Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Sciatic]

Why not ? I am not a big of a fan but i respect him for what he said. Pogacar is the greatest of all time even Stevie Wonder would see that.

Nothing to do with Pogacar; doesn't mean I have to find value or veracity in anything LA says.

 

[scribers]

RVV pogi is going to destroy MvDP but P-R i just cant imagine pogi winning this race

He who shalt not be named is 800% confident pogi will beat mvp in Flanders. He has yet to make a projection about P-R.

 

[scribers]

Pogacar and MVDP are seemingly just so far clear of the field that only bad luck can prevent one them winning Flanders.

I don’t think today changed much in my mind about what might happen next Sunday.

Would be interesting to know what the sector times were for Pogacar RVV 2023 Kwaremont compared to MVDP today.

I got the sense that MVDP went flat out on Kwaremont as a tester to see what he can do and what he will need to do to live with Tadej when he lifts the intensity.

Someone in the e3 thread said roughly the same time. Shorter race and only once up the kwaremont though. And 2023 pog is no 2025 pog.

 

[Unchained]

Only lesser races, let's be honest. The biggest and baddest races, UAE cannot win without Pogi.

This sounds like it could go endlessly back and forth, there is no such thing as an easy professional bike race.
Events that involve world tour professional bike racing teams are very, very, very difficult to win. Majority of professional bike racers, but especially WT level go through, finish career without ever winning a bike race. I understand your point about biggest and baddest, makes sense, I just don't agree about what constitutes a quality event.

 

[Unchained]

Winning races with little prestige. This year is better with Ayuso winning important stage races (last year he got extremely lucky to win PV) but if we look only to monuments and GTs, only Pogacar can compete for the win, I'm not even talking about winning, just competing.

I think what is better using this line of thinking..
Do you think that young Brennens accomplishments this week are somehow of discounted value to his career? Of course not.
His wins at a not prestigious perceived race in your opinion is likely the lilly pad that will jump his organization putting him in prestigious events. There have been many movements in countries.. All Races Matter!! ARM!!!lol
The internet has made winning a pro bike race appear to not be a Iife changing event.. For many riders it is.
Jay Vine winning at Coppi Bartali.. Issac Del Toro..winning Milano Terreno . Wellens.. podium at Strade...Juan Milan winning at Brugge De Panne was,is very prestigious, a dream for any pro..Almedia win in Paris Nice stage..Ayuso 4 wins already!! More than most get in a lifetime!!! Sad that people think it's routine!!! It's extraordinary!!!

 

[Cookster15]

Would be great to see Pog avenge his MSR loss to MVDP by winning RVV plus add P/R. I was hoping he wouldn’t try P/R but if he pulls it off (and doesn’t crash) that would be amazing.

 

[JoãoRamos]

This sounds like it could go endlessly back and forth, there is no such thing as an easy professional bike race.
Events that involve world tour professional bike racing teams are very, very, very difficult to win. Majority of professional bike racers, but especially WT level go through, finish career without ever winning a bike race. I understand your point about biggest and baddest, makes sense, I just don't agree about what constitutes a quality event.

Yes, what I wanted to say with lesser races, they do not have the prestige of monuments, etc. But I got your point and agree.

 

[Mina.S]

I really want to know what kind of tactics they will try for PR. To me MvDP is perfect for the race and it's going to be hard to beat him.
I hope he is confident enough in himself on the cobbles without doing the E3 tune up like everyone else. He was out karting with Carlos Sainz last night instead.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I think what is better using this line of thinking..
Do you think that young Brennens accomplishments this week are somehow of discounted value to his career? Of course not.
His wins at a not prestigious perceived race in your opinion is likely the lilly pad that will jump his organization putting him in prestigious events. There have been many movements in countries.. All Races Matter!! ARM!!!lol
The internet has made winning a pro bike race appear to not be a Iife changing event.. For many riders it is.
Jay Vine winning at Coppi Bartali.. Issac Del Toro..winning Milano Terreno . Wellens.. podium at Strade...Juan Milan winning at Brugge De Panne was,is very prestigious, a dream for any pro..Almedia win in Paris Nice stage..Ayuso 4 wins already!! More than most get in a lifetime!!! Sad that people think it's routine!!! It's extraordinary!!!

For a team like UAE, only big wins matter even if they want to win everything they race. Winning monuments, GTs is all that matters. No one will remember Jay Vine won a stage in Coppi Bartali.
I forgot to mention UAE Tour. Even UAE Tour (very important race for UAE) is only won by Pogacar. Yates was there 2 times and failed.
If I was Pogacar I would be mad because there is no way he should program his schedule to give his teammates an opportunity to shine in important classics or GTs.

 

[scribers]

I don’t mind if teammates have leadership access to races. They just shouldn’t block pogi from races if they’re going to squander those opportunities. You really get only a few shots at it before the team has to fully rally around pogi for the biggest races

 

[Peyroteo94]

I don’t mind if teammates have leadership access to races. They just shouldn’t block pogi from races if they’re going to squander those opportunities. You really get only a few shots at it before the team has to fully rally around pogi for the biggest races

I still think Pogacar would win the Vuelta last year. His main argument to be there was that his teammates also deserve a opportunity to lead. I'm portuguese but Almeida and Yates leading the Vuelta was good for them but for UAE, it was a completely disaster.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I still think Pogacar would win the Vuelta last year. His main argument to be there was that his teammates also deserve a opportunity to lead. I'm portuguese but Almeida and Yates leading the Vuelta was good for them but for UAE, it was a completely disaster.

It was a disaster since Almeida got sick. The form Roglic had, Almeida wasn’t winning but he was a favorite for 2nd or 3rd. That’s not winning but a great result for the team.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It was a disaster since Almeida got sick. The form Roglic had, Almeida wasn’t winning but he was a favorite for 2nd or 3rd. That’s not winning but a great result for the team.

First of all, recovery is a skill very important if you want to be a GT rider. Almeida is sick all the time because he can't recover like others. Everything has to be flawless for him. Do you know how many times he got sick in a GT?

 

[Mina.S]

First of all, recovery is a skill very important if you want to be a GT rider. Almeida is sick all the time because he can't recover like others. Everything has to be flawless for him. Do you know how many times he got sick in a GT?

Almedia is a much better domestique than GT leader. I like him a lot but I just don't think he fits the roll. I mean it seems that UAE promise leadership to a lot of people and then somehow try to deliver. Pog racing 6 consecutive weekends of one day races starting next week means everyone else who was promised leadership at this time doesn't actually have many oportunities.

 

[hayneplane]

The leadership thing could have been solved by keeping Pogacar on the roster for these races but giving the other riders a free role to not have to work in service of the leader.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Almedia is a much better domestique than GT leader. I like him a lot but I just don't think he fits the roll. I mean it seems that UAE promise leadership to a lot of people and then somehow try to deliver. Pog racing 6 consecutive weekends of one day races starting next week means everyone else who was promised leadership at this time doesn't actually have many oportunities.

All cobbled races (bar RVV and PR) are not opportunities? They can't even be top5 without Pogacar.

 

[Mina.S]

The leadership thing could have been solved by keeping Pogacar on the roster for these races but giving the other riders a free role to not have to work in service of the leader.

Definitely. I would have kept him in E3 and given someone else a free role. They also just do pretty bad when he isn't there. They are all over the place and never work for their leader anyway.

 

[Mina.S]

All cobbled races (bar RVV and PR) are not opportunities? They can't even be top5 without Pogacar.

They do have opportunities but seems certain riders were contractually promised leadership in particular races like Flanders (Narvaez) and PR (Vermeech, Wellens Politt).

 

[Peyroteo94]

Definitely. I would have kept him in E3 and given someone else a free role. They also just do pretty bad when he isn't there. They are all over the place and never work for their leader anyway.

They are not competing with MVP no matter what.

 

[Peyroteo94]

They do have opportunities but seems certain riders were contractually promised leadership in particular races like Flanders (Narvaez) and PR (Vermeech, Wellens Politt).

Where did you see Narvaez was promised leadership in RVV?

 

[Mina.S]

Where did you see Narvaez was promised leadership in RVV?

When Narvaez signed he gave an interview saying that one of the reasons he signed was because he was promised a leadership role for flanders, which is a big goal for him. He ended up getting leadership in australia over Vine but so maybe they worked that out. Ill see if i can find the interview now.

 

[Arvid Falk]

PR is more unpredictable and tactical. Pog is of course the leader but I definately think UAE believes Vermeersch and Politt could be options here, sneaking away in a rather late break. This I don't se happening in any other big one day races, then it's all about Pog.

 

[Berniece]

PR is more unpredictable and tactical. Pog is of course the leader but I definately think UAE believes Vermeersch and Politt could be options here, sneaking away in a rather late break. This I don't se happening in any other big one day races, then it's all about Pog.

Since UAE is Pogi, and he only cares about his own wins the team will ride solely for him.

 

[Mina.S]

PR is more unpredictable and tactical. Pog is of course the leader but I definately think UAE believes Vermeersch and Politt could be options here, sneaking away in a rather late break. This I don't se happening in any other big one day races, then it's all about Pog.

Seems like Wellens isn't on the list for RVV so maybe he is getting a leadership role for PR.

 

[Rackham]

I think people are grossly underestimating Pog's chances in Roubaix, partially because Roubaix itself is grossly overrated - especialyl the whole 'hell in the north' marketing angle which makes it look like The Hunger Games or something. Then there's Rob Hatch screaming about the Arenberg Trench like it's 1916 all over again. The whole 'danger imminent' thing about Roubaix is part of the hype machine. Sure it's a dangerous race but most cycling races are these days.

Point being: Pog is a good bike handler and has proven he can ride cobbles well. He'll be there or thereabouts the win. And VdP isn't invincible either. He's been beaten in two man sprints after a hard race before.