• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

  • We hope all of you have a great holiday season and an incredible New Year. Thanks so much for being part of the Cycling News community!

Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

Page 102 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
I can't agree with the notion that he was stronger this year because:
  1. he cracked too hard on Granon
  2. didn't have a thermonuclear performance
Sure, JV made him work hard on Galibier but I think peak Pog should have handled the stage better. Look, last year during Le Grand Bornand stage he climbed at a superb rate of 1750-1800 m/h for almost an hour. On PDBF stage he had like 6.3 w/kg for almost an hour. We are talking about monstrous efforts and he withstood them.
In Stage 11 he paid a price that was related to - racing like a tool for 10 stages (sprinting for chump change like it would not impact his overall reserves), chasing Roglic as well as vingo (and there was no need to put the full chase on Roglic ... that's been discussed), and not taking in proper nutrition. His team and his freakin' gf have said he is the same or stronger than last year. Yes, people can BS, but there's not much point in even talking about that if you were weaker. Stage 17 was pretty decent and likely would have been better as well if he had not tried attacking literally everywhere else. Finally, he was nuclear the first 10 stages and it was beginning to look like he would obliterate everyone ... which, other than vingo who one-upped him, he did! You could say he peppered his race with tactical nukes :p
 
Maybe I should start a new topic: Mauro Gianetti and Juan Ayuso. His talent is undeniable (as reflected in the 2021 baby Giro) , but 4th after two weeks of a gruelling Vuelta? Somehow these UAE talents like Pogacar and Ayuso make giant leaps forward in their first year as a pro.
If he rides a really good third week in this Vuelta, I'll know enough. That will be Pogi 2019 all over again.
 
Maybe I should start a new topic: Mauro Gianetti and Juan Ayuso. His talent is undeniable (as reflected in the 2021 baby Giro) , but 4th after two weeks of a gruelling Vuelta? Somehow these UAE talents like Pogacar and Ayuso make giant leaps forward in their first year as a pro.
If he rides a really good third week in this Vuelta, I'll know enough. That will be Pogi 2019 all over again.

Except this is Ayuso's second year as a pro.
 
Maybe I should start a new topic: Mauro Gianetti and Juan Ayuso. His talent is undeniable (as reflected in the 2021 baby Giro) , but 4th after two weeks of a gruelling Vuelta? Somehow these UAE talents like Pogacar and Ayuso make giant leaps forward in their first year as a pro.
If he rides a really good third week in this Vuelta, I'll know enough. That will be Pogi 2019 all over again.
Both are working/getting coached by Dr Millan, Ayuso has been for the last 1.5 years (already in the u23 ranks at Colpack where he improved a ton). He's one year younger than Pogacar when the later rode his first Vuelta, but if his career develops the same we can probably say that Dr. Millan a crucial element in the equation.
 
Both are working/getting coached by Dr Millan, Ayuso has been for the last 1.5 years (already in the u23 ranks at Colpack where he improved a ton). He's one year younger than Pogacar when the later rode his first Vuelta, but if his career develops the same we can probably say that Dr. Millan a crucial element in the equation.

Dr Inigo Millan is good at tuning big engines and he will make sure to finetune his compatriot as well as possible. JV, watch out. Or, should I say, Teddy, watch out!
 
Last edited:
It's his first full year as a pro.

Not that I find it a very compelling argument. Talent showing early is what you want, and saying "4th place at the Vuelta with one week to go" as if it's some kind of Herculean task is pretty funny to me.
How early? Earlier than the new normal of the 90's and early 00's, but this is not the return to the old normal from before then. This is different.
 
From the Almeida thread

Just to give some insight about what to expect from Almeida in 2023...

Just read a chronicle made by Gonçalo Moreira (Portuguese Eurosport commentator) in a Portuguese cycling site about Almeida´s future as a GT contender.
He is someone close to Almeida, went to Sierra Nevada UAE preparation camp last April (preparation camp towards "Il Giro") to be a few days around him and shared something he witnessed between Almeida and his Performance coach San Millán just after Almeida finished a climb at Hazallanas.
After San Millán collected and viewed Almeida's lactate threshold results he said (quote):

- You are very good atm but next year will be the year! Just wait for our comeback at the preparation camp next year and you will see how much better you will be!

... and the arms race continues...

And Almeida will go to Giro again 2023.