Breaking down what a historically lopsided Giro d'Italia tells us about Tadej Pogačar's chances of completing the historically-difficult Giro/Tour double
I am struggling with understanding why “It can be incredibly dull and depressing to consider the GC battle in this way…”. I am attracted to exceptional talent in diverse walks of life. I find exceptional performances to be an inspiration. The opposite of dull and depressing.
The Kaiser Foundation did a study on the impact of role-model athletes have on children’s lives. 1,500 kids in the study, and 96% said they recognize that excelling in sports takes hard work and dedication. And more than half said that they have been encouraged to work harder because of a sports figure they admire.
I am also an ice hockey fan. The growth in ice hockey popularity among a non-traditional fan base over the past thirty years has been attributed to two factors. The 1980 Miracle on Ice, and to Wayne Gretzky. In 1990 there were NHL players from 14 US States. This year that grew to 36 states. In 1980 11% of NHL players were from the United States. In 2024 that figure is 29.3%. Greatness - Wayne Gretzky - had a substantial impact.
Say nothing of Michael Jordan or Lebron James impact on the hopes and dreams of millions of kids around the world.
From the Giro d’Italia website: “But to summarise Pogačar solely in cold numbers would be profoundly wrong. The new Maglia Rosa is also that one champion who hands out flowers and goggles to the fans, takes a water bottle from his masseur only to give it to a child by the side of the road, bestows smiles left and right, leads his teammates out in sprints, takes off his Maglia Rosa to give it to a young rider he has just beaten, imitates Hulk on the signature’s check podium, and pretends to DJ in front of the camera. Tadej is that rider for whom everyone, teammates and staff alike, willingly sacrifices themselves, for whom everyone gives up personal ambitions to push him higher and higher.”
Cycling could use a dominant champion who has no history of doping. Pogacar has the potential to bring the sport of cycling to non-traditional populations, all over the world.
I get that if you were a Utah Jazz fan, you didn’t have a Michael Jordan poster on your wall. But no, I don’t find Pogacar dull, depressing or boring at all.
I personally love Pogacar’s dominance and would gladly watch him crush grand tours over and over again, I just think most people have a hard time digesting the fact that the TdF battle between Remco/Roglic/Tadej isn’t really what it appears to be due to Tadej simply being so much better.
I appreciate the greatness of Pogacar too. I even have more appreciation for what he did in this race after the way he was beat in the last two Tours. For me at least, greatness really emerges when it is challenged, even when it has suffered defeat, and finds a way to keep going and succeed. Tadej really had no rival in this Giro to test his greatness.
I am struggling with understanding why “It can be incredibly dull and depressing to consider the GC battle in this way…”. I am attracted to exceptional talent in diverse walks of life. I find exceptional performances to be an inspiration. The opposite of dull and depressing.
The Kaiser Foundation did a study on the impact of role-model athletes have on children’s lives. 1,500 kids in the study, and 96% said they recognize that excelling in sports takes hard work and dedication. And more than half said that they have been encouraged to work harder because of a sports figure they admire.
I am also an ice hockey fan. The growth in ice hockey popularity among a non-traditional fan base over the past thirty years has been attributed to two factors. The 1980 Miracle on Ice, and to Wayne Gretzky. In 1990 there were NHL players from 14 US States. This year that grew to 36 states. In 1980 11% of NHL players were from the United States. In 2024 that figure is 29.3%. Greatness - Wayne Gretzky - had a substantial impact.
Say nothing of Michael Jordan or Lebron James impact on the hopes and dreams of millions of kids around the world.
From the Giro d’Italia website: “But to summarise Pogačar solely in cold numbers would be profoundly wrong. The new Maglia Rosa is also that one champion who hands out flowers and goggles to the fans, takes a water bottle from his masseur only to give it to a child by the side of the road, bestows smiles left and right, leads his teammates out in sprints, takes off his Maglia Rosa to give it to a young rider he has just beaten, imitates Hulk on the signature’s check podium, and pretends to DJ in front of the camera. Tadej is that rider for whom everyone, teammates and staff alike, willingly sacrifices themselves, for whom everyone gives up personal ambitions to push him higher and higher.”
Cycling could use a dominant champion who has no history of doping. Pogacar has the potential to bring the sport of cycling to non-traditional populations, all over the world.
I get that if you were a Utah Jazz fan, you didn’t have a Michael Jordan poster on your wall. But no, I don’t find Pogacar dull, depressing or boring at all.
I personally love Pogacar’s dominance and would gladly watch him crush grand tours over and over again, I just think most people have a hard time digesting the fact that the TdF battle between Remco/Roglic/Tadej isn’t really what it appears to be due to Tadej simply being so much better.
I appreciate the greatness of Pogacar too. I even have more appreciation for what he did in this race after the way he was beat in the last two Tours. For me at least, greatness really emerges when it is challenged, even when it has suffered defeat, and finds a way to keep going and succeed. Tadej really had no rival in this Giro to test his greatness.
What was the podcast mentioned in the last episode with Benji about Pog’s training?
It’s the Sierra Alpha episode from The Cycling Podcast’s KM0 series. Info about how to sign up to listen here: https://open.substack.com/pub/thecyclingpodcast/p/km0-the-complete-giro-archive?r=1dxhp&utm_medium=ios
Appreciate that Spencer!