Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

Instinctively i agree but I did a bit of digging and for the same course in 2023 they completed it in just 3 minutes less than the 2025 RVV which was 30km longer.

Race duration is just as relevant as actual race distance.

I know but I'm used to long monuments. Just like I miss 7 hours mountain stages. Gardecchia 2011 for example. There is a hidden beauty in these stages.

 

[hayneplane]

I know but I'm used to long monuments. Just like I miss 7 hours mountain stages. Gardecchia 2011 for example. There is a hidden beauty in these stages.

That 2011 stage you mentioned is one of my top 5 most epic in my near 30 years following cycling.

 

[Peyroteo94]

That 2011 stage you mentioned is one of my top 5 most epic in my near 30 years following cycling.

Yeah, however we didn't have a lot of coverage (both in duration and quality). The race was in pieces when Eurosport started the live coverage. Totally nuts this stage!
The Giro used to have these long marathons but since Zomegnan left, the Giro eliminated this type of stages.

 

[Netserk]

Back then, Gazzetta freely broadcasted the race. We had live images on the lower slopes of Giau before Purito attacked.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Back then, Gazzetta freely broadcasted the race. We had live images on the lower slopes of Giau before Purito attacked.

IIRC, Eurosport started late and the heavy rain made the live coverage really hard.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The Giro 2005 also had really good marathons in the mountains. Who doesn't remember "El Grande" Ivan Parra.

 

[Red Rick]

The way Pogacar speaks about the ITT makes me think he's treating it like a glorified sidequest

 

[Peyroteo94]

The way Pogacar speaks about the ITT makes me think he's treating it like a glorified sidequest

The real goal is the WCRR.

 

[Berniece]

The way Pogacar speaks about the ITT makes me think he's treating it like a glorified sidequest

Did he gave an interview from Rwanda? Didn't see anything new.

 

[Red Rick]

Did he gave an interview from Rwanda? Didn't see anything new.

It's on Wielerflits

Could jsut be the standard "I'm not the favorite" stuff, but he seems really unsure about his form for a TT. That or he's trolling Roglic with the why not ah. He's definitely multitasking.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It's on Wielerflits

Could jsut be the standard "I'm not the favorite" stuff, but he seems really unsure about his form for a TT. That or he's trolling Roglic with the why not ah. He's definitely multitasking.

Maybe he's not that good. Had an illness before Canada and two travels since then, no time to finetune his form further. Maybe he's lacking a bit to be at his peak.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It's on Wielerflits

Could jsut be the standard "I'm not the favorite" stuff, but he seems really unsure about his form for a TT. That or he's trolling Roglic with the why not ah. He's definitely multitasking.

He said he didn't train a lot the week before Quebec due to illness.

 

[Red Rick]

Maybe he's not that good. Had an illness before Canada and two travels since then, no time to finetune his form further. Maybe he's lacking a bit to be at his peak.

I think he'll Quebec the TT and the Montreal the road rage.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I think he'll Quebec the TT and the Montreal the road rage.

Maybe but if he *** up the TT then something must've gone wrong with his preparation. It was his target, why bother going to Africa one week earlier otherwise?

 

[Berniece]

It's on Wielerflits

Could jsut be the standard "I'm not the favorite" stuff, but he seems really unsure about his form for a TT. That or he's trolling Roglic with the why not ah. He's definitely multitasking.

Yeah that was an interview before the Canada races. He probably feels better after Montreal performance.

 

[Berniece]

Maybe but if he *** up the TT then something must've gone wrong with his preparation. It was his target, why bother going to Africa one week earlier otherwise?

What is *** up? Not finishing on the podium?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

What is *** up? Not finishing on the podium?

Yeah, or losing big time (i.e. 40 seconds or more) to the winner.

 

[Berniece]

Yeah, or losing big time (i.e. 40 seconds or more) to the winner.

Doubt that will happen, but if for some reason he loses 40 seconds or more AND other riders also lose even much more time we might have a fun WC RR.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Doubt that will happen, but if for some reason he loses 40 seconds or more AND other riders also lose even much more time we might have a fun WC RR.

We will see. Pogacar might underperform during the TT but then hit top level for the RR, like @Red Rick says.

 

[Berniece]

We will see. Pogacar might underperform during the TT but then hit top level for the RR, like @Red Rick says.

Don’t know why that would be the case since he performed well in Canada

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Don’t know why that would be the case since he performed well in Canada

We will see, he can be good but not yet at his best. Last year there were two weeks between Canada and his WC only race.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogacar would never race the TT if he thought he couldn't win.

 

[Peyroteo94]

A silver medal in the TT or RR adds zero to his palmares. This is all about the double WC (of course with more focus on winning the RR).

 

[Krzysztof_O]

A silver medal in the TT or RR adds zero to his palmares. This is all about the double WC (of course with more focus on winning the RR).

Winning the TT would be great because beating Remco at the TT WC is a big challenge, likely bigger than the RR.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Winning the TT would be really something because beating Remco at the TT WC is a big challenge, likely bigger than the RR.

No way. The TT never was a big race and never will be. The TT is only really relevant when you add the RR.