Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

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There is always another talent that will appear by the time the big guys age out. Perhaps someone even more so insurmountable for pogi
 

Aimar16

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There is always another talent that will appear by the time the big guys age out. Perhaps someone even more so insurmountable for pogi

New talent is always coming in, but it's unlikely that anyone is going to be bossing the spring in their very early 20s
 
Apr 8, 2023
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Pogacar did well on the cobble stage of 2022 Tour - worth a relook if you're bored with a couple of hours to spare. How well he would do at P-R though is tough to say. He would need some luck and get into a good break with some distance to go, as no one would drag Pogacar to the finish.
 
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Dec 28, 2010
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New talent is always coming in, but it's unlikely that anyone is going to be bossing the spring in their very early 20s
When it comes to Paris-Roubaix, they don't quite need to. Some Roubaix talents emerge later. It usually requires some experience. Ganna had his first proper crack at Roubaix this year and finished in the front group. Philipsen too, but I don't quite see him becoming a Roubaix monster.

It's such a peculiar race that I don't see Pogacar bossing it like the races where he can use his uphill acceleration. Winning it once is not totally out of the question with some luck and maybe some important DNS-es, but I feel there are other riders who require less luck than Pogacar to win this race, for a change.
 

Aimar16

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When it comes to Paris-Roubaix, they don't quite need to. Some Roubaix talents emerge later. It usually requires some experience. Ganna had his first proper crack at Roubaix this year and finished in the front group. Philipsen too, but I don't quite see him becoming a Roubaix monster.

Being in the first group or winning it are two different things. Neither Ganna nor Philipsen had a realistic chance of winning it.
 
Dec 28, 2010
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Being in the first group or winning it are two different things. Neither Ganna nor Philipsen had a realistic chance of winning it.
That's not what I said. But it's a good performance in their first proper attempt. Van Aert also needed quite a few attempts before he got close to the podium. And until 2020 it wasn't really obvious that he was going to become an absolute beast in the classics. My point is you don't need to break through in your early twenties. That's way too early to be written off as a classics talent. And all this is quite a minor point in the Pogacar for Roubaix discussion anyway. :D
 
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Aimar16

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My point is you don't need to break through in your early twenties. That's way too early to be written off as a classics talent.

You're going completely off with my post

New talent is always coming in, but it's unlikely that anyone is going to be bossing the spring in their very early 20s

You replied to this post. Which was my comment about when MvdP and WvA start to decline and Pog is still at a good age there is a low chance that those who are then in their early twenties will be a force like MvdP and WvA are now. So Pog has a better chance of winning....
 
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You replied to this post. Which was my comment about when MvdP and WvA start to decline and Pog is still at a good age there is a low chance that those who are then in their early twenties will be a force like MvdP and WvA are now. So Pog has a better chance of winning....
Yes, and I tried to counter that argument with my view that some riders who are now in their early twenties might emerge as classics stars who might pose similar problems for Pog in an eventual Roubaix bid as MvdP and WvA would do now. That's why I compared with pre-breakthrough WvA, who in his early years didn't look quite like he would reach the level he has. It was only when he started winning time trials and bunch sprints just before his 25th birthday in 2019 that he gave hints of becoming a proper beast, and he confirmed it in spring 2020. So I'm not convinced that Pog doesn't have to face a new WvA or two when the real one starts declining. We don't know yet.
 

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If MVDP had gone down in the Degenkolb crash, is it inconceivable that Philipsen could have won?

Sentences starting with 'if' are completely pointless. Especially in sport. If MvdP had crashed it would have been a completely different last 15km.
 
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Sentences starting with 'if' are completely pointless. Especially in sport. If MvdP had crashed it would have been a completely different last 15km.
Do you believe in causality? Better believe in counterfactuals too then.
 
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Aimar16

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Do you believe in causality? Better believe in counterfactuals too then.

I believe in common sense, and I'm sure WvA and Pedersen wouldn't have killed themselves on the asphalt road sections if they were leading and MvdP was minutes behind.
 
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Yes, and I tried to counter that argument with my view that some riders who are now in their early twenties might emerge as classics stars who might pose similar problems for Pog in an eventual Roubaix bid as MvdP and WvA would do now. That's why I compared with pre-breakthrough WvA, who in his early years didn't look quite like he would reach the level he has. It was only when he started winning time trials and bunch sprints just before his 25th birthday in 2019 that he gave hints of becoming a proper beast, and he confirmed it in spring 2020. So I'm not convinced that Pog doesn't have to face a new WvA or two when the real one starts declining. We don't know yet.
Give it two, three years and King Albert is ready to dominate these kinds of races. Pog might as well give up.
 
Jul 25, 2022
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No need to give up cycling, just stick to MTB
Yes, you would think that as two time euro MTB champ. But looking at his career so far with national RR/ITT/MTB/CX titles in 23 as well as Euro ITT and the youngest WC junior champ ever. I still think after his abyssal showing in PR it's just game over, might as well stop.
 
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Aimar16

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Yes, you would think that as two time euro MTB champ. But looking at his career so far with national RR/ITT/MTB/CX titles in 23 as well as Euro ITT and the youngest WC junior champ ever. I still think after his abyssal showing in PR it's just game over, might as well stop.

This is very unfair. Not everyone can be as talented as Pog who finished 13th in the Roubaix Juniors
 
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Jul 11, 2022
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Well then he might as well quit cycling. Weakling will never amount to anything.
In a podcast he said he punctured twice in P-R and his rim on the front wheel was destroyed. After the second puncture he got on a spare bike with a standard road setup which felt awful. He was then caught behind a few crashes and crashed himself on Carrefour de l'Arbre. He gave up.

To be continued in 2024 :)
 
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