Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[primoz]

Btw, Remco avoided Avenir and Girobio in his junior years. And honestly, those are the two only high mountain tests for juniors.[...]

Those are u23 races not junior, Remco was scared of Aleotti and Foss so much that he went straight to World Tour.

 

[AlpRaid]

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...-tadej-pogacar-dominance-after-milano-sanremo

 

[Rob5091]

AlpRaid beat me to it, but some good quotes,
original post on Instagram at

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWKEp1glxUt/

“Honestly, I’m stunned,” he wrote. “I watch Pogacar race, win, string results together, dominate, recover, and start again, and I cannot accept the wonderful story we’re being told.”
He continued: “A rider who almost never dips, who moves through the seasons with such relentless consistency, who seems able to do everything, everywhere, all the time, should provoke something other than automatic applause.”

Asking whether such total dominance is plausible is not scandalous. It’s the bare minimum.”

Of course the guy is French, so we can put it all down to jealousy ...

edit -Erwann Menthéour's own history of racing/doping -
https://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1999/feb99/feb5.shtml

 

[Extinction]

He even breaks climbing records with a broken frame and rubbing breaks.🤔

 

[Forever The Best]

I have never seen you talk about his watts whenever he loses. I appreciate you proving me right.

Well he barely loses, so there is barely any talk. The only big race he lost in the last calendar year is 2025 Paris-Roubaix where he was 2nd. (a 4x Tour winner finishing 2nd in Roubaix is suspicious itself)

 

[SorelyBoy]

Well, broken or not, I think there’s something *very* special about that bike. Pidcock even asked after the race who would do his motor pacing in next year’s race if Pogacar wasn’t doing it. To be fair, he has a point.

 

[DONCA]

-crash
-less teammates
-broken frame & rubbing brakes
-headwind

but breaking the cipressa record

2026: 8:50
2025: 9:00
2024: 9:29

nothing to see here....

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Well, broken or not, I think there’s something *very* special about that bike. Pidcock even asked after the race who would do his motor pacing in next year’s race if Pogacar wasn’t doing it. To be fair, he has a point.

It's obvious Pidcock said it as a joke refering to Pogacar's pace. As for a real motor inside Pog's bike, well this subject isn't new. 2024 was the first time it was considered seriously here (esp. after Plateau de Beille and Lombardia). Obviously I won't bet that he surely has no motor inside his bike: I really hope it's just an organic engine, otherwise it's not cycling anymore.

 

[Red Rick]

It's obvious Pidcock said it as a joke refering to Pogacar's pace. As for a real motor inside Pog's bike, well this subject isn't new. 2024 was the first time it was considered seriously here (esp. after Plateau de Beille and Lombardia). Obviously I won't bet that he surely has no motor inside his bike: I really hope it's just an organic engine, otherwise it's not cycling anymore.

We all know making implicit accusations with doublespeak that can function as a joke/compliment is the way to go

 

[Unchained]

What was great?

Pogacar crashing half his rivals out of contention. Other riders helping him for no reason? Van der Poel committing harakiri? Or the sheer inevitable fact that he's never losing a 1v1 sprint versus Pidcock.

The only thing there was to see is basically everything wrong with cycling in 2026 and why the cult of persona around Pogacar makes me want to bash my own brain out so that I can converse with 2026 cycling fans on their level

I apologize for you needing to inflict self harm to get down on some rudimentary race communications with us commoners.
I would like to introduce some historical data to your emotional undertaking.. If you crash, if Pogacar crashes, if by chance you crash and you are involved with Pogacar....you don't help him chase for no reason as you contend, you help him chase, hold on best you can, try to do some sucking survival on his wheel, because statistically if he brings you back to something it's either a win or very near the front of the race. Doesn't take super intelligent, superior coaching, strategy to adopt the obvious at every race..do what Pogacar does move for move and things as a rule, work out.
My first coach said stay in forth and at the end win the sprint.. Sounded pretty easy, then I attempted to stay in top 4-6 positions for every race and it nearly killed me.. and when I ditched his silly simplicity and decided to drift back and enjoy a free ride in the pack, every @10-12 races a crash due to complacency occurred almost like clock work.. If Tadej is chasing and you are a lesser rider, let's face it, everyone is you follow his lead and don't ask questions, racing results say he is not in the habit of doing dumb things for " no reason " as you posted. His reasoning obvious or mysterious is effective..If you must bash please use a pillow or bag of marshmallows... Lol

 

[Krzysztof_O]

What was great?

Pogacar crashing half his rivals out of contention. Other riders helping him for no reason? Van der Poel committing harakiri? Or the sheer inevitable fact that he's never losing a 1v1 sprint versus Pidcock.

The only thing there was to see is basically everything wrong with cycling in 2026 and why the cult of persona around Pogacar makes me want to bash my own brain out so that I can converse with 2026 cycling fans on their level

Man, get two weeks of vacation before Flandres. Or more than that.

 

[Red Rick]

Man, get two weeks of vacation before Flandres. Or more than that.

I will not cease to speak truth to power and the brainwashed.

The truth speaking shall continue until reality improves.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I will not cease to speak truth to power and the brainwashed.

I'm worried about your nerves. Who will I be bullying if something breaks down?

 

[SorelyBoy]

It's obvious Pidcock said it as a joke refering to Pogacar's pace. As for a real motor inside Pog's bike, well this subject isn't new. 2024 was the first time it was considered seriously here (esp. after Plateau de Beille and Lombardia). Obviously I won't bet that he surely has no motor inside his bike: I really hope it's just an organic engine, otherwise it's not cycling anymore.

I know Pidcock was joking. As was I. Sort of.

 

[AmRacer]

I know Pidcock was joking. As was I. Sort of.

Why could Pidcock follow the moto, when nobody else couldn't?

 

[topcat]

Man, get two weeks of vacation before Flandres. Or more than that.

Two weeks of vacation off grid that includes the date of de ronde (which is a mystery to me- I've given up watching cycling and I'm focusing on out-talking ppl).

 

[Extinction]

I apologize for you needing to inflict self harm to get down on some rudimentary race communications with us commoners.
I would like to introduce some historical data to your emotional undertaking.. If you crash, if Pogacar crashes, if by chance you crash and you are involved with Pogacar....you don't help him chase for no reason as you contend, you help him chase, hold on best you can, try to do some sucking survival on his wheel, because statistically if he brings you back to something it's either a win or very near the front of the race. Doesn't take super intelligent, superior coaching, strategy to adopt the obvious at every race..do what Pogacar does move for move and things as a rule, work out.
My first coach said stay in forth and at the end win the sprint.. Sounded pretty easy, then I attempted to stay in top 4-6 positions for every race and it nearly killed me.. and when I ditched his silly simplicity and decided to drift back and enjoy a free ride in the pack, every @10-12 races a crash due to complacency occurred almost like clock work.. If Tadej is chasing and you are a lesser rider, let's face it, everyone is you follow his lead and don't ask questions, racing results say he is not in the habit of doing dumb things for " no reason " as you posted. His reasoning obvious or mysterious is effective..If you must bash please use a pillow or bag of marshmallows... Lol

So it was rigged.? Could have been.

 

[SorelyBoy]

Why could Pidcock follow the moto, when nobody else couldn't?

Form rider who by his own admission *just* held on to the top of the Poggio. On the coat tails of a rider who had fallen quite badly and had been dropped, then did something that was quite clearly unnatural. On a broken bike with rubbing brakes. If Pogacar hadn’t fallen, Pidcock would have finished two minutes down on Pogacar. You know it, everyone on here knows it, hell the whole of cycling knows it. They just don’t want to think of the implications.

 

[Abedfo]

I will die on the hill of "he's using a motor" alongside chemical assistance if I have to. That's the only way I can see him being so metronome like. All the other top riders (who are on the gas) still have natural peaks and troughs of form.

My wild imagination sees the motor tech improving year on year. That extra power will see him obliterate Roubaix this year, and any other race he chooses. It's just a shame he isn't content in just winning the TDF he has to ruin everything else being a bloody psychopath.

 

[Unchained]

Well, broken or not, I think there’s something *very* special about that bike. Pidcock even asked after the race who would do his motor pacing in next year’s race if Pogacar wasn’t doing it. To be fair, he has a point.

Anyone who has gone to a bike shop with a stone chip, chain slap on the stay, or a big ugly gouged gel coat were your chain got sucked into the bottom bracket shell or between the crank arm and shell was told " your frame is cracked.
Grain of salt statement
Just a few years ago majority of pro crashes involved taco'd, potato chip wheels, today exactly the opposite, people crash and while they might be road rashed or broken bikes, wheels, derailure hangers have an amazing survival rate, majority ride away with rubbed bar tape, dig mark on the saddle, pedal beat up..
Disc brakes don't have relief, so when you use calipers you could flip it open so wobbling wheel wouldn't rub on the brake pads..hydraulic mechanisms pull back so you get a couple of millimeters of float..disc pads are not in constant contact w disc surface..
As far as the bike being" special" it was inspected before and after the race to check for " specialness" none found.
The decent crash and impact didn't damage the " special " capabilities of the bike.. Pretty stealth, bomb proof engineering and execution, nobody sees it, doesn't break when you fall..

 

[aphronesis]

I will not cease to speak truth to power and the brainwashed.

The truth speaking shall continue until reality improves.

Good luck with that.

 

[AmRacer]

Form rider who by his own admission *just* held on to the top of the Poggio. On the coat tails of a rider who had fallen quite badly and had been dropped, then did something that was quite clearly unnatural. On a broken bike with rubbing brakes. If Pogacar hadn’t fallen, Pidcock would have finished two minutes down on Pogacar. You know it, everyone on here knows it, hell the whole of cycling knows it. They just don’t want to think of the implications.

But Mathieu was also injured in the crash, so he would have had more watts in him, hadn't he been injured.

 

[jotafap]

We all know making implicit accusations with doublespeak that can function as a joke/compliment is the way to go

Curious to hear what you think about Pidcock commenting ‘The respect is real, mate’ on Pogacar’s Instagram.

I’m sure he’s being ironic there! To make it perfect, he should have added a motorcycle emoji