Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[scribers]

It is the depressing tit for tat fighting in this very forum that depresses me, I am of course going to watch the cycling because I love it! but the fighting here is very depressing

My apologies. I like to goof around more than fight. 99% of the time no one can be right because a situation is unprovable. But when it is, I am right 99% of the time!

 

[scribers]

If Politt says so, it must be true. He smiles 😁

I heard the dude smiles in his sleep

 

[scribers]

Let me debunk the fatigue element that people here are talking about when mentioning Pog at the Vuelta.
If Pog decides to go to the Vuelta he would need to hit hard on 2-3 days and then control the race. His training efforts are harder than controlling a field with no Evenepoel, Vingegaard and an injured Roglic. The Vuelta ends on the 8th September and if he wins he won't need to do World's and Lombardia. He can go on a 3 month holiday. He will be completely fresh by Paris-Nice next year. He would have achieved the impossible and be the first in history. This would make him a legend.
Now the second choice: World's and Lombardia. He would probably start training gradually one or two weeks from now and in September he should be doing monster efforts to achieve a peak in form. He would need to keep that form until the 12th October - the date of Lombardia. So that gives him one month less of holiday compared to the Vuelta schedule. His season would be legendary but nothing compared to a Grand Tour Treble.
Sepp Kuss this year in the spring was performing on his usual level. I don't think it was Vuelta fatigue. You need to look at his previous seasons to see that. Him performing bad at the Dauphine was because he was sick.
The real reason they probably won't send Pog to the Vuelta is team politics. If Pog goes and doesn't give a chance to Almeida and Yates for their own glory there is a chance that next year they will soft pull for him and won't be as loyal. Mauro knows this, Pog knows this, Matxin knows this but they will play the Vuelta fatigue card to the viewers.

OTOH. If they set aside their personal ambitions, they can have opportunities next year. Pog rides the Tour and focuses on classics and one week stage races for just that calendar year. Honestly, they seem to be leaning that 2025 schedule from bits and pieces that I can find and glean, TBD.

Also, money talks. I don't think ASO gives out participation fees for the Tour, but maybe the Vuelta? Spread that around to the top lieutenants. UAE can do contract extensions and performance bonuses for cooperating. There are always work around for the team dynamics when legendary achievement opportunity presents itself.

 

[James M]

Dropping nukes uphill and downhill

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[hayneplane]

The pink bike and Trofeo Senza Fine

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Tour is far more prestigious but Giro has a much better winners trophy

 

[bNator]

He was only a GT rider but he still is way above Pogacar in palmares.

Two Tours and 1 Giro against 6 monuments and 2 Tour 2nds… I’d say Pog has better palamares. Not even taking into account the way they were achieved.

 

[velaso montador]

Tour is far more prestigious but Giro has a much better winners trophy

Yes. Thanks for proving my point. Best trophy in cycling ?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Two Tours and 1 Giro against 6 monuments and 2 Tour 2nds… I’d say Pog has better palamares. Not even taking into account the way they were achieved.

2 Tours is a lot in my opinion.

 

[mariosommelier]

2 Tours is a lot in my opinion.

Pogacar is only 25, his career is far from over.

 

[Cookster15]

2 Tours is a lot in my opinion.

Eddy Merckx was 24 when he won his first Tour and 29 when he won his last. Pogacar is only 25 and has now won three already. We can't predict when riders will begin to decline but after Pog's incredible 2024 season I think winning at least three more Tours is more likely than not.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogacar is only 25, his career is far from over.

I have zero doubt he will have a better palmares than Indurain in GT's (unless he has a serious injury).

 

[bNator]

2 Tours is a lot in my opinion.

It is a lot, but so is the 6 monuments and everything else Pog won and Mig didn't in one-day racing. I think Pog's one-day race palmares make up for his deficit in GT as of this moment. This Tour has in my opinion tipped the balance in Pog's favour. But I'll admit objectively, it may not be that clear to everyone at the moment and I see we can agree if not this year, then in a very short while, we'll be able to claim unanimously Pog has surpassed Indurain on paper.

 

[velaso montador]

Two Tours and 1 Giro against 6 monuments and 2 Tour 2nds… I’d say Pog has better palamares. Not even taking into account the way they were achieved.

Im sure at this point someone is not quite sure what their watching if we go with Indurain at this point its not worth bothering, at that point were just making stuff up.

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[velaso montador]

LA is finished as a town [[deleted]], the whole place is little more than a giant crack house will NOT be going there!

Sure is, not planning on going back. Couldnt believe thats the next OL, of all places.

 

[scribers]

Eddy Merckx was 24 when he won his first Tour and 29 when he won his last. Pogacar is only 25 and has now won three already. We can't predict when riders will begin to decline but after Pog's incredible 2024 season I think winning at least three more Tours is more likely than not.

The burned eddy out

 

[BigCoward]

And zero Tour de France non-TT stage wins and monuments. There's no way Indurain ranks higher... Pog is only behind Merckx and Hinault now...

Not Coppi?

 

[Oldermanish]

Sure is, not planning on going back. Couldnt believe thats the next OL, of all places.

It's good that cyclists from all countries are experts in everything. Saves me from going back to some cool places that might not be savory enough for the cogniscenti of this month.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Not Coppi?

Coppi is an all-time legend, top3 IMO (after Merckx and Hinault). Could be even higher if WWII hadn't taken away 5 years of his prime.

 

[tobydawq]

2 Tours is a lot in my opinion.

Do you also consider Bernard Thévenet above Rik Van Looy?

 

[Taxus4a]

Not Coppi?

Coppi is maybe the best of all, it is difficult always to compare.

 

[James M]

Coppi is an all-time legend

Coppi is maybe the best of all, it is difficult always to compare.

Greatness terms its personal preference, emotions, nostalgia and different eras and values.
Why you stick to BOAT that part is easy.

 

[James M]

Also in these tings for me eras and how its done matter, look at basketball B.Russel is not considered the Goat Jordan is for a reason.

Some people already feels that way clearly from media pesonas etc just let the boy race he is still 25 when its over its over and the story will speak for itself anyway.

 

[Panda Claws]

Literally off the charts.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It is a lot, but so is the 6 monuments and everything else Pog won and Mig didn't in one-day racing. I think Pog's one-day race palmares make up for his deficit in GT as of this moment. This Tour has in my opinion tipped the balance in Pog's favour. But I'll admit objectively, it may not be that clear to everyone at the moment and I see we can agree if not this year, then in a very short while, we'll be able to claim unanimously Pog has surpassed Indurain on paper.

When I said Indurain has a way better palmares compared to Pogi, I was talking about GT's. Pogi is still far from Indurain and if he wants to be the undisputed best rider of modern cycling, he needs a Vuelta or a couple GT's more.
Edit: Of course he is the best rider if we talk about charisma, panache, talent but he still needs a couple GT's. It is a matter of time, maybe next year, he will win Tour-Vuelta and this debate is over in my head.

 

[Offline]

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Pogacar was signing a 50 cent song on the radio on stage 20! hahahaha