+0
21:20
+3
28-07-2026 19:26
+8
28-07-2026 19:19
+9
28-07-2026 19:10
+19
19-07-2026 20:36
+1
28-06-2026 20:03
20-06-2026 13:46
01-06-2026 03:06
31-05-2026 22:20
+5
31-05-2026 02:21
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+0
MidnightRider
This is only true if you believe the single metric for greatness is career totals. A similar debate has taken place in golf; some say Jack for his totals, some say Tiger for his peak level. For me the GOAT is the one who reached the highest level of performance and sustained it over a long enough time to essentially redefine the sport. Merckx did so in his day, but Pog has done so against even deeper fields with more specialized competitors. Even if he never wins another race, he has done enough for me to rate him #1.21:20
+3
MidnightRider
Nonsense. Tadej had bad days in both of his TDF losses, and with Jonas at his peak and Wout at his, it was game over. Take away any of TJV's other domestiques and the result is exactly the same.28-07-2026 19:26
+8
MidnightRider
Salary cap would have no impact. I suppose one good helper is nice in case of emergency, but outside of that Tadej needs very little. He won his first TDF by (mostly) sitting on TJV. Since then his team has gotten better, but it's irrelevant on the monster solos that provide most of his time gaps. I mean, with or without Yates he was going to set Alpe d'Huez on fire, right? And heck, Tadej did more to support Del Toro than Del Toro did for Tadej. Take away both those guys and what would be different about this TDF? Not much.28-07-2026 19:19
+9
MidnightRider
This has nothing to do with tactics, domestiques, course design, or anything else other than pure power. Mike Tyson famously said "everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth." Wout and MVDP can manage Tadej on the flats, (barely) but on pretty much every other terrain, Tadej can deal knockout blows all by himself. As long as he is on this level there is no rule change or strategy that will change outcomes. Either someone rises to his level or he will just keep winning.28-07-2026 19:10
+19
MidnightRider
Putting the word "perhaps" in front of a baseless accusation doesn't make it any better. It's still just idiotic noise.19-07-2026 20:36
+1
MidnightRider
Wout had him covered the whole way, and if MVDP hadn't crashed he likely would have as well. That is why as great as he is - and I have him as GOAT, no question - Roubaix will be hard because both those two have to have bad days, crashes, etc. Granted, that's what happened at MSR this year, with the crash taking both of them down at a critical moment. But as long as even one of them is on form and upright, I don't thin Pog can win Roubaix.28-06-2026 20:03
+0
MidnightRider
No doubt. Wout is famously undisciplined when it comes to training, recovery, and performance. And Visma is famous for lying about it. 🤡20-06-2026 13:46
+1
MidnightRider
Good news indeed (for a Visma fan).01-06-2026 03:06
+1
MidnightRider
Agreed. And even the TT was not a huge concern in that a long, flat run is not his thing. If the TDF has released its route I haven't seen it, but I do not recall one quite like it at that race in some time. If it is a short one, or uphill, or both, should not be a problem.31-05-2026 22:20
+5
MidnightRider
Pog is the heavy favorite, but I agree, the "heavy" part seems less than it did before this show of force by Jonas. He said - and I believe him - that he is not "on his knees" despite three weeks of racing. If he recovers well and stays healthy, it will be a fun TDF.31-05-2026 02:21