This. Pogacar can win everything if he shows a similar level compared to this year.Risking as if he's not the ludicrous favorite for WC and Lombardia anyway. All you jeopardize is the WC ITT.
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This. Pogacar can win everything if he shows a similar level compared to this year.Risking as if he's not the ludicrous favorite for WC and Lombardia anyway. All you jeopardize is the WC ITT.
Yes, it is. He already won a WC, there will be always a hole in his palmares. Can we imagine a world with Nibali as a winner of all GTs and not Pogacar?Is it, though, when you already have 3-4 TdF (plus 1 Giro)?
For someone like, idk, Julian Alaphilippe I'd see the argument.
But for someone like Pog?
I'm not so sure.
He can win Tour-Vuelta-WC. I don't have any doubt about that. Maybe the TT in Rwanda is out but he can win the road race despite doing the Vuelta.Or his running the Vuelta this year results with a career ending crash midway through the race
See? We can both play what-ifs
"Best in rolling terrain" asking Pogacar how many watts he was pushing in the valley.Evenepoel just as every other pro and legend stating the obvious, though from a first row seat so naturally with a better knowledge than the average Joe:
"But in the valley, actually a bit ahead of me, he rode away another two minutes. At such moments you realise that he is the best rider in the world and that he is slowly becoming the best ever."
"I sent him: I want to know what you really pedalled" - Remco Evenepoel didn't believe Tadej Pogacar's reported wattages were real at Il Lombardia
Tadej Pogacar finished his historic 2024 season in typically scintillating style at Il Lombardia, picking up his second monument victory of the campaign ahead of Remco Evenepoel. Afterwards, the Belgi...cyclinguptodate.com
I’d say the only reason it is “slowly” is it will take time to overhaul the great Eddy’s record. But I still doubt this. Crashes are most likely to stop him else motivation.slowly becoming the best ever.
Let's face it:Yes, it is. He already won a WC, there will be always a hole in his palmares. Can we imagine a world with Nibali as a winner of all GTs and not Pogacar?
I found that analysis of the ride to the finish pretty much as it looked: Tadej had a gap and it started to grow and Remco backed off. It wasn't like suddenly Pogacar rode some newfound tempo. He knew mechanicals and other crap can happen on the way to finish and Remco rode to stay ahead of the chasers behind him. Not a revelation; more of an admission of capitulation.Evenepoel just as every other pro and legend stating the obvious, though from a first row seat so naturally with a better knowledge than the average Joe:
"But in the valley, actually a bit ahead of me, he rode away another two minutes. At such moments you realise that he is the best rider in the world and that he is slowly becoming the best ever."
"I sent him: I want to know what you really pedalled" - Remco Evenepoel didn't believe Tadej Pogacar's reported wattages were real at Il Lombardia
Tadej Pogacar finished his historic 2024 season in typically scintillating style at Il Lombardia, picking up his second monument victory of the campaign ahead of Remco Evenepoel. Afterwards, the Belgi...cyclinguptodate.com
I agree but that was not the point. I was talking about WC, Pogacar already won it so IMHO his palmares would be richer with a Vuelta win compared to a 2nd WC.Let's face it:
in reality Vuelta, for someone who has multiple GTs and Monuments, is nothing more than lesser GT to TdF.
No one doubts Pog has the skills to easily win a Vuelta.
It's not like with monuments where winning both Sanremo and Roubaix, or Roubaix and Liege, is a completely diffent thing than winning one of the two even multiple time.
I'm not saying it wouldn't be important to add a Vuelta, but it's mostly a marketing, 'face value', thing.
For people in the know, it wouldn't add much.
Now, being able to win a Roubaix is actually something Tadej would have to prove and that would mean a ton.
It is hard to reach Merckx's palmares. Competition is far harder nowadays, some riders will emerge in the future when Pogacar is 30-32 years old.I’d say the only reason it is “slowly” is it will take time to overhaul the great Eddy’s record. But I still doubt this. Crashes are most likely to stop him else motivation.
For 2025, I hope he targets Tour / Vuelta. Vingegaard seemed capable in 2023 if he wasn’t returning a favour to Sepp Kuss. If Vingo was capable then the 2024 version of Pog most certainly is.
Agreed. He (and Vingegaard) can win the Vuelta almost any time they set their mind to it. The level of recent winners has been well below their TdF form, sorry Rogla....looking at the Rwanda course, that's actually going to take some serious commitment from anyone, even Pog, who wants to win it. The Vuelta coming after the Tour might be too much, better to take August off and build toward Worlds/LombardiaVuelta depends on how much he races in the spring for me.
If he does RVV and other classics. I would just ride the Tour and then Worlds + Lombardia in the fall as the big targets.
I feel like Vuelta is something he could do if Tour doesnt go to plan in the near future. Like he doesnt finish it or has to drop out early for any reason. Roglic-style.
Like Roubaix, the Vuelta is something he can afford to put off for a couple of seasons to maximize his chances in other races.
And Pogacar can win 2026 or 2027 WC. Pogacar can also win multiple WC if he wants to.Agreed. He (and Vingegaard) can win the Vuelta almost any time they set their mind to it. The level of recent winners has been well below their TdF form, sorry Rogla....looking at the Rwanda course, that's actually going to take some serious commitment from anyone, even Pog, who wants to win it. The Vuelta coming after the Tour might be too much, better to take August off and build toward Worlds/Lombardia
Because he hasn’t won the Vuelta and it looks easy pickings. He has the world title now.Why would he make Vuelta a priority right now? Only if he has to drop out of the Tour early for some reason imo.
But he's already won Worlds/Lombardia this year. Better to target something he hasn't done - the Tour / Vuelta double.better to take August off and build toward Worlds/Lombardia
Spot on. Tour-Vuelta should be on the menu!But he's already won Worlds/Lombardia this year. Better to target something he hasn't done - the Tour / Vuelta double.