Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Unchained]

Do you take lots of photos yourself?
I can't be the only one thinking you have a brilliant eye for photography

 

[canina82]

He is all in for MSR and PR. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins PR. Last year was an experimental year, now he knows what to do.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He is all in for MSR and PR. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins PR. Last year was an experimental year, now he knows what to do.

I think there's a better chance he wins Roubaix than MSR. MVP has probably the best engine on flat cobbles but various things happen in Roubaix (plus Pog has great engine as well and likely improving). As for MSR I'm not optimistic: MVP is flying, Ganna is also doing very well and even Wout showed some form today.

 

[canina82]

I think there's a better chance he wins Roubaix than MSR. MVP has probably the best engine on flat cobbles but various things happen in Roubaix (plus Pog has great engine as well and likely improving). As for MSR I'm not optimistic: MVP is flying, Ganna is also doing very well and even Wout showed some form today.

I'm also curious to see his sprint. He is bulkier and I believe this can make a huge difference in his sprint.

 

[Jack_89]

They need to do Capo Berta full gas. It's the only real climb. Then 2/3 doms at the foot of Cipressa would be enough to try solo

 

[canina82]

Domen Novak about people comparing Seixas to Pogačar:

“Paul Seixas is very good. Everyone wants to compare him to Tadej. At this age, he’s even ahead of where Tadej was. But when Tadej was Seixas’ age, he wasn’t going to altitude camps. He was still racing for the Gusto Rog Ljubljana team. He won his first Tour while eating pizza, drinking beer and playing PlayStation.”

“Pogačar is a natural talent, while the young riders today are very professionally prepared. They spend a month at altitude and everything is perfectly planned. That’s all good, but the question is how long they can keep it up mentally. At 19 or 20 they’re already going to the absolute maximum, 24/7. I don’t know if they’ll still be racing when they’re 30.”

 

[BubbaChuck]

''He won his first Tour while eating pizza, drinking beer and playing PlayStation.'' lmao,just like doncic and half of slovenia. we really are funny people. now i know,why my man was full of pimples back than. still by far greatest sportsman from our country is jure robic.that mofo was insane.

 

[canina82]

''He won his first Tour while eating pizza, drinking beer and playing PlayStation.'' lmao,just like doncic and half of slovenia. we really are funny people. now i know,why my man was full of pimples back than. still by far greatest sportsman from our country is jure robic.that mofo was insane.

I didn't know Pogacar loves beer but maybe the way he drank the Amstel beer back in 2023 was a good indicator of that.

 

[Rob5091]

Pogi's number 1 fanboy (he who was banned and can no longer be mentioned), is still posting diatribes of wisdom on another cyling website's comments but his comments are being hilariously mocked - oh ye of little faith in the phrophet or whatever it was. Highlight of the year so far.

 

[rafa92]

crash for vermaerke, also christen seemed out of gas in this tirreno after all these races. At this point the team for msr is just too weak for pog to have a chance. Imo if he really wants to a chance in the future the team has to finally support him, they have to plan the season of the other riders so that they arrive to msr in top shape. So less racing in useless races to avoid crashes and to arrive to msr in top form. The team would have to be: Narvaez, wellens, vermersch, del toro, Mcnulty, Christen, Vermaerke/Consfroy all at 100%. This team could destroy the race, since the capi and destroy cipressa. With this team imo pogacar would win sanremo solo, but for next week he has no chance

 

[canina82]

crash for vermaerke, also christen seemed out of gas in this tirreno after all these races. At this point the team for msr is just too weak for pog to have a chance. Imo if he really wants to a chance in the future the team has to finally support him, they have to plan the season of the other riders so that they arrive to msr in top shape. So less racing in useless races to avoid crashes and to arrive to msr in top form. The team would have to be: Narvaez, wellens, vermersch, del toro, Mcnulty, Christen, Vermaerke/Consfroy all at 100%. This team could destroy the race, since the capi and destroy cipressa. With this team imo pogacar would win sanremo solo, but for next week he has no chance

Relax, it's not like Vermaerke was supposed to do anything in MSR. McNulty would be important though but I didn't see a injury report so I think he is good.

 

[rafa92]

Salvarani, which part makes you laugh? the fact that with this team he has no chance next week or the fact that with a super team he would win solo? I've seen how much damage only 2 riders can do simply on cipressa, one doing a good job (wellens) and another one an exceptional job (narvaez) with all the other riders contributing nothing. I have little doubt that with 7 exceptional riders all at 100% and all contributing something the race would become like nothing we have ever seen (even more than in 2025)

 

[rafa92]

Relax, it's not like Vermaerke was supposed to do anything in MSR. McNulty would be important though but I didn't see a injury report so I think he is good.

Mcnulty is gone, I can tell you, he might be good enough to start but not in a condition to make any difference (you will see in a week and you will agree with me). There is an injury report, uae talked about a knee injury. Vermaerke at this point was one of the few good riders who could at least play a role in msr. Also christen was important, and he crashed this week and during the race it's clear he was not at the same level as in the previous races. Plus of course the real big problem which is the absence of the Narvaez/wellens duo.
Who exactly on uae roster will be able to make the race hard in msr? I have only one name: del toro, who by the way has shown big problems with positioning for cipressa

 

[Salvarani]

Salvarani, which part makes you laugh? the fact that with this team he has no chance next week or the fact that with a super team he would win solo? I've seen how much damage only 2 riders can do simply on cipressa, one doing a good job (wellens) and another one an exceptional job (narvaez) with all the other riders contributing nothing. I have little doubt that with 7 exceptional riders all at 100% and all contributing something the race would become like nothing we have ever seen (even more than in 2025)

Cool stuff. It should be a fun race to watch regardless. Panicking does no good. They will just have to do their best. No reason to stress about things you cant control. Just give it a go and see what happens. Thats what racing is about and which personify this race the most.

 

[rafa92]

Cool stuff. It should be a fun race to watch regardless. Panicking does no good. They will just have to do their best. No reason to stress about things you cant control.

fun for sure, just like in 2025, but mvdp is even more favourite than last year, despite pogacar being probably stronger. If pogacar wins, it would be by far his biggest achievement imo. It's not panicking, just commenting on the state of things

 

[Salvarani]

fun for sure, just like in 2025, but mvdp he's even more favourite than last year, despite pogacar being probably stronger, if pog wins it would be by far his biggest achievement imo. It's not panicking, just commenting on the state of things

I dont think you was commenting, but ok.

 

[rafa92]

I dont think you was commenting, but ok.

I mean I look at all the crashes for uae this year and look at the roster the will likely have at msr compared to the one they could have if they planned carefully for msr and I express my opinion, I call it commenting

 

[canina82]

fun for sure, just like in 2025, but mvdp is even more favourite than last year, despite pogacar being probably stronger. If pogacar wins, it would be by far his biggest achievement imo. It's not panicking, just commenting on the state of things

Hardest achievement not biggest.
Regarding MVP being an even more favorite, I don't agree. A softer Cipressa helps everyone not named Pogacar and MVP (specially sprinters like Brennan and Philipsen).

 

[rafa92]

Hardest achievement not biggest.
Regarding MVP being an even more favorite, I don't agree. A softer Cipressa helps everyone not named Pogacar and MVP (specially sprinters like Brennan and Philipsen).

I remain with biggest, especially if he manages to win all five monuments. I agree with you that at this point there's the risk of a race not selective enough and the versatile sprinters might have a bigger chance this year

 

[Salvarani]

I mean I look at all the crashes for uae this year and look at the roster the will likely have at msr compared to the one they could have if they planned carefully for msr and I express my opinion, I call it commenting

And I call it panicking, in the way you was commenting.

Thats life dude, as said you cant stress about things you cant control. They have had some bad luck, that could have some effects. However, saying things like he has no chance is just laughable.

There will still be a race and a lot can happen.

 

[canina82]

I remain with biggest, especially if he manages to win all five monuments. I agree with you that at this point there's the risk of a race not selective enough and the versatile sprinters might have a bigger chance this year

But that's your opinion based on feelings. Facts say the most important race in cycling is the TdF so his biggest achievement is the Tour.

 

[rafa92]

And I call it panicking, in the way you was commenting.

Thats life dude, as said you cant stress about things you cant control. They have had some bad luck, that could have some effects. However, saying things like he has no chance is just laughable.

There will still be a race and a lot can happen.

ok, I change it, it was just to emphasise the point. He has very little chance, and clearly a much lower chance than he would have with Narvaez/Wellens/Vermersch/Del Toro/Christen/Mcnulty/Consfroy all there and all at 100% (which is very much possible if they really planned for msr as an organization, you just have to sacrifice some 5th places or even some wins in minor races, that's the way to "buy your luck"). Would you agree with this?

 

[Salvarani]

ok, I change it, it was just to emphasise the point. He has very little chance, and clearly a much lower chance than he would have with Narvaez/Wellens/Vermersch/Del Toro/Christen/Mcnulty/Consfroy all there and all at 100% (which is very much possible if they really planned for msr as an organization, you just have to sacrifice some 5th places or even some wins in minor races, that's the way to "buy your luck"). Would you agree with this?

Nope. Things will never work that way..

 

[rafa92]

But that's your opinion based on feelings. Facts say the most important race in cycling is the TdF so his biggest achievement is the Tour.

I know that, I measure achievement based on the difficulty of getting to it, it's clearly purely my opinion

 

[canina82]

ok, I change it, it was just to emphasise the point. He has very little chance, and clearly a much lower chance than he would have with Narvaez/Wellens/Vermersch/Del Toro/Christen/Mcnulty/Consfroy all there and all at 100% (which is very much possible if they really planned for msr as an organization, you just have to sacrifice some 5th places or even some wins in minor races, that's the way to "buy your luck"). Would you agree with this?

These riders also need to lead some races in order to be happy. If they are not happy, their work for Pogacar will not be the same.