Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

Usually the vuelta has a lot of steep climbs except the vuelta he won, with only 1 steep climb to the finish line on stage 9 with 3,8km 13% in which he had a climbing gear ratio and rode steadily. LBL is a different monster it's going to be attacks.

But he won a lot of time in that stage. For example Roglic who is very good in steep gradients (I know he wasn't st his best) lost more than a minute to Evenepoel in 4 km. That's a lot.

 

[Savant12]

A lot of overthinking going on. Pog just needs to decide when to drop everyone and ride to victory.

 

[Medvind]

The problem is this seems a really wishful thinking. There is zero evidence that a harder race will compromise Pogacar's chances. His entire classics season have been done with a pattern. Attack early to force a early selection and kill his rivals legs, then attack later to drop them all. This is Pogacar's favorite way of racing.
Correct me if I am wrong.

It's not wishful, it's based on Pog being up against Remco who is a different animal than other competitors, one who is a stellar tt rider and who himself mauls down the competition in long races (Olympics, Worlds 22, LBL, San Sebastian) and the fact that Pog has had a long spring campaign and that he might just be a bit weaker than usual. As I said before, a fresh Pog like in SB or RVV is one thing, then Remco would have a tough time.

And remember, we are here talkning about what Remco's best strategy is to win, which doesn't mean he will, it's about improving his chances. Is it better to bet on catching Pog after he attacks on RaF and hope to win a sprint? Maybe it is, but I'm not sure after what I saw Pog doing on Huy in just 300 m.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It's not wishful, it's based on Pog being up against Remco who is a different animal than other competitors, one who is a stellar tt rider and who himself mauls down the competition in long races (Olympics, Worlds 22, LBL, San Sebastian) and the fact that Pog has had a long spring campaign and that he might just be a bit weaker than usual. As I said before, a fresh Pog like in SB or RVV is one thing, then Remco would have a tough time.

And remember, we are here talkning about what Remco's best strategy is to win, which doesn't mean he will, it's about improving his chances. Is it better to bet on catching Pog after he attacks on RaF and hope to win a sprint? Maybe it is, but I'm not sure after what I saw Pog doing on Huy in just 300 m.

Remco is not a bigger animal than MVP but I got your point.

 

[Medvind]

Remco is not a bigger animal than MVP but I got your point.

My bad, forgot briefly about MVDP, also a different kind of animal.

 

[topt]

It's not wishful, it's based on Pog being up against Remco who is a different animal than other competitors, one who is a stellar tt rider and who himself mauls down the competition in long races (Olympics, Worlds 22, LBL, San Sebastian) and the fact that Pog has had a long spring campaign and that he might just be a bit weaker than usual. As I said before, a fresh Pog like in SB or RVV is one thing, then Remco would have a tough time.

And remember, we are here talkning about what Remco's best strategy is to win, which doesn't mean he will, it's about improving his chances. Is it better to bet on catching Pog after he attacks on RaF and hope to win a sprint? Maybe it is, but I'm not sure after what I saw Pog doing on Huy in just 300 m.

all this is wishful thinking; i will be totaly shocked if Remco can win without Pog crash

 

[Rou]

Any chance we see Pogi wheelsucking tomorrow until Roche? Hehe

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Remco is not a bigger animal than MVP but I got your point.

Swap Pogacar with Remco in MSR'25, same tactics, and he murders Van der Poel. Indeed, he is not a bigger animal, he's much smaller. Same pace, no cover.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Swap Pogacar with Remco in MSR'25, same tactics, and he murders Van der Poel. Indeed, he is not a bigger animal, he's much smaller. Same pace, no cover.

So do you think Remco would be able to crack MVP even if Pogacar wasn't able? Bold take.

 

[Shortcut]

It’s fascinating how just one(!!!) race this entire spring — where Pogacar already dropped Remco, where he rode solo for 30 km into a headwind, and still managed to beat Remco again in a sprint — somehow gave people hope that Remco can beat him.
Unless something unpredictable happens to Tadej, Remco simply has no chance against him on any terrain in a road race.
Pogacar’s “problem” is becoming that if he doesn’t ride away solo 50 km before the finish at Strade, Amstel, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Montreal, or Lombardia, people immediately start questioning his form.
What he did at La Flèche Wallonne was probably the most dominant show of force before Liège in the last 30 years, and yet people still think he might have peaked too early.

 

[Rou]

Swap Pogacar with Remco in MSR'25, same tactics, and he murders Van der Poel. Indeed, he is not a bigger animal, he's much smaller. Same pace, no cover.

Funny. By this logic we swap Pogi with Remco in Flanders and Roubaix and he destroys MVDP because drafting is everything right? Just because Remco beats a cooked Wout in a sprint we can make these predictions.

 

[snipeheem]

Swap Pogacar with Remco in MSR'25, same tactics, and he murders Van der Poel. Indeed, he is not a bigger animal, he's much smaller. Same pace, no cover.

What?

 

[Peyroteo94]

What?

Skjelmose is almost beating Ayuso or Pidcock in the most overrated cyclist in the world. I think he won't even finish inside the top10 tomorrow.

“It’s always special to race against Tadej Pogacar... hopefully we’ll crack him at some point" - Mattias Skjelmose confident of challenging world champ in the Ardennes

Mattias Skjelmose gets back to one-day racing this weekend as he starts the Ardennes triple header with a battle on Sunday afternoon at the Amstel Gold Race. After a solid if unspectacular showing at...

cyclinguptodate.com

We should open a poll to the most dumb post of the year!

I might have competition after all! Eheheh (with all respect Logic).

 

[Medvind]

It’s fascinating how just one(!!!) race this entire spring — where Pogacar already dropped Remco, where he rode solo for 30 km into a headwind, and still managed to beat Remco again in a sprint — somehow gave people hope that Remco can beat him.
Unless something unpredictable happens to Tadej, Remco simply has no chance against him on any terrain in a road race.
Pogacar’s “problem” is becoming that if he doesn’t ride away solo 50 km before the finish at Strade, Amstel, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Montreal, or Lombardia, people immediately start questioning his form.
What he did at La Flèche Wallonne was probably the most dominant show of force before Liège in the last 30 years, and yet people still think he might have peaked too early.

UAE controlled the race and set up Pog for a 90 second attack on Huy. I wasn't really surprised he could do such a strong seated attack. But the competition wasn't stellar imo. Seeing Ala, Rogla flying up Huy in 2021 was just as impressive.

Does his perfomance in FW indicate he will be stellar shape in LBL? Maybe, but I don't know if it proves that much.

But of course Pog is the clear favorite, no one is doubting that. The discussion revolves around which strategy Remco should adopt to improve his chances of winning, which doesn't mean he will. Or you do you think Remco should just settle for 2nd and don't try to win?

 

[Shortcut]

Swap Pogacar with Remco in MSR'25, same tactics, and he murders Van der Poel. Indeed, he is not a bigger animal, he's much smaller. Same pace, no cover.

That must be the biggest Joke i read here in a while.

 

[Medvind]

So do you think Remco would be able to crack MVP even if Pogacar wasn't able? Bold take.

Probably not. But Remco with a steady hard pace going 35-40 km/hour on Cipressa/Poggio, where MVDP doesn't have much to hide behind, seems intriguing to watch at least.

 

[James M]

Swap Pogacar with Remco in MSR'25, same tactics, and he murders Van der Poel. Indeed, he is not a bigger animal, he's much smaller. Same pace, no cover.

That's hilarious. By the sheer watt-power Pogacar put out on Cipressa in the wind and followed it up with several more after, newsflash: Remco—who is good—has never been close to that power he put out for short bursts, ever, it was ridicilous high. (and when I say not close, not even remotely close)

I doubt he actually would be able to follow in the slipstrem wheel like MvdP, who was the only one who managed. And we all know MvdP, too, has severely bigger short power output than Evenepoel. Come on, man

 

[Shortcut]

UAE controlled the race and set up Pog for a 90 second attack on Huy. I wasn't really surprised he could do such a strong seated attack. But the competition wasn't stellar imo. Seeing Ala, Rogla flying up Huy in 2021 was just as impressive.

Does his perfomance in FW indicate he will be stellar shape in LBL? Maybe, but I don't know if it proves that much.

But of course Pog is the clear favorite, no one is doubting that. The discussion revolves around which strategy Remco should adopt to improve his chances of winning, which doesn't mean he will. Or you do you think Remco should just settle for 2nd and don't try to win?

He shouldn't settle for 2nd. And i actually like Remco for trying but thinking he can beat Tadej without luck is just funny.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It’s fascinating how just one(!!!) race this entire spring — where Pogacar already dropped Remco, where he rode solo for 30 km into a headwind, and still managed to beat Remco again in a sprint — somehow gave people hope that Remco can beat him.
Unless something unpredictable happens to Tadej, Remco simply has no chance against him on any terrain in a road race.
Pogacar’s “problem” is becoming that if he doesn’t ride away solo 50 km before the finish at Strade, Amstel, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Montreal, or Lombardia, people immediately start questioning his form.
What he did at La Flèche Wallonne was probably the most dominant show of force before Liège in the last 30 years, and yet people still think he might have peaked too early.

Remco probably suffered with rainy weather. Of course he would not beat Pogacar but I expect him to be better on Sunday

 

[yaf2]

"Remco is better than vdp" is this the statement circling around this thread? Whats going on🤧 Remco is the most overrated rider i've ever seen. He can't ride the top 10 guys in the world off his wheel on climbs yet he is regarded as equal or better than those immortals vdp & pog. This guys can leave anybody in the dust off their wheels whenever they want whereas remco couldn't even ride away from 2nd tier riders on the climbs of amstel only got away because someone couldn't cooperate & let his wheel go on the flat. His biggest wins/separations i could remember were either on the top of a climb or breakaways on the flat.

 

[pelotonIQ]

But he won a lot of time in that stage. For example Roglic who is very good in steep gradients (I know he wasn't st his best) lost more than a minute to Evenepoel in 4 km. That's a lot.

1 exception doesn't make the rule. More often than not Remco loses time to his GC rivals on double-digit gradients.

 

[Medvind]

"Remco is better than vdp" is this the statement circling around this thread? Whats going on🤧 Remco is the most overrated rider i've ever seen. He can't ride the top 10 guys in the world off his wheel on climbs yet he is regarded as equal or better than those immortals vdp & pog. This guys can leave anybody in the dust off their wheels whenever they want whereas remco couldn't even ride away from 2nd tier riders on the climbs of amstel only got away because someone couldn't cooperate & let his wheel go on the flat. His biggest wins/separations i could remember were either on the top of a climb or breakaways on the flat.

Just wow.

 

[yaf2]

Just wow.

Dont get me wrong he is the best in time trials but he is nowhere near in the league of pog & vdp when it comes to one day races

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I might have competition after all! Eheheh (with all respect Logic).

Yes, your post might qualify.

That's hilarious. By the sheer watt-power Pogacar put out on Cipressa in the wind and followed it up with several more after, newsflash: Remco—who is good—has never been close to that power he put out for short bursts, ever, it was ridicilous high. (and when I say not close, not even remotely close)

I doubt he actually would be able to follow in the slipstrem wheel like MvdP, who was the only one who managed. And we all know MvdP, too, has severely bigger short power output than Evenepoel. Come on, man

That must be the biggest Joke i read here in a while.

So do you think Remco would be able to crack MVP even if Pogacar wasn't able? Bold take.

Bold take? Not at all. There are 2 ways for Pogacar to drop opponents. Interval attacks or simply climbing faster. Hills in MSR are not long/hard enough for the latter against MvdP, and if there is one rider in the world who can respond to interval attacks or dish them out, it's Van der Poel. If you would simply stop and think instead of responding like a bunch of something i can not say without getting banned, you would realise i'm making sense. But of course this is the Pog fanboy club, so who am i kidding.

 

[Medvind]

Dont get me wrong he is the best in time trials but he is nowhere near in the league of pog & vdp when it comes to one day races

Who is claiming he really is?

Of course MVDP is stronger in MSR, RVV and PR.
And Pog is stronger than him in all monuments, at least currently.
LBL suits Remco best of the monuments, and a Remco in 100 % shape is a beast in LBL and might give Pog a run for his money.

Could Remco compete for the win in MSR and RVV? Sincerely doubt Ronde.
In MSR, yes, if Pogs rides and blow up the race, then one can see Remco attack away on the flat after Poggio descent.

When it comes to one day races like Worlds and Olympics then it depends on the courses. But here I believe Remco is generally in a better position to win over Pog and MVDP than in the monuments, not saying he is a favorite, just in a better position.