I agree Tadej Pogacar seems a generational talent at this point in cycling history. He has to maintain his form for several more years to prove that but he’s in an extraordinary position at present. He still has 191 victories before he ties Eddie Merckx. That being said Merckx wouldn’t reach 279 victories if he were racing in the modern era of specialization. It’s even more extraordinary that Pogacar can be so dominant in grand tours, lesser stage races and one day classics in this day and age. I really hope the big 4 and their teams stay healthy in 2025 because that could be a very special road cycling year.
Pog is still going to improve. Next Lombardia race, he is definitely going to Lapp the field. If he races 3 more Tour de Frances, he might even pass Mark Cavendish's tour win record in 2027.
He will probably do the Giro-Vuelta double next season, as Vuelta is the only GT he does not have yet. I am from Slovenia, and know people that know him personally, out of the 3 GTs, TDF is his LEAST favorite, so with 3 TDF wins, it is very likely that he will miss quite a few Tours in the second part of his career, because he has nothing more to prove in France.
@@byhsu6140 Not if he wants to do the Giro-Vuelta double, and he wants to do that ASAP. Also he does not really care that much about prestige, he cares more about winning all there is to win in road cycling, TDF is just one small part of the equation, especially in modern times. He would 100% switch one of his TDF GT wins for Milano-San Remo.
@@zigazdovc6175 True, but he would also like to add his name as a 5-tour winner (or even surpass that mark), and if so, he's not going to wait until he is past his prime to do it. So I'd say we'll see him at the Tour for the next 3-5 years or so. He can win the Vuelta if he targets it, and the rest of what's missing in his palmares will take care of itself if he keeps riding like he is now.
Great effort by UAE to have strong support around TP for seasons end. After the work of Cristen and Fisher-Black on the flat to have Hirschi, Majka, Sivakov and a Yates ready to attack on di Solmano is a luxury few teams can dream of
I said Tadej would win by over 3 mins on Johan & Spencers "Out Comes" & Bingo! Tadej is a beast. He's so good cause he just loves cycling it's never a task, (unless he bonks) 99% of the time he's like a kid in a candy store. I think Jonas is really gonna haveta up his game without that dynamo team helping him win those tours. When I was a kid racing I loved reading about Eddy Merckx now I get to relive the thrill watching Tadej.. 👍🏼🚵🏼🫅🏼💯🇸🇮
Agreed Pogi the phenomenon. Chris talking about tactics.😂 With Tadej Chris can throw them in the bin. The only tactics for Tadej is launches his attack on a steep climb (doesn't matter how far from the finish) and nobody can follow him nor catch him. Arriving solo. What a rider.
I simply wish for the riders to stay safe and healthy so they can compete at their best. This to me is what makes the races throughout the year their best and most exciting. Maybe Pogacar still would have dominated if the Basque crash had not occurred. But to some extent we will never know for sure, just like in 2023 when Pogacar broke his wrist and lost training time. Here's for a fully healthy 2025 for all.
As I commented yesterday on the Lombardy thread, I think that Pog had only one race-related mechanical (I.e. a stop requiring stop and adjustment or replacement of the bike by a team car). The one incident was a puncture and fall with about 10 km and one climb left in the Giro Stage 2. He won the stage and put on the pink jersey at the end of that stage.
Great name drop in jalabert... tres forte..hadn't thought about him in minute but beyond style he had incredible posture and style that Tadej resembles so much. Bettini, freire, zabel, museeuw cone to mind from that generation when I think one days but jalabert was incredible. Even more recently valverde as stated and Fabian 2010-14 had period where he it was him and saxo/trek vs peloton. He had a run for dozen monument in tow he didn't finish off podium. That's who Tadej reminds me of in terms of dominance. I remember that quickstep using national champs and race favorite in break like chavanel, stybar, lampard, terpstra all along with boonen protected to have chance. Rest of peloton as well hushove in rainbow Jersey man marked Fabian in 2011 rounaix after his dominant 50k 3:00 2010 solo victory. That's how they will start racing Tadej in one days. Difference is Tadej is climber and as we saw in lombardia no man marking works on mountain when you can follow or drop. Still Flanders, strade, and when he races rounaix I imagine it's a tactic that has to implemented. Some call it negative personally it's strategy because with his form and his team at the moment if he stays upright it's a procession. He's that good. 2013 roubaix was one of best I've ever seen as Fabian was isolated and had to let moves go up road and then bridge himself. Masterclass where he let race go away to fracture and gamble on closing on fractured groups since he has no sprint and it was incredible. Tadej has a sprint lol so it's really like merckx where damned if you do damned if you don't peloton has to organize top notch breaks and co operate while not assisting at all. They didn't in lombardia and I a.ebrought it back. It will be tall task. Gilbert had two prime spells one early and one later after growing a bit and tackling cobbles instead of climbs. He's other top class guy I see in Tadej. Serious company. Anyway we slice it it's historic stuff. Thanks for breakdowns Chris your race craft analysis is top class too. When you raced a young man started these UA-cam analysis named Cosmo catalano. Ten years on nice to hear someone with observation, knowledge, vocabulary, and one step further first hand experience. Sports greatest theater 🎭 🚴 imo. You do it a great service 👏chapeau/Forza sir
I would say that one of the things that Tadej does, even if it's unintentional, is to give his rivals(?) hope. Sure, lose a time trial. Hope. Win a stage. Win two, maybe three. Hope and more hope. The idea of giving room, time and space to think that you might be able to win against the greatest only to have him win by minutes at the end of it? In that last right pocket of Tadej's jersey, those aren't gels. Those are the "hopes" of every rider that believes they can win. He saves those for last. And smiles as he crosses the line.
It´s getting ridiculous! I always thought Pogi would be a TdF hall of Fame but hes destroying "end-season" races with unbelievable time gaps. And he´s still young... lets enjoy!
No doubt, Tadej is a generational super rider. An exeptional cyclist. He wins grand-tours, monuments, the rainbow jersey. Just look at the current individual UCI- ranking 1st with more than double the points on the 2nd one (Remco). It's also the way he wins. He launches an attack on a steep climb, and nobody can hold his wheel. With him, it doesn't matter how far from the finish (100km, 50km) and gaining time, arriving solo. It's against all tactics in the book. At the world championship on the road, he attacked from +100km from the finish??? Who does that? We are witnessing a true phenomenon. Winning the Giro (6 stages) and then the TDF (6 stages) in the same season. What's really scary is that he makes it look so easy. His power out put is off the charts, and he can hold it longer than anyone else.
2024 has served us some interesting questions and storylines for the 2025. How sustainable is this from Tadej, and where does he go from here? Is there anyway he could find some additional gains in the next few years? What kind of schedule will he pick for 2025? How will the field and especially Jonas respond? You've got to think he'll train like a madman this off-season. What kind of progression curve can we expect from Remco in the next few years? Will 2025 be the last or last last season of Romain Bardet? Will Tom Pidcock be able to escape the Ineos moldy basement in 2025?
What is the record for most individual stage wins across all the grand tours combined in a single season? I would imagine Pogacar broke it this year, but maybe Merckx or some sprinter has him beat
Oz had a horse that was unbeatable during the depression years called Phar Lap. Beat everything in Oz so they took him to America where unfortunately they nobbled him and he died. Phar Lap is now on display at the Melbourne Museum (stuffed) without his heart( taken out to examine). Take care Pog.
Yeah, Pojačar made a few mistakes here and there that cost him wins. The stage 1 loss at the Giro was a real shame. The most impressive was him mixing it up with the sprinters at Milan-San Remo right at the start of the season - quite auspicious in retrospect.
From here on the chesterfield the PCS rankings seem to favor the sprinters and one day specialists too much. I don't think Moser, Valverde, Zabel and Jalabert should place higher than Indurain, Froome and Pogi. 🦋🛋️
He'll break Cavendish's TDF stage win record, he'll break Fausto Coppi's II Lombardia record (unfortunately), he'll break Gino Bartali's TDF time between tour wins record, and many others. But the only record that really matters is if he'll break Armstrong's record. =] Innoncent until proven guilty, as they say.
@@DiesUndDasOderDasDa Fair enough, let's not talk about the elephant in the room. Yet Chris somehow miraculously brought it up by comparing Pogačar to Jalabert and Valverde, two known dopers.
@@diogoalmeida4793i understand where you come from? But how is it possible in the modern era? How can you get pass all the tests. Theses guys test probably 50 time a year. You cant predict when you gonna test. Its impossible to get past it now a days? Blood doping is the only possibility, but for tadej this isnt possible, cuz he is performing the whole year and not just for 3 weeks 2 times a year.
@@louisfourie800 the same way all the other riders before tadej were "clean". I am not saying he is the only one, he just happens to be the best amongst everyone
My boyfriend thinks he's a master of dirty talk. Last night, he whispered, "Are you ready for the ride of your life?" Then promptly fell asleep on top of me. Thanks for the thrill, babe💚
Lance is still number one - they can ban his ass all they want.....everyone was doing it at the time.....give me a break.....Pog is an awesome rider and an equally good dude...love watching him dominate....cant get much more humble that Poggy!
So where is Lance on this list???...Since every rider on it was a chemistry lab 🐀...why wouldn't one of the best be included? This Pogi fan boy crap is so nauseating to this 70yr old, that has seen them come and go...yet everyone believes this anointed son is somehow an enigma. Please...I'm gonna hurl if this keeps up😂
At 72 and a cycling fan for a long time, I'm glad I've lived long enough to witness this remarkable career.
Thanks again, Chris.
I agree Tadej Pogacar seems a generational talent at this point in cycling history. He has to maintain his form for several more years to prove that but he’s in an extraordinary position at present. He still has 191 victories before he ties Eddie Merckx. That being said Merckx wouldn’t reach 279 victories if he were racing in the modern era of specialization. It’s even more extraordinary that Pogacar can be so dominant in grand tours, lesser stage races and one day classics in this day and age. I really hope the big 4 and their teams stay healthy in 2025 because that could be a very special road cycling year.
We are witnessing greatness. Let's enjoy and cherish it while it lasts.
🙄💉😂
Pog is still going to improve. Next Lombardia race, he is definitely going to Lapp the field. If he races 3 more Tour de Frances, he might even pass Mark Cavendish's tour win record in 2027.
He will probably do the Giro-Vuelta double next season, as Vuelta is the only GT he does not have yet. I am from Slovenia, and know people that know him personally, out of the 3 GTs, TDF is his LEAST favorite, so with 3 TDF wins, it is very likely that he will miss quite a few Tours in the second part of his career, because he has nothing more to prove in France.
@zigazdovc6175 but TdF is the most prestigious, surely his team will want him to enter the TdF
@@byhsu6140 Not if he wants to do the Giro-Vuelta double, and he wants to do that ASAP. Also he does not really care that much about prestige, he cares more about winning all there is to win in road cycling, TDF is just one small part of the equation, especially in modern times. He would 100% switch one of his TDF GT wins for Milano-San Remo.
@@zigazdovc6175 True, but he would also like to add his name as a 5-tour winner (or even surpass that mark), and if so, he's not going to wait until he is past his prime to do it. So I'd say we'll see him at the Tour for the next 3-5 years or so. He can win the Vuelta if he targets it, and the rest of what's missing in his palmares will take care of itself if he keeps riding like he is now.
Wrong dude. Pogi himself said in a recent interview that TDF is his primary goal because it’s the most prestigious.
Great effort by UAE to have strong support around TP for seasons end.
After the work of Cristen and Fisher-Black on the flat to have Hirschi, Majka, Sivakov and a Yates ready to attack on di Solmano is a luxury few teams can dream of
I said Tadej would win by over 3 mins on Johan & Spencers "Out Comes" & Bingo!
Tadej is a beast. He's so good cause he just loves cycling it's never a task, (unless he bonks) 99% of the time he's like a kid in a candy store.
I think Jonas is really gonna haveta up his game without that dynamo team helping him win those tours.
When I was a kid racing I loved reading about Eddy Merckx now I get to relive the thrill watching Tadej.. 👍🏼🚵🏼🫅🏼💯🇸🇮
Agreed Pogi the phenomenon. Chris talking about tactics.😂 With Tadej Chris can throw them in the bin. The only tactics for Tadej is launches his attack on a steep climb (doesn't matter how far from the finish) and nobody can follow him nor catch him. Arriving solo. What a rider.
Thanks Chris and Garrett!!!
I simply wish for the riders to stay safe and healthy so they can compete at their best. This to me is what makes the races throughout the year their best and most exciting. Maybe Pogacar still would have dominated if the Basque crash had not occurred. But to some extent we will never know for sure, just like in 2023 when Pogacar broke his wrist and lost training time. Here's for a fully healthy 2025 for all.
...and let's keep the scientists and team doctors safe, so this modern day Lance can continue to entertain the naive among us!😂
Tadej just passed Peter Sagan on the PCS all time list after winning yesterday
As I commented yesterday on the Lombardy thread, I think that Pog had only one race-related mechanical (I.e. a stop requiring stop and adjustment or replacement of the bike by a team car). The one incident was a puncture and fall with about 10 km and one climb left in the Giro Stage 2. He won the stage and put on the pink jersey at the end of that stage.
9:52
What a photo!
Great name drop in jalabert... tres forte..hadn't thought about him in minute but beyond style he had incredible posture and style that Tadej resembles so much. Bettini, freire, zabel, museeuw cone to mind from that generation when I think one days but jalabert was incredible.
Even more recently valverde as stated and Fabian 2010-14 had period where he it was him and saxo/trek vs peloton. He had a run for dozen monument in tow he didn't finish off podium. That's who Tadej reminds me of in terms of dominance. I remember that quickstep using national champs and race favorite in break like chavanel, stybar, lampard, terpstra all along with boonen protected to have chance. Rest of peloton as well hushove in rainbow Jersey man marked Fabian in 2011 rounaix after his dominant 50k 3:00 2010 solo victory. That's how they will start racing Tadej in one days. Difference is Tadej is climber and as we saw in lombardia no man marking works on mountain when you can follow or drop. Still Flanders, strade, and when he races rounaix I imagine it's a tactic that has to implemented. Some call it negative personally it's strategy because with his form and his team at the moment if he stays upright it's a procession. He's that good. 2013 roubaix was one of best I've ever seen as Fabian was isolated and had to let moves go up road and then bridge himself. Masterclass where he let race go away to fracture and gamble on closing on fractured groups since he has no sprint and it was incredible. Tadej has a sprint lol so it's really like merckx where damned if you do damned if you don't peloton has to organize top notch breaks and co operate while not assisting at all. They didn't in lombardia and I a.ebrought it back. It will be tall task.
Gilbert had two prime spells one early and one later after growing a bit and tackling cobbles instead of climbs. He's other top class guy I see in Tadej.
Serious company. Anyway we slice it it's historic stuff. Thanks for breakdowns Chris your race craft analysis is top class too. When you raced a young man started these UA-cam analysis named Cosmo catalano. Ten years on nice to hear someone with observation, knowledge, vocabulary, and one step further first hand experience. Sports greatest theater 🎭 🚴 imo. You do it a great service 👏chapeau/Forza sir
I would say that one of the things that Tadej does, even if it's unintentional, is to give his rivals(?) hope. Sure, lose a time trial. Hope. Win a stage. Win two, maybe three. Hope and more hope. The idea of giving room, time and space to think that you might be able to win against the greatest only to have him win by minutes at the end of it? In that last right pocket of Tadej's jersey, those aren't gels. Those are the "hopes" of every rider that believes they can win. He saves those for last. And smiles as he crosses the line.
I think generational is an understatement once in a lifetime is more appropriate
BOOYA!!!!
I agree with Garret!
It´s getting ridiculous! I always thought Pogi would be a TdF hall of Fame but hes destroying "end-season" races with unbelievable time gaps.
And he´s still young... lets enjoy!
Loved watching Jaja in the past...
Supreme commander of the bicikleta world🌪🌪💨💨🦾🦾
Either generation talent, or we doped up, we may never know 😅
DUH!!!😂
Next year, Pogacar will lead all stages of TDF, then attack his own shadow with 100k to go.
No doubt, Tadej is a generational super rider. An exeptional cyclist. He wins grand-tours, monuments, the rainbow jersey. Just look at the current individual UCI- ranking 1st with more than double the points on the 2nd one (Remco). It's also the way he wins. He launches an attack on a steep climb, and nobody can hold his wheel. With him, it doesn't matter how far from the finish (100km, 50km) and gaining time, arriving solo. It's against all tactics in the book. At the world championship on the road, he attacked from +100km from the finish??? Who does that? We are witnessing a true phenomenon. Winning the Giro (6 stages) and then the TDF (6 stages) in the same season. What's really scary is that he makes it look so easy. His power out put is off the charts, and he can hold it longer than anyone else.
2024 has served us some interesting questions and storylines for the 2025. How sustainable is this from Tadej, and where does he go from here? Is there anyway he could find some additional gains in the next few years? What kind of schedule will he pick for 2025? How will the field and especially Jonas respond? You've got to think he'll train like a madman this off-season. What kind of progression curve can we expect from Remco in the next few years? Will 2025 be the last or last last season of Romain Bardet? Will Tom Pidcock be able to escape the Ineos moldy basement in 2025?
The comparison of Jaja, Valverde and Pogi, wow. It tells you more than you need to know.🙄
All clean riders :))))
What is the record for most individual stage wins across all the grand tours combined in a single season? I would imagine Pogacar broke it this year, but maybe Merckx or some sprinter has him beat
Can Tadej pass Cav's TdF stages record? I think he can if he stays healthy.
Oz had a horse that was unbeatable during the depression years called Phar Lap. Beat everything in Oz so they took him to America where unfortunately they nobbled him and he died. Phar Lap is now on display at the Melbourne Museum (stuffed) without his heart( taken out to examine). Take care Pog.
Yeah, Pojačar made a few mistakes here and there that cost him wins. The stage 1 loss at the Giro was a real shame. The most impressive was him mixing it up with the sprinters at Milan-San Remo right at the start of the season - quite auspicious in retrospect.
"Jaja" was not my favorite, but he was fun to watch. Purely personal, but I look at Remco & Jonas the same way.
👍🏻
From here on the chesterfield the PCS rankings seem to favor the sprinters and one day specialists too much. I don't think Moser, Valverde, Zabel and Jalabert should place higher than Indurain, Froome and Pogi. 🦋🛋️
TP belongs on page ZERO.
He stayed healthy and didn’t crash which is largely because he doesn’t do stupid stuff.
First like😜
He'll break Cavendish's TDF stage win record, he'll break Fausto Coppi's II Lombardia record (unfortunately), he'll break Gino Bartali's TDF time between tour wins record, and many others. But the only record that really matters is if he'll break Armstrong's record. =] Innoncent until proven guilty, as they say.
or doping
A well-known ex-Pro: "Tadej Pogačar is a GENERATIONAL Talent"
The French press: "Tadej Pogačar is a DEGENERATE Talent . . . we all KNOW why"
No
For sure. Sadly most people are in denial.
Let me stop you right here. Cheating and doping simply don't exist on this channel. Never ever mentioned. Just enjoy the 'show'...
@@DiesUndDasOderDasDa Well said.
@@DiesUndDasOderDasDa Fair enough, let's not talk about the elephant in the room.
Yet Chris somehow miraculously brought it up by comparing Pogačar to Jalabert and Valverde, two known dopers.
I heard Majka put off retirement to come back for another year with Tade. That's not good news for the other contenders..
Tadej is the GOAT for sure no doubt!! Merckx who? The guy that got kicked out of the Giro for doping?
tadej aint clean either
@@diogoalmeida4793 like your moma u mean
@@diogoalmeida4793i understand where you come from? But how is it possible in the modern era? How can you get pass all the tests. Theses guys test probably 50 time a year. You cant predict when you gonna test. Its impossible to get past it now a days?
Blood doping is the only possibility, but for tadej this isnt possible, cuz he is performing the whole year and not just for 3 weeks 2 times a year.
They have usada so until hes busted hes clean @diogoalmeida4793
@@louisfourie800 the same way all the other riders before tadej were "clean". I am not saying he is the only one, he just happens to be the best amongst everyone
My boyfriend thinks he's a master of dirty talk. Last night, he whispered, "Are you ready for the ride of your life?" Then promptly fell asleep on top of me. Thanks for the thrill, babe💚
Bot
I am a big fan of Valverde, but Pogi is even better than him, and not even close tbh. I watched them both growing up
That “all time list” is absolute crap 💩 lol
fausto coppi before eddy merckx
Just put Tadej on the cover
Lance is still number one - they can ban his ass all they want.....everyone was doing it at the time.....give me a break.....Pog is an awesome rider and an equally good dude...love watching him dominate....cant get much more humble that Poggy!
So where is Lance on this list???...Since every rider on it was a chemistry lab 🐀...why wouldn't one of the best be included?
This Pogi fan boy crap is so nauseating to this 70yr old, that has seen them come and go...yet everyone believes this anointed son is somehow an enigma. Please...I'm gonna hurl if this keeps up😂
please don't get caught
please don't get caugh
please don't be Lance
please don't be Lance
please please please....
Wasn’t Lance a generational talent
Slavic and Arab people are the best. UAE Pogacar Inshallah!
He makes cycling boring. Didnt even Care for Lombardia.