Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

You're overinterpreting something he said on the final day of the Tour. And yet, what he said points more to 2030. The rest of the year, his attitude and statements have been different.

When Healy asked him about this in Liège, he alluded to 2030.

He was worse in 2023 and he didn't say something like this.
I think he has 4 more years in him.

 

[Cycling111]

I see that most forums are paying huge attention to Pogacar’s latest statements, even though he only said that he will START thinking about retirement after the 2028 Olympics. So, not that he will retire then, but that he will start thinking about it. He has a contract until 2030, and he will definitely fulfill it because there is too much money at stake.
I personally see the problem in motivation, because every one of his defeats is portrayed as the biggest tragedy, and immediately the narrative shifts to “he’s not the same anymore.” But if he wins, then it’s suddenly boring. In the spring, he dominantly won “only” FW, even though it is extremely difficult to win it in the other way he did, along with LBL.Yet right after that, people started talking about “boring racing.” The incredible battles between him and MvDP across three monuments were immediately forgotten.
He dominated the Tour, and when he started winning stages with ease, it was “boring” again. If he doesn’t win, then the problem is that he’s not attacking and that it’s dull. Basically, whatever he does, it’s never right.
Because he’s in the GOAT discussions, he’s expected to be in top form all the time and peak three times a year, which is psychologically extremely hard—especially when he’s the only one doing that and still getting criticized for it.
Doing the Vuelta would have been way too exhausting, which I’ve been saying since the start of the year. Winning the World Championships time trial is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because he will never get a better course profile, and the same goes for the road race. Also, winning a monument five times in a row is a unique achievement.

Everything around him is being exaggerated, and at the Tour, everything is being blown out of proportion more than ever. Therefore, I would take his statements for what they are: something said in a moment of fatigue, but not something representative of his intentions. For that, you'd have to pay more attention to what he says in a few weeks.
I'm disappointed that he won't be going to the Vuelta, but I think he's blowing his words out of proportion at a very contextual moment. He hasn't spoken like that the rest of the year, and when he rests for a few days, he probably won't either.

As they've said, last year he said he wanted to be the best in history, and on the last day of the Tour de France, he said he doesn't care about numbers or how many Tour de France wins.
This contradiction is fueled by the typical exhaustion of the Tour de France. What matters is what he thinks when he rests and clears his mind, and the rest of the year his statements haven't been along those lines.

On Slovenian television, already more relaxed, he said his goals for 2026 were Paris-Roubaix, and the Tour de France, but many people on internet are already saying he won't be going to the Tour de France.
He himself has said that he will go to the Tour in 2026 to defend the title, but it is a widespread comment on X that he probably won't go.

Everything is being exaggerated too much. It's a disappointment that he's not going to go to the Vuelta when last year he said he'd be doing 2 GTs a year for at least another 2/3 years, but everything else is being exaggerated.

 

[Cycling111]

He was worse in 2023 and he didn't say something like this.
I think he has 4 more years in him.

Look at what he said in 2024 about 2023, it's much worse.

He didn't say anything at the end of the Tour; that would have also sounded like defeatism or an excuse for losing.
But at the beginning of 2024, after winning Strade Bianche and talking about his new coach, he said that the months between Liège and Glasgow were the worst of his life. He said he felt very alone and disappointed with some people; some interpreted this as referring to San Millan. And that after Glasgow, he said he felt depressed and struggled to get motivated for Lombardia, which for a while he thought would end the season. After Glasgow, he said he felt physically and mentally defeated, unmotivated, which is why he struggled to regain his shape for Lombardia.

That, for me, is much worse, except that he didn't say it on the last day of the Tour, which has more impact, and it's a reflection he made in 2024 after winning Strade Bianche with an exhibition, so it wasn't given importance because it was something of the past.

 

[scribers]

You're overinterpreting something he said on the final day of the Tour. And yet, what he said points more to 2030. The rest of the year, his attitude and statements have been different.

When Healy asked him about this in Liège, he alluded to 2030.

Why is he even talking about it at all? When people tell you something, you should believe them.

 

[scribers]

'Defence isn't fun, for spectators or him' – Tadej Pogačar's need to protect big lead took shine off Tour de France in final week, says UAE sports manager

UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Joxean Fernández Matxin says 'making several changes to the schedule' will be key to maintaining world champion's interest going forward

www.cyclingnews.com

This is a 'thing' with this age group. I find myself in the real world trying to please this age group by making something 'fun'. Otherwise, they just don't do it as if it is were optional.

 

[Cycling111]

Why is he even talking about it at all? When people tell you something, you should believe them.

Yes, I believe him, that's what he feels at that moment. But I've been following professional cycling for many years, and I've seen many cyclists say this kind of thing in the third week of the Tour because they're fed up, and then, after a rest, reflect more calmly.
And I've seen Pogacar say in 2024 that he felt depressed in 2023, and look what he did in 2024. The difference is that in 2023, he didn't say anything, and he said it when he recovered. That's why there wasn't so much drama.

That said, what Pogacar has said is that in 2028 he'll start thinking about retairing because he has a contract until 2030. If we believe what he says, he'll retire in 2030, not 2028, as some people here say. Pogacar hasn't said he'll retire in 2028.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

That said, what Pogacar has said is that in 2028 he'll start thinking about retairing because he has a contract until 2030. If we believe what he says, he'll retire in 2030, not 2028, as some people here say. Pogacar hasn't said he'll retire in 2028.

This means that in 2028 Pogi will consider it and say "I'll retire now" or "I'll retire in two years" or "I'm not planning to retire any time soon". So 2028 is one of the options.

 

[yaf2]

No necessarily 2028, maybe 2029.
I think the only chance he fulfills (and eventually extends) his contract is both:

• He is strong enough to win a lot of races
• He still hasn't won MSR/PR/Vuelta.

If he wins everything and the OG by 2028, he could retire and I would say it's rather likely. If he finds it hard to win races he will probably retire as well. I don't see him continuing Sagan style or even Valverde.

I dont think he is retiring anytime soon b/c he has career goals such as winning all wt stage races & monuments. I think in the next couple of years there will come time when pog skips the tour & focuses on vuelta. Part of it will be due to deltoro becoming competitive against vingegaard in the next 2 years & part of it could be pogi wanting to achieve his career goals of vuelta or olympics. We know pog is a nice team mate & could give the chance to deltoro if he has the level to compete for tdf which i certainly believe he will have

 

[Cycling111]

This means that in 2028 Pogi will consider it and say "I'll retire now" or "I'll retire in two years" or "I'm not planning to retire any time soon". So 2028 is one of the options.

But that doesn't mean he'll retire in 2028.
That's an overinterpretation.

It's a good thing he didn't verbalize how he felt in 2023, because it would have been concluded that he was suffering from depression and was about to retire 😅.
The way he said it in 2024, after the bad times were over, didn't seem to matter, but what he said is much worse and leads to even more catastrophic conclusions.
And look what he did after 2023.

He alluded to 2030 again, as he had months before. I interpreted it as his getting closer to that retirement date, and that will make her reflect on her final goals, as athleted do in their last year or two last years. Starting in 2028, Pogacar would enter that phase.

By the way, the other day I said half-jokingly that now that Ayuso is the leader of 2 GTs, he'll be the leader of the UAE Tour.

But I hope Pogacar won't be forced to do so next year. This year, he had to bring forward his debut by several weeks. In 2024, he debuted at Strade. It seems insignificant, but it's bringing forward the competition by weeks and being away from home. In the end, it all adds up to exhaustion, and that race is a hindrance.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

But I hope Pogacar won't be forced to do so next year. This year, he had to bring forward his debut by several weeks. In 2024, he debuted at Strade. It seems insignificant, but it's bringing forward the competition by weeks and being away from home. In the end, it all adds up to exhaustion, and that race is a hindrance.

Maybe he has UAE Tour participation written in his contract. Not every year though so maybe next year he'll start with Strade + Tirreno.

 

[AmRacer]

Maybe he has UAE Tour participation written in his contract. Not every year though so maybe next year he'll start with Strade + Tirreno.

He was forced to show up in the rainbow.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Maybe he has UAE Tour participation written in his contract. Not every year though so maybe next year he'll start with Strade + Tirreno.

No TA for sure. Same schedule to be honest but without UAE Tour

 

[Peyroteo94]

He was forced to show up in the rainbow.

There is a strong possibility he will be WC again.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

No TA for sure. Same schedule to be honest but without UAE Tour

Why not? He will ride a stage race in the spring, won't he? TA is a good option. Later in the spring he will fully focus on one-day races.

 

[Cycling111]

I dont think he is retiring anytime soon b/c he has career goals such as winning all wt stage races & monuments. I think in the next couple of years there will come time when pog skips the tour & focuses on vuelta. Part of it will be due to deltoro becoming competitive against vingegaard in the next 2 years & part of it could be pogi wanting to achieve his career goals of vuelta or olympics. We know pog is a nice team mate & could give the chance to deltoro if he has the level to compete for tdf which i certainly believe he will have

Poagacar will go to the Tour. The following day, in the Slovenian media, he said his goals for 2026 were Paris-Roubaix and defending the Tour de France title.

And I see a lot of hype with Del Toro for TDF. Del Toro hasn't won a Giro against Simon Yates and Carapaz, who haven't fought for a general classification in years. The difference in level compared to the Tour is enormous; to face Vineggaard, he would have had to win the Giro easily.

Also, before Finestre, he struggled quite a bit on the high mountain stage, and that's despite the fact that his Giro pace has nothing to do with that of the Tour. Del Toro isn't capable of challenging Vineggaard for the Tour at the pace it rides in the high mountains of the Tour.

Hindley won a Giro against Carapaz, was in great shape, and next year he was far from challenging for the Tour victory.

And now the hype is being pushed to the limit by a calendar in which Hirschi also dominated. What matters is that, given the level of the Giro, Del Toro is still a long way from competing in the Tour.
Calm down and wait 2/3years.

Pogacar has already said he will defend his title in 2026. We'll see in 2027, but winning the sixth would certainly open the debate for the best in history, and we'll have to see what he thinks at that point.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

And I see a lot of hype with Del Toro for TDF.

The hype is justified. Del Toro would be a great domestique for Pogacar.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Why not? He will ride a stage race in the spring, won't he? TA is a good option. Later in the spring he will fully focus on one-day races.

To maintain the Vuelta option more open. Racing as less as possible to try Tour-Vuelta. I can see Vingegaard in the Giro next year to win all 3 GTs (Vuelta 2025 and Giro 2026).

Pogacar's schedule:
SB
MSR
RVV
PR
LBL
TdS (new goal)
TdF
Vuelta (?) or Canadian classics
WC RR
Italian Classics

 

[Cycling111]

The hype is justified. Del Toro would be a great domestique for Pogacar.

Exactly, domestique.

But some people already see him leading the Tour.

The difference between the Giro and the Tour was seen in Hindley. That Hindley who won the Giro was at a very high level, and the following year he performed well at TDF, but far from winning it.

Del Toro isn't ready to ve Vingegaard's rival in the Tour's mountains.

I don't think they realize the leap in level that comes from being a rival to Simon and Carapaz, to being a rival to Vingegaard, and with the pace of the Tour. The Tour seems like a different sport compared to the Giro and Vuelta, due to the level of rivals and the pace.

 

[yaf2]

Calm down and wait 2/3years.

Thats what i said mate... in the next couple of years deltoro is likely to progress & will have a shot for the tour & pog has said there will be a year when he will skip the tour

 

[Krzysztof_O]

To maintain the Vuelta option more open. Racing as less as possible to try Tour-Vuelta. I can see Vingegaard in the Giro next year to win all 3 GTs (Vuelta 2025 and Giro 2026).

Pogacar's schedule:
SB
MSR
RVV
PR
LBL
TdS (new goal)
TdF
Vuelta (?) or Canadian classics
WC RR
Italian Classics

To optimize Tour + Vuelta performance cobbled classics should be skipped and maybe Tour of Basque Country added instead.

 

[Cycling111]

Maybe he has UAE Tour participation written in his contract. Not every year though so maybe next year he'll start with Strade + Tirreno.

He didn't go for two years. Those two years they didn't win. That's the problem.
But this year he won, so I hope they let him skip it for another two years. Let Ayuso or Del Toro go.

 

[Cycling111]

Thats what i said mate... in the next couple of years deltoro is likely to progress & will have a shot for the tour & pog has said there will be a year when he will skip the tour

Sorry, I thought you say that like something immediate.

It's something I've read on social media, and it seems absurd to me.
That's because many people are interpreting it as meaning Pogacar won't be going to the 2026 Tour, when he himself said the following day that his goals are Paris-Roubaix and the Tour.

 

[Lequack]

Cavendish on Pog

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950886552340513229

View: https://x.com/LaureusSport/status/1950886552340513229

 

[AmRacer]

To maintain the Vuelta option more open. Racing as less as possible to try Tour-Vuelta. I can see Vingegaard in the Giro next year to win all 3 GTs (Vuelta 2025 and Giro 2026).

Pogacar's schedule:
SB
MSR
RVV
PR
LBL
TdS (new goal)
TdF
Vuelta (?) or Canadian classics
WC RR
Italian Classics

5 one day's. Maybe Romandie and then rest and build up for the Tour. No TdS

 

[Cycling111]

To optimize Tour + Vuelta performance cobbled classics should be skipped and maybe Tour of Basque Country added instead.

Do you think he'll return to the Giro? Last year he said he liked it and would like to return.
Of course, last year he also said he'd do 2GT in the coming years.

I don't think he's interested in one-week races like the Basque Country. With De Ronde, it's unlikely he'll go. I don't think he'll make an effort to go to Romandy or Switzerland either.