Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[snipeheem]

I didn't follow cycling too much before 2024. What was his profile before Sola vs today?
What has changed in his training?

He became the greatest climber of all time with Sola , thats the biggest difference

 

[Peyroteo94]

He became the greatest climber of all time with Sola , thats the biggest difference

He made a huge leap on climbing without a doubt. Let's see if he can break Hautacam's record.

 

[Rou]

I didn't follow cycling too much before 2024. What was his profile before Sola vs today?
What has changed in his training?

Before Sola Pog was getting cooked on the queen stages with a lot of fatigue. His conditioning was worse, he did very little gym work, he could not handle the heat.
Examples: Ventoux 2021, Granon 2022, Hautacam 2022, Loze 2023.
The eye opener for me was the Giro 2024 Stage 15 where he destroyed the field on a brutal high mountain stage.
Some youtubers did not pay attention to that because of the ''weak field'' but 1 month later they woke up.

 

[Cycling111]

I hope Pogacar can win the Tour with João on the podium!

Yates' performance in the Vuelta last year was poor after the Tour. One stage, but very bad in GC.
This year, after the Giro, I think Yates won't have a good Tour.

Sivakov isn't reliable, so Almeida will have to be a solid domestique. I think he won't have as many chances in the general classification this year because Yates's performance at TDF isn't going to go well.

Besides, I still think Remco will be better than Almeida in the Tour.
Remco was worse than Jorgenson and Carlos Rodriguez in the Dauphine last year, and he was far superior to them in the Tour.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yates' performance in the Vuelta last year was poor after the Tour. One stage, but very bad in GC.
This year, after the Giro, I think Yates won't have a good Tour.

Sivakov isn't reliable, so Almeida will have to be a solid domestique. I think he won't have as many chances in the general classification this year because Yates's performance at TDF isn't going to go well.

Besides, I still think Remco will be better than Almeida in the Tour.
Remco was worse than Jorgenson and Carlos Rodriguez in the Dauphine last year, and he was far superior to them in the Tour.

Of course Remco is a safer bet than João to get third in July but Almeida is better this year and with a bit of luck and Remco's mental instabily, he can fight for the podium.

 

[CyclistAbi]

So it all basically comes down to Pogi and Almeida making a bald move?

 

[Cycling111]

Of course Remco is a safer bet than João to get third in July but Almeida is better this year and with a bit of luck and Remco's mental instabily, he can fight for the podium.

But keep in mind that this year Almeida will have to do the work that Yates won´t be able to do.

Last year, Yates' level at TDF was worser r, and this year, he'll be even worse after the Giro.
A bad decision by the UAE to send him to the Giro.
They give too much importance to Ayuso winning the Giro, without thinking about the consequences it will have for the Tour in Yates.

 

[Salvarani]

But keep in mind that this year Almeida will have to do the work that Yates won´t be able to do.

Last year, Yates' level at TDF was worser r, and this year, he'll be even worse after the Giro.
A bad decision by the UAE to send him to the Giro.
They give too much importance to Ayuso winning the Giro, without thinking about the consequences it will have for the Tour in Yates.

Dont think A. Yates will ride Giro with GC ambitions, so it might not be a bad decision.

 

[Peyroteo94]

But keep in mind that this year Almeida will have to do the work that Yates won´t be able to do.

Last year, Yates' level at TDF was worser r, and this year, he'll be even worse after the Giro.
A bad decision by the UAE to send him to the Giro.

Yates will not fight for the GC in the Tour like he did in the Vuelta. He just needs to be good in 5 stages.

 

[Cycling111]

Dont think A. Yates will ride Giro with GC ambitions, so it might not be a bad decision.

He also didn't run the TDF with GC ambitions and his level dropped significantly in the Vuelta.
Seeing how he level dropped in the second GT, I think it's a mistake to Yates do the Giro-Tour.

Almeida will have to work more this year. We'll see if he's willing to do so and sacrifice his chances if Pogacar needs him.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So it all basically comes down to Pogi and Almeida making a bald move?

Or a hairy one.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He also didn't run the TDF with GC ambitions and his level dropped significantly in the Vuelta.
Seeing how he level dropped in the second GT, I think it's a mistake to Yates do the Giro-Tour.

Almeida will have to work more this year. We'll see if he's willing to do so and sacrifice his chances if Pogacar needs him.

He raced the Tour with GC ambitions... did you see him dropping on purpose?

 

[Cycling111]

Yates will not fight for the GC in the Tour like he did in the Vuelta. He just needs to be good in 5 stages.

He didn't race TDF with the intention of winning the overall either, and in the Vuelta, he looked very fatigued after the stage he won.

For me, it's a mistake; we'll find out in July. But I think Almeida will have to be more domestique than last year.

 

[Salvarani]

He also didn't run the TDF with GC ambitions and his level dropped significantly in the Vuelta.
Seeing how he level dropped in the second GT, I think it's a mistake to Yates do the Giro-Tour.

Almeida will have to work more this year. We'll see if he's willing to do so and sacrifice his chances if Pogacar needs him.

Yates had crashes in the spring last season, but he was very good in Suisse and he finished 6th in the Tour.

He might have caught a bug like others in UAE tbf during the Vuelta. It wasnt the best race for them. I would not put so much thought into it atm.

 

[Cycling111]

Yates had crashes in the spring last season, but he was very good in Suisse and he finished 6th in the Tour.

He might have caught a bug like others in UAE tbf during the Vuelta. It wasnt the best race for them. I would not put so much thought into it atm.

When Almeida withdrew from the Vuelta, Yates was asked if he would challenge for the victory, and he said no, that he was too tired after the Tour to win the GC.

Yates doesn't double GT well.
We'll also see how Almeida arrives at the TDF.
Last year, he did Switzerland but not Romandie. Doing Switzerland and Romandie so close together isn't good for TDF.

In UAE, they prioritize their secondary leaders winning too much. Jorgenson has been preparing for the Tour for weeks.

 

[Salvarani]

When Almeida withdrew from the Vuelta, Yates was asked if he would challenge for the victory, and he said no, that he was too tired after the Tour to win the GC.

Yates doesn't double GT well.
We'll also see how Almeida arrives at the TDF.
Last year, he did Switzerland but not Romandie. Doing Switzerland and Romandie so close together isn't good for TDF.

In UAE, they prioritize their secondary leaders winning too much. Jorgenson has been preparing for the Tour for weeks.

Because he was very good in the Tour and the Tour is just much tougher. He finished 6th.

If he rides for a results in the Giro it could have some affects... but if he doesnt ride with own ambitions. It doesnt have to be bad.

Dont understand your point at all with Almeida here tbh. He will a week or so off now and then prepare for the summer ahead. He is in great shape and spirits atm.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He didn't race TDF with the intention of winning the overall either, and in the Vuelta, he looked very fatigued after the stage he won.

For me, it's a mistake; we'll find out in July. But I think Almeida will have to be more domestique than last year.

Yates will be good for sure. He can get into shape in the first week.

 

[Rou]

When Almeida withdrew from the Vuelta, Yates was asked if he would challenge for the victory, and he said no, that he was too tired after the Tour to win the GC.

Yates doesn't double GT well.
We'll also see how Almeida arrives at the TDF.
Last year, he did Switzerland but not Romandie. Doing Switzerland and Romandie so close together isn't good for TDF.

In UAE, they prioritize their secondary leaders winning too much. Jorgenson has been preparing for the Tour for weeks.

Yates doesn't need to be good for the whole tour as Peyroteo said. He can lose 2 hours until the Hautacam stage and do leadouts for Pogacar on 2-3 mountain stages.

 

[YavorD]

He also didn't run the TDF with GC ambitions and his level dropped significantly in the Vuelta.
Seeing how he level dropped in the second GT, I think it's a mistake to Yates do the Giro-Tour.

Almeida will have to work more this year. We'll see if he's willing to do so and sacrifice his chances if Pogacar needs him.

You also have to give your star riders to lead a team in Big races, you know?

Almeida took many of the one week races, Ayuso and Yates have the chance to ride the Giro for their own chances.
I don't trust Yates so much for a GT podium, but you have to give him a chance.

 

[Cycling111]

You also have to give your star riders to lead a team in Big races, you know?

Almeida took many of the one week races, Ayuso and Yates have the chance to ride the Giro for their own chances.
I don't trust Yates so much for a GT podium, but you have to give him a chance.

That's the problem with signing leaders as domestiques.

Visma also gives space to Van Aert and Yates, but Jorgenson will arrive at the TDF very rested.

Pogacar needs a domestique like Jorgenson, rested, or Almeida or Yates. And one will be doing the Giro and the other will be doing Romandie and Switzerland in a short space of time.

Visma gave Jorgenson a Big race in Paris-Nice, and once he has won that important victory and some classics, he is preparing TDF.

This year, the UAE has all the principal domestiques in his own objetives.
Either Yates or Almeida should´ve a similar schedule to Jorgenson's. The Tour leader needs a fresh man at his side.

 

[AmRacer]

That's the problem with signing leaders as domestiques.

Visma also gives space to Van Aert and Yates, but Jorgenson will arrive at the TDF very rested.

Pogacar needs a domestique like Jorgenson, rested, or Almeida or Yates. And one will be doing the Giro and the other will be doing Romandie and Switzerland in a short space of time.

Visma gave Jorgenson a Big race in Paris-Nice, and once he has won that important victory and some classics, he is preparing TDF.

This year, the UAE has all the principal domestiques in his own objetives.
Either Yates or Almeida should´ve a similar schedule to Jorgenson's. The Tour leader needs a fresh man at his side.

It's 38 days to TdS, Almeida has time to rest and recover before and an altitude camp.

 

[YavorD]

That's the problem with signing leaders as domestiques.

Visma also gives space to Van Aert and Yates, but Jorgenson will arrive at the TDF very rested.

Care to make a list of riders who are both:
1. Good enough to be a top level helpers for Pogacar
2. Selfless enough not to pursue their own chances sooner or later


Not everyone is Sepp Kiss, you know.


Edit: And for the record, Jorgenson was offered the Giro (if I remember correctly). He didn't want it.

 

[Peyroteo94]

That's the problem with signing leaders as domestiques.

Visma also gives space to Van Aert and Yates, but Jorgenson will arrive at the TDF very rested.

Pogacar needs a domestique like Jorgenson, rested, or Almeida or Yates. And one will be doing the Giro and the other will be doing Romandie and Switzerland in a short space of time.

Visma gave Jorgenson a Big race in Paris-Nice, and once he has won that important victory and some classics, he is preparing TDF.

This year, the UAE has all the principal domestiques in his own objetives.
Either Yates or Almeida should´ve a similar schedule to Jorgenson's. The Tour leader needs a fresh man at his side.

You have to look the other way. Who else will have a domestique like Almeida? Did you see how strong was UAE with Pogacar, Almeida, Yates and Ayuso last year in Galibier? They get their own chances but when they ride for his leader (Pogacar), they just kill the field.

 

[Cycling111]

You have to look the other way. Who else will have a domestique like Almeida? Did you see how strong was UAE with Pogacar, Almeida, Yates and Ayuso last year in Galibier? They get their own chances but when they ride for his leader (Pogacar), they just kill the field.

There were already problems with Ayuso in the last TDF.

Almeida seems more resigned to being a domestique in GT, but in reality, he barely had to work as a domestique last year because Pogacar was far superior, and Yates was the decisive domestique the following stage after Lioran. The day that Pogacar had more doubts and needed the punctual sacrifice of a teammate.

If Yates is fatigued this year and Pogacar has a problem and needs Almeida to do what Yates did, sacrificing time, we'll see if Almeida does it or if problems arise like those with Ayuso.

For Pogacar, having Ayuso or no one is the same. For him is better to have someone of a lower level than Ayuso, since he won't act as a domestique.

Last year, Almeida was fortunate enough not to have to be decisive. If he has to be this year, that's when he'll have to prove he'll sacrifice his chances, and in good shape, not fatigued from competing all the one-week races.

 

[Peyroteo94]

There were already problems with Ayuso in the last TDF.

Almeida seems more resigned to being a domestique in GT, but in reality, he barely had to work as a domestique last year because Pogacar was far superior, and Yates was the decisive domestique the following stage after Lioran. The day that Pogacar had more doubts and needed the punctual sacrifice of a teammate.

If Yates is fatigued this year and Pogacar has a problem and needs Almeida to do what Yates did, sacrificing time, we'll see if Almeida does it or if problems arise like those with Ayuso.

For Pogacar, having Ayuso or no one is the same. For him is better to have someone of a lower level than Ayuso, since he won't act as a domestique.

Last year, Almeida was fortunate enough not to have to be decisive. If he has to be this year, that's when he'll have to prove he'll sacrifice his chances, and in good shape, not fatigued from competing all the one-week races.

Almeida will work for Pogacar if he has to.