Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[E_F_]

I honestly don't think there's ever been such a blatant example of doping than this.

He is an anomaly among anomalies among anomalies among...

 

[E_F_]

This is now the unofficial official stage thread for today!

 

[AttaqueDeRolland]

All I have to say is that we're witnessing historic levels of absolutely shameless greed.

 

[Shakes]

On a normal bike faster on the flat part of the TT. Makes complete sense.

 

[ashhutch1997]

All I have to say is that we're witnessing historic levels of absolutely shameless greed.

It will be his downfall eventually.

 

[FrontHeadlock]

Oh God, here we go again.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

This is just not normal, can’t wait to hear the explanation from Pog fans on this one.

 

[ashhutch1997]

This is just not normal, can’t wait to hear the explanation from Pog fans on this one.

"He's the greatest of all time and we're lucky to be watching it".

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

"He's the greatest of all time and we're lucky to be watching it".

“If he was doping he would’ve beaten Riis” was the clapback yesterday

 

[ontheroad]

The mechanics should be rushing in to get that bike away for testing.

 

[burning]

These time gaps are absurd, lmao

 

[Shakes]

Eurosport has multicam. We need an app that uses those streams, completely ignores Pogacar and with proper commentary covering those images. Then yesterday's stage was amazing and most races would be better. Just add a footnote that Pogacar is there as well but completely ignore him and Gianetti for the rest. Would makes this watchable again.

/Admittedly Vingegaard is also in a league of his own but still two leagues down on Pogacar.

 

[Ramanujan]

what an absolute farce. It is possible that Pog is a genetic, biological freak of nature, but not to this degree. It's just absurd. Anyone with a semblance of knowledge of cycling history must surely realise he's on something. Something that others don't have access to.

 

[FrontHeadlock]

Yikes. Think this might be the last stage I watch this year.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Eurosport has multicam. We need an app that uses those streams, completely ignores Pogacar and with proper commentary covering those images. Then yesterday's stage was amazing and most races would be better. Just add a footnote that Pogacar is there as well but completely ignore him and Gianetti for the rest. Would makes this watchable again.

/Admittedly Vingegaard is also in a league of his own but still two leagues down on Pogacar.

Again, they probably are all doping in some sort of fashion. But I gravitate to Vingegaard because he is like the GC days of Lance. You target the Tour, ride a couple of other races throughout the year with mixed results, and that was that. Not anywhere close to the February-October destruction Pogacar is causing upon the sport.

 

[Ripper]

"He's the greatest of all time and we're lucky to be watching it".

Yup. It is truly a bit of the simpleton response, isn't it? The argument that - this is to be expected given he is such a talent. I mean, he's the best ever, so why is it a surprise that he is the best ever?

A convenient form of circular reasoning that allows one not to have to address any potential cognitive dissonance or uncomfortable questions.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Yikes. Think this might be the last stage I watch this year.

I’m just hoping for good breakaways at this point.

 

[burning]

what an absolute farce. It is possible that Pog is a genetic, biological freak of nature, but not to this degree. It's just absurd. Anyone with a semblance of knowledge of cycling history must surely realise he's on something. Something that others don't have access to.

I don't think he has something that others don't have access to, UAE and Gianetti seem to really optimized the setup. Similarly, it took a few years of EPO to boost performance back in 90s

 

[SorelyBoy]

What is left to say after that? You can tell Mauro thinks everyone is in his back pocket and feels safe. Pogacar has been told to unleash everything and don’t hold back. If this continues then we’re looking at a winning gap of at least ten minutes and possibly close to 15 minutes. Every day is like watching a top GC rider riding in a local club race.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

This is fantastic. Clearly Vingegaard got the premium Jumbo Visma Jamba Juice after yday and he still swats him away like a fly. Fantastic scenes.

 

[ashhutch1997]

In all seriousness, how ridiculous will this get before something actually happens?

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

I don't think he has something that others don't have access to, UAE and Gianetti seem to really optimized the setup. Similarly, it took a few years of EPO to boost performance back in 90s

Helps when you have an oil state throwing the biggest budget in the sport.

 

[burning]

Helps when you have an oil state throwing the biggest budget in the sport.

Of course, that helps, but I think they simply optimized their rig to an absurd level after the 2023 Tour.

 

[QuickZulu]

I hate having to quit watching a Grand Tour halfway through, but I will do it here. Giro 2024 was the only other time I have done this, and guess who’s the common denominator in both those races?

 

[Raest]

He'll be way over 10 min in front 3rd place by the end of the Tour... Could even be close to 10 min in front of Vingegaard. At least he was breathing heavily at the end... Second day in a row that we saw his teeth, that's something I guess.