Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Keldergoat]

Ironically, this is also bad news for MvdP. A scenario like last year was, in a way, perfect for him.

 

[Berniece]

Don’t think Wellens being out matters much. Del Toro had to launch him anyway and might do the work of Narvaez and Wellens combined. If you already think MSR is over, don’t bother starting and join De Lie

 

[rafa92]

who will be at msr at this point to replace wellens and narvaez? I think christen can do a good job replacing wellens if he gets to cipressa in good position, in any case the outcome will heavily depend on del toro, he has to enter cipressa well and do a monster performance there

 

[Jan the Man]

Don’t think Wellens being out matters much. Del Toro had to launch him anyway and might do the work of Narvaez and Wellens combined. If you already think MSR is over, don’t bother starting and join De Lie

Agreed- it won’t make a huge difference either way. Vermeersch can do the job going into the Cipressa. As long as Del Torro’s positioning is improved, I suspect he was always going to be the launch pad, and this won’t change the calculus for Pog. Ultimately he knows he will have to be the one to drop MvP in MSR. Doubt it will happen, but he will try and try again.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Don’t think Wellens being out matters much. Del Toro had to launch him anyway and might do the work of Narvaez and Wellens combined. If you already think MSR is over, don’t bother starting and join De Lie

If unable to setup the launch pad on Cipressa it might be a good time to go with the Del Toro attack first and see what MVDP/Alpicin do. Ultimately UAE need to make it hard enough that Philipsen and Groves (who is being undercooked) aren’t a factor.

 

[fenns]

maybe Del Toro will attack and Pogacar let him go

 

[SHAD0W93]

maybe Del Toro will attack and Pogacar let him go

Best outcome is Del Toro attacks hard with MVDP covering and then Pogacar counters. Just would need enough time for the descent and run in since if it’s a handful of seconds MVDP should crawl them back. Or if all three are together they can take turns attacking MVDP to wear him out.

 

[HashRouge]

Everyone speaks as though the Cipressa attack was a certainty again this year. But it only works if there is a tailwind on the road between the Cipressa and the Poggio, right? Otherwise a solo Pog will always get brought back by the peloton. So we don't know that he will be able to launch on the Cipressa this year anyway. We all know MSR is a tricky one for him, I don't know that this makes him less likely to win, because I don't see him as that likely to win it really anyway. He needs a fair bit of luck.

 

[canina82]

Everyone speaks as though the Cipressa attack was a certainty again this year. But it only works if there is a tailwind on the road between the Cipressa and the Poggio, right? Otherwise a solo Pog will always get brought back by the peloton. So we don't know that he will be able to launch on the Cipressa this year anyway. We all know MSR is a tricky one for him, I don't know that this makes him less likely to win, because I don't see him as that likely to win it really anyway. He needs a fair bit of luck.

No, they don't catch him if there is a headwind between Cipressa and Poggio. The most important is not having a headwind in Cipressa.

 

[Red Rick]

No, they don't catch him if there is a headwind between Cipressa and Poggio. The most important is not having a headwind in Cipressa.

It's in the same direction.

You need the tailwind to sufficiently split the group. Without split groups, the Cipressa record is still only like 1'20 faster than when Cavendish won Sanremo and it was 100 men over the top.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Saying it doesn't matter much that Tim is out, is cope, it is huuuuge. Will need never seen before level of legs as well as even more luck to win MSR now.

On the former, word is Pog is training like a man possessed. And we know that fortune favours the brave.

 

[Savant12]

Not long to go now for the return of the king.

 

[HashRouge]

Who do UAE take instead of Wellens and Narvaez? What would Cosnefroy be like in this sort of situation?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So they won't have that much horsepower up Cipressa. They may try an attack on Cipressa but if it fails (or the wind is bad) then retreat and wait till Poggio. Maybe UAE should use two men to attack interchangeably (Del Toro and Pogacar) and make MVP work more. Brute force attack by one man hasn't proven successful against MVP so far.

 

[Salvarani]

Who do UAE take instead of Wellens and Narvaez? What would Cosnefroy be like in this sort of situation?

Cosnefroy, Christen, Morgado, Vermaerke, McNulty... are some I could see race it instead.

Right now... Del Toro, Novak, Vermeersch and Pog listed. Could probably see a Politt orJohansen be included as well. Open spots after that.

 

[Berniece]

If unable to setup the launch pad on Cipressa it might be a good time to go with the Del Toro attack first and see what MVDP/Alpicin do. Ultimately UAE need to make it hard enough that Philipsen and Groves (who is being undercooked) aren’t a factor.

With how Del Toro is riding, they should always try to use him as a co-leader or free role. He seems more explosive than Pogacar, could destroy MVDP with the two of them