"It's like 'Gladiator', Pogi has got to make a show of it!" - Luke Rowe and Geraint Thomas advise Tadej Pogacar to keep the crowd entertained
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar has been so incredibly dominant in 2024 that some have even suggested the Slovenian's repeated, long-range solo attacks are making the sport boring. On the latest episode of Luke Rowe and Geraint Thomas' Watts Occurring podcast, the topic of keeping Pogacar's domination exciting was discussed.
According to the Welsh duo, Pogacar could take inspiration from Russell Crowe's character Maximus from Ridley Scott's iconic film Gladiator. "You know what we said about his long range attacks? And do you want to be loved, do you want to entertain? It's a bit like Gladiator," begins Rowe with a smile. "You know when he starts off in his first few fights and he just shanks them really quickly. Fight over. But then the guy goes 'You've got to win the crowd,' and he's shouting 'Are you not entertained?!' And he does some mad stuff. Pogi has got to do that."
Whilst perhaps not direct correlation, there is some sense in Rowe's comments as the experienced 34-year-old continues, because as noted, Pogacar's attacks have drawn criticism from some quarters for making for boring viewing. "He can't just stab people, he's got to ride horses and stuff," Rowe on the theme of the Roman epic. "He's got to make a show of it. Pogi has got to watch Gladiator and try and Maximus Decimus Meridius."
"Husband to a murdered wife, father to a murdered son and I will get my vengeance..." adds Thomas quoting the 2000 film. "Great film. Always cry to that."
What do you think? Are the repeated 40, 50, or even 100km attacks towards an inevitable victory for Pogacar boring or does the UAE Team Emirates leader's sheer brilliance ensure that you remain transfixed even though the drama has been somewhat removed? Let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments section down below!
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- What a race! I didn't expect Vanthourenhout to collapse like that, and Wyseure did take the fight to Nys, but there was no doubt at the end. I also wonder what Aubin Sparfel would be capable of were he to race in the elites now. In the U23 ranks he is making good work of Giel Lejeune, who himself is among the better riders in the elites, and a top 10 contender in the big races (3rd at Kleebergcross, 8th at Berencross and 5th at Heerderstrand). In the French Cup, Sparfel is significantly better than Romain Debord (8th at Koppenbergcross and 10th at the Euros) and Rémi Lelandais (12th at Koppenbergcross and 19th at the Euros).
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
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