Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[Rackham]

I just feel like we're idiots to even be discussing what we're seeing. No offense to anyone but psychoanalyzing these races feels entirely vacuous and devoid of purpose anymore. My random-pulled-from-my-butt opinion that's probably not worth the broadband this comment will consume?

They're doing everything. Blood manipulation/regular drugs/gene therapy doping/small bike motors with limited performance boost and also buying off officials and rivals whenever whenever. The end.

Do you release Pogacar, MVP and VWA all crashed and made it to the front of the race.

Yeah because everyone waited for the stars to catch up and put on a show because that's what the TV audiences had tuned in for.

 

[KoopaCycling]

So do you all think Pogacar will race San Remo next year or not?
I sense a slight change in the winds, ever so slight only though.
Maybe they are picking up on that, and he'll do a less 'greedy' season next year to ease possible rising tensions.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Even calling him a third-tier rider is generous.

I'm intrigued as to how many riders you think make up a tier, or how many tiers there are by your reckoning among professional riders. Pidcock is 8th in the UCI world rankings (7th in PCS, 7th in CQ)

 

[Extinction]

He literally won by half a bike wheel against a third-tier rider yesterday.



It has clearly changed the race. If the crash hadn't happened, I reckon MvdP would've won.

No. Without the crash, Pog goes solo on the Poggio.

 

[canina82]

Even calling him a third-tier rider is generous. He has only three WT wins in his entire career, and the last one was two years ago.

Pidcock is clearly in a 2nd tier when we talk about classics. Probably only "aliens" are above him.

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

I'm intrigued as to how many riders you think make up a tier, or how many tiers there are by your reckoning among professional riders. Pidcock is 8th in the UCI world rankings (7th in PCS, 7th in CQ)

Who cares about rankings? Hirschi was sixth in the UCI rankings and fourth in the PCS in 2024. It’s completely pointless.

Tier 1 is Pogacar and MvdP, who are capable of winning the biggest races. Tier 2 Vingegaard, Remco, del Toro, WvA, Roglic (or those two were there in the past). Tier 3 like Almeida, Pedersen etc.. It's pretty clear that Pidcock isn't even close to them.

 

[Extinction]

Pidcock is clearly in a 2nd tier when we talk about classics. Probably only "aliens" are above him.

Right now, he is de facto a first tier rider. Whether he can remain one is the question, or does he slip back to second tier?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Who cares about rankings? Hirschi was sixth in the UCI rankings and fourth in the PCS in 2024. It’s completely pointless.

Tier 1 is Pogacar and MvdP, who are capable of winning the biggest races. Tier 2 Vingegaard, Remco, del Toro, WvA, Roglic (or those two were there in the past). Tier 3 like Almeida, Pedersen etc.. It's pretty clear that Pidcock isn't even close to them.

So just how many tiers do you think there are? Because I am fairly sure that is not how most people use the phrase "third tier"

And if Pidcock is so far behind everyone else, how come he beat several of them yesterday?

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

So just how many tiers do you think there are? Because I am fairly sure that is not how most people use the phrase "third tier"

And if Pidcock is so far behind everyone else, how come he beat several of them yesterday?

There are two guys who dominate the races. Below them are guys who can consistently win major races. Further down are guys who can win races when the big names aren’t there. It’s clear that Pidcock isn’t even in that category. If he’s so good, why doesn’t he win more races?

But there’s no point in arguing with people who live in their own little bubble. Just like yesterday, the English commentators on ES/TNT probably broke the world record for how many times you can say the name “Tom Pidcock” in 20 minutes. If someone repeats the same thing over and over again without stopping and you listen to them, you’ll eventually start to believe what they’re saying. That's how propaganda works.

But I don't have the desire, the time, or the patience to try to change people's minds. If you think Pidcock is some kind of second-tier rider, that's fine. I don't care.

 

[KoopaCycling]

There are two guys who dominate the races. Below them are guys who can consistently win major races. Further down are guys who can win races when the big names aren’t there. It’s clear that Pidcock isn’t even in that category. If he’s so good, why doesn’t he win more races?

But there’s no point in arguing with people who live in their own little bubble. Just like yesterday, the English commentators on ES/TNT probably broke the world record for how many times you can say the name “Tom Pidcock” in 20 minutes. If someone repeats the same thing over and over again without stopping and you listen to them, you’ll eventually start to believe what they’re saying. That's how propaganda works.

But I don't have the desire, the time, or the patience to try to change people's minds. If you think Pidcock is some kind of second-tier rider, that's fine. I don't care.

Across different cycling fields i would say Pidcock is top tier.
And that's coming from someone that doesn't really rate pidcock all that much.
Just Road racing, i will say he got some nice peaks but will have a hard time beating the very best.

 

[Extinction]

There are two guys who dominate the races. Below them are guys who can consistently win major races. Further down are guys who can win races when the big names aren’t there. It’s clear that Pidcock isn’t even in that category. If he’s so good, why doesn’t he win more races?

But there’s no point in arguing with people who live in their own little bubble. Just like yesterday, the English commentators on ES/TNT probably broke the world record for how many times you can say the name “Tom Pidcock” in 20 minutes. If someone repeats the same thing over and over again without stopping and you listen to them, you’ll eventually start to believe what they’re saying. That's how propaganda works.

But I don't have the desire, the time, or the patience to try to change people's minds. If you think Pidcock is some kind of second-tier rider, that's fine. I don't care.

What have you done lately for me baby? On that, Pidcock has delivered the goods in the highest echelons of the sport. His problem has not been talent, of which he clearly has gobs, but reaching his potential on a consistant basis.

 

[TrekCyclist]

Riis was faster in Hautacam

Seems that is the last hope there is. We need to get the mighty Riis out of retirement to finally challenge the Slovenian wonderboy...

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So do you all think Pogacar will race San Remo next year or not?
I sense a slight change in the winds, ever so slight only though.
Maybe they are picking up on that, and he'll do a less 'greedy' season next year to ease possible rising tensions.

MSR is easy to fit in but Pogacar says he doesn't like recons there due to Italian drivers so maybe he will skip it the next year (I don't think it will be MSR retirement though) .

 

[Rob5091]

He literally won by half a bike wheel against a third-tier rider yesterday.

If he hadn't crashed he'd probably have ridden off into the sunset whilst the rest were still going up the Poggio.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Seems that is the last hope there is. We need to get the mighty Riis out of retirement to finally challenge the Slovenian wonderboy...

Mr. 60% doesn't have it anymore. However his son finished 28th in the Rogla (the mountain) giant slalom event in Slovenia yesterday, so maybe he has a chance if he switches to cycling in the future.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Mr. 60% doesn't have it anymore. However his son finished 28th in the Rogla (the mountain) giant slalom event in Slovenia yesterday, so maybe he has a chance if he switches to cycling in the future.

Apparently Mr 60% invented a very efficient way of pedalling, which took him to the next level. If he shares the secret with his son then Pogi's days as cycling's top dog may be over.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Apparently Mr 60% invented a very efficient way of pedalling, which took him to the next level. If he shares the secret with his son then Pogi's days as cycling's top dog may be over.

If he also shares his How to lose your hair in 10 days plan with him, his Pavel Brutt force will make Luckyčar have to eat burgers and fries again to console himself.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

If he also shares his How to lose your hair in 10 days plan with him, his Pavel Brutt force will make Luckyčar have to eat burgers and fries again to console himself.

Losing hair was a part of his efficiency plan (aerodynamics).
The man dedicated the whole life to be the best version of himself on the bike.

 

[Didinho]

It felt like that Pogi Challenge in Slovenia where everyone rides on the left and could have a glimpse of Pogi riding by on the right. But then with all the other fastest riders in the world.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It felt like that Pogi Challenge in Slovenia where everyone rides on the left and could have a glimpse of Pogi riding by on the right. But then with all the other fastest riders in the world.

The only hope for the rest is that Pogi won't drop his Roubaix weight on time for the Tour.
Then again, even at 90 kg only Vingegaard would be a threat to him!

 

[canina82]

The only hope for the rest is that Pogi won't drop his Roubaix weight on time for the Tour.
Then again, even at 90 kg only Vingegaard would be a threat to him!

3 months to lose 3 kg. Not that hard (even if it's almost 3 kgs of muscles)

 

[Krzysztof_O]

3 months to lose 3 kg. Not that hard (even if it's almost 3 kgs of muscles)

I would think half of it is fat but maybe it's more than 3 kg this year.

 

[canina82]

I would think half of it is fat but maybe it's more than 3 kg this year.

Maybe, maybe not. We don't know, however if half of those 3 kgs are fat, it's even easier.