 and Kuss over Adam on stage 6. Otherwise they’ve been worked since by UAE.
 
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Even before today the only time Kuss and Kelderman looked better was stage 5 and Kuss over Adam on stage 6. Otherwise they’ve been worked since by UAE.

UAE is stronger in the high mountains but even today Benoot was still in the group when Majka was pacing. Kelderman has been off. Worse than WVA on most stages. Jumbo´s big advantage are the big engines WVA + Van Baarle. In the current situation where VIngegaard just needs to stick to Pogs wheel they allow Jumbo to control everything up to the final climb.
 
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UAE is stronger in the high mountains but even today Benoot was still in the group when Majka was pacing. Kelderman has been off. Worse than WVA on most stages. Jumbo´s big advantage are the big engines WVA + Van Baarle. In the current situation where VIngegaard just needs to stick to Pogs wheel they allow Jumbo to control the everything up to the final climb.
High mountains can prove decisive if Pogi can get yellow after ITT.

I just hope we are for a treat in the final week. Today's stage was anticlimax as we got spoiled by some of earlier stages.
 
If the reverse had happened to Vinge you and everyone else would be crying foul and everything always happens to Jumbo.







Another day done that “suites Vinge” and still no time lost. They’re very close together and the time trial should keep it up with one or the other taking a little time, which I think is Pog.

And as said before the start, Adam and Majka are going to be more valuable than Kuss and Kelderman.
16 minute final climbs suit Vingegaard now?
 
I’m not the one saying all these stage suited him, that’s what we’ve been hearing since the start and stage 5.
Exactly. Everything suited Jonas back in those days. Long climbs, high climb, short climbs if the stage was hard, hot, warm and normal weather, the Alps, you name it…

As TDF progressed, only Col de la Loze seems to suit him now. Which may prove to be enough (if true) TBH.

As per yesterday: it was pretty obvious Yates going was a trap and not Pog weakness. If Pog really was weak, UAE would never in a million years use Yates to expose this weakness to his biggest rival. Thumbs up to Vinge for not going for this…
 
Time trial and two more hard mtn stages for Pogačar to overtake Vingegård. He is a more explosive climber, but he can also tick away a grinding pace on longer climbs. IMO, he’a in a strong position to overtake the Dane in the TT, but how will he then ride in the final two mtn stages in yellow?
 
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Time trial and two more hard mtn stages for Pogačar to overtake Vingegård. He is a more explosive climber, but he can also tick away a grinding pace on longer climbs. IMO, he’a in a strong position to overtake the Dane in the TT, but how will he then ride in the final two mtn stages in yellow?
if he takes yellow on the TT he should ride stage 17 in steady control, let Jumbo do the heavy lifting if they want to make it hard, set a decent pace, but nothing too hard, then it's on Jonas to try and drop Pogi and all UAE need to focus on is keeping Pogi fed, cool and hydrated, let the break get the stage win if they want it.

likewise on stage 20 it's all about control, mark Jumbo riders going in the break, but otherwise let it go.
 
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if he takes yellow on the TT he should ride stage 17 in steady control, let Jumbo do the heavy lifting if they want to make it hard, set a decent pace, but nothing too hard, then it's on Jonas to try and drop Pogi and all UAE need to focus on is keeping Pogi fed, cool and hydrated, let the break get the stage win if they want it.

likewise on stage 20 it's all about control, mark Jumbo riders going in the break, but otherwise let it go.
Exactly. I hope he manages to get in yellow after ITT so TJV will be forced to attack (and gamble on counter).
 
I'm a little bit worried about stage 17 for Pog even if he and Vinge were quite equal on stage 14 and 15.
The elevation gain on stage 17 is 5400 meters, 1000m more than on stage 14 and 15, and they go above 2000 on la Loze. A TJV setting a hard pace all day and with a strong Kuss on la Loze, well, then Pog might be in trouble. If Vinge manages to create distance with an attack then I'm worried Pog won't be able to close it on the climb. And then there is the downhill to the finish where I don't see Pog gaining any time on Vingegaard.
 
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I'm a little bit worried about stage 17 for Pog even if he and Vinge were quite equal on stage 14 and 15.
The elevation gain on stage 17 is 5400 meters, 1000m more than on stage 14 and 15, and they go above 2000 on la Loze. A TJV setting a hard pace all day and with a strong Kuss on la Loze, well, then Pog might be in trouble. If Vinge manages to create distance with an attack then I'm worried Pog won't be able to close it on the climb. And then there is the downhill to the finish where I don't see Pog gaining any time on Vingegaard.
Not much to do, if that happens. Just try to minimize the time loss and fight another day.

Whoever recovers best after ITT probably has the upper edge. It is very hard to predict, I think. We can speculate but the one who has the best legs wins. A bad day, when it is so close, for either in the third week and the Tour is lost.
 
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My guess as to why the sting was a bit off Pogi yesterday in his battle with Jonas is due to a distance of 180k compared to other mountain stages 145-160k short races. I think Jonas would've had the upper hand yesterday if stage has been +200k of mountains.
Not solely due to the stage length itself, but mainly due to maybe just a tad better between-stages recovery, of which is essential so deep into the race.
So as regarding Col de la Loze stage to me it is far from written in the book that Vingegaard will take time on Pogi, mainly due to two reasons
1: again a 166k short mountain stage.
2: Pogi has trained serious altitudes in Sierra Nevada just pre tour.
And this year Pogi seems to have worked on his weaknesses here, besides worked a bit of too eager riding last year. Ofcourse the missing of a double-headed TJV monster turns out natural logics here.

But really can't tell. Don't feel I have a qualified guess of final outcome speaking Tour 2023.
Only guess from here is that this Tour edition will be decided by one of them having just a tiny tad of an off-day. Or by bonus secs.
Btw: Though Jonas is my fellow countryman, I'm a big fan of Pogi, IMO the far best ambassador of our sport. And it's not like I dislike Jonas, think he's a really fine guy too, but his introversy may make him some grumpy enemies out in the big crowd...
 
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