Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Monsi]

Hope that he is not focusing too much on the classics this year. Vingegaard looks his best ever version and with him focusing only on GT training he may surprise everyone like Pog did in 2024...

Pog proved last year that he is capable of balancing a full Classics campaign with the Tour. He had a harder Classics campaign last year and he was still able to dominate the Tour. Even after having a knee injury and having a bit of sickness, he was not put in trouble by Jonas. Jonas does look better this year but Pogi should be fine at the Tour.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Hope that he is not focusing too much on the classics this year. Vingegaard looks his best ever version and with him focusing only on GT training he may surprise everyone like Pog did in 2024...

Id like to see the numbers. From eye test, Vingegaard is way off his own best numbers, let alone Pogs

 

[rafa92]

Id like to see the numbers. From eye test, Vingegaard is way off his own best numbers, let alone Pog

https://watts2win.eu/it/segment/1393

here they estimate 5.6 w/kg for 44:42, VAM of 1498 which is low even if the gradient is also low (6.66%). It's clearly a mediocre performance for his standards, but it's also true that in the first part of the climb the pace was very slow. Also typically on this site they adjust the estimates later on, it might be higher than this because there was a lot of wind

 

[Pantani Attacks]

https://watts2win.eu/it/segment/1393

here they estimate 5.6 w/kg for 44:42, VAM of 1498 which is low even if the gradient is also low (6.66%). It's clearly a mediocre performance for his standards, but it's also true that in the first part of the climb the pace was very slow. Also typically on this site they adjust the estimates later on, it might be higher than this because there was a lot of wind

Yes, I'd imagine it'll be rounded up closer to 6, but definitely on eye test it just looked like he was racing against a bag of ***.

 

[rafa92]

Yes, I'd imagine it'll be rounded up closer to 6, but definitely on eye test it just looked like he was racing against a bag of ***.

honestly very disappointing performance from the opposition, especially almeida, did he crash?

 

[BubbaChuck]

They are so cooked in flanders and in if pog stays upright in PR,we have 5 boys,lol. Well Seixas could be trouble in lombardia.

 

[yaf2]

pogacar is playing with this version of vdp in roubaix

 

[rafa92]

for flanders vermersch will be important, I can see a scenario where vdp doesn't collaborate if they are together after 2nd kwaremont, that's why pog has to play it smart, he has to take advantage of this level from vermersch, as of today he's one the 3/4 strongest riders for flanders. Also morgado did a nice effort on kwaremont

 

[AmRacer]

for flanders vermersch will be important, I can see a scenario where vdp doesn't collaborate if they are together after 2nd kwaremont, that's why pog has to play it smart, he has to take advantage of this level from vermersch, as of today he's one the 3/4 strongest riders for flanders. Also morgado did a nice effort on kwaremont

Pogi will kill everyone's legs 1 time up, and doing hard intervals on every climb after until he nukes the 2nd Kwaremont.

 

[rafa92]

Pogi will kill everyone's legs 1 time up, and doing hard intervals on every climb after until he nukes the 2nd Kwaremont.

if he's fully recovered from the crash I can see this scenario, but we have to wait and see, imo he would be wise to rely more on vermersch

 

[Rasto]

Yes, I'd imagine it'll be rounded up closer to 6, but definitely on eye test it just looked like he was racing against a bag of ***.

its 6.1 -6.2 for 38 which is good but not for beating pog tbh

 

[Rou]

https://watts2win.eu/it/segment/1393

here they estimate 5.6 w/kg for 44:42, VAM of 1498 which is low even if the gradient is also low (6.66%). It's clearly a mediocre performance for his standards, but it's also true that in the first part of the climb the pace was very slow. Also typically on this site they adjust the estimates later on, it might be higher than this because there was a lot of wind

The numbers from Jonas are higher and I think this performance is better than Pogacar in 2024 Catalunya.
If Jonas goes through the Giro unscathed he will Give Pogacar a serious fight once again in July.

 

[Bratone]

I think Jonas is favourite for the Tour this year. People are underestimating a lot the difference between training only for GTs and long climbs for more than half a year vs bulking and training for classics like MSR and Roubaix.

 

[BubbaChuck]

2. The "Modern Adjustment" Period​

You mentioned the body needs time to reach its full peak in a "variety" area. This is a brilliant physiological point.

• Muscle Recruitment: It takes years for the nervous system to learn how to use "new" muscle for endurance. Pogačar’s transition from a 63kg "pure climber" to a 66kg "all-terrain monster" required his mitochondria to "re-colonize" the new muscle fibers he built in the gym.
• The 2026 Peak: By 2026, he isn't just "carrying" 66kg; he has fully integrated it. His engine (heart/lungs) has finally caught up to his larger chassis. This is why his Zone 2 "cruising" power has jumped from 340W to nearly 380W. He is now more efficient at 66kg than most riders are at 60kg.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I think Jonas is favourite for the Tour this year. People are underestimating a lot the difference between training only for GTs and long climbs for more than half a year vs bulking and training for classics like MSR and Roubaix.

Pogacar did MSR and Roubaix last year too.

 

[Bratone]

Pogacar did MSR and Roubaix last year too.

He did but he never got this bulky. And Jonas had most of his spring preparation affected by injuries last year, now he's fully focused and ready to go.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He did but he never got this bulky. And Jonas had most of his spring preparation affected by injuries last year, now he's fully focused and ready to go.

We will see. I'm not looking past Flandres+Roubaix double and neither is Pogi!

 

[Jan the Man]

Don’t see how you can extrapolate anything from today for Roubaix in particular. MvP will still rightly be heavy favourite for Roubaix.

He misjudged the length and effect of his solo that is all. Pog did it at Amstel. Whatever anyone says about the weight Pog is carrying, Roubaix heavily favours a rider like MvP

 

[Rou]

We will see. I'm not looking past Flandres+Roubaix double and neither is Pogi!

Hypothetical question.
Vingegaard wins these races:
Paris-Nice
Catalunya
Giro
Tour
Vuelta

Pogacar wins these races:
Strade
San Remo
Flanders
Roubaix
LBL
World's
Lombardia

Which will be considered more epic and prestigious?
For me it would be Vingegaard's because 5 Monuments and World's in a year I can imagine but 3 GT wins in a year is something almost inconceivable from an athletic perspective.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Hypothetical question.
Vingegaard wins these races:
Paris-Nice
Catalunya
Giro
Tour
Vuelta

Pogacar wins these races:
Strade
San Remo
Flanders
Roubaix
LBL
World's
Lombardia

Which will be considered more epic and prestigious?
For me it would be Vingegaard's because 5 Monuments and World's in a year I can imagine but 3 GT wins in a year is something almost inconceivable from an athletic perspective.

Both would be incredible. Vingegaard's feat would be physically unmatched but keep in mind that Pogacar faces the strongest possible rivals across various monuments while Vingegaard would likely face his strongest rival only in one GT.

 

[AmRacer]

Hypothetical question.
Vingegaard wins these races:
Paris-Nice
Catalunya
Giro
Tour
Vuelta

Pogacar wins these races:
Strade
San Remo
Flanders
Roubaix
LBL
World's
Lombardia

Which will be considered more epic and prestigious?
For me it would be Vingegaard's because 5 Monuments and World's in a year I can imagine but 3 GT wins in a year is something almost inconceivable from an athletic perspective.

Pogi wins Romandie and Suisse and runner-up in the Tour.

 

[Rou]

Pogi wins Romandie and Suisse and runner-up in the Tour.

I'm not mentioning them for a reason.
Lower level competition and less exhausting.

 

[YavorD]

Hypothetical question.
Vingegaard wins these races:
Paris-Nice
Catalunya
Giro
Tour
Vuelta

Pogacar wins these races:
Strade
San Remo
Flanders
Roubaix
LBL
World's
Lombardia

Which will be considered more epic and prestigious?
For me it would be Vingegaard's because 5 Monuments and World's in a year I can imagine but 3 GT wins in a year is something almost inconceivable from an athletic perspective.

I would say 5 monuments.
3 GTs I don't really think it's so unachievable. With a proper preparation and obviously some amount of luck, of course, some of the dominant GT riders could do it.
5 monuments and a WC I can't see being repeated.

 

[AmRacer]

I'm not mentioning them for a reason.
Lower level competition and less exhausting.

Since you mentioned Paris-Nice and Catalunya.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I'm not mentioning them for a reason.
Lower level competition and less exhausting.

I don't think there should be doubts regarding Pogacar as #1 Tour favourite for now. At least until his stage races. You mentioned lower competition level but Vingegaard also didn't really beat very in-form rivals so far.