Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[noob]

He's gonna need an extra boost to not pay for what he did today.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He's gonna need an extra boost to not pay for what he did today.

There is still a lot of time and a rest day until key Alpine stages. We will see at PDBF if he is a bit flat

 

[F_Cance]

absolutely insane that he is now also a favorite for paris roubaix.

 

[Mayomaniac]

There is still a lot of time and a rest day until key Alpine stages. We will see at PDBF if he is a bit flat

The others who crashed/had a bad day on the cobbles will probably be at least as beaten up as him, riding slower on the cobbles doesn't exactly make things easier.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

The others who crashed/had a bad day on the cobbles will probably be at least as beaten up as him, riding slower on the cobbles doesn't exactly make things easier.

Others had a luxury to follow the wheel of half motor half human.

 

[Aimar16]

absolutely insane that he is now also a favorite for paris roubaix.

Roubaix is much harder and the opponents are much stronger than today's stage, and he could barely follow Stuyven's wheel today. So I wouldn't call him a favorite, but I'd like to see him in that race... maybe with a bit of luck he could win.

 

[ppanther92]

The others who crashed/had a bad day on the cobbles will probably be at least as beaten up as him, riding slower on the cobbles doesn't exactly make things easier.

In hindsight, Vingegaard and Thomas rode the stage quite efficiently. Nose never in the wind, no pulls at all. Roglic on the other hand suffered probably more than Pogacar.

 

[ppanther92]

I am quite sure Pogacar is on a top program. But what I find funny is that he has a super weak team the 3rd year in a row, while the budget is clearly there and even the names do not read that bad. If I have a Tour winning program, I would pass this to key domestiques.

Actually a quite novel occurence. US Postal, T-Mobile, Ineos, maybe recently Bahrain (although I think they will have and are already having a subpar Tour for obvious reasons) always have/had the whole team flying.

 

[Netserk]

I am quite sure Pogacar is on a top program. But what I find funny is that he has a super weak team the 3rd year in a row, while the budget is clearly there and even the names do not read that bad. If I have a Tour winning program, I would pass this to key domestiques.

Actually a quite novel occurence. US Postal, T-Mobile, Ineos, maybe recently Bahrain (although I think they will have and are already having a subpar Tour for obvious reasons) always have/had the whole team flying.

Jumbo too.

 

[Mex_17]

Pog good luck, good bike handling primarily in this stage. That's what I would say.

he looks really tired now

I'm sure he'll take his vitamins tonight, and come back remarkably refreshed tomorrow.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I am quite sure Pogacar is on a top program. But what I find funny is that he has a super weak team the 3rd year in a row, while the budget is clearly there and even the names do not read that bad. If I have a Tour winning program, I would pass this to key domestiques.

Actually a quite novel occurence. US Postal, T-Mobile, Ineos, maybe recently Bahrain (although I think they will have and are already having a subpar Tour for obvious reasons) always have/had the whole team flying.

Imo the key is Dr Millan, who is coaching him. He has also been coaching Ayuso since last year and we've seen how good he already is.

 

[Rackham]

I am quite sure Pogacar is on a top program. But what I find funny is that he has a super weak team the 3rd year in a row, while the budget is clearly there and even the names do not read that bad. If I have a Tour winning program, I would pass this to key domestiques.

Actually a quite novel occurence. US Postal, T-Mobile, Ineos, maybe recently Bahrain (although I think they will have and are already having a subpar Tour for obvious reasons) always have/had the whole team flying.

Looking at that "fishy as hell it's almost hilariously obvious" behavior of Bettiol yesterday, Pogacar's team probably has all bases covered. Who needs a team when riders in other teams do your domestique work anyway?

Just enjoy the spectacle, because the intricate details of 'how' this stuff happens is right up there with the machinations of Batiatus in an episode of Spartacus (for those who might have never seen the TV series, he was a complete crook who would do anything to win at all costs).

 

[ppanther92]

Looking at that "fishy as hell it's almost hilariously obvious" behavior of Bettiol yesterday, Pogacar's team probably has all bases covered. Who needs a team when riders in other teams do your domestique work anyway?

Just enjoy the spectacle, because the intricate details of 'how' this stuff happens is right up there with the machinations of Batiatus in an episode of Spartacus (for those who might have never seen the TV series, he was a complete crook who would do anything to win at all costs).

Ok yes, but I would argue having a strong team is always plan A.

 

[ppanther92]

Imo the key is Dr Millan, who is coaching him. He has also been coaching Ayuso since last year and we've seen how good he already is.

Only those two riders? I already wondered about this. Since it really comes across that Millan is a very important piece in Pogacars success. But I thought he is involved in the whole team.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Only those two riders? I already wondered about this. Since it really comes across that Millan is a very important piece in Pogacars success. But I thought he is involved in the whole team.

He's working at the university of Colorado Springs at the same time, so I doubt that he has the time to coach everyone.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He's working at the university of Colorado Springs at the same time, so I doubt that he has the time to coach everyone.

Yeah coaching cyclists is kinda his secondary job but it must be very interesting for him to work on such a great engine like Pog's.

 

[Blobs]

I am quite sure Pogacar is on a top program. But what I find funny is that he has a super weak team the 3rd year in a row, while the budget is clearly there and even the names do not read that bad. If I have a Tour winning program, I would pass this to key domestiques.

Perhaps they are spending their entire budget on Pogacars program? I'm only half joking. He is certainly something else, whatever the cause.

 

[Rackham]

Ok yes, but I would argue having a strong team is always plan A.

Still, this was straight-up scandalous:

I'm amazed (sadly, not really) by the overall lack of reaction to Bettiol basically screwing his own team & riding for UAE. Other than a few protestations here & there, it's crickets.

It's like some people are so afraid of being labelled 'conspiracy theorists' they refuse to accept reality. This was pas normal. Not normal.

 

[Riek s]

Dr Millan isn't that the guy who said the secret of Pogacar is riding slow? (lot of training blocks in zone 2). (Just like you can find in any other cyclist schematic)

 

[ppanther92]

Yeah coaching cyclists is kinda his secondary job but it must be very interesting for him to work on such a great engine like Pog's.

I listened to a quite lengthy podcast one and indeed, he seems very excited to work with Pogacar. Millan is a big proponent of Zone 2 training (and claims its underutilized in elite level) and that Pogacar has the best lactate clearence he has ever seen.

 

[ppanther92]

Dr Millan isn't that the guy who said the secret of Pogacar is riding slow? (lot of training blocks in zone 2). (Just like you can find in any other cyclist schematic)

Yes, exactly.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Dr Millan isn't that the guy who said the secret of Pogacar is riding slow? (lot of training blocks in zone 2). (Just like you can find in any other cyclist schematic)

Also Vino's team doctor in 2007, when he went crazy in the Albi TT before getting caught...

 

[Ripper]

Also Vino's team doctor in 2007, when he went crazy in the Albi TT before getting caught...

Do you have a reference for that? It's something new for me to hear, so just curious.

Here's something that's a bit of a truism, sports physiologists and scientists are always explaining how particular athletes are so good at one thing or another, even if said athlete is actually simply doping like crazy. Lim regarding Landis? How about all the crap about Armstrong? And then there's all those ways of explaining Froome.

 

[Tim Cahill]

He's just changed his cadence you see

 

[Ricco']

I am quite sure Pogacar is on a top program. But what I find funny is that he has a super weak team the 3rd year in a row, while the budget is clearly there and even the names do not read that bad. If I have a Tour winning program, I would pass this to key domestiques.

Actually a quite novel occurence. US Postal, T-Mobile, Ineos, maybe recently Bahrain (although I think they will have and are already having a subpar Tour for obvious reasons) always have/had the whole team flying.

Maybe they learned from US Postal?

Less people involved, less loose ends when someone goes berserk and starts to spill the beans a few years later.