Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[zlev11]

the raid could very well have been bullshitty, yeah. but i think it definitely played a part in them toning it down.

 

[ppanther92]

Bahrain lost their GC guy early and their wins last year were from the break which is always at least a bit of a lottery. They did win both MSR and LFW.

I mean IPT showed form they haven't all year and even threw in a 1-2 for good measure and I don't see people lining up to throw the bus at them.


Not that Bahrain aren't suspicious but I think the idea that they toned things down because of a French investigation isn't really that compelling

Their GC guy was at least equally Caruso who was just bad (while he had a strong pre-raid season). Teuns and Mohoric are usually sure bets on breakaways and… were just bad. In my book the drop in performance is so apparent that I do not see any other reason tbh.

 

[Zen Master]

Well, this Tour gives every day a new doped up to the eyeballs adventure. Yesterday was a day for McNobody to shine, today we had WWA a.k.a. The Eagle of Herning Herentals, and I do sincerely hope that the day after tomorrow Pogminator will go full thermonuclear and maybe repeat the success from La Planche des Belles Filles 2020. Without power meter or computer, of course, in his famous ride “to feel” mode…

 

[BullsFan22]

Well, this Tour gives every day a new doped up to the eyeballs adventure. Yesterday was a day for McNobody to shine, today we had WWA a.k.a. The Eagle of Herning Herentals, and I do sincerely hope that the day after tomorrow Pogminator will go full thermonuclear and maybe repeat the success from La Planche des Belles Filles 2020. Without power meter or computer, of course, in his famous ride “to feel” mode…

Pogačar isn’t taking 3:30 on this Vingegaard in a 40km TT.

 

[ppanther92]

Pogačar isn’t taking 3:30 on this Vingegaard in a 40km TT.

I am actually inclined to believe Vingegaard will take another 30s.

 

[solo80k]

Pogačar isn’t taking 3:30 on this Vingegaard in a 40km TT.

Pogi will ride final ITT easily. No need to use BB now, better save it for La Vuelta.

 

[Zen Master]

Pogačar isn’t taking 3:30 on this Vingegaard in a 40km TT.

Well, two years ago I said to myself something like… Nah, there is no chance that Pog could even sniff those 57sec at La Planche des Belles Filles. On stage 17 Roglic left Pog behind on the Col de la Loze (Kuss was MVP that day), and Pog was just nine seconds faster than Roglic in Slovenian ITT championships right before the Tour. So, let’s just say that 3:30 is a bit a high bar to reach, but definitely not impossible with a little help from a magic potion friend. After that he could give himself the nickname King Cobra, and then on the top podium spot in Paris he’ll say… Finally, the last thing I'll say to the people who don't believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics: I'm sorry for you. I'm sorry that you can't dream big. I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles….

 

[Cookster15]

Lets see and wait what vingegaard will do in the coming TT. He should not have the physique for fast sprints, yet he also learned that this year, wouldn't rule out his TT is also alot better than previously (similar as Pog who also became superior in the tour TTs during his first win)

Pog had TT results well prior to the 2020 TdF. just nothing to suggest what we saw on stage 20. We need to keep in mind he was super young and still developing physically - yet he still had many top results.

Vingegaard is worse because he is two years older yet had a far inferior record before the 2021 TdF. Yes riders develop at different ages but Andy Schleck's and Tadej Pogacar's are the rare exception. Vingo should have given way more clue before last year.

With his teammate doing the impossible on HC MTFs it is surely so obvious and beyond debate that we are seeing Jumbo's revenge for 2020.

 

[topt]

Well, two years ago I said to myself something like… Nah, there is no chance that Pog could even sniff those 57sec at La Planche des Belles Filles. On stage 17 Roglic left Pog behind on the Col de la Loze (Kuss was MVP that day), and Pog was just nine seconds faster than Roglic in Slovenian ITT championships right before the Tour. So, let’s just say that 3:30 is a bit a high bar to reach, but definitely not impossible with a little help from a magic potion friend. After that he could give himself the nickname King Cobra, and then on the top podium spot in Paris he’ll say… Finally, the last thing I'll say to the people who don't believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics: I'm sorry for you. I'm sorry that you can't dream big. I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles….

I belive that should be the words from the danish fisherman; i mean if Pog with all his talent is on juice than what is fisherman on.....

 

[Zen Master]

I belive that should be the words from the danish fisherman; i mean if Pog with all his talent is on juice than what is fisherman on.....

Well, well, well, now you want to tell me that Vingo is somehow responsible for The Miracle on Planche des Belles Filles in 2020, or The Big Chainring Massacre on the Col de la Colombiére last year. By the way, IMHO Pog is just a talented early doper & an excellent responder and nothing more. How easily we forgot about Operation Aderlass and that the main suspects were, among others, a bunch of cyclist from surprise-surprise UAE Team Emirates and Bahrein-Merida, almost all of them from the new cycling superpower Slovenia. So, compare Pog to a real generational talent like Remco, and ask yourself how on earth Pog suddenly became Eddy The Canibal Merckx reincarnated, and in the meantime Remco won LBL once but otherwise couldn’t even sniff any GT succes?
All in all, if you‘d put Pog on JV and Vingo on the UAE team, Pog would’ve left Vingo in dust and easily won. The one and only reason because he‘s probably out of the picture to win Tour this year is his own stupidity and arrogance on the Col du Granon stage, when Roglic, Vingo and the rest of (doped) JV were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him...

 

[topt]

Well, well, well, now you want to tell me that Vingo is somehow responsible for The Miracle on Planche des Belles Filles in 2020, or The Big Chainring Massacre on the Col de la Colombiére last year. By the way, IMHO Pog is just a talented early doper & an excellent responder and nothing more. How easily we forgot about Operation Aderlass and that the main suspects were, among others, a bunch of cyclist from surprise-surprise UAE Team Emirates and Bahrein-Merida, almost all of them from the new cycling superpower Slovenia. So, compare Pog to a real generational talent like Remco, and ask yourself how on earth Pog suddenly became Eddy The Canibal Merckx reincarnated, and in the meantime Remco won LBL once but otherwise couldn’t even sniff any GT succes?
All in all, if you‘d put Pog on JV and Vingo on the UAE team, Pog would’ve left Vingo in dust and easily won. The one and only reason because he‘s probably out of the picture to win Tour this year is his own stupidity and arrogance on the Col du Granon stage, when Roglic, Vingo and the rest of (doped) JV were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him...

wait, are you saying the "real generational talent" is clean ? Or is he just a talented early doper and excelent responder and nothing more...
the second part of your post is just crap; there is no way Pog could win against the danish fisherman

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It's a big surprise that this thread is not the most crowded of all at the end of the Tour.
#X-Men: The New Mutants

 

[fbjim]

who wants to join me in the "Tadej is Clean" meme wagon

 

[Riek s]

Well still the best of the rest... but clearly he met his mutant brother who can do everything better. More power, longer endurance, lower weight (6-8kg)

Wonder if he will still do the Vuelta to show of

 

[ppanther92]

who wants to join me in the "Tadej is Clean" meme wagon

I don't feel confident going that far

 

[ppanther92]

lower weight (6-8kg)

Thats to me the most apparent difference. He is visbly more "chubby" (stupid word for an skinny elite athlete). Now he needs the secrete ingredient to drop weight without losing power.

 

[Ripper]

Thats to me the most apparent difference. He is visbly more "chubby" (stupid word for an skinny elite athlete). Now he needs the secrete ingredient to drop weight without losing power.

It's amazing to me that if vingo was not in this race, pogo would have absolutely obliterated everyone with margins similar to last year.

If pogo doesn't keep on burning matches left, right, and center in every stage, and UAE ride better, it's a much closer race.

 

[Riek s]

Atm Pog is a bit like Ullrich

When everything pointed to Pog winning a dozen straight up tours... his Lance (Vingegaard) appears who is better TTer, better uphill.

 

[ppanther92]

Atm Pog is a bit like Ullrich

When everything pointed to Pog winning a dozen straight up tours... his Lance (Vingegaard) appears who is better TTer, better uphill.

I don’t like this Lance Vingegaard story line

 

[ppanther92]

It's amazing to me that if vingo was not in this race, pogo would have absolutely obliterated everyone with margins similar to last year.

If pogo doesn't keep on burning matches left, right, and center in every stage, and UAE ride better, it's a much closer race.

Its closer, yes. But I am totally convinced that Vingegaard still wins. Anyway, I can see that Pogi steps up now another notch. And he has to.

 

[topt]

It's amazing to me that if vingo was not in this race, pogo would have absolutely obliterated everyone with margins similar to last year.

If pogo doesn't keep on burning matches left, right, and center in every stage, and UAE ride better, it's a much closer race.

wau, this guy

 

[Blobs]

I have a hard time feeling sorry the guy who "stole" the 2020 in probably the biggest dope coup since Landis.

But I also get the impression that he's fully aware that what Jumbo is up to, is no better or worse than what he himself is doing. I doubt he would be all smiles and hugs, if he felt he was being cheated.

 

[topt]

I have a hard time feeling sorry the guy who "stole" the 2020 in probably the biggest dope coup since Landis.

But I also get the impression that he's fully aware that what Jumbo is up to, is no better or worse than what he himself is doing. I doubt he would be all smiles and hugs, if he felt he was being cheated.

wau, you honestly believe the fisherman is a better rider than Pog ? the biggest dope since Landis is what we witnessed this year

 

[Blobs]

wau, you honestly believe the fisherman is a better rider than Pog ? the biggest dope since Landis is what we witnessed this year

You missed my point. I don't believe Pogacar feels he is being cheated by Vingegaard. I'm aware that you do, but that's irrelevant.

 

[Ripper]

wau, this guy

Which guy, pogo, vingo, or me?