Tour of Slovenia 2022, June 15 -19

[Red Rick]

So Pog was in no mood for more gifts to sprinters or Mohoric. Congrats. It's his 8th (!) stage race victory out of last 9 he entered, dating back to Tour'2020.
@Red Rick I'm tempted to say that Pogacar from the spring would drop Mohoric here. OTOH, maybe the climb was a tad too short or maybe Pog isn't that great at short muritos (see FW).

I do think there's work to do for Pog, but that's normal. Remember he was 2nd on Mur de Bretagne last year.

Also I think Pogacar is quite possibly a bit overrated for short murito's. He's much more about endurance and repetitions of short hills than the pure watts bazooka when you're fresh. He's done Fleche twice and both times he wasn't particularly close to winning, while in 2 serious attempts at LBL he won and might have won.

I think that's a stark contrast to Roglic, who has insane 5 minute W/kg when fresh but falls off much more quickly during a hard race.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Nah he didn't lose friends today lol. Mohoric knows this is racing.

If Pogi wanted to beat Moho today then he should have done it on his terrain. At 20%. After that the whole thing became a bit moot. Maybe there was still a bit of a grudge in regards to MSR involved. I don't know. What i do know is this was meaningless win for Pogi and Moho basically said before the race started he will try on this stage. Seeing Pogi in "gifting mode" this one felt more like a let me stick it to you. Denying Moho of a win at ToS. Saying like look i am the only superstar here on this race.

Pogi still has much to learn and i guess Rogla this is your cue ...

 

[RedheadDane]

If Pogi wanted to beat Moho today then he should have done it on his terrain. At 20%. After that the whole thing became a bit moot. Maybe there was still a bit of a grudge in regards to MSR involved. I don't know. What i do know is this was meaningless win for Pogi and Moho basically said before the race started he will try on this stage. Seeing Pogi in "gifting mode" this one felt more like a let me stick it to you. Denying Moho of a win at ToS. Saying like look i am the only superstar here on this race.

Didn't know each rider got assigned a type of terrain that is "theirs".

 

[CyclistAbi]

Nah. Pogi blew it today. But OK. Lets move on.

 

[KZD]

If Pogi wanted to beat Moho today then he should have done it on his terrain. At 20%. After that the whole thing became a bit moot. Maybe there was still a bit of a grudge in regards to MSR involved. I don't know. What i do know is this was meaningless win for Pogi and Moho basically said before the race started he will try on this stage. Seeing Pogi in "gifting mode" this one felt more like a let me stick it to you. Denying Moho of a win at ToS. Saying like look i am the only superstar here on this race.

Pogi still has much to learn and i guess Rogla this is your cue ...

No terrain belongs to anyone and in racing the only stages that one gifts is to teammates like Pogi did yesterday, after all Roglic didn't offer the stage to Mäder last year either.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

No terrain belongs to anyone and in racing the only stages that one gifts is to teammates like Pogi did yesterday, after all Roglic didn't offer the stage to Mäder last year either.

Especially considering that we are not talking about an annonymous Slovenian rider, for whom a victory would be a career and financial breakthrough but about a monument winner.

 

[yaco]

Mezgec unhappy in his post-race interview - Claimed he would have got back to the leading three if the cars were not pulled out - He stated it's impossible to compete with a car.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Mezgec unhappy in his post-race interview - Claimed he would have got back to the leading three if the cars were not pulled out - He stated it's impossible to compete with a car.

Ofc he would as the cars would have paced him up towards the 3 riders, so thats only good they didnt. What a load of BS from Mezgec.

 

[Red Rick]

Ofc he would as the cars would have paced him up towards the 3 riders, so thats only good they didnt. What a load of BS from Mezgec.

But they should get out without giving the lead group a full slingshot

 

[Valv.Piti]

But they should get out without giving the lead group a full slingshot

Ofc, but the only way he gets back is if the cars stay there.

 

[CyclistAbi]

No terrain belongs to anyone and in racing the only stages that one gifts is to teammates like Pogi did yesterday, after all Roglic didn't offer the stage to Mäder last year either.

Compared to the Mäder. There the whole team was working hard for Rogla and it would be a bad move to gift the stage to a non team member after. Today there was no UAE as a team involved. Majka was left in the dust when Pogi and Moho went. Majka catching them didn't make any difference as Majka wouldn't be allowed to go for the win. He was a non factor. In addition i have seen Pogi talking to Moho extensively. And then the finale. Like it was for the MSR win. Reality being it was just for some breadcrumbs (denied).

But OK. As in the end this is how Tour winners race. I will give him that. Rogla should hence learn a bit of that too.

 

[yaco]

Ofc he would as the cars would have paced him up towards the 3 riders, so thats only good they didnt. What a load of BS from Mezgec.

Did you watch the stage ? Mezgec was within 5 seconds and then presto the cars were removed and then give a slingshot to the leading three - A couple in this forum even posted such when this happened.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Mezgec was likely cheated by a second or two. That much is true. But on the other hand he likely would have had a hard time catching them without the incident. But i can understand on why he was angry at the finish.

 

[kingjr]

I'd have let Mohoric win

There are already way too many gifts being handed out in this sport.

 

[CyclistAbi]

A lot of pissed up Slovenians in the peloton. In the end it looks like ToS delivered!

 

[Gargamel35]

Pog and Moho decided to fight for the win after talking about it before the finish. Nothing more, nothing less. They are on very good terms anyway.

 

[solo80k]

GC

Oh, this Majka guy will definitely be ready to destroy half of the Tour contenders on first MTF.

 

[Lequack]

 

[Lequack]

Pog's attack on the final climb

https://twitter.com/x/status/1538507473614774272

View: https://twitter.com/slovenianGooner/status/1538507473614774272?s=20&t=L33iUJOAxt8LR2X49kB1fw

 

[KZD]

Compared to the Mäder. There the whole team was working hard for Rogla and it would be a bad move to gift the stage to a non team member after. Today there was no UAE as a team involved. Majka was left in the dust when Pogi and Moho went. Majka catching them didn't make any difference as Majka wouldn't be allowed to go for the win. He was a non factor. In addition i have seen Pogi talking to Moho extensively. And then the finale. Like it was for the MSR win. Reality being it was just for some breadcrumbs (denied).

But OK. As in the end this is how Tour winners race. I will give him that. Rogla should hence learn a bit of that too.

But in that situation Mäder spent all day in the breakaway while today Mohorič start from exactly the same place as Pogačar so I don't see why would he let Mohorič win just because both are Slovenians. At the end of the day, UAE pays him 6 million a year to win or let teammates win as much as possible and that's what he did here

 

[Lequack]

They pay him to win Tour of Slovenia. TDF and monuments are just a bonus.

 

[sir fly]

Last year's edition looked better and closer to the WT quality.
Maybe the organizers aren't eager to lift the race higher.
Or, at least, not too fast.

 

[CyclistAbi]

But in that situation Mäder spent all day in the breakaway while today Mohorič start from exactly the same place as Pogačar so I don't see why would he let Mohorič win just because both are Slovenians. At the end of the day, UAE pays him 6 million a year to win or let teammates win as much as possible and that's what he did here

As for the money. UAE pays Pogi "n millions per year" to win Tour the France and UAE Tour. Beyond that i feel they don't even know or care all that much if cycling exists.

Regarding Mäder. There is beauty and tragedy and ... in it. That is why it got a spot on Eurosport. It's just not in the same league hence best to not mix it in this discussion.

Regarding stage 5 of ToS. Both Pogi and Moho were ambassadors of this race. Pogi and Bahrain made this race. It's Bahrain that offered some resistance for Majka to get a good training. Before the race started Moho said i will go for it at stage 5. It was Pogi who attacked first on the last climb. Only Moho could follow. Two time Tour winner and two time ToS winner in a row to be. They dropped Mezgec working together. Talked before the final sprint. Majka was ordered to not get involved. And then Pogi to go all in like it was MSR. C'mon. In my opinion Pogi could win more today. He had two options and chose the lesser one. If he wanted to make a point he should have done it on 20% section and go solo. It was a training ride for him anyway. Nothing meaningful to gain or to lose. Denying Moho a stage win at ToS and some publicity.

Way to go Pogi.

 

[CyclistAbi]

 

[CyclistAbi]

Fink o vrnitvi na Vršič po desetih letih: Načrti so, bomo videli.

28. Dirka po Sloveniji je končana, a ne še za prireditelje, ki želijo najprej vse pospraviti in pregledati, preden se zazrejo naprej. Rekordno število gledalcev nalaga odgovornost in dviguje pričakovanja, česar se Bogdan Fink dodobra zaveda.

www.rtvslo.si

Some plans for the future. First renewing the license. The format of the race won't change. Five days of racing. Possible stage including Vršič and an addition of ITT. Such things are discussed. If there will be an additional ITT then the plan is to have it closer to 20km then 10km in length.