Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

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Jul 7, 2013
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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.
 
Feb 7, 2026
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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.
 
Jul 7, 2013
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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).
 
Feb 7, 2026
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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.
 
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Sep 4, 2017
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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.
 
Jan 8, 2020
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"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.
 
May 22, 2024
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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.
 
Sep 5, 2016
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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 ..