Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

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2019. The only challenger to Roglic

And you might say there was luck involved, but there sure have been lots of GT's where Valverde has gotten incredibly unlcuky as well. Valverde was still the best in 09.
Thanks. Pogacar hadn't even turned 21 by the 2019 Vuelta and was still largely unknown. He first announced himself at the Tour of California that year.

Also agree Valverde was the strongest in the 2009 Vuelta but only just. Cadel was strong trying to get a consolation for failing at the Tour.
 
The same Jonas last year was two weeks in emergency care and went all out for the Tour.
The same Jonas has a wife with two small kids.
He is older than Pogacar and doesn't talk about retirement like Tadej.
No excuses.
If I'd won 4 TdFs, a Giro, a Worlds and all those Classics, and earnt a fortune, I'm not risking my life on 90 km/h descents any more, I'm retiring tomorrow. Like you'd do any different.
 
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I've worked hard for nearly 30 years. I'm OK though, I don't have Jonas or MvdP trying to rip my legs off every week, pushing nearly 7 w/kg for 20mins. Again, try living in his body right now and stick to the playstation.
You don’t need to dismiss or insult others’ opinions to make your own point.

We have to agree to disagree.
 
The route was a joke
Pretty normal route. Ofc prime Valverde wouldn't stand a chance against prime Pogacar, but nobody in the entire history of the sport would stand a chance. But what we are arguing here was that Valverde was much more than just a lucky GT winner that never got close again as we have seen many other past winners have done. In fact he should have won more than just one Vuelta if we are being completely honest.
 
Pretty normal route. Ofc prime Valverde wouldn't stand a chance against prime Pogacar, but nobody in the entire history of the sport would stand a chance. But what we are arguing here was that Valverde was much more than just a lucky GT winner that never got close again as we have seen many other past winners have done. In fact he should have won more than just one Vuelta if we are being completely honest.
What edition was he close to win?
 
Sometimes that is just how it is. In 1985 and 1986 Lemond and Hinault were head and shoulders above anyone else. Between 1991 and 1995 Indurain dominated, daylight second best.

Froome was not close to Pogacar and Vingegaard's level. So of course there were more riders in the conversation such as Quintana, Valverde (who won just a single grand tour and there was some luck involved in that). And Froome never won big classics or monuments.

Roglic came to he sport later via ski jumping but agree there can be some question marks on his longevity now.

I don't think you can compare what Pogacar has done and is still doing against any of those mentioned - and across both grand tours and one day races. Only Vingegaard is serious competition but he is really a stage racer who doesn't target one day races. Hopefully we see Vingegaard target a Giro or Vuelta. He was amazing in the 2023 Vuelta.

As for fatigue talk, that might be honestly how Pogacar feels but it doesn't seem to slow him. In 2024 he said he was dead after the Tour yet look what he continued to do - win more big races including the words and Lombardy in dominant fashion with long range solos.
Vingegaard never won classics or monuments either , he is literally the only threat to Pog, imagine without Vingegaard how thins would be , very poor indeed, it’s indeed a great thing that Ving is there for Pogs legacy, without him Pog won’t be in such high esteem
 
You aren't living in his body. He's just had the most insane 18 months in cycling history, by a mile. No disrespect, but to question his level of fatigue, you must have zero understanding of how a human body works. Seriously, stick to the playstation.
PlayStation ? Tour of the wolds ?
Listen I win my club hill climb in 2008 on the wolds , what have you done that’s better ?
Fatigue ? Pah, Pogi is in the top 3-5 of all time sure, but fatigue at 26? Doesn’t deserve to adjust Merckx’s saddle due to his debilitating injury for almost of his career, Pogi can’t even win half of his palmares before talking about retirement.
Sure, three quarters of Merckx results in this sacred modern age can be enough to put him with him, but will he do it ? Well he has to, has to win a lot more, or no goat status for pogi.
Stick to your sega mega drive , and respect the history of cycling ‘king’
 
Then no one shall remember your name, and you will be forgotten about as a footnote to the great Merckx
4 time TdF champs are remembered by everyone. How you view his legacy won't make him any happier when he gets up in the morning, after he's retired though, do you realise that? He does, do you?
PlayStation ? Tour of the wolds ?
Listen I win my club hill climb in 2008 on the wolds , what have you done that’s better ?
Fatigue ? Pah, Pogi is in the top 3-5 of all time sure, but fatigue at 26? Doesn’t deserve to adjust Merckx’s saddle due to his debilitating injury for almost of his career, Pogi can’t even win half of his palmares before talking about retirement.
Sure, three quarters of Merckx results in this sacred modern age can be enough to put him with him, but will he do it ? Well he has to, has to win a lot more, or no goat status for pogi.
Stick to your sega mega drive , and respect the history of cycling ‘king’
Congrats on your club hill climb 👍
 
4 time TdF champs are remembered by everyone. How you view his legacy won't make him any happier when he gets up in the morning, after he's retired though, do you realise that? He does, do you?

Congrats on your club hill climb 👍
Thank you, was a great victory.
Seriously though, I like pogi, but even in this day, he hasn’t yet won half of what Merckx did, do you not think is a bit disrespectful to Merckx to call Pog the greatest ever?
You can account for the difference in eras by lowering the bar somewhat, but even then he hasn’t won nearly enough to be compared to Merckx , how people cannot see this is beyond me.
Maybe Pogacar as a pure climber is better, but then Merckx you would have to say on results is a much better one day racer, and one day races is supposedly pogs passion?
Please have a more balanced view, Merckx is goat for a reason and rightfully it needs a huge palmares from Pogi to be above him
 

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