World Championship 2025: Men’s ITT, September 21

[Cycling111]

That cobbled section is very short in the time trial. I still see a route very favorable to Remco. The roads are very wide, and the other climbs don't seem difficult. They're climbs to ride aerodynamic on the bike.

The cobbled section will be tough on the route because they ride it repeatedly.
Even so, it's not even half as tough as the Mur Kigali. If the repeated section had been Mur Kigali, they would have finished less riders than on Hinault's Sallanches

 

[Berniece]

That cobbled section is very short in the time trial. I still see a route very favorable to Remco. The roads are very wide, and the other climbs don't seem difficult. They're climbs to ride aerodynamic on the bike.

The only ITT road that wouldn't be more favourable to Evenepoel would be a mountain ITT. Which doesn't have much to do with time trialing, that's all about W/kg.

 

[Berniece]

Where have we heard that before this year though, every big race? Anyway excellent, no excuses. He's about to get absolutely crushed in his own niche discipline.

That goes two ways of course.

 

[AmRacer]

That goes two ways of course.

Either Tadej wins or Pogi does.

 

[Berniece]

I also keep reading different values when it comes to the amount of meters in altitude they have to overcome. Officially they say 680 meters, but PCS/LFR is saying 758 meters.

 

[Berniece]

What I mean is, we heard the same from Remco before the Dauphine and the Tour, not the same tune afterwards. Legitimate reasons or not, he was very bullish before he got a serious reality check then too.

Of course, no excuses either way, results speak for themselves. Part of me wants Remco to win even, good for Poggo to have some targets left and not crush everyone left and right but thats not what I think will happen.

Note that he was specifically asked about the ITT of course. I can't imagine him getting crushed/destroyed during the ITT.

 

[Cycling111]

I wouldn't mind if Pogacar won the time trial and not Lombardia. He probably won't do any more time trials at world championships.
I don't consider it a priority objective for him but it is something he doesn't have.

Although I don't think it will happen, the route doesn't look that difficult. Except for the cobbles section, the rest is for aerodynamic riding.

The descents don't seem difficult either, which is where I thought I'd gain time on Remco. In the 2024 Tour de France time trial, the Eze descent is steep and technical. It's nothing like it.

 

[Berniece]

I wouldn't mind if Pogacar won the time trial and not Lombardia. He probably won't do any more time trials at world championships.
I don't consider it a priority objective for him but it is something he doesn't have.

Merckx also doesn't have one, but that's because it didn't exist back then.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I wouldn't mind if Pogacar won the time trial and not Lombardia. He probably won't do any more time trials at world championships.
I don't consider it a priority objective for him but it is something he doesn't have.

Although I don't think it will happen, the route doesn't look that difficult. Except for the cobbles section, the rest is for aerodynamic riding.

The descents don't seem difficult either, which is where I thought I'd gain time on Remco. In the 2024 Tour de France time trial, the Eze descent is steep and technical. It's nothing like it.

GdL is way more important than a WCTT. It's not even a debate.

 

[Cycling111]

GdL is way more important than a WCTT. It's not even a debate.

I say this because he has four and will probably win more. I'm talking about changing one Monument out of many. I wouldn't change it if it were just one for one.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I say this because he has four and will probably win more. I'm talking about changing one Monument out of many. I wouldn't change it if it were just one for one.

I hope for 8 GdL in the end of his career

 

[Cycling111]

I respectfully disagree to some extent yes, the RR WC is the main priority indeed.

But imo Pogacar has gone out of his way to publicly state that he wants this, and hes hinted at it subtly for a long time. For me, thats as strong a confirmation as you can get: he wants this, no excuses. If he doesn’t win it, there are no excuses to me, he wants it badly.

When I said long ago that I thought he would do the TT, and we debated that, I cited that as the sole reason: he seems to be triggered by chasing things he hasnt yet achieved. So I agree with you there.

The priority remains the Road World Championship.

I think the toughness of this time trial is being overrated. Last year's Tour de France ITT was tougher on the climbs, and the descents were more technical.

 

[Berniece]

This is the first time Pogi seriously targets a WC time trial with methodical preparation, etc. I’ll be happy to be surprised, but fact is hes simply in a entirely different league from everyone in the world, so I expect a demolishing even if its a favourable discpline to Remco and I think the world of Remco even in historic perspective in TT.

What is a demolishing in your view? Winning by 30s, 60s, 90s?

 

[Red Rick]

What is a demolishing in your view? Winning by 30s, 60s, 90s?

Depends on who wins. Pogacar wins by 30s, it's obliteration. Evenepoel wins by 30s, it was very close.

 

[hayneplane]

I still see Remco as a clear worthy favourite though it wouldn’t shock me if Pogacar won a parcours like this.

 

[AlpRaid]

I hope for 8 GdL in the end of his career

Lombardia is to Pog what the French open was to Nadal.

 

[hayneplane]

What is a demolishing in your view? Winning by 30s, 60s, 90s?

30 seconds would be the biggest margin between 1 and 2 this decade so I personally think that would be enough to count.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Depends on who wins. Pogacar wins by 30s, it's obliteration. Evenepoel wins by 30s, it was very close.

You can't resist, can you?

 

[tobydawq]

Depends on who wins. Pogacar wins by 30s, it's obliteration. Evenepoel wins by 30s, it was very close.

Huh?

 

[AlpRaid]

Huh?

it's nice to see @Red Rick pointing out the double-standard that rears its ugly head regularly on these threads.

Remco wins, it was close, the competition was weak, his opponents weren't trying, no one else was targeting the race.
Pog wins, it was utter domination of the greatest field ever assembled.

Remco crashes repeatedly, breaking several bones in his body each time, he should be 100% the very next race, and probably should have kept racing with the broken bones/COVID/any illness.
Pog hurts his hand a bit just before a planned 2 month recovery layoff and that justifies any loss for the next decade.

it's all very funny.

 

[tobydawq]

it's nice to see @Red Rick pointing out the double-standard that rears its ugly head regularly on these threads.

Remco wins, it was close, the competition was weak, his opponents weren't trying, no one else was targeting the race.
Pog wins, it was utter domination of the greatest field ever assembled.

Remco crashes repeatedly, breaking several bones in his body each time, he should be 100% the very next race, and probably should have kept racing with the broken bones/COVID/any illness.
Pog hurts his hand a bit just before a planned 2 month recovery layoff and that justifies any loss for the next decade.

it's all very funny.

Yes, this is a very neutral take.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes, this is a very neutral take.

Thanks for your service.

 

[Red Rick]

it's nice to see @Red Rick pointing out the double-standard that rears its ugly head regularly on these threads.

I wasn't really talking about double standards, I was just making a joke about the subjectivity of the terminology

 

[HashRouge]

The cobbled climb looked quite hard to me

That part did, the rest of it looked flatter than I was expecting.

 

[HashRouge]

GdL is way more important than a WCTT. It's not even a debate.

For most riders, yes. For Pog, who's won four GdL and will almost certainly win more, I'm actually not sure.