+1
08-03-2026 11:58
+11
04-02-2026 14:13
+4
08-01-2026 22:57
+3
06-01-2026 14:58
06-01-2026 14:07
17-12-2025 20:48
26-11-2025 19:50
+5
17-11-2025 17:01
+2
17-11-2025 15:48
03-11-2025 04:01
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+1
MidnightRider
Tadej had Primoz, who while not quite as intergalactic as Tadej has become, was not only a superstar on the rise, he was a Slovenian. Plenty of inspiration and motivation.08-03-2026 11:58
+11
MidnightRider
TVL is wrong no matter what they do. Race aggressively like they did at TDF last year, and critics howl that they are just wearing themselves out and giving UAE a free ride. But when they don't attack they are criticized for refusing to fight. Now they are wrong to let Jonas, one of the two great GC riders of his era, have a chance to complete the career GT grand slam. Never mind that TVL won 2 of the 3 GTs last year, plus TDFF. All we need to know is that they are doing it wrong all the time.04-02-2026 14:13
+4
MidnightRider
Not sure you can say that someone as talented and successful as him has had bad luck, but between coming along right after the two titans and now this, his is a career cut short. Perhaps he can transition to a different role in the sport, but in any case I wish him well.08-01-2026 22:57
+3
MidnightRider
Yes, we would be talking about Wout's phenomenal ride. The immense crowds that showed up that day - what was it, 500k? - did so with no knowledge that Pog would contest. He added to it, for sure, but that scene has its own drama, and Wout is one of most appealing figures in the sport. Any argument to the contrary is silly. As for what we have to discuss, try answering the question I asked. Why is only Jonas at fault? Why not Lipowitz, Onley, Healy, Roglic, etc?06-01-2026 14:58
+4
MidnightRider
Amusing. "Pog's ride to 4th was glorious because he was hurt and tired. But Wout's ride to victory was mid even though he, too, was exhausted and had been struggling the entire Tour" The proper take: Pog's ride was selfish and pointless. One slip and everything he and his teammates had worked for goes up in smoke. Just a terrible risk/reward ratio that served his vanity much more than his team. As for Jonas: why is only he singled out for criticism? Why not Lipowitz or any of the other GC riders? Essentially *all* GC riders have sat up since TDF went to the sprint finish in 1975. Critical of them, too? Those crowds and that scene were iconic, just as they had been at the Olympics without Pog. Wout is a hugely popular figure who has endured terrible injuries and struggled to find his best form for some time now. His win was one of the most exciting moments of the year both for the spectacle and for what he had to overcome to achieve it. You are in a tiny minority to say otherwise.06-01-2026 14:07
+1
MidnightRider
It's boring. Happy to acknowledge him as the GOAT, but it's boring.17-12-2025 20:48
+4
MidnightRider
Every sport needs superstars, and the other athletes should be thankful, not resentful. I mean it as no insult when I say that many of the best cx riders are not particularly charismatic. Michael van Tourenhout, Laurens Sweeck, Lars van der Haar (one of my personal favorites) and many others are fantastically skilled, but do not have the kind of personalities or presence to light up the room. Even Eli Iserbyt, who is a bit edgy at times, does not do that. But MVDP and Wout do, and not just because of their dominance. They both just have that "it" factor, and that absolutely helps those other riders by attracting fans. Indeed, the other riders should *hope* that Nys has it, because MVDP and Wout are nearing the end of their run and the sport needs some personality from the younger guys. A great rivalry would help, but even a great rivalry is better when the rivals are charismatic.26-11-2025 19:50
+5
MidnightRider
Wout lost 2020 RVV by about 6 inches, and 2023 PR when he flatted 100 meters from the end of Carrefour de l'Arbre. A win is a win, but those are just two examples of how close they were until recently. The gap we now see is due to the injuries Wout has experienced, not to any crazy tactics as suggested by the quotes (well, that plus the arrival of Pog at RVV, which also has nothing to do with tactics).17-11-2025 17:01
+2
MidnightRider
Its a silly comment. Wout was very much on par with MVDP until recently, but a string of horrifying crashes over the last couple of years have altered the last half of his prime. If MVDP had had all those crashes and Wout had stayed healthy, the situation would look very different. Indeed, it would be more accurate to say that tactics and DS decisions are *less* important in this era, because the best riders are able to simply ride away from entire fields. If there is an argument to be made that there is more risk and less safety, there should be readily available data to confirm that.17-11-2025 15:48
+11
MidnightRider
Of all the blowhard cycling commentators, Brian Holm is the blowhardiest. He spent the entire summer criticizing Visma's leadership and tactics, even as they won 3 GTs and finished 2nd in the other (to arguably the greatest rider of all time). Now he is an expert at detecting dopers after they have been caught because, well, he just knew it. Surely there is someone better than this to answer the big questions of the day.03-11-2025 04:01