What is Pogačar not the best at in cycling?

[Lurkerman]

Given Tadej Pogačar’s domination of road cycling, it seems increasingly difficult to think of something in cycling that our goat is not the best at. Is there anyone left in the peloton who can still challenge Pog? We on the Cycling News forum, i.e., the best brains in cycling, can now do the dirty work of brainstorming for the Tour de France and the monuments - it is up to the race organizers to change their parcours or even the entire concept of their events if (which, of course, is a big ‘if’) they wish to see another cyclist finally rise to the occasion and dust Pogi on the big scene, and so if they are still unsure about what are the changes to be made, we now come to their rescue with lists of skills in cycling whose number #1 master and practitioner in the peloton might (which, of course, is a big ‘might’) be someone other than Tadej.

 

[Lurkerman]

These are what I thought of off the bat:

Giving eccentric post-race interviews: In my opinion, Tadej still has’t closed to gap to his compatriot Primož Roglič here, even after so many years. The only possible explanations appears to be that it wasn’t a complete overhaul, i.e., Pog still receives media training from the bald fraud.

Podcasting: Of course, nobody in the peloton could ever challenge Geraint Thomas in any serious way here, who simply was always genetically built to be a thermonuclear podcaster in a way that is just unfair to everyone else. However, now that he’s retiring from the peloton, there’s a bit of an opening here since who is even the second best podcaster in the peloton at the moment - Wout Poels? I think that Pog, coming off altitude, would be capable of producing one compelling podcast episode or two.

Podiuming the Vuelta without winning it: At least Pog has actually accomplished this feat once, unlike most of the peloton, and so he does deserve some credit here. However, he hasn’t raced the Vuelta since, and should he ever return to it, he probably would just end up winning it, and so sometimes Pog just lacks that star-power characteristic of Enric Mas.

Having a successful road cycling partner: At least Pog is actually trying in this discipline, unlike Remco or Jonas. However, it’s hard to look past the success that Dylan van Baarle had in this discipline this year, and so I’m afraid that in races where this skill is the most deciding factor, Pogi is happy to ride for podium or else settle into a luxury domestique role.

Changing teams: This is where it becomes obvious that Pog’s versatility as a rider actually isn’t as great as we usually tend to think. Pog better start to look out for the younger, ambitious super-talents like Cian Uijtdebroeks, or else it’s my prediction that Pog is washed already in five years.

DNF’ing: No DNF’s this year! At some point, Pog might want to ask Yevgeniy Gidich about how did he train and prepare for his Belgian 2023 cobbles classics season. Because DNF’ing the race is only one half of the skill. The other, and arguably more difficult, part is to to actually get selected for the race, and, especially, also for the next race.

Posting goofy social media content: Agree, the sprint relegations are absolute jokes (emphasis on ‘absolute’).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Losing
ITT

 

[Oldman]

Losing
ITT

He seems pretty good at losing to Remco. No tantrums or excuses and he congratulates the guy. Haven't seen many scenes of Jonas and Remco doing the same in the last 2 weeks.

 

[Berniece]

He seems pretty good at losing to Remco. No tantrums or excuses and he congratulates the guy. Haven't seen many scenes of Jonas and Remco doing the same in the last 2 weeks.

You haven’t seen Remco congratulating Pogacar? Maybe rewatch post-race at UEC RR as well as WC RR. He congratulated Pogacar before and during podium