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Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

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Pog had a hard stage. You could feel how tough it was to ride as slowly as he "had to" in order to not make more enemies. Most of his energy was spent having to control the slow pace and avoid accelerating. Must have been nice to have 10 seconds of actual riding at the end.
That's how it's been the whole tour. Imagine if he actually went hard on any of these stages? He could probably solo from km 0 without any problems and win by 20 minutes. And then do it again the next day.
 
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There's always going to be differences between an early season race used to build fitness and the main event of the season even when accounting for third week fatigue, but that's quite a gap. And to add to that, that's essentially Vingegaard's best effort, because Pogacar didn't pace that climb at all. Imagine how fast he could have gone if he didn't sandbag behind SQS and VLAB until the final 200 meters?

This just shows how incredible the field is now in general. And Pogacar is levels above that, even.
 
Last weekend, after Plateau de Beille, I mentioned how it irks me they (Matxin and Gianetti) have managed to create this schtick, this ludic persona that just tries to please everybody and thus be the anti Armstrong. Well, it would seem I have found a new pet peeve in this context: waiting at the line, very much not tired, to fist bump and high five incoming riders. I suspect we'll so no Tyler Hamitlonesque interviews in the future, he seems rather desperate to get everybody on his side. It's working.
 
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How are people already forgetting the TT?
Jonas just took better lines bruv
 
6.6 w/kg for 40 minutes from a guy who lost 6 weeks training pre-tour is still mental

I'm always struck by how crap they look one week then suddenly look incredible, Pogacar pre-Lombardia last season, VDP in Strade/Tirreno the looking incredible all of a sudden in San Remo.

21st in the WCTT is an outrageous result in hindsight

Doesn't seem to be much gradualism, whatever they are on seems very fast-acting
 
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Let's go out on a limb and hypothesise that he is taking PEDs. If that was the case then it's probably not the best idea to look like you just finished a recovery ride, after demolishing a field of elite cyclists on a hard climb. Also probably not smart to hoover up all the stage wins for yourself when coming second would have minimal impact to your overall tour standing. These aren't smart moves and have the effect of putting a giant target on your back.

Of course if he is doing it unassisted then congrats on being the best cyclist in the world by some margin. Keep it up.
 
Let's go out on a limb and hypothesise that he is taking PEDs. If that was the case then it's probably not the best idea to look like you just finished a recovery ride, after demolishing a field of elite cyclists on a hard climb. Also probably not smart to hoover up all the stage wins for yourself when coming second would have minimal impact to your overall tour standing. These aren't smart moves and have the effect of putting a giant target on your back.

Of course if he is doing it unassisted then congrats on being the best cyclist in the world by some margin. Keep it up.
You're not out on a limb to say he's doping. You're hugging the tree.
 
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There's always going to be differences between an early season race used to build fitness and the main event of the season even when accounting for third week fatigue, but that's quite a gap. And to add to that, that's essentially Vingegaard's best effort, because Pogacar didn't pace that climb at all. Imagine how fast he could have gone if he didn't sandbag behind SQS and VLAB until the final 200 meters?

This just shows how incredible the field is now in general. And Pogacar is levels above that, even.
Vingegaard did far better on Beille.
 
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