Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

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I'm curious and I need explanations. How come Pogacar's peak level in 2025 is similar to 2024 while Vingegaard's level has decreased?
Vingegaard in 2024 raced out of the Emergency room in the Tour and this year a healthy Jonas was weaker.
My explanation is: the carbon monoxide ban really hit Visma hard while UAE are not as affected by it.
 
I'm not going to answer that directly. I think Pat's nationality or politics weren't particularly relevant. It is not clear what his political leaning was or is. It was and is clear that he was open to taking a backhander and being manipulated.
I do not think the UCI presidents that have followed have been a great improvement.

And assessing the beliefs and actions of most people in the context of 30-40 years ago is not the same as an assessment of their status today. Less so Mc Quaid personally.
 
Pogi was a huge talent, easily in the range of what the best rider could have been at that age.
I think I've only looked at this once, but my conclusion was that Pogacar was pretty good, but not exceptional. Not as exceptional as Evenepoel or van der Poel to name two examples. Since Pogacar is way better than these two now (and not just the world number one), I find it conspicious.

The other reasons for this view are well-known.
 
I'm curious and I need explanations. How come Pogacar's peak level in 2025 is similar to 2024 while Vingegaard's level has decreased?
Vingegaard in 2024 raced out of the Emergency room in the Tour and this year a healthy Jonas was weaker.
My explanation is: the carbon monoxide ban really hit Visma hard while UAE are not as affected by it.

It's true. In terms of pure performance Vingo this year was similar to last year but all things considered he was much more impressive last year of course (due to his terrible crash and hampered preparation). This year the preparation was perfect apparently.

But why didn't it hit UAE? Pogacar himself admitted to using it.
 
It's true. In terms of pure performance Vingo this year was similar to last year but all things considered he was much more impressive last year of course (due to his terrible crash and hampered preparation). This year the preparation was perfect apparently.

But why didn't it hit UAE? Pogacar himself admitted to using it.
Well, one possible reason could be because it is near impossible to actually test for. So a possibility could be that Visma discontinued the practice, and UAE shrugged their shoulders but did not care.
 
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My explanation is: the carbon monoxide ban really hit Visma hard while UAE are not as affected by it.

and exactly how are they enforcing that ban?

just because they say it is banned, they still need to be able to "police" it. not sure anything is done on that, so...

"banning" it is like taking it on faith alone that Gianetti change his doping ways without any reason to do so.
 
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But why would Visma discount the practise if it's impossible to test? They could as well drop any banned PEDs and ride paniagua (but of course they never have).
That's a great question and of course like usual, we don't really have factual answers, only guesses and supposition. Perhaps the UCI notified Visma that they're keeping a closer eye on them? It does seem that the relationship in general between Plugge and all things UCI are tenser than anything we see between the UCI and UAE (there seems to be an awful lot of one palm greasing the other in the latter relationship)
 
I'm curious and I need explanations. How come Pogacar's peak level in 2025 is similar to 2024 while Vingegaard's level has decreased?
Vingegaard in 2024 raced out of the Emergency room in the Tour and this year a healthy Jonas was weaker.
My explanation is: the carbon monoxide ban really hit Visma hard while UAE are not as affected by it.
Vingegaard 2025 finished 2nd in TdF and won the Vuelta.
What decreased level are you talking about?