I think Bernal when he's healthy and Roglic when hes not crashing are easy choices for close rival. Bernal in the Giro had everyone saying these same things about they are now saying about Pogacar. He was so dominant in the mountains, and only had the real one bit of difficulty where he couldnt follow an attack and his teammate pulled him back, but he didnt crack. He bounced back and was still dominant after that brief moment. Roglic when he's not crashing is also dominant. He is more old school in his racing style and not always hammering these crazy attacks seemingly for fun, but the guy can ride and ride hard. We will have to see about Vingagaard and other rivals, but at this point I think the only thing keeping Tadej from dominance is the health of those closest rivals and his own health.
He is as dominant as Armstrong. His Spanish doctor works on the number of his mitochondria. Very hard to trace, if it is not natural. With the reight timing labs got no chance. Such a dominance by Slovenian cycling and its past involment in doping makes one wonder. So yes, Pogacar will win a lot more races and more people will doubt.
Yes his time trial is good and he is so consistent, I don't see him losing a minute on any stage to rivals while I see that being possible to every other rider
Greipel will be missed. Always sportsmanlike, rarely (maybe never?) playing dirty in the sprints and a gentleman off the bike. I will miss both his smile and his thighs.
A nice way to complete his TDF career, even more when you consider that moment after a stage (don't remember which) where he, Froome and Tony Martin (what a trio) helped a fan that had fallen down a ravine. Just pure class.
I'd like to see Greipel get involved with developing some sort of cyclist union, something to protect the rights and future of cyclist, from salaries to cycling safety on routes, etc;..
Short answer is yes. He must feel really confident right now that last year wasn't a lucky strike and I really think that his competition is also riding at their peak although the first week took out some great competition.
Appreciate the discussion. There are 5 reasons to bet on the field over Pogacar next year. 1. Accidents/crashes: Towards the end of the race after Pogacar had time, he backed off and did not press on corners or during descents. But to get control of the race he pressed hard in the rain on stage 8. It takes one slip, a split second, to see it all blow up. I hope this does not happen. 2. Tour course changes that favor a different kind of rider. Pogacar is clearly best climbing, and really shines in mountaintop winner take all stages. Last two years their have been critical stages towards the end of the tour with mountaintop finishes. If the tour moves around, or even changes away from this route plan it could favor riders with different skills. 3. Injuries: Every elite athlete goes through a cycle of strain and recovery. Pogacar is very young. It is a mistake to assume his body will continue to be as resilient year after year. Yes, 23 is still very young. But every year adds a lot of wear and tear on any pro-cyclist and one can't predict injuries. 4. Distractions: Pogacar is now the face of pro cycling. After successive TDF super wins(3 jerseys), everyone is going to want to find out everything they can about him, and this pressure is only going to increase. Will his inner circle be able to insulate him enough so he can maintain focus? I hope so, but it is going to be harder than ever this year for him to just go about a regular training regimen relaxed and focused solely on race preparation. 5. Competition: Now that he is at the top, someone will press until they get there. Just the nature of sport and competition.
@@thecellulontriptometer4166 yeah major time gain for gc was in the climbs, but his first time trial really took out the tt advantage which couldve been expected beforehand
I think it’s just the opposite: we’re entering one of the most competitive eras we’ve ever seen. Tadej, Vignegaard, Bernal are going to have a battle royal of the likes we’ve never seen. Can’t wait!
I still got hope Remco can get on that level at some point (he´ll need more time and experience tho) I´m also looking forward to see what Pidcock can do in a grand tour as he himself said he wants to win the tour
Pogacar looks unstoppable right now. I do think there are still some very strong teams/riders that wont make it easy for him. He will be the favorite to win for years to come still
@@ygtcbee23 Being able to avoid crashing is a skill that's part of winning. If people want to stay injury free, they need to be able to ride as well and as smart as he does. Lance's bike handling is a huge part of why he won 7 in a row against an equally doped up field. *Rasmussen lost because he was a trash bike handler. Handling your bike is just as important as your fitness capabilities when you're flying down mountains at +100kph
Met Andre years ago at the 2018 Tour Down Under, before the second stage. Without doubt one of the most laid back, friendly and down to earth blokes ever, generous with his time for a chat and photos, even as race leader...
Dan’s topics transitions are simply world class. A real pleasure to listen to. Great journalism. Topic knowledge makes such a difference. Excellent post-production as well. Chapeau, GCN. You are admirable.
I'd just love to see a Pogačar's domination for many years, where he can keep doing what he's been in the las 2 years or even more. I love to see this kind of performances, even if at stage 3 a GC is almost done, I love to see that kind of things in sports.
I have been there when these Slovenians are enjoying cycling up some very steep home twisty climbs and am not surprised at this young mans success. We done, stunning performance
Pogačar are the strongest and complete rider for grand tour now. But, like Roglic, Bernal, Froome or Evenepool he could have some bad luck, so to predict something for the future, it’s to soon. The new generation of rider are stronger at a young age with the training and more sophisticated tool and trainer, so the future will be exited. To stay at the top for many seasons will very difficult.👍
Pogacar Last TDF he broke 4 climbs times, this year 2 climbtimerecords too..so He was faster then Ricco, Contador, Armstrong, Rasmussen... Normaly Pogacar should be suspended right now and forever....!
In the history of the TdF there was a rider who won his second consecutive yellow jersey at age 23 with 5 stage victories, a winning margin of over 10 minutes to second and over 29 minutes to tenth. He was hailed as the next cycling superstar. But he never won another Tour although in one memorable year he got very, very close.
Always very, very sad when the Tour is over, feels like a part of life Is gone... Didn't watch it in person just 3 times in the past 11 years, 2 of which were 2020 and 2021 because of pandemic.
I first remember Pogacar from the 2019 Vuelta, when he did a 38 km solo from the group of contenders to gain the podium. Portended greater things to come, which did.
No doubt the kid has talent. I hate to say it but he reminds me of Lance Armstrong that made it look so easy. As long as you're a young man stays healthy and hopefully no implications with doping he's going to be someone to watch.
I recall i think an interview or documentary, LeMond watching Armstrong and how Lance ripped thru the entire field in TdF barely breathing hard, mouth barely open,rarely out of the saddle and Greg`s friend turns to him and says of Lance, " He`s not suffering!? " Meaning of course the obvious.
Looking at the some of the KOMs Pogačar achieved it is hard to believe that this kind of form can be achieved without the assistance of illegal methods. He has destroyed some of the KOMs achieved by Ulrich and Armstrong who were doped to their eyeballs. While technical and sporting gains have been made since, it's hard to believe the sport of cycling is clean.
Tadaj is a beast!!! only 22 and won 2 already? I see him winning again this year! But i would love to see a battle between 2-3 guys close in time battle it out in the mountains! I cant wait!!! I love Tour De France!!!!
Rarely anyone mentions how intelligent Pogacar is, forget team and group tactics. He proved to many times that he can figure and solve situations on his own.
Exactly... there is a reason he never crashes, is always positioned well (as in Liege-Bastogne-Liege), doesn’t jump after every rider (Ben O’Connor)... he has amazing tactics for a 22 year old.
So, two years ago Egan Bernal was going to dominate TdF for years to come. Now it's Tadej Pogačar. I wouldn't be so sure for the following reasons: 1. Primož Roglič may well have one TdF victory in him. Of course, Tadej will continue to improve and Primož is 31 but I'd like to see the two of them fully fit battling it out once more next year. 2. If the course is right Egan Bernal could topple Tadej and at 24 the rivalry could continue for a few years. The course is really the key & it changes every year so who knows. 3. This one might a bit out of left field but........Wout van Aert! He seems capable of almost anything. If he decides he wants to be a GC contender & IF a team decides to support him as such I think he might even be capable of doing what only Merckx has ever done & win Yellow, Green & Polka Dot at the same TdF. Once again the course will be key. 4. Finally, there are many great young riders coming through. Just look at what Jonas Vingegaard did this year once he took up team leader status. Three years ago Tadej Pogačar was just an exciting prospect now he is seen as invincible. Teams seem far more ready to back young talent at 21-24 rather than wait for them to serve a domestique apprenticeship before installing those who survive as team leaders when they are 28+. Tadej Pogačar is clearly a tremendous talent and might be the dominant force in the grand tours for a number of years. IF he achieves this he will deserve all the plaudits that come his way. One thing is for sure, with the likes of Bernal, Carapaz, Vingegaard, van Aert, O'Connor, and other emerging talents (Evenepoel, Pidcock etc) challenging it is going to be fun to watch.
@@alexthiebaut2195 I wasn't saying he was dominating. My point was that others said he was going to dominate given the age that he was when he won the tour. My point about Egan was that at 24 and with one TdF and one Giro win under his belt already if the course suits him i.e. lots of climbing and fewer time trial stages and kilometers (or a climbing TT) he would pose a big threat to Tadej. He might not have what it takes to beat Tadej but it could be fun to watch. My other point was that people are too quick to think that a young competitor who has great success will dominate the sport for a decade. That can happen when a true GOAT arrives on the scene but sport is littered with cases when the new GOAT turns out to be just the best for 2-4 years. Let's wait and see and enjoy watching.
@@MilesDavisKDAB nobody knows what might happened to Tadej, he could have terrible crash and never recover, he could break mentally. As for Bernal, he was never on the same level, the TdF he won was by luck more than talent, he was being bossed around by Pinot until Pinot's injury and as I said he didn't even win a single stage. Saddly, Giro wins are irrelevant lately, we see how little the teams care about it, sending their C team to compete.
@@alexthiebaut2195 Bernal is a top tier rider like Quintana was a handful of years ago, we all know how Quintana fared against Froome. I suspect that's about how well Bernal will do against Pogacar.
I think he has a good chance because he is a smart, tactical rider that tends not to crash, literally, or in terms of stamina. In other words, he is in control of himself and hence, his game.
Very excited about all the GTs given the depth of talent out there and emerging. Pogacar is a force of nature but Vindegaard looks like a nailed on future GC winner.
I'd like to see MVDP focused for an entire Tour and Van Aert as the priority rider for Jumbo Visma against Pogačar. And Bernal in good shape, of course.
The question is if MVDP or Van Aert decide to contend for the Green jersey instead of the Yellow. They both have excellent chances of the taking Green if they concentrated on that because they are so versatile. However, both would need a lot of work to contend for Yellow. It's one thing to win a mountain stage from the breakaway. It's much harder to win a mountain stage when you wait around and try to compete with the GC and pure climbers at the end. Van Aert might be able to do that. But MVDP doesn't and looks instead like someone who could dominate the Green jersey for years like Sagan.
It will be harder for him in 2022. Those who abandoned the TDF or decided not to join to prepare for the Olympics will be back in 2022. Vingegaard and Van Aert might be stronger contenders next year
@@gcnracing Dan I've found it amazing that the pro's I've met wether at a official show or out and about are always such nice people and easy to talk to, yet you come across many pretentious arses at a mid cat 2 to cat 1 level of fitness who treat 95% of other cyclists like they are scum 🤔🤷🤣 My favourite Pro I loved talking to was John Tomac at The Plymouth Grundig world cup xc event, the guy was fantastic and between races helped some young lad tune his guitar whilst he signed the Dad's Tioga Disc Drive lol
Tadej Pogačar could win 10 more Tours for all I care. I just don't want him to be a Lance style "Tour Only" guy. In 1980, Bernard Hinault at least tried for the Giro-Tour double. Go for it Tadej.
Pogacar can contend for TDF wins for the foreseeable future, but not without serious challengers. Roglic and Vingegaard stand shoulder to shoulder with Pogacar in talent and while he MIGHT beat them, it will be a true battle well worth watching. Team Ineos will not sit idly by to be dominated and while they had bad luck (riding) this year, they will be back in the mix in a serious fashion. Finally, there is a new crop of riders such as Evenepoel, Pidcock, et al to further shake up the status quo. It is going to be very fun to watch this all play out and IF Pogacar does manage to beat out all of these (& other) competitors, then he will truly be a champion worthy of his yellow jerseys. I can't wait !!
true, but Ullrich didn't have discipline in the winter, he gained weight. Pogacar doesn't seem to have those types of issues. IMO, the bigger obstacles are the ones mentioned, Evenepoel and Bernal.
Ilan Van Wilder, Mäder, Vlasov, Foss, Arensman, (Vingegaard) and lot's of others could very well be examples of very young riders who could be up there in one or two years. But there are loads more of young guns out there.
I’m sure if it hadn’t been for Carapaz battling with Vingegaard at the finish line of stage 19 that Pogačar would have given him the stage win. He kept looking back but those two were too close together.
@@MeesterJ Are you a top athlete? A world class top athlete? If not, why do you presume to think you know what motivates them? And is it possible that if you're in the conversation for being the best in the world at your chosen sport, you can afford to be generous to your fellow athletes, particularly when so doing does not deleteriously affect your position in the race? I'm sorry, but your assertion that the winner of this year's TDF has a loser mentality suggests you possess the intellect of a root vegetable.
I just think Tadej stands a good chance at becoming the second Seven-Time Tour de France Champion. And I grin and say, hey, it is a race and it seems he is playing by the rules, so rule the school, Tadej, or not, just do your thing. But it would be cool if the final podium in Paris recognized the stage winners, too, as yes, the overall is the biggest prize but not the only and a single stage win at Le Tour is an epic accomplishment and makes the race the most exciting sporting event on that day.
Wout van Aert is gonna spoil the party and Vingegaard is no joke, and if Roglic recovers, we could have the most exciting TDF ever in 2022. Lets not forget Mathieu Van Der Poel went to train for the olympics on day 7 of this TDF. If anything I think Tadej lucked into this victory as much as he earned it.
Wout or MVDP can be good for one day in the mountains at best. Both have difficulty with stages that feature multiple high mountains, and MVDP has always had difficulty with high altitude (reflected in his XC results as well). They are strong men well suited to racing on rolling terrain and the occasional medium mountain stage. Both are well over 6 feet tall. Van DerPoel weighs over 165lbs, and Wout is over 170lbs. Neither rider will ever be a GC contender for a Grand Tour. Watch those guys excel in the flat TTs, rolling hills and small cols, and in the classics next year. Also at WC Cyclocross and XC (MVDP)races during the fall and winter.
It's impossible to know. First, serious crashes and injuries that change a rider's career (e.g. Froome, Beloki) can happen to anyone, so they can happen to Pogačar too (let's hope not). Second, there are always new riders appearing and in the next couple of years we can have another rider turning pro that will be equal or better than Pogačar.
Tadej who? There were 2 of the 3 currently most gifted young riders on the start line of this years TDF. None of them will ever win the tour but they are highly entertaining when riding and they do that all year round.
Keen to see other talented youngsters, or new breed introduce themselves. Interested to see exciting Luke Plapp, 20 post-Olympics pro-signing; another who can climb (TDU) and is current AUS Elite TT champ!
We also seem to be witnessing a return from spinners (LA, Chris Froome) back to a more comfortable cadence (with Pogacar climbing some mountains on the big ring)
In 2019 the topic was the future domination of the Tour by Egan Bernal...both the difficulty of maintaing such a high level of performance and the number of great riders entering the sport suggests it's too early to engrave the 2022 TDF trohpy
With Tour winners being younger these years, maybe the Tour de France should create an "Old Riders" jersey competition. What color would the jersey be?
The standout performances of this year’s tour go to the Eurosport/GCN team. Commentating and critiquing on this obviously pharma driven circus with straight faces. Well done to all 👍🏻
@@zigzagnemesist5074 You mean when he takes his pills and puts oil in his engine? Froome this year is the real Froome, the very same he was before joining Sky
@@alexthiebaut2195 no one really (that I know) cares about your biased and ignorant opinions, the fact that you believe doping can make up 3 hours of time in a grand tour is laughable, that just shows how clueless you are about cycling and therefore I will not take any of your points seriously. Thanks for trying though, 🤣🤦
@@zigzagnemesist5074 Have you discovered cycling yesterday? Or are you too young to remember Froome finished 84th on his first Tour, 2h22 behind the winner? So yes, doping and a good engine can make up 3 hours. You just got made at your own game
Pogačar, I hope he does. An enormous talent. "His mind is as gifted as his mitochondria" per Dr. Iñigo San Millán; Head trainer UAE and assistant professor Univ. of Colorado School of Medicine.
why is that Pogacar has not even relish in his win - that you have to diss the man that he wont be around ? Well i wonder if you ever even ridden in the tour at all for you to be EXPERT in predicting the future. Wow nice going. Such class act on your part being the EXPERT in predicting the future...only time will prove you wrong. At least give the man his time in enjoy his hard won championship. Is it your glee and distaste in seeing a young man 22 yr old winning two consecutive Tour that you are jealous??? So impartial and magnanimous on your part. Hope that GCN will survive in the ongoing months ahead....
I hope he does. It was enjoyable to see him attack and go for the kill even though he could have easily sat back and followed his team. You have to play to your strengths and he seems to have plenty.
I agree. The kid is the real deal. He I At the right fitness level at the right time, above average bike handling skills(even amongst professionals), great instincts, above average intellect, and a killer instinct. He is a baby-faced assassin. #badger2
Bernal won it once.. That could be called luck.. Pogacar won it twice already. That's not luck anymore. Also there is a big difference between Pogacar and Bernal..
Bernal is a level below Pogachar. In 2019 he made one strong stage which got shortened. His TT is weak so putting him in the same context as Pogachar is ridicilous. Vingegaard has a better chance and he has a huge talent.
Look at cycling history. Laurent Fignon wins the tour at 22 years old, and the following year, then is limited by injury for 2 tours, by which time he is overtaken by his rivals. Bernal also seemed set to dominate for years after his first TdF win but was then beset with injury for the year after. Pogacar is human, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. The best you could say is all things being equal he could win many more tours but that ignores, potential crashes, injury, and the other upcoming younger talent plus riders still reaching their peak.
The choosen finish and team tactics will also have alot to do with this. The lack of mountain top finishes will favour Pogacar. When Vine had a chance the other teams attacked him.
@@gcnracing Here's the thing though without Armstrongs magical transformation Ullrich would have done just that. So that's about where we stand, unless a new Armstrong emerges it's likely Pogacar will dominate.
i was suprised to see that Ineos done so poorly considering that statistically on paper going into the tour they were probably one of if not the strongest team starting, well just goes to show you can't always tell or forsee the world of racing, amazing how a few crashes turn everything upside down
Doesn't Pogacar have a superior motor in his bike? Other riders have heard funny things. They're like: We all know what a normal bike motor sounds like, Pogacar's one is unacceptable.
I wasn't into cycling when lance 'zipped', but i watched it on video. I can almost guarantee every pro cyclist has seen 'the zip' move. Age has nothing to do with videotape.
Just 2 years ago everyone was saying that Bernal could dominate the TDF for years to come. And now he has back problems. He looked hard to beat in the Giro, but even he tired out and showed weakness in the last week. Plus his TT ability is not that great. Pogacar does look better than Bernal did. Only really showed a small weakness in the end of one stage while looking dominant in every other stage including the TT's. But there wasn't as much climbing or as difficult climbing as the Giro. So, he could be another Indurain or another Armstrong. He seemed to have an ability that to dodge crashes and stay out of trouble that others did not. Roglic could dominate, but he can't seem to stay on his bike. So, long story short, Pogacar could dominate, but there's a lot of factors that could quickly change that in the other direction. After all, Hinault could've been even more dominant without his knee injury. And Merckx could even have won a 6th Tour or more if it weren't for his injuries and getting punched in the kidneys by a spectator. And Lemond could've won more Tours before the drug era kicked in if he wan't in that hunting accident. So, only time will tell. Never know what the future will hold.
Pogacar is the best now, for GC tours, and will definitely put at least a couple more TDF victories in the bank along with other grand tours, but he'll definitely be beatable if he's not on the very top of his game, there are enough great cyclist out there and we should be glad because the future looks fun.. 😀
It was such a shame we here in the states couldn't watch the tour alongside GSN! I watched through NBC and it just wasn't the same. No shade to their commentators, they just can't provide that level of entertainment gcn brings.
Short of having mechanicals or injuries, I really can’t see anyone stopping Pogacar winning more than 5. He’s only 22, and already won 2. No one is going to tell me that he can’t win at least another 3 or 4 before he retires, which could be not for another 14 years or so. I’m also betting that Cav could be back next year to try and get 1 more sprint win. You wouldn’t want to bet against it, would you? Rumour has it that Eddy Merckx could also be making a comeback. He’s jealous about his record!!!
Will Tadej Pogačar dominate the tour for years to come? If not then why not? Let us know in the comments 👇
If he's caught drinking illegal juice, then no, he won't be dominating
yes he dominate until his age 25 years old
I think Bernal when he's healthy and Roglic when hes not crashing are easy choices for close rival. Bernal in the Giro had everyone saying these same things about they are now saying about Pogacar. He was so dominant in the mountains, and only had the real one bit of difficulty where he couldnt follow an attack and his teammate pulled him back, but he didnt crack. He bounced back and was still dominant after that brief moment. Roglic when he's not crashing is also dominant. He is more old school in his racing style and not always hammering these crazy attacks seemingly for fun, but the guy can ride and ride hard. We will have to see about Vingagaard and other rivals, but at this point I think the only thing keeping Tadej from dominance is the health of those closest rivals and his own health.
He is as dominant as Armstrong. His Spanish doctor works on the number of his mitochondria. Very hard to trace, if it is not natural. With the reight timing labs got no chance. Such a dominance by Slovenian cycling and its past involment in doping makes one wonder. So yes, Pogacar will win a lot more races and more people will doubt.
Yes his time trial is good and he is so consistent, I don't see him losing a minute on any stage to rivals while I see that being possible to every other rider
Greipel was one of the few pure sprinters who regularly worked FOR his teammates in non-sprint stages, and even went on breaks
Greipel will be missed. Always sportsmanlike, rarely (maybe never?) playing dirty in the sprints and a gentleman off the bike.
I will miss both his smile and his thighs.
Greipel...quite a class act.
And also still pulling off 5th in the final stage of this years Tour de France. Chapeau!
A nice way to complete his TDF career, even more when you consider that moment after a stage (don't remember which) where he, Froome and Tony Martin (what a trio) helped a fan that had fallen down a ravine. Just pure class.
Greipel as a GCN presenter: All the submissions are Super Nice.
I'd like to see Greipel get involved with developing some sort of cyclist union, something to protect the rights and future of cyclist, from salaries to cycling safety on routes, etc;..
@@Outsideville he might go on the German eurosport I fear, although I'd love to have him on GCN, either way we need on the commentaries
Short answer is yes. He must feel really confident right now that last year wasn't a lucky strike and I really think that his competition is also riding at their peak although the first week took out some great competition.
The best thing about disc brakes is that I can pick up some pretty cheap second hand carbon rim brake wheels! 🤣
Great call over the last 3 weeks I appreciate the team at GCN so much for their expertise and dedication to this beautiful sport.
Totaly agree. Great job GCN! 🏆
Appreciate the discussion. There are 5 reasons to bet on the field over Pogacar next year.
1. Accidents/crashes: Towards the end of the race after Pogacar had time, he backed off and did not press on corners or during descents. But to get control of the race he pressed hard in the rain on stage 8. It takes one slip, a split second, to see it all blow up. I hope this does not happen.
2. Tour course changes that favor a different kind of rider. Pogacar is clearly best climbing, and really shines in mountaintop winner take all stages. Last two years their have been critical stages towards the end of the tour with mountaintop finishes. If the tour moves around, or even changes away from this route plan it could favor riders with different skills.
3. Injuries: Every elite athlete goes through a cycle of strain and recovery. Pogacar is very young. It is a mistake to assume his body will continue to be as resilient year after year. Yes, 23 is still very young. But every year adds a lot of wear and tear on any pro-cyclist and one can't predict injuries.
4. Distractions: Pogacar is now the face of pro cycling. After successive TDF super wins(3 jerseys), everyone is going to want to find out everything they can about him, and this pressure is only going to increase. Will his inner circle be able to insulate him enough so he can maintain focus? I hope so, but it is going to be harder than ever this year for him to just go about a regular training regimen relaxed and focused solely on race preparation.
5. Competition: Now that he is at the top, someone will press until they get there. Just the nature of sport and competition.
i mean pogacar seemed the best everywhere this tour, would be hard pressed to find a route which wouldnt suit him
@@toaster6068 True enough, though he is not as versatile as Van Aert. But Pogacar really only put time into top GC's in the mountains.
@@thecellulontriptometer4166 yeah major time gain for gc was in the climbs, but his first time trial really took out the tt advantage which couldve been expected beforehand
@@toaster6068 Made me wonder if he hadn't been so far ahead on the last TT, and had to go for it could/would he have beaten Van Aert?
@@thecellulontriptometer4166 hard to tell, but wouldnt be surprised with the crazy form he was showing this tour
I think it’s just the opposite: we’re entering one of the most competitive eras we’ve ever seen. Tadej, Vignegaard, Bernal are going to have a battle royal of the likes we’ve never seen. Can’t wait!
true
I still got hope Remco can get on that level at some point (he´ll need more time and experience tho) I´m also looking forward to see what Pidcock can do in a grand tour as he himself said he wants to win the tour
And Roglic for at least another two years if he can avoid the crashes.
not least the juniors no-one is thinking about today, as Dan referenced.
@@prestachuck2867 Roglič is history.
I agree rim brakes bikes are not dead yet especially for tough mountain & hilly stages.
#saverimbrakes.
Pogacar looks unstoppable right now. I do think there are still some very strong teams/riders that wont make it easy for him. He will be the favorite to win for years to come still
He looks unstoppable against a weakend field full of injuries...
@@ygtcbee23 Being able to avoid crashing is a skill that's part of winning. If people want to stay injury free, they need to be able to ride as well and as smart as he does. Lance's bike handling is a huge part of why he won 7 in a row against an equally doped up field.
*Rasmussen lost because he was a trash bike handler. Handling your bike is just as important as your fitness capabilities when you're flying down mountains at +100kph
@RegularOldRug so is everyone else.
@RegularOldRug so basically like most of the top contenders?
Juiced
Met Andre years ago at the 2018 Tour Down Under, before the second stage. Without doubt one of the most laid back, friendly and down to earth blokes ever, generous with his time for a chat and photos, even as race leader...
thats what they said about Bernal no less than two years ago
Bernal wouldn’t have won the tour without the co leader Thomas
Pog won it twice, bernal got lucky his biggest challenger was his team mate and won because the stage was called off
bernal was a decoy for ineos but
weather interfer so ineos has no
choice but support him.
Frome is an absolute gentleman!:-)
Dan’s topics transitions are simply world class. A real pleasure to listen to. Great journalism. Topic knowledge makes such a difference. Excellent post-production as well. Chapeau, GCN. You are admirable.
1:35 just mentioning LA from no other than GCN makes me happy. Bravo à tous from Philippines. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
I'd just love to see a Pogačar's domination for many years, where he can keep doing what he's been in the las 2 years or even more. I love to see this kind of performances, even if at stage 3 a GC is almost done, I love to see that kind of things in sports.
I have been there when these Slovenians are enjoying cycling up some very steep home twisty climbs and am not surprised at this young mans success. We done, stunning performance
Pogačar are the strongest and complete rider for grand tour now. But, like Roglic, Bernal, Froome or Evenepool he could have some bad luck, so to predict something for the future, it’s to soon. The new generation of rider are stronger at a young age with the training and more sophisticated tool and trainer, so the future will be exited. To stay at the top for many seasons will very difficult.👍
Pogacar Last TDF he broke 4 climbs times, this year 2 climbtimerecords too..so He was faster then Ricco, Contador, Armstrong, Rasmussen...
Normaly Pogacar should be suspended right now and forever....!
In the history of the TdF there was a rider who won his second consecutive yellow jersey at age 23 with 5 stage victories, a winning margin of over 10 minutes to second and over 29 minutes to tenth. He was hailed as the next cycling superstar.
But he never won another Tour although in one memorable year he got very, very close.
Always very, very sad when the Tour is over, feels like a part of life Is gone... Didn't watch it in person just 3 times in the past 11 years, 2 of which were 2020 and 2021 because of pandemic.
I first remember Pogacar from the 2019 Vuelta, when he did a 38 km solo from the group of contenders to gain the podium. Portended greater things to come, which did.
I cant wait to see Pogacar vs Bernal on La Vuelta!
That my friends, will be a battle.
yeah about that, why is Pogacar riding the vuelta he should rest
It is not 100% confirmed.. He said he will decide in a few days
@@nelly-gu2qq yeah
@@nelly-gu2qq knowing his character and the form his in right now ive got a feeling hes tryna go for the double
it probably depends on how tired he will be after the olympics
Coverage was excellent all around - best I’ve ever seen. Made truly godlike by Wiggo on bike :)
Outstanding job on this video! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
No doubt the kid has talent. I hate to say it but he reminds me of Lance Armstrong that made it look so easy.
As long as you're a young man stays healthy and hopefully no implications with doping he's going to be someone to watch.
Yeah, his two mountain stage wins seems a bit too Armstrong-ish.
I recall i think an interview or documentary, LeMond watching Armstrong and how Lance ripped thru the entire field in TdF barely breathing hard, mouth barely open,rarely out of the saddle and Greg`s friend turns to him and says of Lance, " He`s not suffering!? " Meaning of course the obvious.
@@CaminoCarpet When Armstrong lead his entire team for miles during the team time trial, that should have been a major clue.
@@RS-ls7mm There are all sorts of clues....like winning back to back mountain stages late in the race with apparent ease....
He’s likely to be a factor but time and events have a way of doing things we can’t predict.
Looking at the some of the KOMs Pogačar achieved it is hard to believe that this kind of form can be achieved without the assistance of illegal methods. He has destroyed some of the KOMs achieved by Ulrich and Armstrong who were doped to their eyeballs. While technical and sporting gains have been made since, it's hard to believe the sport of cycling is clean.
Wake up
Tadaj is a beast!!! only 22 and won 2 already? I see him winning again this year! But i would love to see a battle between 2-3 guys close in time battle it out in the mountains! I cant wait!!! I love Tour De France!!!!
Next GCN+ Living legend series - Andre Greipel
Very interesting that TP switched to rim brakes on important stages.
if you had the choice, wouldnt you ?
Yes, lower weight, less rubbing, quicker wheel change...
Rarely anyone mentions how intelligent Pogacar is, forget team and group tactics.
He proved to many times that he can figure and solve situations on his own.
Exactly... there is a reason he never crashes, is always positioned well (as in Liege-Bastogne-Liege), doesn’t jump after every rider (Ben O’Connor)... he has amazing tactics for a 22 year old.
@@foxtrott2534 Correction: "too many times..."
Lol
....
His acting of being dropped bei vingegaard is not to convincing though. He is pedaling like during a cool down
Thank you very much Cris, I really enjoyed the insights. Keep on going!
So, two years ago Egan Bernal was going to dominate TdF for years to come. Now it's Tadej Pogačar. I wouldn't be so sure for the following reasons:
1. Primož Roglič may well have one TdF victory in him. Of course, Tadej will continue to improve and Primož is 31 but I'd like to see the two of them fully fit battling it out once more next year.
2. If the course is right Egan Bernal could topple Tadej and at 24 the rivalry could continue for a few years. The course is really the key & it changes every year so who knows.
3. This one might a bit out of left field but........Wout van Aert! He seems capable of almost anything. If he decides he wants to be a GC contender & IF a team decides to support him as such I think he might even be capable of doing what only Merckx has ever done & win Yellow, Green & Polka Dot at the same TdF. Once again the course will be key.
4. Finally, there are many great young riders coming through. Just look at what Jonas Vingegaard did this year once he took up team leader status. Three years ago Tadej Pogačar was just an exciting prospect now he is seen as invincible. Teams seem far more ready to back young talent at 21-24 rather than wait for them to serve a domestique apprenticeship before installing those who survive as team leaders when they are 28+.
Tadej Pogačar is clearly a tremendous talent and might be the dominant force in the grand tours for a number of years. IF he achieves this he will deserve all the plaudits that come his way. One thing is for sure, with the likes of Bernal, Carapaz, Vingegaard, van Aert, O'Connor, and other emerging talents (Evenepoel, Pidcock etc) challenging it is going to be fun to watch.
Bernal was never going to dominate anything. Bernal has never won a Tour de France stage, how is that dominating?
@@alexthiebaut2195 I wasn't saying he was dominating. My point was that others said he was going to dominate given the age that he was when he won the tour.
My point about Egan was that at 24 and with one TdF and one Giro win under his belt already if the course suits him i.e. lots of climbing and fewer time trial stages and kilometers (or a climbing TT) he would pose a big threat to Tadej. He might not have what it takes to beat Tadej but it could be fun to watch.
My other point was that people are too quick to think that a young competitor who has great success will dominate the sport for a decade. That can happen when a true GOAT arrives on the scene but sport is littered with cases when the new GOAT turns out to be just the best for 2-4 years.
Let's wait and see and enjoy watching.
@@MilesDavisKDAB nobody knows what might happened to Tadej, he could have terrible crash and never recover, he could break mentally. As for Bernal, he was never on the same level, the TdF he won was by luck more than talent, he was being bossed around by Pinot until Pinot's injury and as I said he didn't even win a single stage. Saddly, Giro wins are irrelevant lately, we see how little the teams care about it, sending their C team to compete.
@@alexthiebaut2195 Bernal is a top tier rider like Quintana was a handful of years ago, we all know how Quintana fared against Froome. I suspect that's about how well Bernal will do against Pogacar.
Yes because he is humble and genius
Depends on how well he can keep things hidden.
Nbhahahahahahahaha. Exactly.
Yes I think he has a good chance. Yes he will. Control of himself, tactical. I hope to see Tadej more and more winner. He' s a nice guy.
I can't wait to see Pogacar vs Bernal in grand tours to come. The amount of amazing young talent in the sport right now is incredible!
As you and Sean discussed last night, I think he will be unstoppable in the future and may become the greatest cyclist ever.
New generation is comming, Bernal, van der Pool, van Art etc... New era, new level.
Wishing the best of recoveries to Chris Froome, the _'Miss Congeniality' of the Tour de France_
Lmaoooo
I liked the way LA was included LA for the record and went on for the previous one without belaboring the issue
Yes . The combination of Pogacar and Gianetti will be deadly.
I think he has a good chance because he is a smart, tactical rider that tends not to crash, literally, or in terms of stamina. In other words, he is in control of himself and hence, his game.
Very excited about all the GTs given the depth of talent out there and emerging. Pogacar is a force of nature but Vindegaard looks like a nailed on future GC winner.
I'd like to see MVDP focused for an entire Tour and Van Aert as the priority rider for Jumbo Visma against Pogačar. And Bernal in good shape, of course.
Johan Bruyneel said on the JB2 podcast that Van Aert could be a good GC rider if he concentrated on it, same with Van der Poel.
@@grandekev1 I believe Van Aert is way stronger than Pogačar. With the team working to help him, I think he'd be the one to beat at the TdF.
Mvdp can sprint, do hilly stages and also tt, but needs to work on long mountain climbing.
@@cojilouiseagustin2327 so, for this year's TdF, he'd be a good contender.
The question is if MVDP or Van Aert decide to contend for the Green jersey instead of the Yellow. They both have excellent chances of the taking Green if they concentrated on that because they are so versatile. However, both would need a lot of work to contend for Yellow. It's one thing to win a mountain stage from the breakaway. It's much harder to win a mountain stage when you wait around and try to compete with the GC and pure climbers at the end. Van Aert might be able to do that. But MVDP doesn't and looks instead like someone who could dominate the Green jersey for years like Sagan.
I'd like to echo many others. Greipel was a class act, and always came across as a decent human being to boot.
It will be harder for him in 2022. Those who abandoned the TDF or decided not to join to prepare for the Olympics will be back in 2022. Vingegaard and Van Aert might be stronger contenders next year
I believe this will raise the bar for future TDF riders. I can see many riders changing their training.
I met Chris at a show years ago and he was a true gent and genuinely came across as nice chap 👌
Yep, he's always been that way whenever I've been around him. Dan
@@gcnracing Dan I've found it amazing that the pro's I've met wether at a official show or out and about are always such nice people and easy to talk to, yet you come across many
pretentious arses at a mid cat 2 to cat 1 level of fitness who treat 95% of other cyclists like they are scum 🤔🤷🤣 My favourite Pro I loved talking to was John Tomac at The Plymouth Grundig world cup xc event, the guy was fantastic and between races helped some young lad tune his guitar whilst he signed the Dad's Tioga Disc Drive lol
Tadej Pogačar could win 10 more Tours for all I care. I just don't want him to be a Lance style "Tour Only" guy. In 1980, Bernard Hinault at least tried for the Giro-Tour double. Go for it Tadej.
Better no Lance style at all or all the wins will be taken away...
I’m not sure the Giro/Tour double is doable anymore. Just too hard. Not enough time to recover in between.
Bernard Hinault d'Yffignac (22) !
Pogacar can contend for TDF wins for the foreseeable future, but not without serious challengers. Roglic and Vingegaard stand shoulder to shoulder with Pogacar in talent and while he MIGHT beat them, it will be a true battle well worth watching. Team Ineos will not sit idly by to be dominated and while they had bad luck (riding) this year, they will be back in the mix in a serious fashion. Finally, there is a new crop of riders such as Evenepoel, Pidcock, et al to further shake up the status quo.
It is going to be very fun to watch this all play out and IF Pogacar does manage to beat out all of these (& other) competitors, then he will truly be a champion worthy of his yellow jerseys. I can't wait !!
If he is not caught, he will.
Hard to tell at this point. They thought Jan Ullrich was the next 5 time winner when he won in 1997.
true, but Ullrich didn't have discipline in the winter, he gained weight. Pogacar doesn't seem to have those types of issues. IMO, the bigger obstacles are the ones mentioned, Evenepoel and Bernal.
@@S0ulinth3machin3 Jan did like to party
Tadej Pogačar is what happens when you play Pro Cycling Manager in “Easy” mode.
A lantern rouge subscriber I see
Tour de l'Avenir is back this August, so hopefully we'll see which young talents might be there in the Tour de France over the next years.
We'll have that race live for you on GCN+, too! Dan
Dan as always slaps us right in the face with „He might do Giro or Vuelta next year”. Thanks Dan, never stops to make me giggle.
Ilan Van Wilder, Mäder, Vlasov, Foss, Arensman, (Vingegaard) and lot's of others could very well be examples of very young riders who could be up there in one or two years. But there are loads more of young guns out there.
I believe rim brakes will always be around. Not everyone one wants to screw up the good look of the racing bicycles with disc brakes.
I’m sure if it hadn’t been for Carapaz battling with Vingegaard at the finish line of stage 19 that Pogačar would have given him the stage win. He kept looking back but those two were too close together.
I agree. He even hinted at that in Contador interview (he said it’s hard to give someone a stage when there are four riders together),
@@MeesterJ Are you a top athlete? A world class top athlete? If not, why do you presume to think you know what motivates them? And is it possible that if you're in the conversation for being the best in the world at your chosen sport, you can afford to be generous to your fellow athletes, particularly when so doing does not deleteriously affect your position in the race? I'm sorry, but your assertion that the winner of this year's TDF has a loser mentality suggests you possess the intellect of a root vegetable.
I think pogacar would still win next year he keeps improving and i see one can truly come close to him right now
I think it will be a different rider for next year! Cycling has become more popular and competition will become stiffer! Congrats to Tadej meantime! 😎
We are not fans of rim brake Dan, we are fans of tech that does not need fixing/complicating!
Well anything could happen in next years Tour, look what happened this year with MC's unbelievable comeback.
I just think Tadej stands a good chance at becoming the second Seven-Time Tour de France Champion. And I grin and say, hey, it is a race and it seems he is playing by the rules, so rule the school, Tadej, or not, just do your thing. But it would be cool if the final podium in Paris recognized the stage winners, too, as yes, the overall is the biggest prize but not the only and a single stage win at Le Tour is an epic accomplishment and makes the race the most exciting sporting event on that day.
Wout van Aert is gonna spoil the party and Vingegaard is no joke, and if Roglic recovers, we could have the most exciting TDF ever in 2022. Lets not forget Mathieu Van Der Poel went to train for the olympics on day 7 of this TDF. If anything I think Tadej lucked into this victory as much as he earned it.
WVA has ZERO chance of competing in the hills over a 3 week tour
@@whatwelearned Uh huh, Stage 11 this year says otherwise.
@@weijingburr2392 No, that says he can be good on one stage.
van aert and van der poel are way too big to compete w pogacar over the length of a tour, its not like they gained in time trials either
Wout or MVDP can be good for one day in the mountains at best. Both have difficulty with stages that feature multiple high mountains, and MVDP has always had difficulty with high altitude (reflected in his XC results as well). They are strong men well suited to racing on rolling terrain and the occasional medium mountain stage. Both are well over 6 feet tall. Van DerPoel weighs over 165lbs, and Wout is over 170lbs. Neither rider will ever be a GC contender for a Grand Tour. Watch those guys excel in the flat TTs, rolling hills and small cols, and in the classics next year. Also at WC Cyclocross and XC (MVDP)races during the fall and winter.
It's impossible to know. First, serious crashes and injuries that change a rider's career (e.g. Froome, Beloki) can happen to anyone, so they can happen to Pogačar too (let's hope not). Second, there are always new riders appearing and in the next couple of years we can have another rider turning pro that will be equal or better than Pogačar.
Tadej who? There were 2 of the 3 currently most gifted young riders on the start line of this years TDF. None of them will ever win the tour but they are highly entertaining when riding and they do that all year round.
Keen to see other talented youngsters, or new breed introduce themselves. Interested to see exciting Luke Plapp, 20 post-Olympics pro-signing; another who can climb (TDU) and is current AUS Elite TT champ!
Tom pidcock is gonna be busy racing DH hahaha what a lad
We also seem to be witnessing a return from spinners (LA, Chris Froome) back to a more comfortable cadence (with Pogacar climbing some mountains on the big ring)
In 2019 the topic was the future domination of the Tour by Egan Bernal...both the difficulty of maintaing such a high level of performance and the number of great riders entering the sport suggests it's too early to engrave the 2022 TDF trohpy
With Tour winners being younger these years, maybe the Tour de France should create an "Old Riders" jersey competition. What color would the jersey be?
Silver. Like Valverde’s hair.
The standout performances of this year’s tour go to the Eurosport/GCN team. Commentating and critiquing on this obviously pharma driven circus with straight faces. Well done to all 👍🏻
I'll be rooting for Froome next year. Hope he reaches good form and stay healthy.
I agree, when Froome puts his mind to things he is unstoppable.
@@zigzagnemesist5074 You mean when he takes his pills and puts oil in his engine? Froome this year is the real Froome, the very same he was before joining Sky
@@alexthiebaut2195 no one really (that I know) cares about your biased and ignorant opinions, the fact that you believe doping can make up 3 hours of time in a grand tour is laughable, that just shows how clueless you are about cycling and therefore I will not take any of your points seriously. Thanks for trying though, 🤣🤦
@@zigzagnemesist5074 Have you discovered cycling yesterday? Or are you too young to remember Froome finished 84th on his first Tour, 2h22 behind the winner? So yes, doping and a good engine can make up 3 hours. You just got made at your own game
Nobody can beat him.
Lance was doping, Miguel Indurian was doping, Pogacar....
Pogačar, I hope he does. An enormous talent. "His mind is as gifted as his mitochondria" per Dr. Iñigo San Millán; Head trainer UAE and assistant professor Univ. of Colorado School of Medicine.
why is that Pogacar has not even relish in his win - that you have to diss the man that he wont be around ? Well i wonder if you ever even ridden in the tour at all for you to be EXPERT in predicting the future. Wow nice going. Such class act on your part being the EXPERT in predicting the future...only time will prove you wrong. At least give the man his time in enjoy his hard won championship. Is it your glee and distaste in seeing a young man 22 yr old winning two consecutive Tour that you are jealous??? So impartial and magnanimous on your part. Hope that GCN will survive in the ongoing months ahead....
I hope he does. It was enjoyable to see him attack and go for the kill even though he could have easily sat back and followed his team. You have to play to your strengths and he seems to have plenty.
I agree. The kid is the real deal. He
I
At the right fitness level at the right time, above average bike handling skills(even amongst professionals), great instincts, above average intellect, and a killer instinct. He is a baby-faced assassin. #badger2
So proud of Mark "BBC Sports Personality of the Year, surely" Cavendish.
savagely berating a helper is hardly a mark of a good sportsman- it is the childish action of a prima donna
The same was said about Bernal. there was no-one there, either by injury of form, to attack him.
Bernal won it once.. That could be called luck.. Pogacar won it twice already. That's not luck anymore. Also there is a big difference between Pogacar and Bernal..
Bernal is a level below Pogachar. In 2019 he made one strong stage which got shortened. His TT is weak so putting him in the same context as Pogachar is ridicilous. Vingegaard has a better chance and he has a huge talent.
Well considering that tour de France starts of in Denmark next year, Vingegaard should have a better start than this years tour.
Look at cycling history. Laurent Fignon wins the tour at 22 years old, and the following year, then is limited by injury for 2 tours, by which time he is overtaken by his rivals. Bernal also seemed set to dominate for years after his first TdF win but was then beset with injury for the year after. Pogacar is human, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. The best you could say is all things being equal he could win many more tours but that ignores, potential crashes, injury, and the other upcoming younger talent plus riders still reaching their peak.
Chris Froome wins my "Glass is half full" award!
The last time I saw a rider this dominant, the guy ended up having an interview with Oprah.
No worries, mate. We Slovenians don't do Oprah!
ya, i am thinking the same thing.
So your saying you don't do Oprah but just drugs then
The choosen finish and team tactics will also have alot to do with this. The lack of mountain top finishes will favour Pogacar. When Vine had a chance the other teams attacked him.
I distinctly remember people having similar conversations about Jan Ulrich in '97.
Yes, I do too. But he did seem to struggle with the pressure, fame and money, and never won a 2nd. Pogacar seems a different character. Dan
@@gcnracing Here's the thing though without Armstrongs magical transformation Ullrich would have done just that. So that's about where we stand, unless a new Armstrong emerges it's likely Pogacar will dominate.
i was suprised to see that Ineos done so poorly considering that statistically on paper going into the tour they were probably one of if not the strongest team starting, well just goes to show you can't always tell or forsee the world of racing, amazing how a few crashes turn everything upside down
Doesn't Pogacar have a superior motor in his bike? Other riders have heard funny things. They're like: We all know what a normal bike motor sounds like, Pogacar's one is unacceptable.
Lol they accused Vinegard.. and Cavendish of that too.. So, it is basically just jealousy taking
Unpopular opinion :
Remco is overhyped and he has only won races with little competition. I don't think he will be able to turn into a 3 week race.
I wasn't into cycling when lance 'zipped', but i watched it on video.
I can almost guarantee every pro cyclist has seen 'the zip' move.
Age has nothing to do with videotape.
May the best man win...
If it "erase from the history books" so this didn`t happened. 1984 everyone?
Just 2 years ago everyone was saying that Bernal could dominate the TDF for years to come. And now he has back problems. He looked hard to beat in the Giro, but even he tired out and showed weakness in the last week. Plus his TT ability is not that great. Pogacar does look better than Bernal did. Only really showed a small weakness in the end of one stage while looking dominant in every other stage including the TT's. But there wasn't as much climbing or as difficult climbing as the Giro. So, he could be another Indurain or another Armstrong. He seemed to have an ability that to dodge crashes and stay out of trouble that others did not. Roglic could dominate, but he can't seem to stay on his bike. So, long story short, Pogacar could dominate, but there's a lot of factors that could quickly change that in the other direction. After all, Hinault could've been even more dominant without his knee injury. And Merckx could even have won a 6th Tour or more if it weren't for his injuries and getting punched in the kidneys by a spectator. And Lemond could've won more Tours before the drug era kicked in if he wan't in that hunting accident. So, only time will tell. Never know what the future will hold.
Pogacar is the best now, for GC tours, and will definitely put at least a couple more TDF victories in the bank along with other grand tours, but he'll definitely be beatable if he's not on the very top of his game, there are enough great cyclist out there and we should be glad because the future looks fun.. 😀
It was such a shame we here in the states couldn't watch the tour alongside GSN! I watched through NBC and it just wasn't the same. No shade to their commentators, they just can't provide that level of entertainment gcn brings.
Short of having mechanicals or injuries, I really can’t see anyone stopping Pogacar winning more than 5. He’s only 22, and already won 2. No one is going to tell me that he can’t win at least another 3 or 4 before he retires, which could be not for another 14 years or so. I’m also betting that Cav could be back next year to try and get 1 more sprint win. You wouldn’t want to bet against it, would you? Rumour has it that Eddy Merckx could also be making a comeback. He’s jealous about his record!!!
He is very much capable.
Thank you Daniel
It's more or less official, Pogacar is going to Vuelta!! Final countdown for 2021!
@Tamaupogi Tour de Force 2021 continues!!