Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[sir fly]

One thing i find odd though, is that the pundits doesn't even offer doping as a possibility but instead leans on the fact that nobody has been caught so there for cycling is clean.
In my Country the reporters are very anti-doping (of course) but they are just in a awe and say that he is special, no doubt he is but why is he special? they don't even broach the subject, which i find disturbing and also bad reporting. I dont suggest they come out and slander him of course but when something is off this many times, the idea must be there, no?

Is your country a Soviet country?

 

[Cookster15]

We simply have no idea, and from some reactions of other riders it almost looks like they don't either.
Okay, they probably know a bit more than we do, because we are absolutely clueless, aren't we?

To me it looks like some kind of blood-doping, some pretty old-school thing just modernised. Not that I know anything about these things, that's just what it resembles, especially since Pogacar doesn't have the most constant highest level, very high, yes, but it looks like he can up his game for certain events/ days. This also doesn't look like some kind of elaborate know-how about the best mix of hormonal micro-doping, the way that a year ago I thought doping today was done.

My best bet, and it's really nothing more than a bet, is that they are willing to take bigger risks, go for full juice instead of holding back, not working on the safe side, but risking to get caught, gambling on not getting caught.
He's probably going to win his second Tour this year, so of course the focus is all on him, but it's not like he's the only one who showed ridiculous stuff this year. Padun and Cavendish are up there as well for me, on a lower level a few others as well.
He's probably pretty talented to begin with and also a good responder.

Thank you. This is what this thread was missing. I need to hop on my bike now but will be returning.

 

[Skalman]

Is your country a Soviet country?

No, not at all, do the reporters in your country come out openly and accuse riders for doping?

 

[Mayomaniac]

No, but from what I remember the price-range was so low pretty much any (WT) pro could blood dope if they wanted. Do you know if they used fridge or freezer?

It was stored in a freezer, apparently at -82° C.
Source: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/doping-erfurt-langlauf-1.4360318-2

 

[Netserk]

It was stored in a freezer, apparently at -82° C.
Source: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/doping-erfurt-langlauf-1.4360318-2

Then it would be an expensive program back in the 00s. It was one of those freezers (and the equipment needed to handle the blood) that Rasmussen bought.

 

[roundabout]

By the way what was the wind situation today? The rest of the guys finished together, soooo?

Seemed like they rode the climbs very passively, headwind or not. I think everyone stayed together even in the last 10.5% average km of Colombiere

 

[sir fly]

No, not at all, do the reporters in your country come out openly and accuse riders for doping?

When there's open agenda...

 

[Netserk]

Seemed like they rode the climbs very passively, headwind or not. I think everyone stayed together even in the last 10.5% average km of Colombiere

It's not a great descent to defend a gap on, especially against a group like that.

 

[Skalman]

When there's open agenda...

Take a performance like today, it seems quite special, would they offer it up as a possibility?

 

[sir fly]

Take a performance like today, it seems quite special, would they offer it up as a possibility?

Depends on attachments, I guess.

 

[Red Rick]

Seemed like they rode the climbs very passively, headwind or not. I think everyone stayed together even in the last 10.5% average km of Colombiere

It's not a great descent to defend a gap on, especially against a group like that.

So we can probably assume the 3 minute gap was probably exacerbated by tactics.

 

[Skalman]

Depends on attachments, I guess.

I would think its quite similar in most countries, until someone is found out. but if the "experts" keep adhering to some kind of code of silence even if what they are watching is absurd then we can never have a discussion about it, then how would we have a clean sport?, do we even want to?

 

[roundabout]

It's not a great descent to defend a gap on, especially against a group like that.

It's not, but you still never know if someone would not have done a 2009 Klöden (ok, that happened further down). Climbing 1350 meters in the previous 1 hour of racing with just 4.5km of rest should have been difficult enough to at least try testing the rest.

 

[ppanther92]

To be honest with outliers like Pogacar, I doubt it's just about being within the wiggle room of tests and having a marginal gains type program.

This doesn't look like they're roughly on the same stuff and he's just doing it better.

Yeah but than its either risking more (don't have that feeling), having something others don't have (but why is UAE than not doing what Bahrain does?), having protection (Slovenia is no big cycling market like the US), or responding better to something (vague but I guess possie).

So in short - we kind of are almost totally in the dark on whats going on. The rest was summarized well by you. The COVID-break certainly led to an increase in overall level.

 

[sir fly]

I would think its quite similar in most countries, until someone is found out. but if the "experts" keep adhering to some kind of code of silence even if what they are watching is absurd then we can never have a discussion about it, then how would we have a clean sport?, do we even want to?

Well, one can commentate the issue only when it breaks out.
Otherwise, it's a speculation or accusation. Not professional and desirable in the market economy-oriented industry of media and entertainment where sinless idols are sold.
Although the tabloid approach garners publicity as well.

 

[Netserk]

So we can probably assume the 3 minute gap was probably exacerbated by tactics.

The chase group took 27'' on Pogi on the descent. I doubt a lone rider could go faster.

 

[roundabout]

So we can probably assume the 3 minute gap was probably exacerbated by tactics.

I think there was no coverage of the chase group starting the Colombiere, but over the top of Romme they were about 2 minutes exactly behind Pogacar, so they probably were able to take approximately 30 seconds on Carapaz on the Colombiere.

Under the assumption that with Castroviejo to lead Carapaz they were unable to take time on the Romme descent.

Arguably Carapaz faded, but at the same time from the limited coverage of the chase group it did not look like they were going all out.

 

[Red Rick]

The chase group took 27'' on Pogi on the descent. I doubt a lone rider could go faster.

I am solely speaking about the climbs.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah but than its either risking more (don't have that feeling), having something others don't have (but why is UAE than not doing what Bahrain does?), having protection (Slovenia is no big cycling market like the US), or responding better to something (vague but I guess possie).

So in short - we kind of are almost totally in the dark on whats going on. The rest was summarized well by you. The COVID-break certainly led to an increase in overall level.

Protection would not be about Slovenia. It would be about UAE oil money.

 

[Netserk]

I am solely speaking about the climbs.

I don't think anyone in the chase group was a better climber than Carapaz, so I doubt you could get a better reference for Pogi's dominance.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't think anyone in the chase group was a better climber than Carapaz, so I doubt you could get a better reference for Pogi's dominance.

Did Carapaz just blow up on Colombiere?

 

[Luthor]

It's ridiculous at this point. After Bahrain, UAE stopped giving a *** either. If you are doping at least don't make it obvious and kill the sport. Tomorrow, Pogacar or a Bahrain rider are probably gonna win again.

 

[Netserk]

Did Carapaz just blow up on Colombiere?

He had a significantly faster Romme in his legs and he still had a 27'' gap at the top. But I think there was a headwind on Colombière, so favouring a group, and that he ran out of legs.

 

[topt]

Culturally, not geographically, obviously.

Is Slovenia part of the Balkans? yes
Are the Balkans part of Eastern or Western Europe? Eastern
QED

Either way, back on topic.

no, its not, Slovenia is NOT part of the Balkans, shame on Dutch schools if they taught you so

 

[topt]

oh yeah baby, 46 pages, Remco "the wunderkind" be aftraid, be very afraid