Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Pozzovivo]

I'm curious to see how the peloton will handle the (one day) races where Pogacar starts, seeing as he'll be the heavy favorite in every race he enters. I don't think we have seen this kind of dominance/difference in level for a long time so how will teams adapt their strategy to try to have a shot at victory?

But maybe it's still too soon for a considerable change in strategy by the peloton and this will only happen after another year of complete dominance (still to be seen ofcourse).

Also, the collective strength of UAE and the individual strength of Pogacar might negate any attempt at a different strategy but I'm still curious to see how the peloton will handle it if his dominance continues.

Cycling directors are often very conservative and only in races where they see nothing to lose (like Lombardy last year) will they adopt a crazy breakaway strategy.

I think it is under-emphasized how few riders (and teams) actually go into a race with a strategy to win it. They mostly want a good result not the W. Otherwise group 2 syndrome would be very rare - but it is super common.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Pogi was really testing himself in Ebo. How Mou knows this before everyone?

Really? Evidence?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Really? Evidence?

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/T2kQBCks6TM?si=cYklm1B58SteWHvO

 

[Peyroteo94]

Breakaways are doomed If UAE and Pogacar want to win. If it is a mountain stage, Pogacar can gain easily 3 minutes in 10 km to great climbers like Carapaz, Matteo, etc. If it is a classic, Pogacar can also win 3 minutes wherever he wants (RVV, LBL, WC, GdL). Basically UAE only needs to be 3 minutes behind in every MTF or be 3 minutes behind with 60 km to go, Pogi does the rest.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Breakaways are doomed If UAE and Pogacar want to win. If it is a mountain stage, Pogacar can gain easily 3 minutes in 10 km to great climbers like Carapaz, Matteo, etc. If it is a classic, Pogacar can also win 3 minutes wherever he wants (RVV, LBL, WC, GdL). Basically UAE only needs to be 3 minutes behind in every MTF or be 3 minutes behind with 60 km to go, Pogi does the rest.

Very hard mountains probably. RVV I don't think so. And besides, what else are teams going to do?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Very hard mountains probably. RVV I don't think so. And besides, what else are teams going to do?

They put Trentin in the breakaway in 2023 RVV. They were 2:15 in front of them before Pogacar's attack in Kwaremont (55 km to go) and he wins with more than a minute gap (if we exclude MVP). So it is easy for them to control. Even last year in Lombardia, They did everything to create a big and strong breakaway but UAE had everything under control and Pogacar alone put 3:15 minutes in Remco... they can't do s#it against this UAE. They are very deep in strenght and they can't do anything against this new Pogacar. It is a different sport to be honest. Most of them have a FTP 0,5 w/kg lower than him.

 

[hayneplane]

Very hard mountains probably. RVV I don't think so. And besides, what else are teams going to do?

The gap to a very strong group including Mads Pedersen, Stefan Kung, Kasper Asgreen and others was 3 minutes 10 seconds at 63km to go in RVV 2023 and was still 2m12s when the favourites group hit the first cobble of the penultimate Kwaremont and Pogacar launched.

That was 2023 Pog and all the evidence we have tells us he is vastly superior now and still improving.

The tactics are right of getting up the road at 100+kms to go but even then it is incredibly hard to get enough advantage to stay away.

 

[Pozzovivo]

The gap to a very strong group including Mads Pedersen, Stefan Kung, Kasper Asgreen and others was 3 minutes 10 seconds at 63km to go in RVV 2023 and was still 2m12s when the favourites group hit the first cobble of the penultimate Kwaremont and Pogacar launched.

That was 2023 Pog and all the evidence we have tells us he is vastly superior now and still improving.

The tactics are right of getting up the road at 100+kms to go but even then it is incredibly hard to get enough advantage to stay away.

You are right but MVDP (and for a while WVA) worked with him until they linked up with that group. Are they gonna make the same mistake?

 

[hayneplane]

You are right but MVDP (and for a while WVA) worked with him until they linked up with that group. Are they gonna make the same mistake?

Are they even going to be able to hold his wheel for long enough to matter?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Are they even going to be able to hold his wheel for long enough to matter?

In 2023, Laporte saved MVP. I don't believe he will have the same luck in 2025.
UAE team will be much stronger than everyone else bar Visma so MVP only wins RVV if he can follow Pogacar.

 

[yaf]

The scenario i would imagine on Rvv is pog going exactly where vdp went last year on kopenberg and vdp & wva unable to follow him so they will work together but with only the gap growing north.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The scenario i would imagine on Rvv is pog going exactly where vdp went last year on kopenberg and vdp & wva unable to follow him so they will work together but with only the gap growing north.

I believe he will attack in Kwaremont with 55 km to go.

 

[hayneplane]

I believe he will attack in Kwaremont with 55 km to go.

This feels most likely as he has always done big damage there and it is the longest climb. Koppenberg is well suited to MVDP so he is less likely to be significantly dropped there.

 

[scribers]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1877694108673700183

View: https://x.com/mou55981652/status/1877694108673700183?s=46&t=X4NqNG7J5ZQ-MxPOi53ECQ