Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Medvind]

I think today Pog messed up his fueling. I think he deals with the fatigue quite well. After his initial surge and fast downhill his glycogen dropped and he was begging for a bottle from the moto. That's why he looked miserable on the second climb.

Otherwise he would have smooked Vinge, especially since Vinge already clawed Pog back on Puy Mary...

 

[scribers]

If he went on Pertus, with how strong Vingegaard was, I think Jonas would've been able to go with him there. Maybe the difference is he could've actually won the sprint. Or maybe it would've been the same result because he was still underfueled.

Naw. Pogis team support would have been there. Fueling fixed and pogi outsprints Vingo 10/10

 

[scribers]

You take this a fact just like that? You think a superteam like UAE would screw up fueling after what happened 2022?

Maybe fueling played a part, we just can't take it as a given until we know more.

I’ll take his assessment over most

 

[Medvind]

To be fair (and not judging this particular theory) - UAE is a super rich team but not necessarily a super professional team from all I have seen over the past few years.

Come on, nutrition is crucial nowdays, did they f**k it up in the Giro, LBL, Catalunya?
After what happened 2022, surely they are extra careful.

Sure, I wouldn't rule it out completely.

 

[Lorzenz08]

In the interview toward the end he says he is more prepared for what's coming in the Pyrenees than what was today.
He also said his preparation was more focused on the long climbs.

 

[YavorD]

maybe the penny will drop with UAE that in trying to tire JV they are just exhausting their own guy. Pog needs to follow Vingegaard and try to mark any attacks - JV is not aggressive in nature and prefers to counter

Stages 4 and 5 last year doesn't bode well with that.
Vingegaard is the same as Froome. Ruthless killer who knows when to be aggressive.

 

[KZD]

You may ignore us, doesnt change who will finish at the top of the podium.

Only in July...

Anyway, I think after today, Pogačar and UAE should change their strategy completely. Just ride passively and follow Vingegaard only to counter him in the last meters of the climb, Roglič style.

If Pogačar does this and avoids a bad day, he still has a shot at winning this Tour.

 

[Didinho]

Was hard to watch as a Pogi fan, surely when he had a 30” advantage. Caught his limits and bonked. But he hasn’t lost time so another stage done. If it was a nutrition problem, he could’ve missed a bottle or forget to eat when attacking the descent.

So I still think he will be the best in the last week. Some days to recover. But for now we have a good battle.

 

[ppanther92]

Come on, nutrition is crucial nowdays, did they f**k it up in the Giro, LBL, Catalunya?
After what happened 2022, surely they are extra careful.

Sure, I wouldn't rule it out completely.

No (and again not claiming its what happened), but its easier to not *** up things if you are in total control and easily the best, as opposed to someone really putting stress on you.

 

[Miha81]

Was hard to watch as a Pogi fan, surely when he had a 30” advantage. Caught his limits and bonked. But he hasn’t lost time so another stage done.

Still think he will be the best in the last week. But for now we have a good battle.

Not a good day in the office for sure. But imagine being him. In probably best shape of your life and still with no recipe how to crack your toughest opponent in July. Sooner or later they will have to consider smart over hard.

 

[Peyroteo94]

No (and again not claiming its what happened), but its easier to not *** up things if you are in total control and easily the best, as opposed to someone really putting stress on you.

This. Pogacar knows he can obliterate everyone when Vingo is not there so it's hard for him to mess things up. On the other hand when Vingo is there, he gets too nervous and more susceptible to mistakes.

 

[meat puppet]

Also wonder what mou would say now, after attacking everyone that said Pogacar does exactly what he did the years before already.

Just a fleshwound. Poga masterfully lured Vinge into believing, but now it's 8,4wtf / kg incoming.

 

[BullsFan22]

I have to question some of the moves on the gravel stage. Today’s move was good, IMO. He was able to gain good time (again) on the top of the climb and then keep the momentum on the downhills and flats, but clearly had a bit of a bonk in the final stages. I hope he can temper his enthusiasm before the race hits the toughest part, with the high mountains coming up plus the time trial. I don’t see Jonas cracking, but you never know.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He should be quiet in stage 14. Stage 15 looks to be a very important stage for Vingo.

 

[Hugh Januss]

This. Pogacar knows he can obliterate everyone when Vingo is not there so it's hard for him to mess things up. On the other hand when Vingo is there, he gets too nervous and more susceptible to mistakes.

Vingo profits from Pogacar's mistakes, everyone else is blown away by them.

 

[Miha81]

Just a fleshwound. Poga masterfully lured Vinge into believing, but now it's 8,4wtf / kg incoming.

It always is

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7161451684831481134

View: https://www.tiktok.com/@deansteinman12/video/7161451684831481134

 

[red_flanders]

I see a lot of folks on this forum and in the media suggesting he go conservative. I mean...why would anyone want to see that? Are folks so invested in him winning that they don't want to see him make this race incredible like he did today? I mean...I'm sure it would be the safer play in some instances. I just can't see why anyone would actually want to see the best, most attacking rider of this or 3 previous generations ride any other way.

Anyway, doesn't matter. Dude is gonna do his thing. More power to 'im. Absolutely love his attitude and style.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I see a lot of folks on this forum and in the media suggesting he go conservative. I mean...why would anyone want to see that? Are folks so invested in him winning that they don't want to see him make this race incredible like he did today? I mean...I'm sure it would be the safer play in some instances. I just can't see why anyone would actually want to see the best, most attacking rider of this or 3 previous generations ride any other way.

Anyway, doesn't matter. Dude is gonna do his thing. More power to 'im.

No, but Vingo can put on a show too. We are always relying on Pogacar to make the race and everybody else? They aren't part of this Tour?

 

[Skalman]

Another year, another Tour de France defeat. Need to rethink his strategy going into the Tour in the Future if he wants to win it.

 

[red_flanders]

No, but Vingo can put on a show too. We are always relying on Pogacar to make the race and everybody else? They aren't part of this Tour?

Uh...wut?

I'm sure I didn't remotely suggest or imply anything of the sort.

 

[Medvind]

I think he pulled much harder on the descent of Puy Mary than anyone else. Gained 36 seconds on that descent, you're not gonna convince me that is all down to cornering.

I'd expect that over the full Puy Mary-Peyrol section, Pogacar did higher W/kg on average than Vingegaard

He actually hinted at this in his interview after the stage. Said he might have pushed too hard on the descent and that he paid for it a bit on the penultimate climb. He also said that when he noticed that Vinge was closing the gap he sat up a bit, because he thought Vinge were going to catch him on the last climb anyway and also to save his legs for the sprint for bonus sprint. Didn't say anything about lack of fueling.

It was a hard hard day and Pog rode strong, sure he showed a bit of weakness, but hell he is also a human.

The expectations on Pog are always superhigh, and when he doesn't meet them, people always presume something is wrong with him.

 

[ppanther92]

I see a lot of folks on this forum and in the media suggesting he go conservative. I mean...why would anyone want to see that? Are folks so invested in him winning that they don't want to see him make this race incredible like he did today? I mean...I'm sure it would be the safer play in some instances. I just can't see why anyone would actually want to see the best, most attacking rider of this or 3 previous generations ride any other way.

Anyway, doesn't matter. Dude is gonna do his thing. More power to 'im. Absolutely love his attitude and style.

I would like him to win a 3rd Tour. So if he races 1 week conservatively for that goal, I am going to take it.

 

[meat puppet]

Sooner or later they will have to consider smart over hard.

That's very mean of you.

Anyway, more generally, what the what? He still has an advantage, Vinge might implode, and I read in this very thread that he is the GOAT.

 

[ppanther92]

Another year, another Tour de France defeat.

Ok, lets not get jump to overly early conclusions. After all, he is still leading. I slightly see the odds in Vingegaard's favour as well but its also far from lost.

 

[Miha81]

That's very mean of you.

Anyway, more generally, what the what? He still has an advantage, Vinge might implode, and I read in this very thread that he is the GOAT.

Why mean? He must realise that TDF is the race where he will likely meet tough opponent in top shape year after year.

It always comes back to the definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

I did not say the Tour is over but would not bet significant amount on Pogi to still have yellow after finish in Nice.