Tadej Pogacar has drawn attention in the last two days with the surprising announcement of his calendar. Despite keeping the Tour de France as a goal, one of the leading Dutch journalists, Thijs Zonneveld of the AD newspaper, ironically questions his chances of victory, especially if he encounters Jonas Vingegaard again in his most competitive form.
“He didn’t add the Tour of Flanders and the Eurovision Song Contest to his calendar, but other than that, Tadej Pogacar will compete in everything,” he said.
“Strong Criticism from the Dutch
“After last year’s Tour, where he was defeated by Jonas Vingegaard for the second consecutive year, the ball was in Pogacar’s court and his UAE Team Emirates. What would they do? What was their response to Jumbo-Visma’s superiority? What sacrifices would they make?”
“The answer: not exclusion. In fact, there will be a Grand Tour: the Giro. Thus, ‘Pogi’s’ Grand Show will once again be a big traveling circus.”
“This generation prefers to win six different races once.”
“Last summer, he complained to various cyclists in the peloton during the final stages. It was very hot, his bike had issues, his team didn’t understand, and he didn’t want to prepare all year like a monk for that three-week race with Vingegaard.”
“He is part of the bingo generation: today’s best cyclists don’t want to win one race six times; they prefer to win six different races once,” the Dutchman states, once again being critical of Pogacar’s choices.
“A show every week.
“He puts on a new show every week, in big and small races, but pays the price when racing against almost equally talented cyclists who focus on one or two goals per year.”
“He has so much class that he will undoubtedly win here and there, but with so many races, it’s a utopia that he is good enough to beat a Vingegaard in good form in July. It’s a pity,” predicts Thijs Zonneveld.
