Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Cycling111]

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[Monsi]

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2025-2026 rainbow jersey debut on Sunday.

 

[Cycling111]

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2025-2026 rainbow jersey debut on Sunday.

I like that rainbow jersey without UAE sponsorships.

 

[hayneplane]

Rafal explained it in one of his interviews. UAE wanted him to stay and he still feels like he could continue for a few more years but he doesnt want to lose precious family time anymore.

Hes had a good career (great stage wins and polka dot jersey at the Tour, top3 in Vuelta and Olympics) and his last few years were also good: he enjoyed helping the greatest rider of the modern era and riding with less pressure than before (as he said, it was easier).

I hope they make him leader in one of the midweek races next week. Deserves one last shot at signing off in style.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I hope they make him leader in one of the midweek races next week. Deserves one last shot at signing off in style.

I don't think he is good enough to win.

 

[Cycling111]

It wouldn't matter if the UAE forgoes winning a race if it's to honor a rider who has given them so much as a teammate.

It's not going to happen, there's a reason they squeeze Del Toro until the last day.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He said his legs are really good so I think we will see another Poggenheimer on Sunday. Last week he finished much fresher than in Zurich, I don't know if he went all out and this is the scary thing.

 

[Shortcut]

He said his legs are really good so I think we will se another Poggenheimer on Sunday. Last week he finished much fresher than in Zurich, I don't know if he went all out and this is the scary thing.

I really think he was stroger than ever at TdF and in second week reached his peak. He got sick, was injured and Visma did everything too break him and he still lost nothing last week. If he wins Lombardia then skipping Vuelta was right move and with winning EC that would be perfect. He is stronger than ever (after Dauphine that was already obvious). Tre Valli Varesine will again not be real test. But if he losses there will be again hopium. And then when he wins Lombardia with 2 min gap, then goes again "it is so boring bla bla". When he lost at MSR and before RVV that happened, again after losing Amstel but then winning LBL, after Quebec, after WC ITT, but Pogacar always delivers when it matters, like always-it is just amazing how good he is in hitting his peak at right time.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I really think he was stroger than ever at TdF and in second week reached his peak. He got sick, was injured and Visma did everything too break him and he still lost nothing last week. If he wins Lombardia then skipping Vuelta was right move and with winning EC that would be perfect. He is stronger than ever (after Dauphine that was already obvious). Tre Valli Varesine will again not be real test. But if he losses there will be again hopium. And then when he wins Lombardia with 2 min gap, then goes again "it is so boring bla bla". When he lost at MSR and before RVV that happened, again after losing Amstel but then winning LBL, after Quebec, after WC ITT, but Pogacar always delivers when it matters, like always-it is just amazing how good he is in hitting his peak at right time.

I don't know. He was very impressive on Hautacam despite a very positive split (Narvaez cooked him a little bit, but of course his pace cooked even more Vingegaard). I think his best performance was on Combloux, for me it's the "WTF performance of the season". FW is a close call.

 

[hayneplane]

I don't think he is good enough to win.

Don’t care. They have won enough this year not to need to only ride for the person most likely to win in a smaller race such as Coppa Sabatini etc

 

[Peyroteo94]

Don’t care. They have won enough this year not to need to only ride for the person most likely to win in a smaller race such as Coppa Sabatini etc

Sometimes they don't race to the rider most likely to win, they race with numbers and in this situation, maybe Majka can make a sneaky attack and win.

 

[Cycling111]

Don’t care. They have won enough this year not to need to only ride for the person most likely to win in a smaller race such as Coppa Sabatini etc

I completely agree. But I doubt they will. There's a reason they're squeezing Del Toro until the last day of the season.

I've mentioned something in his thread, but no one shares my view about the overload they're subjecting him to in 2025.

Let's hope it doesn't have consequences from overload in 2026/2027.
Not only physical, mental overload is important.


McNulty's example is also clear of what UAE pretends with the record. What's McNulty doing in Croatia this year? He already won it last year. McNulty should have gone to the World Championships and other higher-level races.

What does it gain McNulty to spend another six days in Croatia for a second year? Winning the queen stage against a low-level climber like Zanna...
I'm even more surprised to see Wellens out there. He already seemed exhausted in a previous Classics. Yesterday, he looked coocked, even though the start list was so mediocre that he could have easily finished in the top three for the stage. They probably brought him in case McNulty failed and they could continue racking up wins.
Wellens should be at home at this point in the season, and Del Toro, even if he's still in shape and win everything in italia, is a rider who's being pushed so hard that I fear it'll take its toll.

 

[James M]

I don't know. He was very impressive on Hautacam despite a very positive split (Narvaez cooked him a little bit, but of course his pace cooked even more Vingegaard). I think his best performance was on Combloux, for me it's the "WTF performance of the season". FW is a close call.

FW was definitely a WTF moment indeed. MSR was right up there for me personally actually, really special. What he did there was unprecedented.

RVV aswell mostly because of the way he did it vs whom in RVV is no small task, he just ground MvdP into the dirt with relentless attacks. Same goes for PR, impressive honestly since it shouldnt be possible but hard to put at top but also hard to properly measure imo.

Combloux and Hautacam indeed in a vaccum relative, though it's his home turf aswell, personally find it a bit hard to differentiate and rank which was the most for me, theres been a few. Also Kigali more impressive than Zurich imo.

 

[Cycling111]

Sometimes they don't race to the rider most likely to win, they race with numbers and in this situation, maybe Majka can make a sneaky attack and win.

If that were the case, they wouldn't have brought McNulty to Croatia to secure a win against Zanna and would have given other riders a chance.

And the fact that Del Toro's season is being extended. He said in Rwanda that he thought he had one more race left... also seems to show they want to send their best to win.

I'm convinced they only care about setting the record as high as possible.

Matxin was obsessed in preseason with equaling Visma's record winning the 3 GTs. Since he hasn't managed it and sees it as so difficult, he wants to make the record they do hold unattainable.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I completely agree. But I doubt they will. There's a reason they're squeezing Del Toro until the last day of the season.

I've mentioned something in his thread, but no one shares my view about the overload they're subjecting him to in 2025.

Let's hope it doesn't have consequences from overload in 2026/2027.
Not only physical, mental overload is important.


McNulty's example is also clear of what UAE pretends with the record. What's McNulty doing in Croatia this year? He already won it last year. McNulty should have gone to the World Championships and other higher-level races.

What does it gain McNulty to spend another six days in Croatia for a second year? Winning the queen stage against a low-level climber like Zanna...
I'm even more surprised to see Wellens out there. He already seemed exhausted in a previous Classics. Yesterday, he looked coocked, even though the start list was so mediocre that he could have easily finished in the top three for the stage. They probably brought him in case McNulty failed and they could continue racking up wins.
Wellens should be at home at this point in the season, and Del Toro, even if he's still in shape and win everything in italia, is a rider who's being pushed so hard that I fear it'll take its toll.

Do you think it was UAE who decided to exclude McNulty from doing the WC?

 

[Peyroteo94]

FW was definitely a WTF moment indeed. MSR was right up there for me personally actually, really special. What he did there was unprecedented.

RVV aswell mostly because of the way he did it vs whom in RVV is no small task, he just ground MvdP into the dirt with relentless attacks. Same goes for PR, impressive honestly since it shouldnt be possible but hard to put at top but also hard to properly measure imo.

Combloux and Hautacam indeed in a vaccum relative, though it's his home turf aswell, personally find it a bit hard to differentiate and rank which was the most for me, theres been a few. Also Kigali more impressive than Zurich imo.

Agreed on MSR. I didn't put it because he didn't drop MVP (an almost impossible task in 4/5% gradients).
But Combloux was something else for me. After the TT, a lot of people questioned his level and said Vingegaard with a perfect preparation is better than Pogacar (in GTs) and then Pogacar just humiliated Vingegaard without getting out of the saddle. It was really a WTF moment, at least for me.

 

[Cycling111]

Do you think it was UAE who decided to exclude McNulty from doing the WC?

No. I didn't say that, but the decision to be in Croatia and not in other high-level races is influenced by how the team operates.

I can't imagine Jorgenson being in Croatia two years in a row. It's something we see in UAE.

Matxin's obsession was to equal Visma's record with 3 GT. Since they haven't achieved that, they're obsessed with extending their record of victories, even if they have to send a rider of McNulty's level and Wellens to a race where third-level and young riders are competing.

Matxin: “Ganar las tres grandes vueltas este año es un reto”

El vasco, mánager del UAE, analiza la temporada de su equipo y el papel de varios ciclistas: “Ayuso va a dar un paso más”, destaca Joxean a AS.

as.com

 

[HashRouge]

If that were the case, they wouldn't have brought McNulty to Croatia to secure a win against Zanna and would have given other riders a chance.

And the fact that Del Toro's season is being extended. He said in Rwanda that he thought he had one more race left... also seems to show they want to send their best to win.

I'm convinced they only care about setting the record as high as possible.

Matxin was obsessed in preseason with equaling Visma's record winning the 3 GTs. Since he hasn't managed it and sees it as so difficult, he wants to make the record they do hold unattainable.

I really wish they didn't care about the stupid win record so much. It's kind of embarrassing watching Brandon McNulty stomp all over everyone at the CRO race.

 

[Peyroteo94]

No. I didn't say that, but the decision to be in Croatia and not in other high-level races is influenced by how the team operates.

I can't imagine Jorgenson being in Croatia two years in a row. It's something we see in UAE.

Matxin's obsession was to equal Visma's record with 3 GT. Since they haven't achieved that, they're obsessed with extending their record of victories, even if they have to send a rider of McNulty's level and Wellens to a race where third-level and young riders are competing.

Matxin: “Ganar las tres grandes vueltas este año es un reto”

El vasco, mánager del UAE, analiza la temporada de su equipo y el papel de varios ciclistas: “Ayuso va a dar un paso más”, destaca Joxean a AS.

as.com

But what WT races do you have now? He went to Canada and after that you don't have anything so I'm not getting your point.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I really wish they didn't care about the stupid win record so much. It's kind of embarrassing watching Brandon McNulty stomp all over everyone at the CRO race.

But there aren't other races to go. They farmed some races for sure during the season but this is also due to their enormous depth.

 

[James M]

Agreed on MSR. I didn't put it because he didn't drop MVP (an almost impossible task in 4/5% gradients).
But Combloux was something else for me. After the TT, a lot of people questioned his level and said Vingegaard with a perfect preparation is better than Pogacar (in GTs) and then Pogacar just humiliated Vingegaard without getting out of the saddle. It was really a WTF moment, at least for me.

Indeed, the speed they carry on those gradients, drag implications etc especially against a freak like MvdP should be impossible. Nevertheless, it was special.

Well, you know I don’t share that sentiment, fair, but I was surprised by the saddle attack in which manner indeed. As a moment, it was a bit of a WTF. He seems to have developed a new technique or adapted something from his classics-style riding to his mountain climbing or something. In classics weve seen it more frequently when he attacks.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Indeed, the speed they carry on those gradients, drag implications etc especially against a freak like MvdP should be impossible. Nevertheless, it was special.

Well, you know I don’t share that sentiment, fair, but I was surprised by the saddle attack in which manner indeed. As a moment, it was a bit of a WTF. He seems to have developed a new technique or adapted something from his classics-style riding to his mountain climbing or something. In classics weve seen it more frequently when he attacks.

But no one expected that gap to Vingegaard.

 

[Cycling111]

But what WT races do you have now? He went to Canada and after that you don't have anything so I'm not getting your point.

If that were the case, there would be more riders of McNulty's level in Croatia...

 

[hayneplane]

He said his legs are really good so I think we will see another Poggenheimer on Sunday. Last week he finished much fresher than in Zurich, I don't know if he went all out and this is the scary thing.

Looking at the consistency of the lap times and how relatively fresh he looked at the end you hear ex pros say he looked like he could have done another 2-3 laps at the same pace whilst everyone else was already sliding further behind with every pedal stroke.

If it was the last race of the season with no need to hold back any reserves of energy then the gaps would have been like Lombardia 24.

 

[Cycling111]

Looking at the consistency of the lap times and how relatively fresh he looked at the end you hear ex pros say he looked like he could have done another 2-3 laps at the same pace whilst everyone else was already sliding further behind with every pedal stroke.

If it was the last race of the season with no need to hold back any reserves of energy then the gaps would have been like Lombardia 24.

If the Tour had the old routes, with mountain stages of 250km or more, Pogacar would be win TDF easier.