Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Salvarani]

It must be hard being a Pog hater. I mean if you’d have to choose to hate one rider, from the satisfactory rate POV - to choose Pog is a really bad choice. And all you and @Berniece are left with is Merckx. The final frontier. The impenetrable fortress of greatness never to be conquered by another living soul… But guess what… Each year that passes by, the voices are louder. First they were a mere subtle whispers, hinting the possible similarity. Couple of years later, we are talking Pog vs Merckx on daily basis. This really isn’t going your way, that’s all I’m saying…

You have a point, sir.

And right as you post this... providing some actual perspective on it... they start attacking you instead. Board is in a sad state.

 

[Berniece]

Of course Pogacar is nowhere near Merckx when we talk about GOAT status. Pogacar needs more big wins to be the number one. I think it all depends on Vingegaard. Pogacar with 5 Tours, 3 Giros and 1 Vuelta and more big classics (like the world championship and 5 or 6 monuments), he is the GOAT but I can't see him winning 5 Tours.

If Vingegaard and Pogacar stay the best like they have been the past 2-3 years. I mean if the gap keeps to be this big with the next riders in GT's, I can see him win 5 Tours. It'll just be easier for Vingegaard because it's his only goal, while Pogacar goes for a much more diverse palmares.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Another day without any troubles and he is racing smartly now. Tomorrow and Prati di Tivo are where he must put the hammer down and close the GC. Try to manage his efforts in the second and third week will be important for the Tour.

 

[Oldermanish]

They got to the stage where the gap was 20 seconds with 4km to go. All they need to do is 4km working on the front then they get a stage win basically. I don't know why they didn't

Looking at the highlights at that point and until nearly 2km Movistar had 3 guys pretty much gumming up any group rotation. The road was narrow so it would've taken at least 3 guys faster and more dedicated than Plapp to make a dent in the gap and there weren't. Piccolo's attack had no chance, but was likely a diversion to a group pursuit as well.
No need for any GC guys to chase unless they were at risk from Luke Plapps's 29 second time gain. Better to rest for TT like folks ahead of me in the responses have said and not crash.

 

[dazaau]

He showed more restraint in stage 6 than I thought possible. Good sign for the double.

 

[Cookster15]

He showed more restraint in stage 6 than I thought possible. Good sign for the double.

A good sign for the double but an even better sign for the next two crucial days.

 

[Peyroteo94]

A good sign for the double but an even better sign for the next two crucial days.

Let see if he can produce a 3 minute gap to Thomas in the next 2 stages.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Let see if he can produce a 3 minute gap to Thomas in the next 2 stages.

That would be crazy, if he takes one minute in the TT, he‘d need to take two minutes on the MTF, impossible

 

[dazaau]

That would be crazy, if he takes one minute in the TT, he‘d need to take two minutes on the MTF, impossible

The prophet mou and last years TDF ITT result in which Jonas put 3min into third place WVA have sent expectations into the stratosphere And Jonas is coming back, so it's practically a necessity!

 

[Berniece]

Let see if he can produce a 3 minute gap to Thomas in the next 2 stages.

Do you mean the gap in total? From 46s now to 3min? Thus taking 2min 14s over the next two stages? Or really 3min extra? I don't see the last one happening. If you think he would, on which stage does he take how much time?

 

[Blanco]

And Vingegaard is in my opinion a superior cyclist to Pigeon, Gimondi, Zoetmelk, and Poulidor.

To Pingeon he certainly is.
To Poulidor and Zoetemelk he could be.
To Gimondi, he needs much more.

 

[Peyroteo94]

That would be crazy, if he takes one minute in the TT, he‘d need to take two minutes on the MTF, impossible

Nah mate. I was saying a 3 minute gap in the GC including these 47 seconds he already has. He "just" needs 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I think 2.13 minutes to Thomas is feasible. Hard but feasible.

 

[BigCoward]

The final climb on Saturday is pretty regular and not too steep, not the best climb for putting major time into Thomas.
I'd expect about 90 seconds over the 2 stages at the most.

 

[Lequack]

UAE have made a "backstage pass" video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyBUyb7OxYw

 

[Gigs_98]

Great win. By far the strongest today and he'll likely have 3 minutes going into week 2. Best case scenario for trying to conserve energy in the final two weeks.

 

[Didinho]

He’s gonna be 3 days earlier in Rome.

What an impressive climb. Now stay safe untill the end.

 

[Roku]

And Vingegaard is in my opinion a superior cyclist to Pigeon, Gimondi, Zoetmelk, and Poulidor.

At the moment he would be inferior, palmares-wise, than Zoetemelk or Poulidor, let alone Gimondi who is lightyears away from Vingegaard.

 

[BigCoward]

Riders who have won back to back TT - MTF?

 

[Red Rick]

Riders who have won back to back TT - MTF?

On consecutive days or consecutive GC days?

 

[BigCoward]

On consecutive days or consecutive GC days?

Consecutive days. And I mean either way TT-MTF or MTF-TT.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Giro done. He can go into rest mode now for the TDF. Do some training intervals in the stages he wants

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

Easy to win when you're granted the unfair advantage of having pants of a different color.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Giro done. He can go into rest mode now for the TDF. Do some training intervals in the stages he wants

Will be over after tomorrow. One minute and GG

 

[solo80k]

Thomas' ITTs were really good in the 2022 Tour and 2023 Giro, he should never lose 2 minutes normally.

I was quite correct actually looking at GC. But to be honest, Thomas wasn't even close to his past ITT level. Martinez surprised me positively. The giro is far from over... at least until tomorrow. 😂