Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Krzysztof_O]

I think it will remain very difficult for Pogacar to win PR and MSR. He can but many can and other riders remain more favorite for these races than Pogacar to me. Also the tactic for UAE on MSR is something not surprising anymore.

Besides that, when years pass he gets older and new rising stars appear such as Brennan and others.

I agree though if Pogacar wants to win those classics he will have to do it rather earlier than later.

Without trying, he won't win. MVP is a challenge but sports are also about overcoming challenges. He's surely one of the top contenders in both PR and MSR and it's not a guarantee MVP will always win them.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pog isn't doing tour + vuelta in the coming years imo. There is no way he skips canada wc in 2026 & haute savoie(domancy) in 2027. In 2028 its olympic year & its his biggest goal so might add either tour/vuelta to his calendar not both. Imo its very likely he skips tdf in one of the next 3 years.

I also believe he won't. For me it's a mistake. His palmares without a Vuelta is strange to me.

 

[dr.eve]

Without trying, he won't win. MVP is a challenge but sports are also about overcoming challenges. He's surely one of the top contenders in both PR and MSR and it's not a guarantee MVP will always win them.

I agree he should try, just saying he should try earlier than later and that I do not think that its a case of make it his biggest focus and he wins. Some here tend to think that, and I get it, its Pogacar so that kind of makes sense. But I think a race like MSR and PR are incredibly hard for him to win. The chance he gets solo to the finish in one of these races is slim I think, and if he doesn't get solo to the finish he most likely has a faster sprinter with him who can beat him. Still sure he can win as long as he tries. But let's be realistic, there's a reason Pogacar drills so hard on the hills in MSR, it is his only chance, but everyone knows that and several years now have shown that other quick guys can manage that.

 

[BubbaChuck]

vdp is 31,this wont last long.who knows what level vdp brings next year,little off and its over.its gonna same as with jonas,once pog crosses him ,its over.others are not in contention,he just needs to beat vdp and its lightwork.like everything else.

 

[Jan the Man]

vdp is 31,this wont last long.who knows what level vdp brings next year,little off and its over.its gonna same as with jonas,once pog crosses him ,its over.others are not in contention,he just needs to beat vdp and its lightwork.like everything else.

Pog imo is more likely to win Roubaix rather than MSR but everything is possible including winning neither or both!

Understandable having achieved what he has in the Sport that to keep the motivation and ambition he targets the races he has not won.

 

[Peyroteo94]

MSR needs to be perfectly raced. Del Toro needs to be better. Wellens, Narvaez and Del Toro can break MVP.

 

[BubbaChuck]

all im saying,whole narrative its hard to win for pog is basically he cant drop vdp.like in tour with jonas in 22/23.only in tour he was getting dropped by jonas and he reversed it.

 

[Cycling111]

I think if Pogacar wins MSR and Paris-Roubaix, it will be a sprint.
It's impossible to let go of this VDP. At 30, VDP is at his peak. This year, he broke the Cipressa climb record with Pogacar. I didn't think VDP could climb better than Pantani record, even on a climb like that, but he did.
Pogacar has won sprints against Pedersen, Van Aert, and VDP. It's difficult, but I think it's more difficult for him to finish solo. On the other hand, he's achieved the sprint before.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Cipressa is a 4% climb.

I think if Pogacar wins MSR and Paris-Roubaix, it will be a sprint.
It's impossible to let go of this VDP. At 30, VDP is at his peak. This year, he broke the Cipressa climb record with Pogacar. I didn't think VDP could climb better than Pantani record, even on a climb like that, but he did.
Pogacar has won sprints against Pedersen, Van Aert, and VDP. It's difficult, but I think it's more difficult for him to finish solo. On the other hand, he's achieved the sprint before.

 

[Peyroteo94]

TdF 2026 odds were released.
Pogacar - 1.25
Vingegaard- 5
Remco - 15
...

Never saw odds so low for the TdF

 

[Cycling111]

Cipressa is a 4% climb.

Yes, but still, only a climber like Pantani held the record for a long time. And now only VDP has broken it, along with Pogacar.

I think Pogacar needs to rely more on his sprint. He already beat VDP in Dauphiné and Pedersen and Van Aert in other races. It's difficult in the spring, but it seems harder to finish solo in San Remo and Roubaix.

 

[BubbaChuck]

vdp is slipping.in 2023 he dropped pog on top of poggio,this year pog was towing him since cipressa.world of difference.same story as with jonas.you could already in 2023 see pog starting to drop jonas before miracle at comlboux and implosion on loze.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes, but still, only a climber like Pantani held the record for a long time. And now only VDP has broken it, along with Pogacar.

I think Pogacar needs to rely more on his sprint. He already beat VDP in Dauphiné and Pedersen and Van Aert in other races. It's difficult in the spring, but it seems harder to finish solo in San Remo and Roubaix.

That's not true. The record belonged to Colombo and Gontchenkov

Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna crack three decades old climbing record on Cipressa by more than 20 seconds

The 2025 Milano-Sanremo was decided on Cipressa and it was for the first time in decades that the penultimate climb of La Primavera held such significance for the race outcome. Nobody in their right s...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes, but still, only a climber like Pantani held the record for a long time. And now only VDP has broken it, along with Pogacar.

I think Pogacar needs to rely more on his sprint. He already beat VDP in Dauphiné and Pedersen and Van Aert in other races. It's difficult in the spring, but it seems harder to finish solo in San Remo and Roubaix.

He can't rely on his sprint at all. Those guys beat Pogacar easily 4 out of 5 times in a sprint contest.

 

[Cycling111]

That's not true. The record belonged to Colombo and Gontchenkov

Yes, but I haven't considered Gewiss's two riders record because perhaps it should go to the clinic like when we talk about the Tours record and Armstrong's 7 aren't taken into account.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Yes, but I haven't considered Gewiss's two riders record because perhaps it should go to the clinic like when we talk about the Tours record and Armstrong's 7 aren't taken into account.

But you considered Pantani‘s record? Interesting

 

[BubbaChuck]

lance was boy scout for pantani in 90s,when it comes to doping or climbing,lol.

 

[dr.eve]

all im saying,whole narrative its hard to win for pog is basically he cant drop vdp.like in tour with jonas in 22/23.only in tour he was getting dropped by jonas and he reversed it.

Pogacar has been beaten in MSR by Philipsen, Matthews, van Aert and the other rider, apart from MVDP I forgot right now. It simply shows its difficult to get rid of those fast ones.

You say its light work when MVDP is over its top, when that happens Pogacar gets older as well but yes still younger than MVDP, but before you know it another rider may be there that can keep up with Pogacar and take him on in the sprint. Those rising stars are already there and it may not take long before they are also into contention.

I still think chances are high Pogacar will never win PR or MSR.

 

[dr.eve]

He can't rely on his sprint at all. Those guys beat Pogacar easily 4 out of 5 times in a sprint contest.

I agree, sure Pogacar is a good sprinter for his build, but sprinting against a fit and fresh Philipsen, MVDP or van Aert is indeed unlikely to win for Pogacar. A solo win is his best bet, though if you look at previous years I simply dont see it happening. In one occasion he did not get solo, in the other the dropped sprinters got back and still beat him in a sprint.

 

[BubbaChuck]

pog puts minute on everbody but vdp this year,in both pr and san remo.i dont think this is close for these 2 races.

 

[dr.eve]

pog puts minute on everbody but vdp this year,in both pr and san remo.i dont think this is close for these 2 races.

It also depends on whatever hit you during PR. Many have punctures or falls, like Pogacar also experienced.

However likes of Philipsen and Van Aert have proven they can get with the best to the finish in PR. You can't say Van Aert has had the best of luck the last 2 years. A well prepared Van Aert will not loose a minute easily in PR, even when he's 30 or few years older. And again, others are coming... It is not 'lightwork' for Pogacar. Imo simply compare the build of those riders to Pogacar. It is not his home turf and this comes with extra challenges, it is already remarkable that he is this competitive in these races.

But thats just my view... Just saying it wont be easy like he has already noticed himself.

Edit: Oh and there is also Pedersen, Ganna etc, there are enough competitors.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Yes, but Pantani, beyond the doping, was considered a great talent. Those Gewiss cyclists are considered something else 😅

Ok, but I wouldn‘t consider Pantani a great talent for 4% climbs like the Cipressa either.

 

[Red Rick]

If boredom is an issue I wonder when he'll get bored of Lombardia

 

[QueenStagiaire]

If boredom is an issue I wonder when he'll get bored of Lombardia

He gets bored of racing stages where it‘s not all about winning on the day I think, don‘t think he‘ll get sick of the one-days anytime soon.

 

[Fos]

TdF 2026 odds were released.
Pogacar - 1.25
Vingegaard- 5
Remco - 15
...

Never saw odds so low for the TdF

Seeing this year with a crash and a cold...