Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Peyroteo94]

you are way too optimistic

I think they will analyze the season and how Remco performs against Pogacar in the Ardennes. He went to Bora so something good can happen in his development (Pogacar improved a lot when he changed his coach. I'm not expecting Remco to make a significant leap though) and let's see him against Pogacar. If he continues to get beaten "easily", Belgium will probably race differently in the WCRR.

 

[Peter von]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1975566117084274766

View: https://x.com/laflammerouge16/status/1975566117084274766?t=PXWLF4LgtoLQhLTMOftIOg&s=19

Imagine having to ride against two pogacars in a single race, one in Worlds jersey & the other on European jersey 🥵😅

But at least we can have some competition now.

 

[Cycling111]

I think they will analyze the season and how Remco performs against Pogacar in the Ardennes. He went to Bora so something good can happen in his development (Pogacar improved a lot when he changed his coach. I'm not expecting Remco to make a significant leap though) and let's see him against Pogacar. If he continues to get beaten "easily", Belgium will probably race differently in the WCRR.

And because some believe that with good domestiques he can win the Tour. It helps, and a favorite has to have a good team, but that's not everything.

Roglic had a far superior team in 2020; Pogacar didn't have a team and won the Tour in his second year as a professional. There was a glimpse of a Tour winner, even though the team was crap .
Remco in 2024 at least had Landa and finished at the same distance as Daniel Felipe Martinez in the Giro, Pogacar in 2020 didn't even have a domestique like 2024 Landa.

 

[scribers]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976250333899997220

View: https://x.com/mou55981652/status/1976250333899997220?s=46&t=X4NqNG7J5ZQ-MxPOi53ECQ

 

[Peyroteo94]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976250333899997220

View: https://x.com/mou55981652/status/1976250333899997220?s=46&t=X4NqNG7J5ZQ-MxPOi53ECQ

He is back. I didn't know anything about him since the TdF

 

[Peyroteo94]

And because some believe that with good domestiques he can win the Tour. It helps, and a favorite has to have a good team, but that's not everything.

Roglic had a far superior team in 2020; Pogacar didn't have a team and won the Tour in his second year as a professional. There was a glimpse of a Tour winner, even though the team was crap .
Remco in 2024 at least had Landa and finished at the same distance as Daniel Felipe Martinez in the Giro, Pogacar in 2020 didn't even have a domestique like 2024 Landa.

That's wishful thinking. Domestiques will not bring Pogacar back when he attacks

 

[Peyroteo94]

UAE is using a cheat code to win GdL. Pogacar's team was released:

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View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPlncvTDPX0/?igsh=bW11ZmNuMTBndGw0


I expect 6 UAE in a group of 25 riders before Ganda.

 

[Peyroteo94]

UAE is using a cheat code to win GdL. Pogacar's team was released:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPlncvTDPX0/?igsh=bW11ZmNuMTBndGw0


I expect 6 UAE in a group of 25 riders before Ganda.

The reaction is similar to mine.

“There’s no point trying to anticipate with Yates, Sivakov, Del Toro & Vine in support” – Experts see hopeless situation for Tadej Pogacar’s Il Lombardia rivals

Tadej Pogacar has dominated Il Lombardia for four consecutive years — and according to several seasoned analysts, there’s little to suggest that streak will end this weekend at the 2025 edition of the...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[andrew_s]

As I see things...

Pogi on his own and Remco on his own, on road bikes, go at a not dissimilar speed.

If Remco has committed support, Pogi is catchable (as at the Amstel, where Skelmose, believing correctly that he had a good chance in a sprint,committed to the chase wholeheartedly).

If Pogi is isolated, he will attack, in order to isolate other team leaders.

Pogi has most of the peloton believing that if he's off the front, everyone else is racing for second. This destroys any cooperation between members of different teams, giving situations like the Euros, where the "support" of Seixas, Ayuso and Scaroni saw Remco lose about a minute in the 20 km or so between the bottom of the last big climb and where he dropped them, but nothing in the next 30 km on his own.

So I reckon Remco needs a teammate or preferably two, who climb well enough not to lose excessive time, and TT well enough to offer good support away from the climbs, and that he should stick with them rather than chasing on his own.

There will be, of course, the problem of what to do about everyone else who follows the chase.

 

[AmRacer]

As I see things...

Pogi on his own and Remco on his own, on road bikes, go at a not dissimilar speed.

If Remco has committed support, Pogi is catchable (as at the Amstel, where Skelmose, believing correctly that he had a good chance in a sprint,committed to the chase wholeheartedly).

If Pogi is isolated, he will attack, in order to isolate other team leaders.

Pogi has most of the peloton believing that if he's off the front, everyone else is racing for second. This destroys any cooperation between members of different teams, giving situations like the Euros, where the "support" of Seixas, Ayuso and Scaroni saw Remco lose about a minute in the 20 km or so between the bottom of the last big climb and where he dropped them, but nothing in the next 30 km on his own.

So I reckon Remco needs a teammate or preferably two, who climb well enough not to lose excessive time, and TT well enough to offer good support away from the climbs, and that he should stick with them rather than chasing on his own.

There will be, of course, the problem of what to do about everyone else who follows the chase.

Pogi has no reason going full gas, only keep the gap around a minute or so. Remco, like you say, needs someone helping him getting back to Pogi. When the helpers get tired, Remco rides for second.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

As I see things...

Pogi on his own and Remco on his own, on road bikes, go at a not dissimilar speed.

If Remco has committed support, Pogi is catchable (as at the Amstel, where Skelmose, believing correctly that he had a good chance in a sprint,committed to the chase wholeheartedly).

If Pogi is isolated, he will attack, in order to isolate other team leaders.

Pogi has most of the peloton believing that if he's off the front, everyone else is racing for second. This destroys any cooperation between members of different teams, giving situations like the Euros, where the "support" of Seixas, Ayuso and Scaroni saw Remco lose about a minute in the 20 km or so between the bottom of the last big climb and where he dropped them, but nothing in the next 30 km on his own.

So I reckon Remco needs a teammate or preferably two, who climb well enough not to lose excessive time, and TT well enough to offer good support away from the climbs, and that he should stick with them rather than chasing on his own.

There will be, of course, the problem of what to do about everyone else who follows the chase.

UAE squad is absurdly strong for Il Lombardia, it's not Slovenia. There'll be no complicated tactics, just brute force. The last flattish section is after 220 km of mountainous race, when Pogacar's engine stands out. The only hope for the rest is Pogacar's bad luck or bad day (much worse form than at WC/EC).

 

[Oldman]

Funnily enough, without the crash, Pogacar would've won Roubaix because MVDP had a puncture on Carrefour de l'Arbre.

Yeah, that's how time works....
MVP did to Tadej what Tadej does to Remco; get the gap and maintain the gap. Add time where it makes sense but don't go full redzone.
I wouldn't bet any money on Tadej beating Mathieu if they're together at the end.

 

[Peyroteo94]

As I see things...

Pogi on his own and Remco on his own, on road bikes, go at a not dissimilar speed.

If Remco has committed support, Pogi is catchable (as at the Amstel, where Skelmose, believing correctly that he had a good chance in a sprint,committed to the chase wholeheartedly).

If Pogi is isolated, he will attack, in order to isolate other team leaders.

Pogi has most of the peloton believing that if he's off the front, everyone else is racing for second. This destroys any cooperation between members of different teams, giving situations like the Euros, where the "support" of Seixas, Ayuso and Scaroni saw Remco lose about a minute in the 20 km or so between the bottom of the last big climb and where he dropped them, but nothing in the next 30 km on his own.

So I reckon Remco needs a teammate or preferably two, who climb well enough not to lose excessive time, and TT well enough to offer good support away from the climbs, and that he should stick with them rather than chasing on his own.

There will be, of course, the problem of what to do about everyone else who follows the chase.

Kigali showed Pogacar is not always catchable even if they ride together.

 

[Cycling111]

Yeah, that's how time works....
MVP did to Tadej what Tadej does to Remco; get the gap and maintain the gap. Add time where it makes sense but don't go full redzone.
I wouldn't bet any money on Tadej beating Mathieu if they're together at the end.

I think the opposite: Pogacar should trust his sprints more.

Pogacar has beaten Pedersen twice: in Glasgow and at MSR 2023. And Pedersen is someone who has beaten MVDP in the sprint.

Pogacar has his worst sprints against MVDP; trying to surprise him makes them disastrous. I think he should trust him more and sprint against him like he did against Pedersen or in Liège. It's difficult, but he could do much better than he did in the last MSRs.