Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Krzysztof_O]

This year he was faster on both climbs and the wind on Cipressa was less favorable. On Poggio he got a big assist from the motorbikes, but a 10 second difference on a sub 6 minute climb is still half a world.

I will still make a post about the watts in my climbing thread, but I am not quite finished yet.

His Poggio was less consistent last year as it was basically a shootout vs MVP (who also attacked at the end). It was more start/stop (but the effort must have been gigantic), it's really impossible to compare it to this year. This year he focused on pacing more to distance MVP.

As for Cipressa agreed that this year conditions were worse to attack and to achieve great time.

 

[Peyresourde]

His Poggio was less consistent last year as it was basically a shootout vs MVP (who also attacked at the end). It was more start/stop (but the effort must have been gigantic), it's really impossible to compare it to this year. This year he focused on pacing more to distance MVP.

As for Cipressa agreed that this year conditions were worse to attack and to achieve great time.

Yes, this is true and impossible to incorporate accurately into my calculation. The pace this year was less stop-start, but still not consistent. In the 500m flat section of the Poggio he probably pushed only 5 w/kg or something like that and he still surged/attacked multiple times.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Yes, this is true and impossible to incorporate accurately into my calculation. The pace this year was less stop-start, but still not consistent. In the 500m flat section of the Poggio he probably pushed only 5 w/kg or something like that and he still surged/attacked multiple times.

There is a parameter called normalized power. It takes into account intervals and calculates upped watts equivalent. I don't know how strictly it's associated with physiology (of maybe it's just a mathematical adjustment working "more or less" and potentially introducing even more errors). Anyway, it's impossible to calculate without knowing detailed power chart (detailed segment division would be needed).

 

[James M]

Only in Zurich I saw this happiness. Incredible to see this was probably his main goal of the season.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Hard to imagine how many times hes reconned it over the years i think. Next‑level determination. Says alot about Pogacar when he is this loved by his peers as we can see.

 

[Peyresourde]

There is a parameter called normalized power. It takes into account intervals and calculates upped watts equivalent. I don't know how strictly it's associated with physiology (of maybe it's just a mathematical adjustment working "more or less" and potentially introducing even more errors). Anyway, it's impossible to calculate without knowing detailed power chart (detailed segment division would be needed).

Normalized Power is a generalized method to calculate the theoretical watts a rider could have pushed with consistent pacing, but of course this difference varies depending on the specific rider (type).
Since I don't have access to Pogacar's power data and sequencing a climb into 30 second segment is impossible to do with video analysis, I can't do anything about it except for guessing.

 

[James M]

This year he was faster on both climbs and the wind on Cipressa was less favorable.

plus pre-Cipressa turbulences and what it implies treshold wice and essentially extending the 'climb' so to speak. (maybe to a lesser degree to him since he was always behind florian or nuggets before bomba)

 

[hayneplane]

This year he was faster on both climbs and the wind on Cipressa was less favorable. On Poggio he got a big assist from the motorbikes, but a 10 second difference on a sub 6 minute climb is still half a world.

I will still make a post about the watts in my climbing thread, but I am not quite finished yet.

Based on that performance and his previous MO for RVV I think it fair to expect a thermonuclear performance on Kwaremont.

 

[snipeheem]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2036218438243299701

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/2036218438243299701

 

[dercuforever]

Based on that performance and his previous MO for RVV I think it fair to expect a thermonuclear performance on Kwaremont.

This year the first attack will be enough.

 

[vappa]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2036218438243299701

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/2036218438243299701

Weak. Couldn't even break an already cracked bike

 

[James M]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2036379707587883426

View: https://x.com/laflammerouge16/status/2036379707587883426?s=20

 

[Extinction]

"Back in my day he wouldn't have dropped me on Cipressa and I would attack and drop them on the Poggio!"

In those days remember Pogacar is not racing 170 days, on an aero bike, with all the benefits of sports science, carbs and so forth, it's totally different.

 

[BubbaChuck]

After seeing comments,you gotta say Pog mental game is levels above anyone. He will explain everything after career is over,lol. Next year is gonna be even more crazy.

 

[Unchained]

Normalized Power is a generalized method to calculate the theoretical watts a rider could have pushed with consistent pacing, but of course this difference varies depending on the specific rider (type).
Since I don't have access to Pogacar's power data and sequencing a climb into 30 second segment is impossible to do with video analysis, I can't do anything about it except for guessing.

Excellent post, I hope others can have the same grounded, responsible perspective on speculation morphing into facts. There is many real possibilities in technical data being part of the race, there are only a few technical things that inhibit the ability to do real time monitoring of a rider's output,
Fans would be through the roof excited if Pogacars real time wattage output was displayed on the TV during the race.
We are already seeing more and more technical feedback, with some broadcasts having speed of breakaway compared to peloton, and different sub groups, more rare is cadence and estimated wattage.
Most popular head ends like multiple models from Garmin and Wahoo can easily relay the data..
I love the optimism about Roubaix, personally I factor how often he has crashed on far less challenging roads..the different lines at Paris- Roubaix will be difficult if dry and treacherous if any water involved.. I see him crashing ..

 

[Red Rick]

As for Cipressa agreed that this year conditions were worse to attack and to achieve great time.

Average times are way faster than last year, so it's fairly reasonable to assume conditions were better, or the entire field improved on average.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Average times are way faster than last year, so it's fairly reasonable to assume conditions were better, or the entire field improved on average.

Last year conditions were good on Cipressa and even some cyclists mentioned it. The field must have improved. Pogacar's gap was smaller also because he started Cipressa like 8-10 seconds back.

 

[Peyresourde]

Last year there was a crash at the entrance of the Cipressa that caused a big disruption, after Pogacar attacked there was no organization behind. I am certain that many riders could have gone faster.

This year Lidl immediately started pacing consistently. Teams were better prepared for the attack and made a plan beforehand to steady pace.

 

[yaf2]

Wasn't this MSR similar to last year MSR performance wise? Only that last year he made more furious attacks (and more start/stop ) to drop MVP. I would think they are similar except MVP not being a factor at the end (which likely changed the outcome).

Edit: I think I get the difference: last year drafting was less important and conditions for attack better due to very favourable wind.

I think the big difference this year is the point of attack on cipressa( which made pog use his increased level of strength that he worked on this winter). This year he waited for the steepest part unlike last year which made Ganna unable to respond + forced vdp to push into his highest power zone on a climb already 25 km from the finish. 2nd, he didn’t stop start on cipressa like last year, he was pacing constantly throughout the climb only making extra accelerations in the process( makes vdp suffer more) & Already at the top of cipressa(on pogs 3rd attack vdp was on a small gap). On the way to poggio, the head wind also played a crucial role with an already exhausted vdp made to work with pidcock & pog. Imo that killed him for poggio & he full cracked with the peleton catching him at the top. Idt vdps or gannas level was less than last year but a completely different circumstance leading up to cipressa & on cipressa + pog making another leap this winter like in 2024 made a different outcome.