No one that starts Liege will remotely assume Pogacar hasn't recovered from Paris Roubaix. The UAE team backup will police challenges of any consequence until Pogacar either crashes out or nods to his last accelerating teammate on the worst uphill he can find.
It's part of what makes a stage race competitive. Otherwise you'd have several strong teams that rode piano most of the time and setup for 1km finishes. The silly escapades reward adventurous unknown GC riders and provide drama.
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Seixas was by far the 2nd strongest in Strade and Del Toro being distanced at the end is the best proof of it. Let's be realistic though: Seixas lost a minute despite Pogacar soft-pedalling and celebrating in the last few hundred meters.
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Too deep into reserves becouse he was going hard every section of cobblestones at the last km, where Wout is stronger.l, ir is a heavier Rider. There is always draf, even in cobbles of Roubaix. His only way was to save energy as much as possible and try to attack at a surprising moment of sma false flat out of the cobbles...or save energy, put behind WVA at the last km, and try to start the sprint at his same time or anticipate, the way you are in draf at 200 m to the fibish line and has a little possibility to win. The way to make the race very hard in the cobbles so people is empty and you no, I think dont work for riders at MVDP or WVA an Roubaix. At the end is a question of wich one has drafting more.
Pogacar can win with an 40-100 km attack where the route is hard with climbs or in the case is no so hard the rivals are not very strong or they dont collaborate properly to chase.
Pogacar can win with an 40-100 km attack where the route is hard with climbs or in the case is no so hard the rivals are not very strong or they dont collaborate properly to chase.
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That's a nice analysis, and I hope you are right. Would love to see them go to the finish together, and I'm not sure Pogacar takes that win.
2024 TdF stage 2
2025 TdF stage 4
2024 GdEmilia
2025 FW
Some examples of Pogacar dropping Remco with him very close to Pogacar's wheel.
For example I didn't include 2024 WC because Remco was far from Pogacar or decided to not chase Pogacar.
- Jul 31, 2024
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I'm in agreement that Remco will have a tough time following pogacar but the bias shines through in your selection.
I think only stage 2 is useable. and Remco came back in that one after the descent.
I think only stage 2 is useable. and Remco came back in that one after the descent.
I gave you facts. You feel free to agree or not.
Accusing others of bias when you think "only stage 2 is useable" is kinda incoherent, don't you think?
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2024 TdF stage 2 - Remco had to close a gap beforehand, so he was knackered already...
2025 TdF stage 4 - Remco was nowhere to be seen that TdF. He didn't have any acceleration in him, so bad example
2024 GdEmilia - I don't remember this one.
2025 - Different type of finish, and also here Evenepoel clearly wasn't similar to his current shape. He just came back from a crash and finished outside of top 50 in LBL even...
So besides GdEmilia, all really bad examples.
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2026 Paterberg
2025 WC
2024 Stage 11
Plus the 4 examples above. Apparently all examples are "bad examples" - so let us flip it. When has Remco actually held Pogacar's wheel during an attack?
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Not really. Its up and down most of the time and only some sections are good to chase. Only the last 10 km have long sections better for Remco but he could be too far behind by then. Keep in mind that Pogacar is an amazing rouleur at the end of hard races so its not guaranteed Remco will be able to gain time there.
- Jan 8, 2020
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I know, it's been repeatedly said, however, I try to lean on the side of optimism that someone, be it Remco or Paul, can at least challenge Pogacar. Otherwise there is no suspense.
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I wouldn’t call Pogacar an amazing rouleur. He just has the most energy left.Not really. Its up and down most of the time and only some sections are good to chase. Only the last 10 km have long sections better for Remco but he could be too far behind by then. Keep in mind that Pogacar is an amazing rouleur at the end of hard races so its not guaranteed Remco will be able to gain time there.
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Semantics, but you get what I mean. He is still one of the best riders on rolling terrain.
He is the best at the end of a 275km hard race. Well, the difference between him and anyone else is the energy reserve. PR he had to spend more energy, look how he has pulled away at the last two Flanders. WC and EC he matched Remco, who is definitely better on flatter terrain when both are fresh
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Sure all those races with substantial elevation gain favour him in the decisive part (uphill or not). Keep in mind he was runner up twice in Roubaix with zero climbs, fighting with power machines (Vans) on flat. So yeah, he's very good even there.
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It's all boils down to if Bora can have a transformative effect on Remco, which has occured with other riders in the past. And this depends on a number of factors, not least of which being a serious injury free run until July. I have no illusions, however, he's near enough to top tier climbing to give the investment time to possibly work the magic to sufficiently improve him in the mountains. He may have started the UAE Tour and Catalunya a bit behind to build up strength for the period of Flanders-Liege. Amstel suggests that may have been the plan. Liege will tell us more. I'm always of the mindset of let's see how things develope.
My positives for the race are the following:
1. He starts it for the third time with good preparation and no worries about his shape. The other two he won (but no Pogacar contest).
2. While he may lack his best shape for lengthy climbs, his 5 minute efforts are great. Two examples: Cumbre del sol short (Valencia) where set his top VAM effort this year according to Watts2win and although less representative de Oude Kwaremont (RVV) where he matched Pogacar climb time.
3. He was not at the limit during the amstel and very lucid showing a great sprint. So he should be fresh and with high motivation because of his win and sprint.
4. His team is doing great and he is a team player so this motivates him as well.
5. This is his spring goal. He will go all out with giving all his energy (but hopefully only positive emo-wise).
The major negative is that Pogacar is better than ever and barely missed out winning the four most important oneday races up to this day. Hopefully Wout gave him at least some doubts.
1. He starts it for the third time with good preparation and no worries about his shape. The other two he won (but no Pogacar contest).
2. While he may lack his best shape for lengthy climbs, his 5 minute efforts are great. Two examples: Cumbre del sol short (Valencia) where set his top VAM effort this year according to Watts2win and although less representative de Oude Kwaremont (RVV) where he matched Pogacar climb time.
3. He was not at the limit during the amstel and very lucid showing a great sprint. So he should be fresh and with high motivation because of his win and sprint.
4. His team is doing great and he is a team player so this motivates him as well.
5. This is his spring goal. He will go all out with giving all his energy (but hopefully only positive emo-wise).
The major negative is that Pogacar is better than ever and barely missed out winning the four most important oneday races up to this day. Hopefully Wout gave him at least some doubts.
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Remco aside, I think only Vans and Ganna could be better. After a hard race with lots of vertical meters obviously it gets better for Pog.
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I dont know what will happend, maybe Pogacar destroy everybody again without rival, but it is first time we will whatch this situation, and IMO we cant admit only that situation. Others time on of them was out for crash, and last year Remco, despite win at Brabancona and almost Amstel, he wanst not at his weigh and not ready for a demanding race with lot of elevation gain as is Liege after to come back from a serious injury.
What I watched at Flandes make me to be optimistic to an open race, becouse cobbles suits better Pogacar than Remco as Pogacar is taller.
And I think Seixas will be there, today we will see his current level for this races, althpough Lieje is longer.
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But I think I put Remco as favourite as Pogacar becouse I consider Remco as good as Pogacar in those climbs like the one of 1,3 km at 7,8. Just la Roche is maybe better for Pogacar, but it is just 1,3 km.Not really. Its up and down most of the time and only some sections are good to chase. Only the last 10 km have long sections better for Remco but he could be too far behind by then. Keep in mind that Pogacar is an amazing rouleur at the end of hard races so its not guaranteed Remco will be able to gain time there.
Of course if Pogacar is better at any small climb Remco has nothing to do. Remco started cycling flying at 19 better than most of pro cyclist on those climbs. His problem is high mountain stages. at this climbs he is as extraterrestrial than Poggi, and even at medium mountain stages he is really good as he showed this year at Mallorca and most of his career.
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For sure we can talk about best climbers in a one day race or for a gc in a week-long race and best gc climbers for Grand Tours. They are at least partly apples and oranges.
Seixas is vastly unknown yet, he's proven it those two other intermediate steps, but. Young athletes endurance is like alkaline battery, it goes well up to a point and then it often drops suddenly. Third week is very different story than week or week and half. And GT's tend to be backloaded, because spectacle.
Remco winning Vuelta and taking podium spot in the Tour is proof he's a GT gc climber.
Seixas is vastly unknown yet, he's proven it those two other intermediate steps, but. Young athletes endurance is like alkaline battery, it goes well up to a point and then it often drops suddenly. Third week is very different story than week or week and half. And GT's tend to be backloaded, because spectacle.
Remco winning Vuelta and taking podium spot in the Tour is proof he's a GT gc climber.
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This forum has the level people argue what he said with exaples, and that is something that I apreciate a lot.
I argued as well why i dont agree:
I didnt watched Emilia that year, I will try, but Emilia is a race more than climbers than Lieje, there is not flat ta the end and the climb is step..if you see the palmares usually are pure climbers winning there. I race I love.
2025 I said in previous post Remco wanst at his weight and level after come back to the injury, i mean always to have Remo and Pogacar at his best level.
2024 Td F stage 2 Remo finished better than Pogacar, so you give me the reason. And that day Remco a
Catched alone, with Carapaz at his wheel, at Pogacar and Vingegaard, who were collaborating, That was an impresive demostration that make me think this sunday Remco can be at least at Pogacar level. And that was already the super climber Pogacar after to have his spanih I (as me) trainer from Sevilla, who was so comentated is this forum.
Tour de France 2024 Stage 2 results
Tour de France 2024 Stage 2 from Cesenatico to Bologna was won by Kévin Vauquelin before Jonas Abrahamsen and Quentin Pacher. Tadej PogaÄar was leading the general classification.
www.procyclingstats.com
2024 Tdf stage 4. Are you kidding me??
that was a mountain stage with Galibier, do you pretend to compare that with Liege?? And Remco was 2ndSo, what we will see this year at Liege is new. You can consider Pogacar is better, and it is logical, but not becouse we watched this situation before.
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