The most over-rated cyclists...

One cannot exactly say "Cav" is over-rated, he isn't my favourite bike rider either, but give him his due he knows how to knock off a sprint, sure he has to be carted to the finish but that's way the team is constructed with him as sprint finisher.

He made it through Le Tour without too many mishaps and won the big one at the end and good luck to him and his team, however I don't think he'll get a Gold at The London Olympics if the others wake up to how good Wiggins and Froome are and of course counter their strategy.

Bearing in mind they (The Brit's) don't have a complete Sky Team to call on and Wiggins + Froome can't ride the full distance on the front and haul back a break, even they aren't that good against a determined break without race radio to spell out what's happening up front.

But we'll see how it all pans out, there is an awful lot of good talented riders contesting this race and I wouldn't be so bold to put anything on anyone winning it really is a big lottery this time.?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by ellno#1 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

One cannot exactly say "Cav" is over-rated, he isn't my favourite bike rider either, but give him his due he knows how to knock off a sprint, sure he has to be carted to the finish but that's way the team is constructed with him as sprint finisher.

He made it through Le Tour without too many mishaps and won the big one at the end and good luck to him and his team, however I don't think he'll get a Gold at The London Olympics if the others wake up to how good Wiggins and Froome are and of course counter their strategy.

Bearing in mind they (The Brit's) don't have a complete Sky Team to call on and Wiggins + Froome can't ride the full distance on the front and haul back a break, even they aren't that good against a determined break without race radio to spell out what's happening up front.

But we'll see how it all pans out, there is an awful lot of good talented riders contesting this race and I wouldn't be so bold to put anything on anyone winning it really is a big lottery this time.?

I've just watched a replay of the London Olympics Road Race and I'm glad to see "Vinny" get a "Gold Medal", obviously he was very happy, he pulled a swifty over the other young guy he was out front with. The fact that he's retiring is a bonus for him and despite the doping allegations and suspension a couple of years back I hope his Gold is nice "Clean One" if there are no doubts then congratulations to him, he's been a great in cycling for a number of years and he will be missed in the peleton.

The bit that disturbed me was that I heard that Cavendish complained that the "Australian's Rode Negatively" and that meant he didn't win a Gold Medla. Did that mean he could suck a wheel and get a dream run or was it more to the point that his Brit Team couldn't do what was expected of them against the odds of all that Good Strong International Competition.

It would appear on the surface and by that sort of comment that the race only contained Australian's and Brit's if Cavendish is right in what he said.

As I said earlier "Cavendish Isn't Exactly My Favourite Rider" and now he's cemented that opinion by whinging like a "TYPICAL WHINGHING POM" get over it Cav, that's the world of big time cycling.

Another note, I also heard Phil Liggett say something in the nature of an uncomplementary remark about the way Australia was riding, I haven't recorded it so I can't replay what was said but it sounded as though he wasn't too happy that 'His Idol Mark Cavendish Didn't Win' and it was all the fault of Australia....................Come On Phil get with then program or give up commentary all together..........you of all people should know that it doesn't always pan out the way we expect, that's life..??

Hopefully, okhealthy will choke on his own vomit and stop posting his spam link.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by ellno#1 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

The bit that disturbed me was that I heard that Cavendish complained that the "Australian's Rode Negatively" and that meant he didn't win a Gold Medla. Did that mean he could suck a wheel and get a dream run or was it more to the point that his Brit Team couldn't do what was expected of them against the odds of all that Good Strong International Competition.

Another note, I also heard Phil Liggett say something in the nature of an uncomplementary remark about the way Australia was riding, I haven't recorded it so I can't replay what was said but it sounded as though he wasn't too happy that 'His Idol Mark Cavendish Didn't Win' and it was all the fault of Australia....................Come On Phil get with then program or give up commentary all together..........you of all people should know that it doesn't always pan out the way we expect, that's life..??

Chalk it up to feeling entitled? I dunno - we get clowns like this on my local racing circuit who huff and haw about doing work, and posturing to the rider next to them when someone attacks to go and chase them down getting visibly miffed when no one does. Go bloody chase 'em yourself, that's what I say. This here is my bike race and my only business concerns me and my team. Maybe my job is not to tow you to the finish line. What farking say do I have over someone else in different kit? None.

An announcer showing bias is a whole nother story.

The problem that we all face today is the "MEDIA" and the people in that organisation that run around feeling full of self importance with their little press passes that allow them into the lions den.

We all know the media manipulates the public in so many ways and that is unfortunate, because it also gives rise to those small brained individuals who hang on very word published and get it all wrong when a group discussion is involved.

Now having said that, if one wants to get real factual stuff, or should I say reporting that is more relevant to the facts of cycling, then our cycling journo's have it all over the daily rag types who's editors will publish stuff that sells newsprint.

A classic example is the Brit Papers, I saw a paper being held up by an OZ TV reporter and there was a full front page (Tabloid) with something about when will we get our Gold Medal, which in itself is absolute Bull***t.

Most of the World's Cycling Reporters are only really interested in true stories that enhance our beloved sport.

Eventually Wiggins was going to win a Gold Medal and that happened yesterday in the TT, I'm sure he knew it would be his, after all he had the home town advantage and being the winner of "Le Tour" stood him in first place to get that medal, without a doubt he is the "Man Of The Moment In The World Of Cycling In 2012".

If I were a betting man I could have made a few shillings on that bet, Tony Martin tried so did Mick Rogers but Wiggo had it over them, good luck to him he is what Brit cycling needed and I'm sure he'll defend the Yellow Jersey next year, that is, if he still has the same "SKY TEAM" with him and he doesn't fall off during the race and break a bone 'al la' 2011.

The only moan I have is listening to the dynamic duo of Ligget and Sherwin drone on about stuff that isn't relevant to the scene that is coming through into my lounge room and I'm fed up to the back teeth with Paul Sherwin saying "THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE TO RIDE AT THE FRONT" (when there is a crash).

We all know that if everyone rode at the front who would be at the back having a bit of a bludge, you would need the race to be run on a gigantic motorway so that everyone could ride across the road in a single line abreast, then no one would have possibilitty of touching a wheel in front and no one would have the excuse of having a crash.....................?

Enough of this I'm off to have a rest I've been up most of the night watching Olympic TV Coverage..?? TBC

Well it depends on who is rating the cyclists but I have to agree that Hincapie and Cunego have been kind-of underperformers based on their ambitions...........

Thank you
Bizworldusa

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by No_Positives [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

4. George Hincapie - Not a climber, can' t TT, has a modest sprint. What the hell is he then? I guess good enough to have his own clothing line.
3. Carlos Sastre - He won the Tour against the weakest field in history. Big deal.
2. David Millar - Name one thing this guy has won while not on the juice. Yet every TT his name is brought up as a favorite.
1. Damiano Cunego - He sucks. Pure and simple. I don't like his tree-trunk-legs-on-small-body-physique either.

Others?

I didn't have any idea on "The most over-rated cyclists". Thanks for sharing the information.

I have a lot of time for George Hincape, he's always given his team a lot of support and done a good job in my opinion, I'm sorry that he didn't get a win in The Paris - Roubaix road race, he knocked on that door several time but it just didn't open for him, I distinctly remember the race probably three or four years back when he was in a position and his handle bar stem just snapped and that was it that year.

Apart from that, a line in clothing will keep the wolf from the door after cycling is over and lets face it unless you've been a household name in many country's around the world and have huge endorsement's then life could be a bit droll and money doesn't exactly grow on a tree, well it doesn't in my yard.

As far as David Millar is concerned then he did a silly thing with his episode of drugs but there again a lot were doing it and many didn't get caught, it's a pity that our sport has this connotation of rife with drugs, public perception is obviously manipulated by the media and in a lot of cases they pick and choose who they have a gripe with, if you kiss [censored] then you'll be left out of it but if you question their integrity then "look out" it's that simple!

Carlos Satsra & Damiano Cunego don't even rate in my book, sure they've been around a while and have had their collective dial's on TV but I really don't have an opinion on either of them.

I do however get occasional reports from within the world of professional bike mechanics and some of that could be called a bit near the knuckle.....Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge, Say No More.............??TBC

Cycling using only one leg, all of the professionals would destroy the vast majority of posters on this thread in a race. The OP's command of the english language is tenuous, at best, most of the time......

Thank you
Bizworldusa

George Hincapie - Not a climber, can' t TT, has a modest sprint. What the hell is he then? I guess good enough to have his own clothing line.
Carlos Sastre - He won the Tour against the weakest field in history. Big deal.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by sachit [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

George Hincapie - Not a climber, can' t TT, has a modest sprint. What the hell is he then?

He is a well respected rider by his peers and a seemingly friendly and humble chap. He is refferred to by those he has ridden for as a tireless beast of burden and has always arrived at the start of the season prepared for the job at hand. To his accomplishment he has completed more TDFs than any rider around. Not much, but it's something.

I would tend to agree with you "bizworldusa" on those points but it would appear that you are possibly not really aware of the purpose of this forum, it is open for a discussion between like minded people.

You should also be aware that not everyone thinks alike, therefore an opinion is just that, an opinion expressed by one individual and it isn't likely to be world changing in any way shape or form.

So without wishing to cast stones at others (I too live in the proverbial glass house) there is a lot of things written on this forum that isn't exactly to my liking either, but as I have just said the interaction between posters/contributors on these forums is purely out of interest in a particular subject, "Mostly Cycling" and each of us is entitled to an opinion whatever the others might think.

Discussion is the object as far as I'm concerned, so keep on keeping on chaps..?? TBC

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by danfoz [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

He is a well respected rider by his peers and a seemingly friendly and humble chap. He is refferred to by those he has ridden for as a tireless beast of burden and has always arrived at the start of the season prepared for the job at hand. To his accomplishment he has completed more TDFs than any rider around. Not much, but it's something.

I think the "problem" is that based on coverage in the US, Hincapie is perceived as being an elite rider, whereas he actually is a super-domestique (at least based on his palmares).

Maybe it would have been different if he HADN'T buried himself in service to better riders - if he were riding for himself, his results might have been a bit more impressive. Then again, he rode for Lance/Contador/Evans in the TdF, but I don't ever recall him doing anything particularly impressive in either of the other GTs. In his prime, it appears he was probably one of the 10-15 best hard men around, but he was never one of the elite, and never had the lucky break to spring him to a career capping win.

That said, I think most people realize what Hincapie's value is, and he's probably rated pretty correctly. Maybe slightly overrated in the US because he gets so much press, but it's tough to fault a cycling reporter for taking the path of least resistance - "hmmm, we need a comment on the race....hey, let's go talk to the prominent, English-speaking, good-looking, genial, smart, and articulate guy over there!"

danfoz said:

He is a well respected rider by his peers and a seemingly friendly and humble chap. He is refferred to by those he has ridden for as a tireless beast of burden and has always arrived at the start of the season prepared for the job at hand. To his accomplishment he has completed more TDFs than any rider around. Not much, but it's something.

A lack of palmares is not necessarily a definitive statement on rider's worth or career. Palmares can be a measure of luck or any number of things that may or may not define someone as a great rider. It's entirely possible that Hincapie's efforts (as well as those of other similar riders) have carried riders to the top of a podium. I don't think he's overrated at all. He's certainly an elite rider by just about any measure. He's cut from the same sort of cloth as Jens Voigt, and I don't think anyone would say that Jens Voigt wasn't a great rider.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by alienator [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

A lack of palmares is not necessarily a definitive statement on rider's worth or career. Palmares can be a measure of luck or any number of things that may or may not define someone as a great rider. It's entirely possible that Hincapie's efforts (as well as those of other similar riders) have carried riders to the top of a podium. I don't think he's overrated at all. He's certainly an elite rider by just about any measure. He's cut from the same sort of cloth as Jens Voigt, and I don't think anyone would say that Jens Voigt wasn't a great rider.

In my mind Big George has always been a top rated elite rider/cyclisto, and yes he has worked for all the names and I'm sure he gets a lot of two way coverage in the USA

Depending on who is making the comment or commentary, one can become a hero or a villain in the wink of an eye.

It happens in all kinds of sports situations and I'm also sure most of us have experienced such as a negative rather than a positive when a sports person is being spoken about, but that's life in a world where a lot of people don't engage their brain before putting their mouth into gear.

I've actually witnessed George literally flying in the biggest of the One Day Classics, Paris - Roubaix road race and I mean flying with a whole string of others sitting his back wheel & suffering like dogs as a consequence of his unquestioned power, the pity of this is I've seen him puncture and get left out to dry while those who were bludging off his efforts just went by and left him to wait for a wheel. The number of times he deserved to win that race are well documented but "AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT" he has faltered at the last minute not because of his own inability to win, but lady luck just wasn't smiling on or riding with Big George Hincape that day.

Bike riders will come and go and we all get our favourite's, mine was Fausto Coppi way back in the days when they rode "Le Tour" on unmade roads up the mountains that are now sealed with bitumen and used by today wheeled combatants, he was the first of the hard men in that era and although coverage of road racing was none existent in those days, he still inspired me and I'm sure a lot of others of the day.

I say just enjoy what we see and have, I know how hard it is as a sport, coverage on TV is good but doesn't actually give you the feeling of the suffering one must endure to compete at that level.

TBC