Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[hayneplane]

What he said after the Tour could have been some kind of a game, a hidden threat to the sponsors: release me from the Tour duty or there will be an earlier retirement.

Maybe not quite as specific as that but certainly a bit of a power play to wrestle near full control over his schedule eg riding whatever he wants in the cobbled classics.

 

[Extinction]

Pogacar would definitely like to skip the Tour for a change. He doesn't like it indeed: the pressure is huge, it's physically draining and one has to be careful for 3 weeks. However, my point is that the sheikhs won't allow him to. He can do almost whatever he wants (even ride Roubaix against the will of Gianetti and co) but the Tour looks to be a must every year.

Pog doesn't like the Tour? Reverse psychology kills the competition. Imagine if he liked it.

 

[Extinction]

What he said after the Tour could have been some kind of a game, a hidden threat to the sponsors: release me from the Tour duty or there will be an earlier retirement.

The run is up?

 

[Berniece]

What he said after the Tour could have been some kind of a game, a hidden threat to the sponsors: release me from the Tour duty or there will be an earlier retirement.

I don’t think it was a game and just the truth. He was tired. He too needs some rest mentally which is completely normal.

 

[fenns]

This year he clearly didn't enjoy the Tour after the crash - probably in discomfort for a long time and riding 200k a day is not conducive to healing.

But the Tour is so far above other races in prestige one can't see him skipping it before he has 6 .

 

[ingsve]

Pogacar would definitely like to skip the Tour for a change. He doesn't like it indeed: the pressure is huge, it's physically draining and one has to be careful for 3 weeks. However, my point is that the sheikhs won't allow him to. He can do almost whatever he wants (even ride Roubaix against the will of Gianetti and co) but the Tour looks to be a must every year.

Would the sheikhs be more open to it perhaps if they had someone else that was as much of a sure thing to win the Tour. Or at least someone they believed in enough. Perhaps Del Toro eventually.

 

[Cycling111]

These months until the start of the new season are going to be so long. Pogacar will definitely go to the 2026 Tour, but we'll read a thousand rumors that he won't, even though he said in Lequipe interview after the Tour that he will go next year.

 

[Berniece]

even though he said in Lequipe interview after the Tour that he will go next year.

And schedules and opinions can never change

 

[Peyroteo94]

This year he clearly didn't enjoy the Tour after the crash - probably in discomfort for a long time and riding 200k a day is not conducive to healing.

But the Tour is so far above other races in prestige one can't see him skipping it before he has 6 .

I can't see him skipping the TdF in 2026-2028.
The Vuelta for a 2nd year in a row is clearly calling him to race it

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I can't see him skipping the TdF in 2026-2028.
The Vuelta for a 2nd year in a row is clearly calling him to race it

Vuelta DS must be quite frustrated knowing that it's the only big race Pogacar is constantly skipping. And he'll probably have to wait 2-3 more years. Pogi did it once but it was before he became a big star.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Vuelta DS must be quite frustrated knowing that it's the only big race Pogacar is constantly skipping. And he'll probably have to wait 2-3 more years. Pogi did it once but it was before he became a big star.

He doesn't hide his dream.

“We couldn’t make it any closer to home” – Vuelta a Espana director urges Tadej Pogacar to finally target 2026 edition

The Grand Depart of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana was officially presented in Monaco on Thursday — and race director Javier Guillen used the opportunity to send a very public invitation to Tadej Pogacar, w...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He doesn't hide his dream.

“We couldn’t make it any closer to home” – Vuelta a Espana director urges Tadej Pogacar to finally target 2026 edition

The Grand Depart of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana was officially presented in Monaco on Thursday — and race director Javier Guillen used the opportunity to send a very public invitation to Tadej Pogacar, w...

cyclinguptodate.com

He should hope Pogacar wins Roubaix. Then Vuelta will become his target (and he will skip cobbles more often than not).

 

[Peyroteo94]

He should hope Pogacar wins Roubaix. Then Vuelta will become his target (and he will skip cobbles more often than not).

He needs some luck in PR and rain.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He needs some luck in PR and rain.

MVP is the best there but nothing is constant. Form changes plus luck also plays its role in PR.

 

[Cycling111]

He needs some luck in PR and rain.

Rain in Roubaix? No. It benefits heavy cyclists, especially in muddy areas.

 

[scribers]

Pogi needs luck and rain in PR? He was the second strongest in the race by far. And possibly the strongest. He doesn’t need anymore luck than anyone else.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Pogi needs luck and rain in PR? He was the second strongest in the race by far. And possibly the strongest. He doesn’t need anymore luck than anyone else.

I don't think he can drop MVP. I'm not sure Pedersen would have been dropped.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Rain in Roubaix? No. It benefits heavy cyclists, especially in muddy areas.

No, it doesn't. It benefits attritional and skilled riders more.

 

[Shortcut]

Vuelta DS must be quite frustrated knowing that it's the only big race Pogacar is constantly skipping. And he'll probably have to wait 2-3 more years. Pogi did it once but it was before he became a big star.

Probably i am just biased but i really got a felling every race DS just want Pogacar and don't really care about anyone else. Vuelta bringing him race literally home is crazy.,If those 9km TT is somewhat uphill(as stage 21 at TdF 2024) then they are literally begging him.

 

[Cycling111]

Probably i am just biased but i really got a felling every race DS just want Pogacar and don't really care about anyone else. Vuelta bringing him race literally home is crazy.,If those 9km TT is somewhat uphill(as stage 21 at TdF 2024) then they are literally begging him.

They don't choose Monaco for Pogacar, but for the money they pay. In other years, they've come from Holland, or this year from Italy.

In 2024, they couldn't finish in Paris because of the Olympics.
But you're forgetting Combloux, that Nice time trial was detrimental to Vingegaard?
In 2025 they have put several stages where Pogacar lost, in 2026 Le Lioran.

2026 route is designed so that Pogacar can't make a difference. The favorite will benefit from a tough route to try to seal the victory as quickly as possible.
Pogacar has won most of the Tour de France stages in the Pyrenees, and they've practically been eliminated . It's a route designed so that Vingegaard arrives tied for stage 20, and if Pogacar has another crash like this year and arrives right on the final day...

 

[Monsi]

2026 route is designed so that Pogacar can't make a difference. The favorite will benefit from a tough route to try to seal the victory as quickly as possible.
Pogacar has won most of the Tour de France stages in the Pyrenees, and they've practically been eliminated . It's a route designed so that Vingegaard arrives tied for stage 20, and if Pogacar has another crash like this year and arrives right on the final day...

I firmly believe that stage 6 in the Pyrenees with the Aspin, Tourmalet, and Gavarnie will be the stage where Pogacar will gain the most time out of any stage in the 2026 Tour and I will stand on that until the Tourmalet is crossed on that stage.

 

[Peyroteo94]

They don't choose Monaco for Pogacar, but for the money they pay. In other years, they've come from Holland, or this year from Italy.

In 2024, they couldn't finish in Paris because of the Olympics.
But you're forgetting Combloux, that Nice time trial was detrimental to Vingegaard?
In 2025 they have put several stages where Pogacar lost, in 2026 Le Lioran.

2026 route is designed so that Pogacar can't make a difference. The favorite will benefit from a tough route to try to seal the victory as quickly as possible.
Pogacar has won most of the Tour de France stages in the Pyrenees, and they've practically been eliminated . It's a route designed so that Vingegaard arrives tied for stage 20, and if Pogacar has another crash like this year and arrives right on the final day...

They try different routes to challenge Pogacar but deep inside, they know it's useless because Pogacar is better than Vingegaard in everything.
To all other riders the difference is just too big in the mountains.

 

[Peyroteo94]

'In principle, the Tour and the Worlds' - UAE Team Emirates-XRG not foreseeing any changes in Tadej Pogačar's key goals in 2026

Team manager Matxin celebrates record number of wins in 2025 but warns 'We have to keep on evolving.'

www.cyclingnews.com