Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Armchair Cyclist]

Do both, just in case.

That's sort of tricky, with them being direct opposites.

 

[James M]

That's sort of tricky, with them being direct opposites.

You cant relax and at the same time simultaneously prepare yourself for something? Try it out.

 

[Tymek]

His aura is higher than ever. It would be a dream for any cycling fan to see him against MVP and WVA this year in both RVV and PR.

And imagine he beats them and wins PR along with MSR and RVV.
He has the 1 in a million chance to become second best cyclist in history. Maybe even first one.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

You cant relax and at the same time simultaneously prepare yourself for something? Try it out.

Look up what 'brace yourself' means.

 

[Salvarani]

You cant relax and at the same time simultaneously prepare yourself for something? Try it out.

Relax and sit back is what we do baby

 

[Tymek]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to race UAE Tour but it was likely included in his $$$ contract (i.e. at least 2-3 participations in 6 years) so he has no choice.

Speaking of Roubaix, if he decides to go then it makes sense to make a longer break, skip Amstel and Fleche and focus on Liege (which is by far the most important).

Amstel and Flèche are secondary target for somebody like him. Especially if he wins RVV and MSR. There is one option and Pog loves to play and I hope he’ll do it.
Winning 5 monuments in one season would be amazing. Then he only needs to win Vuelta to complete 9 of the most important races in cycling. Thing that only Merckx achieved before.

 

[James M]

Look up what 'brace yourself' means.

hmm when I google. 'To physically or mentally prepare oneself for something'' Still dont get why you cant do both, relax and prepare yourself at the same time.

Maybe you mean you cant mentally or physically prepare yourself for Pogacar riding PR and simultaneously relax, while preparing yourself for that? In that case its understandable and im sure your not alone.

 

[Tymek]

The only thing I don't like about PR participation is his probably absence in Amstel and FW. He can win all 3 hilly classics (AGR, FW and LBL) and he was already robbed in 2023. It will be hard to see him throw away another golden chance to win all 3.

Yeah, but winning all monuments in one season is way bigger. And probably if he does it he’ll target other combinations of races.
Honestly I won’t be surprised if after hypothetical wins in MSR and PR he never starts again or maybe in his last season or season before his last season to say goodbye to all races he won.
It’d be amazing ending of career by the way.

 

[Tymek]

Yes but winning AGR+FW+LBL is an incredible feat. Only two men did it. Not even Merckx

And no one won 5 monuments in one season. Not even Merckx, it’s way more prestigious.
It would be just legendary.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Maybe we should wait for that to happen before counting the exception it would constitute

 

[Peyroteo94]

And no one won 5 monuments in one season. Not even Merckx, it’s way more prestigious.
It would be just legendary.

But he has probably a 5% chance of winning MSR and PR. Winning the Ardennes treble look like a sure bet unless he has a crash. But I'm happy to see him in PR. This race is the definition of cycling, not the Tour, not WC, it is PR. Hell of the north is full hectic race, 50 kph in tight cobbled roads, crashes, suffer, fear and glory. Pure cycling! My favourite race in the world!

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yeah, but winning all monuments in one season is way bigger. And probably if he does it he’ll target other combinations of races.
Honestly I won’t be surprised if after hypothetical wins in MSR and PR he never starts again or maybe in his last season or season before his last season to say goodbye to all races he won.
It’d be amazing ending of career by the way.

Of course it is. Even 4 monuments is a remarkable feat that no one has ever done it.

 

[hayneplane]

You cant relax and at the same time simultaneously prepare yourself for something? Try it out.

It is entirely possible to be intensely relaxed 😎

 

[Extinction]

The Italian National Olympic Committee are the ones who lead the charge in trying to link Valverde to doping so he can be banned.

Right, they did so because Operacion Puerto implicated their Basso. This is the history not a Clinic discussion.

 

[scribers]

I am a posting conundrum, so it makes perfect sense to me.

Redeeming qualities of goats are they keep the path cleared for the bikers. And they do that wild fainting thing when they get upset (or they charge you and ruin your legs.. which not redeeming... conundrum again)

 

[hayneplane]

I am a posting conundrum, so it makes perfect sense to me.

Redeeming qualities of goats are they keep the path cleared for the bikers. And they do that wild fainting thing when they get upset (or they charge you and ruin your legs.. which not redeeming... conundrum again)

On the plus side they are great mates with Thibaut Pinot.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Startlist for UAE seems a perfect paradox. We have the best sprinters in the world, probably even better than what we will have in the Tour, however gc riders who will race UAE Tour are very weak. There is Pogacar and his best "opponent" (of course he won't have any true opponent) will be Bilbao? Rodriguez? And that's it

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Startlist for UAE seems a perfect paradox. We have the best sprinters in the world, probably even better than what we will have in the Tour, however gc riders who will race UAE Tour are very weak. There is Pogacar and his best "opponent" (of course he won't have any true opponent) will be Bilbao? Rodriguez? And that's it

A lot of sprint finishes in the race + sprinters are becoming more versatile nowadays. Who knows, maybe Philipsen will suprise Pogi on some MTF

 

[hayneplane]

Startlist for UAE seems a perfect paradox. We have the best sprinters in the world, probably even better than what we will have in the Tour, however gc riders who will race UAE Tour are very weak. There is Pogacar and his best "opponent" (of course he won't have any true opponent) will be Bilbao? Rodriguez? And that's it

Expecting good things from Pellizzari this season but he didn’t show anything in Majorca to think he can do much in UAE Tour.

I really think we can see a top 5 GC performance from Paul Seixas at 18 which would be exceptional.

Nobody really wants to face Pogacar in a race that’s not that big except to the big bosses of UAE.

 

[James M]

Then he only needs to win Vuelta to complete 9 of the most important races in cycling. Thing that only Merckx achieved before.

Its just a matter of time.

And no one won 5 monuments in one season. Not even Merckx, it’s way more prestigious.
It would be just legendary.

I dont wanne pissoff people but taking into account when Merckx did it, who he did it vs, objectively the rest is already now self-explanatory.

 

[James M]

A lot of sprint finishes in the race + sprinters are becoming more versatile nowadays. Who knows, maybe Philipsen will suprise Pogi on some MTF

Forget about the Tour. If you win a sprint in UAE Tour this year your the man (sprinter). No race rest of the season will field so many of the best sprinters in one race.

 

[Peyroteo94]

A lot of sprint finishes in the race + sprinters are becoming more versatile nowadays. Who knows, maybe Philipsen will suprise Pogi on some MTF

Yes but you still have a short TT and 2 decent climbs (not very hard but still decent). It is a WT race, give a lot of points and being 2nd is still good, specially when you are racing against the best stage racer in the world right now

 

[scribers]

But he has probably a 5% chance of winning MSR and PR. Winning the Ardennes treble look like a sure bet unless he has a crash. But I'm happy to see him in PR. This race is the definition of cycling, not the Tour, not WC, it is PR. Hell of the north is full hectic race, 50 kph in tight cobbled roads, crashes, suffer, fear and glory. Pure cycling! My favourite race in the world!

Pogi has a much better chance than 5% of winning a pair of races he enters. These odds would apply only to a classic sprint race, and even then I wouldn't bet against him that hard if he were absolutely determined to win it.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogi has a much better chance than 5% of winning a pair of races he enters. These odds would apply only to a classic sprint race, and even then I wouldn't bet against him that hard if he were absolutely determined to win it.

5% chance is an odd of 20 to win both MSR and PR. He is definitely with an odd superior to 7 when we talk about PR. To win MSR, he is not under 3 for sure.
7x3= 21. Less than 5% to be more accurate.

 

[YavorD]

I dont wanne pissoff people but taking into account when Merckx did it, who he did it vs, objectively the rest is already now self-explanatory.

Well, Merckx did it against Gimondi (you know one of the few people to win all the 3 GT's) and De Vlaeminck among others.
Both of them are all time greats.

Oh, and someone tries to pi** on the fields, he/she can say the same about Pogacar last year, can't he/she?
"Whom he did it against? Skujins, Bardet, DFM/50 years old Thomas, injured Vingegaard, O'Connor and only Lombardia had a decent competition in Evenepoel."

See how it goes? Poor opposition can work both ways.