"PRO" Cycling Discussion

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team

User avatar
ave
Posts: 2136
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:15 pm
Location: Hungary

by ave

>Is anyone happy the Valverde won? He seems to have zero fans in the media or public outside spain.

That is certainly not true. I know some fans of his. Altough I'm not a fan, I'm also pretty happy with his win. He was stronger than the others.

User avatar
micky
Posts: 5765
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Vicenza
Contact:

by micky

Leviathan wrote:Name me any of the Spanish or Italian riders who get a lot of fans outside of their countries. Exclude Purito, hes catalan!


In Italy everybody was cheering for Swift to win Amstel after his good performance at Tour of Basque Country.
Just kidding, but couldn't resist. :lol:

Anyway you got a point but for example Valverde got some fans in Italy as well despite his past case with Coni.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
Leviathan
Posts: 1282
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:49 am
Location: Mallorca, Spain
Contact:

by Leviathan

of course there are national heros... But I think the anglosaxons view Southern European cyclists as "dirty cheats" wheras British, German, US cyclists who are caught doping have to be "just a misunderstanding".
Except Lance, but hes a Southerner as well.

rma
Posts: 169
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:17 pm
Location: Belo Horizonte, Brazil

by rma

I don't know if he deserves it, but after the Worlds Championship in Florence last year, I really started to dislike Valverde. Regarding his past... Well, he did his time and I just hope he (and others) are clean. "Let's hope his emotions are real"...

User avatar
shoopdawoop
Posts: 434
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:37 am

by shoopdawoop

Valverde seems to polarize opinions, I know a few die hard fans but it seems most dont like his unrepentant attitude. I wish he showed a little more remorse about his dirty past but I do love to watch the man ride uphill, hes such a racer!

On another note anyone see the tour of alberta course?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-of ... ish-cities

Really odd to me that they are avoiding the Banff area; seems like a huge missed opportunity for some epic racing and scenery.

xena
Banned
Posts: 1149
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:49 pm

by xena

I like Valverde. I like the way he rides and I don't see why he should talk about his doping past. Plenty of other riders are racing and managing teams who have done the same and seem to be quite popular. Garmin come to mind as an example.
Regards his WC performance, he stated quite clearly that he just did not have the legs. It easy for us sitting at home shouting "attack" but those guys have been on their bikes for most of the day and can't respond how we and they might want to.
I was surprised about Rodgers getting off. He has had a few dodgy connections in the past but good for him and I hope he gets in to shape to help Bertie beat those pesky Sky boys.
Great to see Dan Martin up getting in the mix today. I do like Dan. I like aggressive riders.
Xena a demi god among the digital demimonde that is WW community

http://i.imgur.com/hL5v3ai.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/131970499@N02/

petepeterson
Posts: 1402
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:58 am
Location: 604

by petepeterson

RE: ToA
It makes zero sense as to why they aren't using Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis/Jasper areas for at least one stage. It's Gov't funded to promote the province, so why exclude the epic heli shots of the rockies? Nobody comes to Alberta to visit Red Deer.... Last year's route and TV coverage was a ton of stereotypically prairie boring terrain on big roads. Not that engaging for me. The only explanation I can come up with is that the municipalities themselves pay big $ to have the stages like the Tour etc.

petepeterson
Posts: 1402
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:58 am
Location: 604

by petepeterson

Leviathan wrote:Name me any of the Spanish or Italian riders who get a lot of fans outside of their countries. Exclude Purito, hes catalan!


I'll give it a shot:

Nibali
Sanchez
Purito
Contador
Paolini
Pozzato

Geoff
Posts: 5395
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 2:25 am
Location: Canada

by Geoff

@petepeterson, the Banff Park is the jurisdiction of the Federal Crown, so that is going to be part of it. I do agree, though, that there are lots of more 'interesting' areas and terrain around here. In the end, it always comes down to logistics and $.

User avatar
stella-azzurra
Posts: 5066
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:35 am
Location: New York

by stella-azzurra

All of the old pros seem to be doing well this spring

Valverde,
Boonen,
Cancellara,
Contador,
Wiggins,
Evans

hmmm :hmm:

:twinkle: :evil:
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

User avatar
HammerTime2
Posts: 5813
Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:43 pm
Location: Wherever there's a mountain beckoning to be climbed

by HammerTime2

Yes, but not the ancient pros, such as Horner. Or the nouveau old pros, such as A. Schleck.

User avatar
Kjetil
Posts: 2853
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 1:17 pm
Location: Hamar, Norway
Contact:

by Kjetil

In Norway Luca Paolini got a rather large fanbase these days. His work at MSR was noticed.
Bianchi-Campagnolo
The Specialissima
Gylne Gutuer, the UCI 1.2 bike race I invented.

ultyguy
Posts: 2332
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 1:35 pm
Location: Geneva

by ultyguy

stella-azzurra wrote:All of the old pros seem to be doing well this spring

Valverde,
Boonen,
Cancellara,
Contador,
Wiggins,
Evans

hmmm :hmm:

:twinkle: :evil:


Funny you mention this, I actually have a theory that I started to post a few weeks ago concerning this, so I'll use your post as a springboard.

I would add Purito for sure and drop Wiggo as he wasn't a relevant road rider pre-2009, I wouldn't put Horner in there, he was good, but not in the league of these guys

I think that these old boys are hanging around more and doing well because on some level they are actually really happy that things have been cleaned up a bit and they can show everyone who they are and how great they really were regardless of the juice that they were most likely forced or at least coerced to take. All of those names mentioned above have been winners in a dirtier era and a cleaner era and I can only hope that they are relatively clean now. I believe that clean or not, all of those guys are incredible bike riders and are successful now because of this drive and the wealth of experience that they have over the rest of the peloton.

I can take or leave Valverde, but he is an amazing bike rider and don't forget was very open w/ his SRM data last TdF.

dominikk
Posts: 126
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:47 am

by dominikk

We all hope of cleaner era but ...
I dont know ...
Riding Paniagua - The Future of cycling!

User avatar
ayrej2
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:03 am
Location: London

by ayrej2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYF5DnPpJQ4

Giant Shimano doing TdF stage 2 recce up Jenkins Road, which comes around 5km from the end.... ouch!

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Locked