Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

That Pog will catch Hinault in 5 years if he remains alpha dog…

In GTs. You should read again.
Overall? Maybe by the end of 2026, Pogi will already have a better palmares.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

The truth is, without that illegal feeding, VDP might not have finished the race the way he did. It gave him an unfair advantage, plain and simple. They gambled by breaking the rules — now they should face the full penalty: disqualification.

I know Pogacar is a true sportsman and doesn’t want to win like this. But this is about more than one rider or one race. It’s about the credibility of cycling. If rules aren’t enforced properly, it sets a dangerous precedent.

UAE should appeal. Not for the win, but for the integrity of the sport.

The maximum fine was given. If another rider were put in danger by it, they could additionally have issued a yellow card, but clearly that was not the case.

Disqualification is not an option under the rules.

Exactly what do you think UAE should appeal about?

Yes, that's why he needs to get disqualified.

They got caught, they had to pay 1000 CHF for that. Just read the rules my firned.

Oh dear

 

[JoãoRamos]

The maximum fine was given. If another rider were put in danger by it, they could additionally have issued a yellow card, but clearly that was not the case.

Disqualification is not an option under the rules.

Exactly what do you think UAE should appeal about?




Oh dear

Yes, but it should be.

At least a 2 min penalty.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

So you think that the grounds of the appeal should be that a rule that you think would be a good idea but has never been part of the rules should be applied? And that that is for the benefit of the sport's integrity?

A reminder: you are the one that told someone else to read the rules.

 

[JoãoRamos]

So you think that the grounds of the appeal should be that a rule that you think would be a good idea but has never been part of the rules should be applied?

A reminder: you are the one that told someone else to read the rules.

Rules about illegal feed, because he mentioned about Pogacar feeding earlier in the race.

I am not a lawyer, I don't know how they could appeal.
But if you think it's ok and it didn't guarantee VDP an unfair advantage, I rest my case.

We have to agree to disagree.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It's not about disagreeing: it's about your comments making sense. I didn't say anything to suggest that taking nutrition is not an advantage or that the fine was not deserved: please do not put words in my mouth.

So I repeat: on what grounds should UAE appeal?

 

[JoãoRamos]

It's not about disagreeing: it's about your comments making sense. I didn't say anything to suggest that taking nutrition is not an advantage or that the fine was not deserved: please do not put words in my mouth.

So I repeat: on what grounds should UAE appeal?

I appreciate your perspective, even if my comments don’t make sense to you — they still represent my opinion. When I referred to the rules, I thought it was clear I meant the specific regulations around illegal feeding, especially since both VDP and Alpecin were heavily penalized for their actions.

As for the grounds for an appeal, as I mentioned, I’m not a lawyer and don’t claim to know the procedural specifics. But from where I stand, it looked like a deliberate breach — done with the calculation that the consequences would be minor. That, to me, constitutes an unfair advantage. It’s breaking the rules on purpose, betting the punishment won’t matter.

So yes, even if it doesn’t resonate with you, for me it’s a question of integrity.

When an illegal act — like feeding in the final kilometers — can alter the very outcome of a race, we're no longer talking about tactics, but about the integrity of the sport itself. Even a two-minute time penalty would have acknowledged the gravity of the infraction. Had VDP not eaten, he might have bonked and lost — a fundamentally different result. If this isn’t currently grounds for appeal, then perhaps it should be. And if it’s not in the rules, then maybe the rules need to change.

 

[Extinction]

From what I saw today Tadej is fully capable of taming that monster and turning him into a pet.

Come on, on a flat course if that monster is rolling on all cilanders, he doesn't stand a chance.

 

[scribers]

Bruyneel says he was surprised pogi was able to assert himself as top favorite. Bruyneel also thinks the reason the top dogs are shredding the peloton early is so that their cars can get in there to reduce possibility of mechanicals ruining their race.

Spencer Martin is constantly betting against pogacar. Must make it tough to make money at it. Probably sandbagging on the podcast and quietly betting on pogacar

 

[yaco]

He lost, and he would have lost anyway. He actually has his limitations. Not Merckx, not Hinault.

Do you realise that when merckz and Hinault won PR there were far less cobbled sections in the rcae.

 

[yaco]

What monuments would Sagan have won if the strongest rider always wins the race? The two monuments he did win were tactical wins where it's completely open whether he was even the strongest rider in the race. I guess you might be able to argue he was the strongest in RVV and PR in 2017, but that's again not at all clear and in the case of PR the reason he lost wasn't even tactics. It's incredible how much people are overrating Sagan now that he's retired. He was nowhere near where Pogi and MvdP are today.

The difference is that when Sgan split the peleton his rivals would not work with him, while the rivals of Pogi and MVDP are happy to give a turn.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pogacar with nice words for MVP, the respect between those guys is the way it should be:

He's a great champion and one of the best riders in the world. To race against him is a big honour.
I always say, if I was a kid racing now, he would be my idol, so to race against him gives me some extra motivation.

He also says it was the hardest race for him.

You think it's an all-flat race but in terms of power I think it's the hardest race I've done in my life.
Plus there was the cobble stress on your body. It was definitely one of the roughest, toughest, hardest races I did. But I think I gained some experience so that maybe next time I come here it's not so extreme.

This makes sense. In races with elevation gain he usually doesn't have to go so deep for so long to show superiority over his rivals. Here, in a contest focused more on pure power (and less on mass) he has to go harder.

 

[pelotonIQ]

One small detail that these non-racing youtube ''analysts'' missed when Pog was trying to chase back vDP is that whenever it's your first time racing on roads you have never seen before, and in this case specially on cobbles is that you have no idea what the limits of each of the corners are. He had a couple of close calls which he escaped but eventually he crashed, all from corners. On the other hand you have vDP taking every corner with maximum speed and efficiency which is something Pogacar couldn't do due to lack of road familiarity.

 

[Peyroteo94]

PR is Hell of the North for a reason. Of course it is a very hard race, not only physically but specially mentally. It must be hard to fight for position before every single cobbled sector and seeing a huge amount of crashes must be hard too. You never know if you are the next to go down or having a mechanical.

 

[Salvarani]

One small detail that these non-racing youtube ''analysts'' missed when Pog was trying to chase back vDP is that whenever it's your first time racing on roads you have never seen before, and in this case specially on cobbles is that you have no idea what the limits of each of the corners are. He had a couple of close calls which he escaped but eventually he crashed, all from corners. On the other hand you have vDP taking every corner with maximum speed and efficiency which is something Pogacar couldn't do due to lack of road familiarity.

Pog will have learned a lot from his participation here! He also know where he can improve.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogacar with nice words for MVP, the respect between those guys is the way it should be:

He's a great champion and one of the best riders in the world. To race against him is a big honour.
I always say, if I was a kid racing now, he would be my idol, so to race against him gives me some extra motivation.

He also says it was the hardest race for him.

You think it's an all-flat race but in terms of power I think it's the hardest race I've done in my life.
Plus there was the cobble stress on your body. It was definitely one of the roughest, toughest, hardest races I did. But I think I gained some experience so that maybe next time I come here it's not so extreme.

This makes sense. In races with elevation gain he usually doesn't have to go so deep for so long to show superiority over his rivals. Here, in a contest focused more on pure power (and less on mass) he has to go harder.

They are good friends despite being rivals.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He really crashed because he didn’t know PR roads. A stupid mistake but this is also why PR is so hard to win in your first try.

 

[Cycling111]

They are good friends despite being rivals.

The only thing I don't like is that Van der Poel used illness as an excuse in Flanders.
I don´t think he lied, but it's not fair that the entire subsequent analysis has been reduced to that.

If he didn't drope Pog on the flat cobbles of Roubaix, it confirms that what happened in Flanders isn't simply an illness, Pogaçar is superior in Flanders. His performance yesterday in Roubaix, without drope of Mathei's wheel, confirms that they wouldn't have drawn in Flanders.

I missed a similar acknowledgment. The following days were dedicated to downplaying Pog's victory in Flanders. Pog is only worthwhile if he beats the best, and even then, his value is diminished. There's not much debate about VDP's victory in Flanders last year without Pog. It will count for the same thing on his record.

 

[Red Rick]

Spencer Martin is constantly betting against pogacar. Must make it tough to make money at it. Probably sandbagging on the podcast and quietly betting on pogacar

In none of Sanremo, RVV or Roubaix was betting against Pogacar insane. In fact, Pogacar being the top favorite for Sanremo was basically proven to be incorrect, and he was shown to be a ways away from MvdP in Roubaix as well, while in RVV Van der Poel helped him out with illness, crashes and overall bad decisions.

 

[Cycling111]

The difference is that when Sgan split the peleton his rivals would not work with him, while the rivals of Pogi and MVDP are happy to give a turn.

Who worked with Pogacar yesterday? When Van der Poel attacked on the flat, no one helped him, not even Vermeerchs, and Pedersen was on his wheel at that crucial moment. If Pog didn't close that gap, everyone would be cut off. He did it for everyone and then started asking a gel.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The only thing I don't like is that Van der Poel used illness as an excuse in Flanders.
I don´t think he lied, but it's not fair that the entire subsequent analysis has been reduced to that.

If he didn't drope Pog on the flat cobbles of Roubaix, it confirms that what happened in Flanders isn't simply an illness, Pogaçar is superior in Flanders. His performance yesterday in Roubaix, without drope of Mathei's wheel, confirms that they wouldn't have drawn in Flanders.

I missed a similar acknowledgment. The following days were dedicated to downplaying Pog's victory in Flanders. Pog is only worthwhile if he beats the best, and even then, his value is diminished. There's not much debate about VDP's victory in Flanders last year without Pog. It will count for the same thing on his record.

Back issues, Illness, no one cares about that. If you are going to race, don't come with excuses after you have been dropped. He was clearly the second strongest in RVV and his performance in PR was in line from what he shown in RVV. He couldn't dropped Pogacar (he tried in Pevele) and I would like to see what he could do against Pedersen too. Race went perfectly for him and some things he doesn't control (Pedersen, Pogacar, Philipsen there to help). One day, he won't be so lucky and maybe he will be the one to have a bad flat tyre in a critical moment.

 

[Salvarani]

He really crashed because he didn’t know PR roads. A stupid mistake but this is also why PR is so hard to win in your first try.

He did incredible all things considered and will have learned a lot from the experience.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He did incredible all things considered and will have learned a lot from the experience.

Yup. This is not his favorite terrain and he can say he still is the second best in the world on the cobbles. Maybe I'm the only one to think this but for me it will be easier for Pogacar to win PR against MVP than MVP winning RVV against Pogacar. Firstly, PR is more of a lottery and MVP didn't show enough power to drop Pogacar (even if he doesn't need that due to his superior sprint) but on the other hand, we can see how superior Pogacar is Kwaremont. For the second time MVP is dropped almost before the cobbled section and without WVA/Pedersen he would finish almost 2 minutes behind due to his bonk. He is clearly going beyond his limits to follow and beat Pogacar, maybe this is the reason he bonked one time in each monument. In RVV he didn't have the car to give him food but in PR he would probably win by a less margin if his car didn't help him.

 

[Cycling111]

Pog will have learned a lot from his participation here! He also know where he can improve.

Similar vibes than Flanders 2022.
After that edition, many experts said that if he hadn't won that year he would never drope VDP in Flanders.
Next year, Pog will be much better in Flanders.

In Roubaix, experience is even more important. Next time, he'll do better. This isn't San Remo; there are more places to do damage, even on road section.

Yesterday, he learned how to lose the race, and if he doesn't make that mistake, he'll also learn how he could win it.

Roubaix is harder than Flanders for him, but it's much more selective than San Remo. And he's proven that he's better the second time around than the first, and we're talking about the race that penalizes more the inexperience.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Similar vibes than Flanders 2022.
After that edition, many experts said that if he hadn't won that year he would never drope VDP in Flanders.
Next year, Pog will be much better in Flanders.

In Roubaix, experience is even more important. Next time, he'll do better. This isn't San Remo; there are more places to do damage, even on road section.

Yesterday, he learned how to lose the race, and if he doesn't make that mistake, he'll also learn how he could win it.

Roubaix is harder than Flanders for him, but it's much more selective than San Remo. And he's proven that he's better the second time around than the first, and we're talking about the race that penalizes more the inexperience.

He was dumb in RVV 2022. He didn't try to drop MVP on Kwaremont but tried on Paterberg. Had he tried on Kwaremont and Pogacar would have won RVV. MVp in 2022 was weak, probably due to back issues (not his 2023 version) that hampered his preparation.