Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

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He was racing against some amateur riders. Farmers is obviously to mock some of his competition (even if some of those were really farmers), but most riders were amateurs or part time road cyclists so who was a professional rider had a big advantage (larger than nowadays).
In this era everyone is a professional rider which are very good news for us (cycling fans).

I thought De Lie, Declercq and Lampaert were farmers.
 
Wow, that farmers gibe really did kick up a hornets nest! Who said this forum is dying ? Long live the CN forum 😁

But I think the main reason farmers are mentioned in relation to Merckx is Raymond Poulidor? Indeed Poulidor was from a farming family. Poulidor himself worked on the family farm.
 
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It is impossible to discuss something when some of you don't even recognize this era is stronger and more homogeneous than 50 years ago. Different times but cycling grew a lot since the 90s and thanks god everyone has the opportunity to be professional now.
Merckx is the GOAT due to his palmares being way bigger than Pogacar but it is obvious he won what he won due to be a cyclist in the 70s. Nowadays he would probably not achieve half of his wins and probably not win a single GT since he wasn't the best climber.
 
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It is impossible to discuss something when some of your don't even recognize this era is stronger and more homogeneous than 50 years ago. Different times but cycling grew a lot since the 90s and thanks god everyone has the opportunity to be professional now.
Merckx is the GOAT due to his palmares being way bigger than Pogacar but it is obvious he won what he won due to be a cyclist in the 70s. Nowadays he would probably not achieve half of his wins and probably not win a single GT since he wasn't the best climber.

How can you claim that this era is stronger when a ski jumper turns into cycling in his mid 20s and becomes a multiple GT winner?
You have more riders and more nations competing, that's true, but that's not a proof for a stronger era.

Riders turning to cycling from other sports and starting to win, however, makes you ask how strong the era actually is?
(both of these are legit questions)

And then you can bring the argument that riders nowadays can't compete in GTs and cobbled classics (except for Pogacar) and you can conclude, based on everything above, that today's era is actually weak in competition.

See how twisted can the "weak era" argument can be and how it can work in both directions?
 
How can you claim that this era is stronger when a ski jumper turns into cycling in his mid 20s and becomes a multiple GT winner?
You have more riders and more nations competing, that's true, but that's not a proof for a stronger era.

Riders turning to cycling from other sports and starting to win, however, makes you ask how strong the era actually is?
(both of these are legit questions)

And then you can bring the argument that riders nowadays can't compete in GTs and cobbled classics (except for Pogacar) and you can conclude, based on everything above, that today's era is actually weak in competition.

See how twisted can the "weak era" argument can be and how it can work in both directions?
No mate. A rider like WVA would be a multiple GT and classics winner in the 70s. But nowadays, he is a "specialist" in cobbled classics despite being a good all around. However in this era, he can only fight for wins in cobbled classics (or races like MSR). He can't win Gts or hilly classics like LBL or GdL but I strongly believe he could do that in the 70s. Specialization is a proof how cycling has becoming harder and better.
But let's move on, this is pointless. You will never agree with me.
 
No mate. A rider like WVA would be a multiple GT and classics winner in the 70s. But nowadays, he is a "specialist" in cobbled classics despite being a good all around. However in this era, he can only fight for wins in cobbled classics (or races like MSR). He can't win Gts or hilly classics like LBL or GdL but I strongly believe he could do that in the 70s. Specialization is a proof how cycling has becoming harder and better.
But let's move on, this is pointless. You will never agree with me.

You are the one comparing era's. I simply gave you enough arguments to support a theory that today's era may be actually weak.

Then you started projecting Van Aert's s palmares in the 70s which is as solid argument, as me saying "With the training methods and nutrition of today Merckx would run circles around Pogacar and win every bike race he attends".
 
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