Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

Here comes Team Pogacar: On the Tour route, already wanting to train, Roubaix, and a response to critics

He was laughing on the beach, but Tadej Pogacar's reaction to the Tour de France route is in! The Slovenian rider from UAE Team Emirates briefly shared his thoughts with L'Equipe, alongside UAE team d...

www.idlprocycling.com

 

[Peyroteo94]

His agent talks about Pogacar doing Romandie or TdS

 

[Salvarani]

His agent talks about Pogacar doing Romandie or TdS

Two races he hasnt won yet.

However, fitting in Romandie would raise questions about the rest of the spring.

Given he is obligated to do the UAE Tour, most likely.

Hard to race or do too many of the classics with Romandie coming right after LBL. Maybe he just skips the cobbles again though, which makes sense for me.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Two races he hasnt won yet.

However, fitting in Romandie would raise questions about the rest of the spring.

Given he is obligated to do the UAE Tour, most likely.

Hard to race or do too many of the classics with Romandie coming right after LBL. Maybe he just skips the cobbles again though, which makes sense for me.

That would be horrible. Pogacar not doing RVV again would be a huge disappointment for cycling fans

 

[AmRacer]

That would be horrible. Pogacar not doing RVV again would be a huge disappointment for cycling fans

Pog has 7 races he hasn't won yet and he will try to win them allthe coming years. I rather would like to see Remco racing RVV.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pog has 7 races he hasn't won yet and he will try to win them allthe coming years. I rather would like to see Remco racing RVV.

No chance against MVP

 

[AmRacer]

No chance against MVP

Yes, but I'd like see him racing anyway.

 

[Salvarani]

That would be horrible. Pogacar not doing RVV again would be a huge disappointment for cycling fans

Sure... but not really. Cycling fans can enjoy MVDP, Van Aert, Pedersen and so on battling it out in RVV + PR.

I think Pogacar doesnt have much to gain by doing RVV, right now, as he has already won it. He can add more wins there later if he wants to and I would more enjoy him trying to win the RVV + PR double later, which is probably better to attempt in a couple of years.

He has to scrap some big races, as he cant race everything, and staying away from the cobbles is the smartest thing he can do imo.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Sure... but not really. Cycling fans can enjoy MVDP, Van Aert, Pedersen and so on battling it out in RVV + PR.

I think Pogacar doesnt have much to gain by doing RVV, right now, as he has already won it. He can add more wins there later if he wants to and I would more enjoy him trying to win the RVV + PR double later, which is probably better to attempt in a couple of years.

He has to scrap some big races, as he cant race everything, and staying away from the cobbles is the smartest thing he can do imo.

I don't get your aversion to cobbled classics in Pogacar's program. Do you think he will lose climbing ability if he focuses on this type of classics?

 

[scribers]

There’s this little historical mark of 19 monuments that will be ever present. If pogi thinks he can win Flanders, he will go to it

 

[Peyroteo94]

There’s this little historical mark of 19 monuments that will be ever present. If pogi thinks he can win Flanders, he will go to it

He will never reach that mark. He should focus on winning all monuments and get to 12 GT's

 

[AmRacer]

I don't get your aversion to cobbled classics in Pogacar's program. Do you think he will lose climbing ability if he focuses on this type of classics?

The classics don't fit in his quest winning the remaining 6 races. When he is ready racing the seventh, PR, he can do cobbled classics aswell.

 

[scribers]

I guess the question is what are his goals exactly?

He’s indicated a desire to win the historical 1 week stage races. But the most difficult challenge is doing that is fitting them into his schedule. His agent says he wants a complete palmares. His employer demands the tour annually. Not certain that interests him as much as other things. When he won his first tour, Flanders, and most recently worlds rr, you could clearly see his joy at the achievement.

He’s said he wants to be seen as the greatest cyclist of all time, which is an audacious comment. But how does he do that so it leaves no doubt? Merckx is the benchmark.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I guess the question is what are his goals exactly?

He’s indicated a desire to win the historical 1 week stage races. But the most difficult challenge is doing that is fitting them into his schedule. His agent says he wants a complete palmares. His employer demands the tour annually. Not certain that interests him as much as other things. When he won his first tour, Flanders, and most recently worlds rr, you could clearly see his joy at the achievement.

He’s said he wants to be seen as the greatest cyclist of all time, which is an audacious comment. But how does he do that so it leaves no doubt? Merckx is the benchmark.

He is not going to be the best, focusing on winning one stage races. He can be a 4 time winner of RVV (more important than winning Pais Vasco). MVP will not be around in 2028.
4 RVV
1 MSR
1PR
5 LBL
7 GdL
3 WC
He should aim for this in one day races (even if I think it is very hard to have this palmares).
6 TdF (more 1 Vuelta) should be his main goal, this will put him as the best GT rider of all times. He should really focus on beating Vingegaard in the Tour, we all saw how good he is when he plans his season just focusing on stage racing (he can still fight for all monuments bar PR). Later in his career, he can win PR.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The classics don't fit in his quest winning the remaining 6 races. When he is ready racing the seventh, PR, he can do cobbled classics aswell.

Dauphiné and Suisse are easy to do without compromising classics

 

[Shortcut]

I guess the question is what are his goals exactly?

He’s indicated a desire to win the historical 1 week stage races. But the most difficult challenge is doing that is fitting them into his schedule. His agent says he wants a complete palmares. His employer demands the tour annually. Not certain that interests him as much as other things. When he won his first tour, Flanders, and most recently worlds rr, you could clearly see his joy at the achievement.

He’s said he wants to be seen as the greatest cyclist of all time, which is an audacious comment. But how does he do that so it leaves no doubt? Merckx is the benchmark.

I think, he will do "climbing" again next season just because of Rwanda. UAE Tour, MSR, Basque, LBL, Giro, Tour, WC ITT+RR, Lombardia. If he "clears" Basque and Giro (again) and he wins at least one gold at WC, his schedule would benefit great from it. After that, he "just" needs do win Romandie, Dauphine, Suisse, San Sebastian and Vuelta as a climber and schedule that shouldn't be so hard. Winning 2 Giro and 2 WC golds could be enough for him not to worry about it any more in future and he can totally concentrate on MSR, E3, Flanders, P-R, Ardenes classics combination every year after that.

 

[RedheadDane]

Dauphiné and Suisse are easy to do without compromising classics

Dauphiné or Suisse is even easier.

 

[scribers]

He is not going to be the best, focusing on winning one stage races. He can be a 4 time winner of RVV (more important than winning Pais Vasco). MVP will not be around in 2028.
4 RVV
1 MSR
1PR
5 LBL
7 GdL
3 WC
He should aim for this in one day races (even if I think it is very hard to have this palmares).
6 TdF (more 1 Vuelta) should be his main goal, this will put him as the best GT rider of all times. He should really focus on beating Vingegaard in the Tour, we all saw how good he is when he plans his season just focusing on stage racing (he can still fight for all monuments bar PR). Later in his career, he can win PR.

I was hesitating to lay out monument possibilities, but that prescription is not out of the range of possible, god willing (as they say barring injury/mishap). Glad you pointed out MVP aging out. While there is always someone else who steps up, MVP is a unique talent in classics.

 

[scribers]

I think, he will do "climbing" again next season just because of Rwanda. UAE Tour, MSR, Basque, LBL, Giro, Tour, WC ITT+RR, Lombardia. If he "clears" Basque and Giro (again) and he wins at least one gold at WC, his schedule would benefit great from it. After that, he "just" needs do win Romandie, Dauphine, Suisse, San Sebastian and Vuelta as a climber and schedule that shouldn't be so hard. Winning 2 Giro and 2 WC golds could be enough for him not to worry about it any more in future and he can totally concentrate on MSR, E3, Flanders, P-R, Ardenes classics combination every year after that.

This makes sense to me. My question is, do you think the Ardenes classics combination is better than racing the giro? Can a classics rider free of MSR (assuming he can get across the line first), riding one or two of the major classics like E3/Dwars before taking on P-R + Flanders + LBL (without FW and/or AG) can also race the Giro?

 

[Peyroteo94]

I was hesitating to lay out monument possibilities, but that prescription is not out of the range of possible, god willing (as they say barring injury/mishap). Glad you pointed out MVP aging out. While there is always someone else who steps up, MVP is a unique talent in classics.

I'm a little bit sceptic about Nys. I think (in the future) he can reach a peak condition able of beating Pogi in LBL. No other young rider gives me vibes of being close to Pogacar in the future.

 

[Shortcut]

This makes sense to me. My question is, do you think the Ardenes classics combination is better than racing the giro? Can a classics rider free of MSR (assuming he can get across the line first), riding one or two of the major classics like E3/Dwars before taking on P-R + Flanders + LBL (without FW and/or AG) can also race the Giro?

I think Pogacar is still pretty careful about his wisches, knowing one crash and you are out for good. He said that also few times. Because of that he wants to take everything what he can as soon as possible. When he won Flanders and WC, he was most happy i have ever seen him, because it was something what climbers aren't suposed to do. It was also agains MvDP(2X), Remco and Wout so no easy way. If he manages to complete 5 TdF, 2 Giro's, 1 Vuelta, every one week (big 7) stage race, 12 monuoment wins, 2 WC Golds in next 4 years, than i can see him playing with his schedule and trying things like, MSR, E3, Flanders, P-R, LBL, Giro, WC, Vuelta, Lombardia. But i also question what his teammates would think about that.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I think Pogacar is still pretty careful about his wisches, knowing one crash and you are out for good. He said that also few times. Because of that he wants to take everything what he can as soon as possible. When he won Flanders and WC, he was most happy i have ever seen him, because it was something what climbers aren't suposed to do. It was also agains MvDP(2X), Remco and Wout so no easy way. If he manages to complete 5 TdF, 2 Giro's, 1 Vuelta, every one week (big 7) stage race, 12 monuoment wins, 2 WC Golds in next 4 years, than i can see him playing with his schedule and trying things like, MSR, E3, Flanders, P-R, LBL, Giro, WC, Vuelta, Lombardia. But i also question what his teammates would think about that.

He can grab 4/5 monuments in 3 years while winning 4 GT's. He will be 29 and will still have 5 years left at the top (at least).

 

[proffate]

I'm a little bit sceptic about Nys. I think (in the future) he can reach a peak condition able of beating Pogi in LBL. No other young rider gives me vibes of being close to Pogacar in the future.

well youth is on his side. There's gotta be a 15 year old out there who will one day beat Pog, unless Pog decides to retire in 2 years.

IMO MSR will be the hardest. Pog actually just needs to win like Alaphillipe, sprinting from a select group. Every attack will draw an immediate response, but he probably won't be marked out of a sprint. Winning this is just going to take a lot of luck; might as well roll the dice a bunch of times. Form doesn't need to be perfect each year.

 

[scribers]

@mou responds about nys

pozz for my colleagues from that crappy forum who are reading this.
Nys will never reach the level to win Pog at LBL. firstly, the guy doesn't know how to position himself where the team is fighting hard before Redoute, and secondly, he doesn't have an engine for 250km

 

[Salvarani]

The classics don't fit in his quest winning the remaining 6 races. When he is ready racing the seventh, PR, he can do cobbled classics aswell.

Bingo.

There is no need to do everything atm. It is unecesssey.

Not doing cobbles, opens up pretty much every other race for him.

Better to do a cobbles program in a couple of years, when he may ticked off most or all of the other races. Prepare for it, rather than trying to fit in now just because of it. I find it unwise as of now, but if he does it I assume they know best and will support.