Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Salvarani]

I will stand by this.

1: MSR, Ronde, PR, LBL, Tour, WC and Lombardia. (this season and potentially again in the future) - where I think he needs to be smart about if he really wants to do LBL again in the future, if doing PR before it.

2: MSR, LBL, Giro, Tour, WC and Lombardia. (last season and potentially again in the future)

3. MSR, LBL, Giro, Vuelta, WC and Lombardia. (potentially in the future)

4. MSR, LBL, Tour, Vuelta, WC and Lombardia. (potentially in the future)

 

[Gratemans]

These are things that happen when you take risks, like Pogačar.
When you compete a lot, there's a greater risk of not winning.

Vingegaard won't lose at home, and there won't be any such comments in his thread because nothing can be said until Dauphine.

I say this because his followers have to come to Pogacar's thread to laugh at him or forum members here, because Vingegaard doesn't give them content until July, like Froome used to.

That's something I won't understand. How do people who claim to be fans of Froome and Vingegaard come to the thread about riders who compete more than them to laugh when they lose?
Obviously, those who don't compete half as much don't have the risk of losing them, and there will be little to comment in their threads because unfortunately we can't comment on Vingegaard until the Dauphine.

I don't really have a preference when it concerns Pog or Vingegaard, and I totally agree with you. I do however kind of understand people that feel the need to ridicule that phropet-guy.

 

[Cycling111]

He can still do Paris-Nice, Itzulia and LBL.
Let me tell something more guys that will blow your mind.
Pogacar is not the only GC rider that can be good in monuments.
I see a fully fit Remco doing what Pog did in San Remo. We even saw Roglic a couple of years ago closing Pog on Poggio with no issues. I see Remco also capable of winning Flanders.
Do you know why they are not at those races? Because Grand Tours are what defines cycling. Pogacar is wasting his talent with a ridiculous calendar like this year.

We have to accept that Pogacar isn't at all motivated by one-week races.

Lately, he's been doing them simply as training, out of obligation for the Tour de France and last year's Giro.

He'll do them again for that reason, but he likes racing the classics. If he were racing Vingegaard's calendars every year, Pogacar would retire prematurely out of boredom and demotivation.

We have to accept that Pogacar is like this; that's why he's so great, not just because he's won everything he's won.
I don't want Pogacar to be Froome, if I like this rider it's because he doesn't resemble him at all.

 

[Peyroteo94]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1913972926023348327

View: https://x.com/LeGruppetto/status/1913972926023348327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1913972926023348327%7Ctwgr%5E64bf2fcf3593d2b0ea7acfb898b8892870f7bdd5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyclinguptodate.com%2Fcycling%2Fvideo-tadej-pogacar-downs-his-pint-on-amstel-gold-race-podium-as-mattias-skjelmose-remco-evenepoel-look-on

This is another reason why he is people's champion! Eheheh great to see cyclists like normal guys

 

[YavorD]

I still think this year Pogacar isn't better, or he's actually a bit worse than last year.
In UAE Tour he couldn't even beat Yates' record.
In Strade he couldn't drop Pidcock on Sante Marie (and he deffo wanted)
In Flanders he didn't look as great on Kwaremont 2 as he looked in 2022 and 2023.

Ironically, he looked the best in races he lost (San Remo, PR).

 

[scribers]

Mate, the reason why I sound like a broken record is because I want Pog to achieve the biggest feats in his career. I've been following him from the start and I believe that his recovery capacity is overrated. That's why I was against this heavy spring schedule because it will hurt him significantly for July.

That’s fine if you believe that. And maybe uoull be right. I prefer to see a much different focus by pogi than July and I’m entirely okay with the risks and consequences like today. Pogi prevails today with much smarter racing and this will come with hard lessons.

 

[Jack_89]

since the trible is gone, there is no point in doing FW

 

[Peyroteo94]

Don't be too harsh on yourself. That was a perfectly reasonable comment, you just got insanely unlucky

But was still pretty dumb. Of course he is not close to Remco's (or Pogacar) level but he was very strong.

 

[Peyroteo94]

since the trible is gone, there is no point in doing FW

I'm a little bid sad buy it is a good decision. For me, he is the best puncheur in the world and some people saying he is a overrated puncheur is killing me for a while

 

[scribers]

Best ride today was remco by far and he didn’t get the result he deserved. You have to risk it all to win

 

[jmdirt]

Best ride today was remco by far and he didn’t get the result he deserved. You have to risk it all to win

Best race was by Skj.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Mate, the reason why I sound like a broken record is because I want Pog to achieve the biggest feats in his career. I've been following him from the start and I believe that his recovery capacity is overrated. That's why I was against this heavy spring schedule because it will hurt him significantly for July.

You said Vingegaard has a better recovery and what he does is just focus his performance in the Tour.

 

[Jack_89]

I'm a little bid sad buy it is a good decision. For me, he is the best puncheur in the world and some people saying he is a overrated puncheur is killing me for a while

Given that the attacks are in the last 300m of a 200km race it wouldn't be a monstrous effort...but the question is psychological and only he knows the truth. Is he in a declining phase? Or is it just a bad day? (like le lioran 2024)? In the first case he has to recover for Liege, in the second he can even try the FW if is well. But he has to be careful, a second defeat in 3 days would give a further boost to the opponents who are already pumped. Pogacar can't afford to lose .

 

[Cycling111]

I'm a little bid sad buy it is a good decision. For me, he is the best puncheur in the world and some people saying he is a overrated puncheur is killing me for a while

Last year he won the Giro-Tour-World Championships, and them call him overrated.

After that, it doesn't matter what he wins or doesn't win. It's pure hate to call this rider overrated.
They're the same people as always.

 

[Rou]

You said Vingegaard has a better recovery and what he does is just focus his performance in the Tour.

I firmly believe that Vingegaard has better recovery than Pogacar when it comes to Grand Tours.
In fact my biggest fear this year is that Jonas ends up with 2 GT wins and Pogi with 0.

 

[YavorD]

Last year he won the Giro-Tour-World Championships, and them call him overrated.

Literally nothing in common with puncher ability.
Absolutely nobody calls him overrated.

Some people call him overrated puncher, which may have some truth.

 

[Cycling111]

By the way, what happened to the team today?
Another disappointing performance.

In the preview, Pogacar said he wouldn't attack early due to fatigue in PR. When Alaphilippe attacked, he only had McNulty, and I think he thought he had to avoid any moves.

In PR, he had to ride alone.
I said it yesterday. win in Abruzzo against against poor opponents, but that's no good for Pogacar, and being completely alone in PR. Today, the team's performance, between crashes and fatigue, was subpar.

Wellens another DNF today like in PR. He's completely exhausted. That's what happens when you want to win 80 races and burn out your riders.

 

[Cycling111]

You said Vingegaard has a better recovery and what he does is just focus his performance in the Tour.

In classics he doesn't even perform well in the first one

 

[Cycling111]

Don't be too harsh on yourself. That was a perfectly reasonable comment, you just got insanely unlucky

I voted him overrated in the most overrated rider thread
But I don't think I was wrong. I don't have a crystal ball, and he was truly disappointing at the Itzulia, and other races.

Hayman won the PR, and that doesn't change my opinion of him.
Riders must be judged based on their overall career.

Saying that Skjelmose it's too optimistic because he´s said that is Pogacar´s direct rival is realistic in April 2025.
That's not incompatible with him winning today or another race againt Pogacar or better riders than him.

Hayman beat Boonen, and that doesn't mean I'd say the same thing if he had said he was his competitor , and then I think the same thing the same. He beat him, but he wasn't better than Boonen to said he was his direct rival.

Worse riders than Sjølmose have won.
Hoban beat Merckx; he was quite mediocre.

 

[rafa92]

just watched his interview post race and it seems he still wants to do fleche, I think it's a huge mistake (as it was to do agr). I just hope he proves me wrong in liege, but I'm very worried he will end up with just one monument this spring despite he had a great level for two months, it would be a huge waist

 

[Rou]

On a funny note - the basketball ''alleged'' GOAT Lebron lost yesterday and the cycling one lost today. Hope they both bounce back soon. Hehe!

 

[Cycling111]

Liege is a lot different from AGR. Pogacar is still a big favorite over Evenepoel there.

I think he was also the favorite here, if he hadn´t participated in the PR.

I've been saying all week that Pogacar's achievement in the PR has been underestimated.
Not only because of his great result in his debut, also because it must have been especially difficult for him.

All the specialists say that the next week to Paris-Roubaix is the worst because it leaves them very fatigued. VDP said he was exhausted in Amstel last year.

For someone as weight as Pogacar, Paris-Roubaix must have been physically hard; even if he finished second, the effects for him must have been terrible. They are already the same for specialists and heavier cyclists.

 

[CatchyH]

He basically confirmed in an interview after the race that he'll do both Fleche and Liege.

 

[Cycling111]

just watched his interview post race and it seems he still wants to do fleche, I think it's a huge mistake (as it was to do agr). I just hope he proves me wrong in liege, but I'm very worried he will end up with just one monument this spring despite he had a great level for two months, it would be a huge waist

If he ever wants to win a PR, it's not a waste of time to have done it the first time.
Not even Merckx won it the first time.

The mistakes he made this year are something he needs to keep in mind for the future. Also, you should have seen the fatigue it causes him afterward.
I doubt he'll do the Amstel other year after the PR.

Nothing he's done so far has been a waste of time, except for Amstel and, I think, Flecha. I agree with that. The rest is necessary. If he wants to win San Remo, he has to try every year, and PR should have known him sooner or later and seen the consequences it leaves behind.

If he thought like that, he'd be at home like Vingegaard until the Dauphine. Racing only Tirreno and winning it easily. He already knows he can easily win Paris-Nice, but he likes the classics. It's important to stay motivated in this sport.

 

[Salvarani]

just watched his interview post race and it seems he still wants to do fleche, I think it's a huge mistake (as it was to do agr). I just hope he proves me wrong in liege, but I'm very worried he will end up with just one monument this spring despite he had a great level for two months, it would be a huge waist

Not a huge waste... but maybe learning that if you go for it all, you might end up with little (in terms of wins).