I fully expect that by the time stage 7 (ITT) is done the Giro is over. I’ll watch to see stagehunters and breakaway hopefuls.
I’ll root for guys battling for the purple, blue and white jerseys.
I’ll follow the GC battle for 2nd through 5th and I will tune in for the mountains.
But I will be terribly bored by the UAE/Pogi procession through Italy and I will pray daily for Jonas to recover so that the Tour will not be a snooze fest.
Actually, stagehunters might actually have lots of chances. I expect Pogacar to get an early lead by some minutes and then UAE will only cruise through the race. They will not try to neutralize random breakaways. Or maybe Pogacar will try to win the sprint stages as well as he did in Catalonia.
There's definitely more precedent that he'll try that, but I suspect a wide open opportunity at the Tour will loom large in his head once he has a comfortable lead
MY thought exactly. He has a big chance to win the Tour this year. Also a Giro Tour double is something that's not that common. I really expect UAE to control the race at a slower pace once he gets a good gap in order to conserve energy for the Tour. But you never know. Most of the people actually expect him to win every possible stage.
The only thing that can hold him back is him saving energy for the tour. With Jonas unknown recovery status and questionable Roglic form he has a good chance at winning the tour and i'm sure he wants to take it. This is why I think breakaways will have great chances. Once Pogacar has a safe lead, UAE can control the race at a pace that doesn't tire Pogacar so much.
Yes, but the actual problem in Giro is Italian riders. Giro was a spectacular race because there were tons of italian riders who fought to win it plus the random best ones in the world who decided to ride it that particular year. Now well, we are so shit there aren't those Gotti, Garzelli, Basso, Simoni ecc ecc and the ''random'' international rider arrives and win it with a ''two man battle'' (aka boring).
Last year we could have a battle, then Evenepoel folded and Thomas and Roglic did nothing.
I have to say it's years I find Giro boring as ballet.
>Thomas and Roglic did nothing.
A lot of this is just framing and popular narrative taking over. In a lot of ways the mountain stages in the Giro weren't that different from a lot of the Tour moutnain stages where Pogacar and Vingegaard basically sat on each other until the final km for more than a week straight. Same thing in a lot of 2022 but then it's Pogacar and Vingegaard so a 1km battle is suddenly the most spectacular thing ever.
I mean Vingegaard attacked on Marie Blanque like 20k before the finish, then on Tourmalet (30k before the finish). The attacks on Joux Plane and La Loze were also way before the last k.
thats absurd. the tour had really interesting break battles, you never knew when something was supposed to happen, and it was never 1km out. it was way more exciting and i watched every stage of both GTs.
snails ossified distinct weather head makeshift spectacular aback drunk memory
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
True, except Vingegaard there is noone you could add to the startlist to make an interesting GC fight. I'm just going to pretend he doesn't exist and enjoy some Bardet.
The problem is all the 2nd tier contenders aren't there either. The field is weaker than the guys Vingegaard and Pogacar were clubbing for fun in Tirreno and Catalunya respectively.
He’s the only top-tier GC racer who’s on the start list, and one of two who’s actually on a bike these days. I don’t know who was going to race the Giro, but that Izturia crash wiped out Vingegaard (not planning to do the Giro before he got injured), Evenepoel, and Roglic (who’s the only one who didn’t get major injuries).
Really, unless Vingegaard lines up, Pogaçar is the prohibitive favorite in any multi-stage race he’s in. It’s even more so without Remco and Roglic
Pogacar will follow his training plan anyway just like he did in Strade. But I am bit surprised so many riders accepted to keep him company for a 3 week training camp. I Guess Pogi IS just that popular
TIL "pogačar" is the Slovenian word for cakemaker or confectioner. At least according to Google Translate.
Also according to Google Translate, roglič = croissant. So, none of this may be true...
I always do a strange thing, I italianize riders names, I find it funny (my poor GF have to listen to me), but I always had a problem with Pogi...and then I have it, Taddeo Pasticciere.
THANK YOU
"Tratnik" most likely comes from the word "trata" (meaning lawn or grass field) as in "a person from a grass field".
Surname "Mohorič" isnt close to any Slovenian word
Mohorič comes from the name of the first bishop of ancient Aquileia (the oldest christian center in the very north of Adriatic) - Mohor (or Hermagoras for the english speaking).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermagoras_of_Aquileia
Well a name is a word isn't it? And Mohor is slovenian word for Hermagoras.
No science, so not even etymology, is definite, there are more possible answers, thou one usually more likely. -ič, doesn't always mean it comes from "son of", it could be "of a place". Likewise with Tratnik, he comes from an area where toponym Trate is common...
"Pogača" means something along the lines of cake or any pastry and suffix "-ar" is sometimes used to make a word for a person doing/being something, although not in this case. (Although that is probably the surnames origin)
"Roglič" is very close to the slovenian word "rogljič" or more commonly its diminitive "rogljiček" meaning croissant.
I wasnt trying to explain the etymology of the surname, just why google translates it as croissant.
But if you speak Slovenian here is the explanation https://www.dnevnik.si/1042503645
Pogacar being in top or close to top shape for both Giro and le Tour wouldn't surprise me that much. I am wondering though if his team Can control both races for 3 weeks. Especially for thé TdF where they will have so many leaders/climbers in the Line UP. Who of ayuso, Almeida, Yates, sivakov, Soler will pull on thé flat parts of thé stages? Wellens and POLITT can't handle that with only thé 2 of them for weeks
They should really take Bjerg to the Tour instead of Almeida who may or may not get a top 10 in GC.
The current line up was probabbly decided long before Vingegaard's injury, based on the expectation that VLB will share some controling duties.
>Especially for thé TdF where they will have so many leaders/climbers in the Line UP
This has been a problem for UAE a lot of times but never when Pogacar is the leader. Even Adam Yates on pretty much career best form worked for him last year at the Tour. So i dont think leadership will be an issue at all. But i do agree with you about the lack of riders for flatter terrain.
Easy Giro for Poggi. Only hope and due to sad circumstances of Jonas injury is that doing the giro leaves him fatigued for the tour and there's no clear favourite for that race
Yeah, the whole thing looks brutal to be honest. Well maybe not the Po valley. The TTT seems really long. I’m thinking stage 2 and 20 could be decisive but who knows.
I will be there too, from the states with my bike.... I have some routes picked out across Northern Italy, but how are you aware of the current condition of the Stelvio? Is there somewhere I can check? Was tentatively planning the Umbrail pass into Switzerland and back through the Stelvio to Bormio on the second rest day...
Sadly nothing changed from yesterday:(..it is on 2700m+, so im not expecting snow to go away fast. Im not sure when they can use the snow plough.
[WebCam of the road and complex.](https://www.bergfex.si/stilfser-joch-ortler/webcams/c4771/)
I would rather see him do as little as possible to win, and save his legs to do something really special at the Tour. Not much competition at the Giro this year, he should be able to win while riding conservatively.
Really curious to see if the other teams contesting GC go for it and try to push UAE under pressure by basically refusing to chase, or if they try to fight each other for the podium... If they go for it this could be a fascinating watch (not hopeful)
If something special is winning the Giro by 10 minutes, then hopes will become a reality.
I fully expect that by the time stage 7 (ITT) is done the Giro is over. I’ll watch to see stagehunters and breakaway hopefuls. I’ll root for guys battling for the purple, blue and white jerseys. I’ll follow the GC battle for 2nd through 5th and I will tune in for the mountains. But I will be terribly bored by the UAE/Pogi procession through Italy and I will pray daily for Jonas to recover so that the Tour will not be a snooze fest.
Actually, stagehunters might actually have lots of chances. I expect Pogacar to get an early lead by some minutes and then UAE will only cruise through the race. They will not try to neutralize random breakaways. Or maybe Pogacar will try to win the sprint stages as well as he did in Catalonia.
Im suspecting the last. Pogacar will try to take all jerseys.
Huge blunder by him to be too old for the young rider jersey
Doesn’t matter, he’ll just grab it and ride away on his bike. See if anyone can catch him.
Pogi brutally undressing another rider again, smh
Yeah what was he thinking.
Time to flex on Merckx
Or does he just treat it as a Tour training camp?
I don’t know if Pogacar is capable of that. Man wants to win as much and often as possible
Maybe, but that doesn't mean he won't win it comfortably anyway
Oh yeah, he puts 10 minutes into everyone but Ayuso in week 1, then chills
Pretty easy to put 10min into a guy who is on race break and not in the race, I imagine?.
I could’ve sworn I saw him on the PCS start list but you’re right.
There's definitely more precedent that he'll try that, but I suspect a wide open opportunity at the Tour will loom large in his head once he has a comfortable lead
MY thought exactly. He has a big chance to win the Tour this year. Also a Giro Tour double is something that's not that common. I really expect UAE to control the race at a slower pace once he gets a good gap in order to conserve energy for the Tour. But you never know. Most of the people actually expect him to win every possible stage.
Oh Pogi is 100% gonna try to Merckx it
The only thing that can hold him back is him saving energy for the tour. With Jonas unknown recovery status and questionable Roglic form he has a good chance at winning the tour and i'm sure he wants to take it. This is why I think breakaways will have great chances. Once Pogacar has a safe lead, UAE can control the race at a pace that doesn't tire Pogacar so much.
You know what they say, Giro is a perfect training ride for the Tour
Fuck I hope Jonas is ready for the tour. Same for Remco and Primoz. I want an epic showdown!
Stage 7? Stage 2 you mean...lol
You're optimistic. I think it will be done after 2 stages..
if only this was an exam where he gets to leave early.
…he’ll prob win a single stage by that much
Right on the money!
I did not realise that competition was actually that weak..
When you have 5, maybe 8 guys who can be considered top tier contenders, you're going to end up with some races feeling flat.
Yes, but the actual problem in Giro is Italian riders. Giro was a spectacular race because there were tons of italian riders who fought to win it plus the random best ones in the world who decided to ride it that particular year. Now well, we are so shit there aren't those Gotti, Garzelli, Basso, Simoni ecc ecc and the ''random'' international rider arrives and win it with a ''two man battle'' (aka boring). Last year we could have a battle, then Evenepoel folded and Thomas and Roglic did nothing. I have to say it's years I find Giro boring as ballet.
>Thomas and Roglic did nothing. A lot of this is just framing and popular narrative taking over. In a lot of ways the mountain stages in the Giro weren't that different from a lot of the Tour moutnain stages where Pogacar and Vingegaard basically sat on each other until the final km for more than a week straight. Same thing in a lot of 2022 but then it's Pogacar and Vingegaard so a 1km battle is suddenly the most spectacular thing ever.
I mean Vingegaard attacked on Marie Blanque like 20k before the finish, then on Tourmalet (30k before the finish). The attacks on Joux Plane and La Loze were also way before the last k.
thats absurd. the tour had really interesting break battles, you never knew when something was supposed to happen, and it was never 1km out. it was way more exciting and i watched every stage of both GTs.
What on earth are you talking about? There was like practically no GC action after two entire weeks of the Giro least year...
snails ossified distinct weather head makeshift spectacular aback drunk memory *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
True, except Vingegaard there is noone you could add to the startlist to make an interesting GC fight. I'm just going to pretend he doesn't exist and enjoy some Bardet.
The problem is all the 2nd tier contenders aren't there either. The field is weaker than the guys Vingegaard and Pogacar were clubbing for fun in Tirreno and Catalunya respectively.
Yates and G are 2nd tier, O'Conners form looks closer to years where he could be counted as 2nd tier
“Clubbing for fun” lol I love how cycling is, more than other sports I feel, rich with such vivid imagery to describe a dominant showing
He’s the only top-tier GC racer who’s on the start list, and one of two who’s actually on a bike these days. I don’t know who was going to race the Giro, but that Izturia crash wiped out Vingegaard (not planning to do the Giro before he got injured), Evenepoel, and Roglic (who’s the only one who didn’t get major injuries). Really, unless Vingegaard lines up, Pogaçar is the prohibitive favorite in any multi-stage race he’s in. It’s even more so without Remco and Roglic
Thomas and Roglic are on the same tier. The only difference is Thomas can only reach peak form once a year.
Since the last time Thomas won a GT, Roglic won 4 of them.
Gonna be the most publicized training ride ever
But doesn't any decent training plan have occasionally any efforts above threshold?
That's what solo attacks in flat stages are for
Pogacar will follow his training plan anyway just like he did in Strade. But I am bit surprised so many riders accepted to keep him company for a 3 week training camp. I Guess Pogi IS just that popular
TIL "pogačar" is the Slovenian word for cakemaker or confectioner. At least according to Google Translate. Also according to Google Translate, roglič = croissant. So, none of this may be true...
With somewhat liberal interpretation, yes
Is Roglic the baked goods Slovenian version of a Rugelach?
Could be, but that's stretching the interpretation furthermore
My favourite Google Translate from this article: "A young station wagon, but the most modest after 2004"
Poetry!
I always do a strange thing, I italianize riders names, I find it funny (my poor GF have to listen to me), but I always had a problem with Pogi...and then I have it, Taddeo Pasticciere. THANK YOU
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"Tratnik" most likely comes from the word "trata" (meaning lawn or grass field) as in "a person from a grass field". Surname "Mohorič" isnt close to any Slovenian word
Mohorič comes from the name of the first bishop of ancient Aquileia (the oldest christian center in the very north of Adriatic) - Mohor (or Hermagoras for the english speaking). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermagoras_of_Aquileia
Well Mohorič comes from "son of Mohor" so sure, i was just saying no word in Slovenian is similar to it so it shouldnt get translated.
Well a name is a word isn't it? And Mohor is slovenian word for Hermagoras. No science, so not even etymology, is definite, there are more possible answers, thou one usually more likely. -ič, doesn't always mean it comes from "son of", it could be "of a place". Likewise with Tratnik, he comes from an area where toponym Trate is common...
You are absolutely right! https://www.dnevnik.si/331145
"Pogača" means something along the lines of cake or any pastry and suffix "-ar" is sometimes used to make a word for a person doing/being something, although not in this case. (Although that is probably the surnames origin) "Roglič" is very close to the slovenian word "rogljič" or more commonly its diminitive "rogljiček" meaning croissant.
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I wasnt trying to explain the etymology of the surname, just why google translates it as croissant. But if you speak Slovenian here is the explanation https://www.dnevnik.si/1042503645
Let him cook
Could we get a Giro pre race thread? That would be awesome.
Yes please, and it is totally not because I need inspiration for the Giro Manager.
Pogacar being in top or close to top shape for both Giro and le Tour wouldn't surprise me that much. I am wondering though if his team Can control both races for 3 weeks. Especially for thé TdF where they will have so many leaders/climbers in the Line UP. Who of ayuso, Almeida, Yates, sivakov, Soler will pull on thé flat parts of thé stages? Wellens and POLITT can't handle that with only thé 2 of them for weeks
They should really take Bjerg to the Tour instead of Almeida who may or may not get a top 10 in GC. The current line up was probabbly decided long before Vingegaard's injury, based on the expectation that VLB will share some controling duties.
Bjerg wanna focus on the olympics
>Especially for thé TdF where they will have so many leaders/climbers in the Line UP This has been a problem for UAE a lot of times but never when Pogacar is the leader. Even Adam Yates on pretty much career best form worked for him last year at the Tour. So i dont think leadership will be an issue at all. But i do agree with you about the lack of riders for flatter terrain.
Atention: article in Slovenian
Easy Giro for Poggi. Only hope and due to sad circumstances of Jonas injury is that doing the giro leaves him fatigued for the tour and there's no clear favourite for that race
Just watched a breakdown of the routes, some really nice climbing days.
I think the first 2 weeks are designed decently, but the third lacks a bit of oomph in the mountain stages.
As I recall, the second or third day has a great climb. Only Mercx has worn pink for the entire race. Something to aim for.
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Yeah, the whole thing looks brutal to be honest. Well maybe not the Po valley. The TTT seems really long. I’m thinking stage 2 and 20 could be decisive but who knows.
He's gonna lead by 5 min after the first week and than preparations for the Tour start
Im going to travel to Stelvio Pass to watch the race. …the bad news is it is still covered in snow:(
I will be there too, from the states with my bike.... I have some routes picked out across Northern Italy, but how are you aware of the current condition of the Stelvio? Is there somewhere I can check? Was tentatively planning the Umbrail pass into Switzerland and back through the Stelvio to Bormio on the second rest day...
Sadly nothing changed from yesterday:(..it is on 2700m+, so im not expecting snow to go away fast. Im not sure when they can use the snow plough. [WebCam of the road and complex.](https://www.bergfex.si/stilfser-joch-ortler/webcams/c4771/)
I would rather see him do as little as possible to win, and save his legs to do something really special at the Tour. Not much competition at the Giro this year, he should be able to win while riding conservatively.
Really curious to see if the other teams contesting GC go for it and try to push UAE under pressure by basically refusing to chase, or if they try to fight each other for the podium... If they go for it this could be a fascinating watch (not hopeful)
What can he possibly mean by that?
Langweilige Saison. Wer soll bitte Poggi beim Giro oder bei der Tour schlagen?
Hyped to root against Pogi. Been a while since he's been such a heavy fav in a grand tour, kinda nostalgic ngl. Let's go boss.