Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[CyclistAbi]

In my opinion the most optimal Tour preparations doesn't involve heavy spring campaign. But then again you don't necessarily need to put such emphasis on the Tour. Due to Pogi having a successful spring campaign i don't feel that not winning the Tour this year is the worst thing.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Next year likely more light spring schedule and only doing PR before the Tour.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Next year likely more light spring schedule and only doing PR before the Tour.

XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

 

[Lorzenz08]

In a french interview, UAE Mauro Gianetti answered the question

- " Did you believe Tadej was at some point at 100% fitness ? "

- " No ! we have well monitored the situation, and we knew he was good, we knew he could be good for a 1 week race, but we knew that the necessary work volume to win the TdF is much more, even though we still hoped..."

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joDbFsINWJ4

 

[Savant12]

Is Pog riding the Vuelta? The Tour was probably a good training block for him post-injury.

 

[Rob5091]

He opted out of the Aalst criterium because he's too tired.

Tadej obviously forgot to mention that after Saturday's win -
“I finally feel like myself again. It was good to feel good again from start to finish after many days of suffering,”

 

[Rob5091]

In a french interview, UAE Mauro Gianetti answered the question

- " Did you believe Tadej was at some point at 100% fitness ? "

- " No ! we have well monitored the situation, and we knew he was good, we knew he could be good for a 1 week race, but we knew that the necessary work volume to win the TdF is much more, even though we still hoped..."

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joDbFsINWJ4

So a guy who was never at 100% came 2nd at the Tour? Holy Moly!
Sean Kelly was right though - Tadej was riding on fumes in week 3.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

As far as GT's are concerned it looks like Pogi is focused on Tour for foreseeable future. For example he would really like to do a Giro but is 90% he will do the Tour again next year. For Slovenians Giro is/was always a bit special GT. Likely due to proximity and emotions and history and ... But Tour is still a priority for now.

Does his spring campaign interfere with the Tour? Likely. But then again if it's a successful spring campaign it still can be justified. The main problems i see are he has to peak and he got injured. That for sure affects the Tour. It's unavoidable. Then there are things like weight. For classics you need a bit more then for the Tour. And the window to get shredded is rather narrow and not optimal. Losing for example muscle. All in all i feel that Pogi and Remco won't sacrifice spring classics for the Tour for now.

As for the Tour. JV again tried on stage 6 to crack Pogi. In the same way as stage 11 last year. Pogi could cope just fine this year. After two weeks of racing the difference was not big. Then came the ITT. Queen stage was likely an after effect of the ITT. So finding answers in regards to ITT. Why Jonas finished that far ahead considering Pogi did a really good ITT. This will needed to get answered and addressed. And then there is the idea to drop Jonas by always being active and attacking. This likely won't work either. If it didn't work in the past two Tour editions hence best to acknowledge it and to try something else.

All in all you should accept defeat as a means of improving in the future. And improving doesn't necessarily come down to saying i will do everything exactly the same again. You are too young for that. As for the ideas on how Pogi isn't a GT rider now anymore. Finishing second at the Tour twice. That is just ludicrous.

Yup, 2 weeks were really good but in the 3rd week sth was missing. As Gianetti and Milan said, more preparation perhaps (also the crash didn't help on that Loze stage). As for the ITT, it was amazing by Vinge anyway so nothing could be done about it (but he could've limited his loss better methinks). As for his racing program it's optimal right now: he makes the most of his abilities to win various races. Next year maybe Roubaix instead of Amstel and Fleche (which he won this year). I don't think spring classics mess with the Tour: he can still have a very good preparation if he avoids any setbacks.

 

[Peter von]

Yup, 2 weeks were really good but in the 3rd week sth was missing. As Gianetti and Milan said, more preparation perhaps (also the crash didn't help on that Loze stage). As for the ITT, it was amazing by Vinge anyway so nothing could be done about it (but he could've limited his loss better methinks). As for his racing program it's optimal right now: he makes the most of his abilities to win various races. Next year maybe Roubaix instead of Amstel and Fleche (which he won this year). I don't think spring classics mess with the Tour: he can still have a very good preparation if he avoids any setbacks.

Yeah, one can put a lot of faith in Vingegaard having a special day with the ITT, but even so, if it's just that 1:30 loss we still have a pretty open race.

Would be fun on one hand Pogi pointed out he needed to be heavier for Roubaix, on the other hand if he ends his spring schedule there he will have two more weeks to prepare the Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, one can put a lot of faith in Vingegaard having a special day with the ITT, but even so, if it's just that 1:30 loss we still have a pretty open race.

Would be fun on one hand Pogi pointed out he needed to be heavier for Roubaix, on the other hand if he ends his spring schedule there he will have two more weeks to prepare the Tour.

Being heavier for Roubaix is such a 90's thing.

Worse riders close to Pogs weight have come close to winning it.

He should just show up at Vlaanderen weight and do it.

 

[Peter von]

Being heavier for Roubaix is such a 90's thing.

Worse riders close to Pogs weight have come close to winning it.

He should just show up at Vlaanderen weight and do it.

yeah maybe. He said it himself, but he was also telling why he wasn't doing P-R so was probably easier to just say that than go into a whole explanation of altitude camp schedules and sponsor whishes and everything that goes into making his schedule.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

yeah maybe. He said it himself, but he was also telling why he wasn't doing P-R so was probably easier to just say that than go into a whole explanation of altitude camp schedules and sponsor whishes and everything that goes into making his schedule.

The fact the he won both Amstel and Fleche this year (so he ticked them) makes PR much more probable next year. Just go for monuments in April: Flandres, Roubaix and Liege.

 

[Peter von]

The fact the he won both Amstel and Fleche this year (so he ticked them) makes PR much more probable next year. Just go for monuments in April: Flandres, Roubaix and Liege.

yeah, could be. Crazy at that age to have palmares where winning another Amstel or Fleche doesn't really move the needle.

Could be awesome if he went for PR, but yeah giving greater focus on hilly classics is also understandable.

 

[Miha81]

Is Pog riding the Vuelta? The Tour was probably a good training block for him post-injury.

He is not going to Vualta according to UAE team boss.

 

[Rob5091]

Going from what happened this year (not doing UAE Tour despite being the "home race", the Spring schedule delay, and busting his wrist at LBL) I'd expect a lighter race schedule, but one which Pogacar has a bigger say in.

 

[yaco]

Going from what happened this year (not doing UAE Tour despite being the "home race", the Spring schedule delay, and busting his wrist at LBL) I'd expect a lighter race schedule, but one which Pogacar has a bigger say in.

Pogacar always does a light racing schedule . he had 21 race days before the TDF and as a comparison Vingegaard did 25 days, A.Yates, 35, S.Yates 23 and Rodriguez 20

 

[Rob5091]

Pogacar always does a light racing schedule . he had 21 race days before the TDF and as a comparison Vingegaard did 25 days, A.Yates, 35, S.Yates 23 and Rodriguez 20

Pogacar was doing more one day races the others more week long stage races, but anyway, I was thinking more of the number of races.

 

[Red Rick]

Total race days is simply not a great metric. You rack them up easily in stage races where half the stages are simply quite easy.

Meanwhile, I wonder if Pogacar shouldn't just take a more MvdP approach to the spring and not go full gas in Ruta del Sol and Paris Nice.

 

[tobydawq]

Just ride the Sean Kelly schedule.

Paris-Nice, Milan-Sanremo, Critérium International, De Panne, De Ronde, Itzulia, Roubaix, Ardennes triple.

Kelly managed to win PN, Itzulia, PR and LBL from that schedule and came second in MSR and De Ronde.

Not so much beating around the bush (Critérium International could be tricky as it isn't held, but oh well).

Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly (born 1956-05-24 in Waterford) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Ireland, active between 1972 and 1994. His best results are 7 wins in GC Paris-Nice and 16 stage wins in Vuelta a España.

www.procyclingstats.com

Edit: He would obviously have to do Strade before PN.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Total race days is simply not a great metric. You rack them up easily in stage races where half the stages are simply quite easy.

Meanwhile, I wonder if Pogacar shouldn't just take a more MvdP approach to the spring and not go full gas in Ruta del Sol and Paris Nice.

I think his level is just so incredibly high that it's impossible for him not to do well in races like that.

 

[Peter von]

Just ride the Sean Kelly schedule.

Paris-Nice, Milan-Sanremo, Critérium International, De Panne, De Ronde, Itzulia, Roubaix, Ardennes triple.

Kelly managed to win PN, Itzulia, PR and LBL from that schedule and came second in MSR and De Ronde.

Not so much beating around the bush (Critérium International could be tricky as it isn't held, but oh well).

Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly (born 1956-05-24 in Waterford) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Ireland, active between 1972 and 1994. His best results are 7 wins in GC Paris-Nice and 16 stage wins in Vuelta a España.

www.procyclingstats.com

Race finally decided they had found the optimal winner.

 

[Rob5091]

Meanwhile, I wonder if Pogacar shouldn't just take a more MvdP approach to the spring and not go full gas in Ruta del Sol and Paris Nice.

Sounds like something UAE management would like but, I've got a feeling Pogacar's natural "exuberance" would have a hard time restraining itself. I can not help but chuckle thinking of UAE management's reaction if Pogacar decides he wants to do Paris-Roubaix.

 

[Sybrand]

Is there already any news regarding WC participation?

That he's skipping post-Tour criteria might be an indiciation he is starting.

 

[Aimar16]

Is there already any news regarding WC participation?

That he's skipping post-Tour criteria might be an indiciation he is starting.

I have no idea about the World Championships, but his participation in that joke European Mountain TT race this weekend makes no sense

 

[Red Rick]

I have no idea about the World Championships, but his participation in that joke European Mountain TT race this weekend makes no sense

Appearance fee + probably better training, maybe a bit more fun than a Tour crit I guess.