Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[rafa92]

He mentioned the other day that a goal was the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Since the Olympics are scheduled from July 14th to July 30th, I assume that goal would prevent him from riding the TDF and might be a great year for him to ride the Vuelta?

yes, I think this his a very realistic option, in 2026 and 2027 he'll focus on PR, tour and WC. 2028 is the perfect year to skip the tour and focus on olympics and vuelta

 

[yaco]

yes, I think this his a very realistic option, in 2026 and 2027 he'll focus on PR, tour and WC. 2028 is the perfect year to skip the tour and focus on olympics and vuelta

The TDF will not be at the same time as the olympics. It will be before of after.

 

[rafa92]

The TDF will not be at the same time as the olympics. It will be before of after.

yes but he wants to skip the tour one year, he has said so multiple times and 2028 is perfect because olympics would be difficult to win doing the tour, plus he could also do vuelta if he skips the tour

 

[FroomeWagon]

yes but he wants to skip the tour one year, he has said so multiple times and 2028 is perfect because olympics would be difficult to win doing the tour, plus he could also do vuelta if he skips the tour

I also wonder about the logistics. It's one thing to ride the Olympics in Paris immediately after finishing the TDF, but how much time would you need between the two races crossing the Atlantic?

 

[fenns]

it's quite likely he'll have 6 Tours by July 2027 - after that he might not race it again

 

[BubbaChuck]

IMO pog is done after he wins pr,san remo,tour and vuelta.if it happens next year,its birdie bye bye.i think he already made decision and was sad/pissed litlle bit during tour.probably cant take crying from fans and peleton anymore.

 

[Peyroteo94]

IMO pog is done after he wins pr,san remo,tour and vuelta.if it happens next year,its birdie bye bye.i think he already made decision and was sad/pissed litlle bit during tour.probably cant take crying from fans and peleton anymore.

No, but I believe he will quit after 2028 if he wins gold in LA.
I believe he will win PR and MSR in the next 3 seasons, at least one time.

 

[Cycling111]

IMO pog is done after he wins pr,san remo,tour and vuelta.if it happens next year,its birdie bye bye.i think he already made decision and was sad/pissed litlle bit during tour.probably cant take crying from fans and peleton anymore.

He didn't say that. He said that in 2028 he would start thinking more about retiring because his contract runs until 2030, two more years after 2028.

That's five more years.

 

[rafa92]

No, but I believe he will quit after 2028 if he wins gold in LA.
I believe he will win PR and MSR in the next 3 seasons, at least one time.

no, very unlikely, he will race at least until 2030

 

[Peyroteo94]

no, very unlikely, he will race at least until 2030

Better for us. 5 years to win everything in cycling.

 

[jotafap]

No, but I believe he will quit after 2028 if he wins gold in LA.
I believe he will win PR and MSR in the next 3 seasons, at least one time.

Isn't it rumoured that Tour 2029 will start in Slovenia? If so, i'd say 99,99% chance he starts Tour 2029.

 

[BostonRob]

Disappointed he is not doing the Vuelta, but if he feels he needs rest, then indeed go home and heal up.

I hope all the talk of his premature retirement is being exaggerated. He can have many more years at the top and frankly cycling needs him. I have always seen him as the Djokovic of cycling in that he has endless appetite for wins and a desire to be the best, so it would be very surprising if he calls it quits at a young age. He has the capabilities to break most (if not all) records and just like Djokovic pushed through his 30s until he got the records, Pogi can be another 10-12 years in the sport.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Disappointed he is not doing the Vuelta, but if he feels he needs rest, then indeed go home and heal up.

I hope all the talk of his premature retirement is being exaggerated. He can have many more years at the top and frankly cycling needs him. I have always seen him as the Djokovic of cycling in that he has endless appetite for wins and a desire to be the best, so it would be very surprising if he calls it quits at a young age. He has the capabilities to break most (if not all) records and just like Djokovic pushed through his 30s until he got the records, Pogi can be another 10-12 years in the sport.

Nah, after Olympics 2028 Teddy & Urshka will open kids factory and their cycling careers will be over. Teddy, as a caring husband, won't want to overexcert Urshka and will give birth to some children himself.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Isn't it rumoured that Tour 2029 will start in Slovenia? If so, i'd say 99,99% chance he starts Tour 2029.

Wow, he will be there for sure. I didn't remember that. They will also climb the hardest mountain of Slovenia so he can be in yellow there.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Disappointed he is not doing the Vuelta, but if he feels he needs rest, then indeed go home and heal up.

I hope all the talk of his premature retirement is being exaggerated. He can have many more years at the top and frankly cycling needs him. I have always seen him as the Djokovic of cycling in that he has endless appetite for wins and a desire to be the best, so it would be very surprising if he calls it quits at a young age. He has the capabilities to break most (if not all) records and just like Djokovic pushed through his 30s until he got the records, Pogi can be another 10-12 years in the sport.

Cycling is harder than tennis if we are talking about years on top.

 

[fenns]

Cycling is harder than tennis if we are talking about years on top.

yes there is not the skill element. cycling is like athletics - 8 years at the top if you are lucky.

 

[Peyroteo94]

yes there is not the skill element. cycling is like athletics - 8 years at the top if you are lucky.

Yup, you don't need skill to climb a mountain.

 

[snipeheem]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950612680919728327

View: https://x.com/cyclingontnt/status/1950612680919728327

 

[Peyroteo94]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950612680919728327

View: https://x.com/cyclingontnt/status/1950612680919728327

This is just common sense. In 2 years, Remco will not be even a top5 climber.

 

[scribers]

Disappointed he is not doing the Vuelta, but if he feels he needs rest, then indeed go home and heal up.

I hope all the talk of his premature retirement is being exaggerated. He can have many more years at the top and frankly cycling needs him. I have always seen him as the Djokovic of cycling in that he has endless appetite for wins and a desire to be the best, so it would be very surprising if he calls it quits at a young age. He has the capabilities to break most (if not all) records and just like Djokovic pushed through his 30s until he got the records, Pogi can be another 10-12 years in the sport.

I agree with most everything you said and heard it all in Boston Rob accent.. ambuh! I'd add to it that I'll never appreciate why he's even talking about retirement at all in a press pool. Whatever

 

[scribers]

Cycling is harder than tennis if we are talking about years on top.

Top level tennis is really hard on the body

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Cycling requires a lot of skill. Ever seen Pidcock descend? How about the difference between Andy Schleck and Pogacar on the cobbles?
Also, didn't we have a thread on this board for many years called "Should triathletes be allowed on bikes?"
(Edit, sorry if the above comment was made in jest, sometimes my sarcasm meter blinks off.)

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Cycling is harder than tennis if we are talking about years on top.

True, but not by much except for three tremendous outliers.

 

[P4rthen0n]

This is just common sense. In 2 years, Remco will not be even a top5 climber.

Remco's TdF 2024 form was incredible in the mountains.
That form hasn't been surpassed since by anyone not named Pogacar or Vingegaard.

Unless you think Remco's form last year was the outlier and he won't achieve it again. In that case... i think it's too soon to tell.
I just know the guy is a prodigy. He's one of a kind on the flats with a super engine in a small frame.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Cycling requires a lot of skill. Ever seen Pidcock descend? How about the difference between Andy Schleck and Pogacar on the cobbles?
Also, didn't we have a thread on this board for many years called "Should triathletes be allowed on bikes?"
(Edit, sorry if the above comment was made in jest, sometimes my sarcasm meter blinks off.)

We have skill in cycling but it's not like Pidcock can win a GT just because he is 10 seconds faster on a descent.
The large majority of GT wins is conquered by a rider who dominates (or don't lose time) the mountain stages. Let's see the Tour:
2025 - Best climber won the race
2024 - same
2023 - same
2022 - same
2021 - same
2020 - same
2019 - same (mediocre time triallist)
2018 - same
2017 - same
2016 - same

In the last 10 years, the best climber (or close to be) won the Tour. Was Froome or Thomas very skillful? No.
Bernal? No. Pogacar? Above average but not MVP's level. Vingo the same.

To win a GT, a rider just needs to be average when we talk about skills.
But to win GTs, you can't be an average climber or even a good climber. You need to be close to the best at least. You need to be the rider who pushes the highest W/Kg on climbs.