I was on the trainer watching an old Tour of Flanders tape and started thinking about riders I liked watching. Museeuw blistering the cobbles, Eric Dekker on a solo breakaway, Michele Bartoli for his attacks uphill, etc. Anyone else care to post their favorites?

I was on the trainer watching an old Tour of Flanders tape and started thinking about riders I liked watching. Museeuw blistering the cobbles, Eric Dekker on a solo breakaway, Michele Bartoli for his attacks uphill, etc. Anyone else care to post their favorites?
Magnus Backstedt, He is the same weight as I am(219lbs) and I feel his pain as he climbs those mountains ;) good sprinter and great on the cobbles. Not a rider anymore but my all time fave was Kelly, he get my vote as he had the most distorted, twisted and knotted legs muscles in the peleton. He could fly but was always happy to work for others

I know that my favorite will be most peoples least favorite. I like Vino! That is, the former T-mobile rider that some of his own teamates didn't like, Alexandre Vinokourov. He made this years tour a little more interesting on the final stages. Sometimes he makes some unusual decisions in a race, like to dress different than his teamates just to spite them (ok, maybe he was just being patriotic to his home country). Also, the guts he showed on the last stage of the tour was awsome. Could you image how boring that final stage would have been without him? I loved how the Gerolsteiner guys couldn't do anything about him taking the time bonuses. Also, how he didn't give the sprinters a chance at the end. Too funny!

Bettini has always seemed like a classy guy. sure, he has his falts, (this year's Giro-oooops) but generally he looks like a very talented, but very appreciative & friendly little Italian. It was too funny when in this year's Zurich Grand Prix he was taking off all his warm weather clothes (leggings, jacket, armwarmers, shoe covers) all on the bike and trying to get them over his feet, and then just dropping them on the ground. Awesome.

Basso seems like a class act, also.

Dave Z is my favorite, though. So funny and so...good! from his website:

I was able to get a couple of interviews in while at the tour. I rolled up next to the Australian rider Stuart O’Grady of Cofidis and here’s what was said:

DZ: Stuart O’Grady can I ask you a question?

S.O: Yes.

DZ: Have you ever done any Kangaroo Boxing?

S.O: Negative

(another rider tells him, "you know that is going on his website?")

S.O: In that case I have done a little pub boxing.

DZ: Thanks.


Brilliant!!
:D

John Howard, one of Americas best cyclists ever. National Champion several times, Ironman champ and RAAM champion back when really light bikes were 24 lbs.

I like the regular guys: Mattan,Vogels,Tafi. My all time favorite, though, is Kelly. I sent him an old KAS jersey last year. He signed it and sent it back to me, only requesting that I reimburse him for the return postage. Like I said, I'm a fan of the regular guy.

Dave Z is my favorite, though. So funny and so...good! from his website:

I was able to get a couple of interviews in while at the tour. I rolled up next to the Australian rider Stuart O’Grady of Cofidis and here’s what was said:

DZ: Stuart O’Grady can I ask you a question?

S.O: Yes.

DZ: Have you ever done any Kangaroo Boxing?

S.O: Negative

(another rider tells him, "you know that is going on his website?")

S.O: In that case I have done a little pub boxing.

DZ: Thanks.


Brilliant!!
:D

I'm the same, I love the Bettini but Zabriskis sense of humor cracks me up.

I love the DaveZ interviews from his website. All I have to do is say "Thanks for the Interview" to my wife and she laughs. The one concerning liquigas is by far the best though.

http://www.davezabriskie.com/pages/1/


VaughnA

Magnus Backstedt, me and him are the same size, i was bigger

got to root for the man among little boys

Mine are Pantani because I absolutely love[d] to watch him climb and liked his attacking style, and Roche because his pedaling was just beautiful to see. Current ones are Rujano and Bettini - I just like the little guys. Plus Basso though I am disappointed he is emulating Lance with a Tour-centric program this year since I really don't think it's necessary to beat Ullrich.

Never afraid to try, never afraid to work, never whines, just a real hard man on the bike, and seems like a really nice person to boot.

Sorry if I misspelled his last name.

All old guys and tough to boot. I hope Eki can come back from his injuries.

All old guys and tough to boot. I hope Eki can come back from his injuries.

I belive 2005 was supposed to be Eki's last year. Is he coming back?
I imagine Lance and Discovery wouldn't tell him no if he wanted to try another year but....he is definitely no spring chicken.

also like Jacky Durand and Jens Voight,true definitions of beastie boys.Was fortunate enough to have met Voight in person last year at TDG,a very classy guy.

Gotta put in a plug for Hincapie here. The guy's been around for so long working for his good friend all this time, and finally seems to have come into his own this season. Way to go George!

I'm dating myself here but my two favorite riders are Sean "King" Kelly and Gianni Bugno. The last of the turly classic bike racers (IMHO).

Kelly, Jalabert (last of the real all rounders IMO), Peiper (his new book is great), Breukink, Chiapucci to name a few

Kelly, Jalabert (last of the real all rounders IMO), Peiper (his new book is great), Breukink, Chiapucci to name a few

Have you ever met Peiper? What a prick!

........... Thanks for the Link !........... :D :D :D

generally, I like the aspiring, young riders. It's always interesting to see what they've achieved and their potential for future achievements. I have my eyes on Saul Raisin. Sucha cool name...maybe he has a brother named Paul Prune.

I still can't believe that Cunego and Boonen are 2 yrs older than me and have accomplished legendary feats.

I like Hincapie. Met him at a lbs and is a super nice person. very quiet but obliging to the fans. He's also the same size as me, and has given me hope that a big person can conquer the highest mountains...

From my youth: Greg L, Sean Kelly, Charly Mottet, Andy Hampsten, Frankie Andreu (quintessential regular guy among legends), Bob Hannah, Johnny O'Mara.

Today: Hincapie, Voigt, Vino, Tyler.

Museeuw is no longer among my favorites, but I did love to watch that guy race on the cobbles.

[QUOTE=Nazz44]I was on the trainer watching an old Tour of Flanders tape and started thinking about riders I liked watching. Museeuw blistering the cobbles, ....

Yes, it was amazing to see museeuw pound over the pave, all the while keeping his artificial hair impeccably positioned. Ever notice that he never rode without some type of hat once he had the hair transplant in the early '90's? :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=Nazz44]I was on the trainer watching an old Tour of Flanders tape and started thinking about riders I liked watching. Museeuw blistering the cobbles, ....

Yes, it was amazing to see museeuw pound over the pave, all the while keeping his artificial hair impeccably positioned. Ever notice that he never rode without some type of hat once he had the hair transplant in the early '90's? :rolleyes:

Ironic that Fignon's Barber is critical of someone else's hair... you weren't paying enough attention to your own client as far as I'm concerned!

No Basso fans here??!! He's always fun to watch race IMO and I'll be rooting for him this coming season. Zabriskie's got a great attitude which wins me over too.

Ironic that Fignon's Barber is critical of someone else's hair... you weren't paying enough attention to your own client as far as I'm concerned!

au contraire, monsieur Back. A balding guy with a pony tail and glasses, who would have thought could be so stylish, non? Is not the key to make work what you have? You would never catch mr.fignon wearing faux follicles on his head. No my friend, he was a real man. When you look at what is currently passing for cyclists from france, it is hard to believe that fignon and hinault are from the same country as them.

No Basso fans here??!! He's always fun to watch race IMO and I'll be rooting for him this coming season. Zabriskie's got a great attitude which wins me over too. Hard core riders who let their legs do the talking!

I havent been watching pro cycling very long
But what I have seen, I like Vino, Landis, and Boonen

This, in part, is why I like him so much:

Voigt injured
Team CSC's Jens Voigt took a tumble on Sunday while warming up for a cross country race in his hometown of Dassow, tearing three ligaments in his right shoulder. Further examination in a Berlin hospital will decide whether the 34 year-old needs surgery to heal the wound. "I wanted to jump over a tree trunk, but I wasn't fast enough," he said. "It's too bad, but not tragic neither - it's not that I lost a leg or anything," Voigt added, speaking to Radsportnews.com. The preparation for the coming season will not be disturbed by the accident, he said.

Courtesy of Susan Westemeyer

The story is from cyclingnews.com.

From way back, Fignon and Lemond.
Early 90s, Bugno and Chiappucci.
Mid and late 90s, Jalabert, Virenque, and Pantani.
Over the last few years I have become quite a Simoni fan.

Virenque

70's - 90's - Lucien Van Impe, Charly Mottet, Greg Lemond, Laurent Fignon & Maurizio Fondriest.
Last 5 years - Basso

But Virenque - Why?

He was an average rider who shone briefly under his own power (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt). But his actions during and after the Festina affair disqualifies him from hero status in my book. Van Impe still holds the record as far as I am concerned - 6 KOM jersies. Tricky Dickie stole most if not all of his.

How can so many people idolize Armstrong when we now know exactly how he he won the Tour? At least Virenque eventually fessed up, and his solo victories were great to watch.

Gotta put in a plug for Hincapie here. The guy's been around for so long working for his good friend all this time, and finally seems to have come into his own this season. Way to go George!


Hincapie!!!

How can so many people idolize Armstrong when we now know exactly how he he won the Tour? At least Virenque eventually fessed up, and his solo victories were great to watch.First I should point out that if I was religious, I would have dropped to my knees the day LA announced his retirement. That said he has not admitted to doping, nor has he been proven to have, unless you believe that newspapers are a substitute for due process. Virenque, however was part of the Festina "Pot Belge Club" by his own admisson. Admittedly he was facing criminal proceedings, but he was investigated by the judiciary not L'Equipe.

How can so many people idolize Armstrong when we now know exactly how he he won the Tour? At least Virenque eventually fessed up, and his solo victories were great to watch.

You mean through superior preparation along with a will to win? That is exactly how he won 7 Tours.

Most fun to watch for me was Greg Lemond and his "going nova" style of riding. He gave it his all every time.

A ten year association with Dr. Michele Ferrari and six positives for EPO. Sorry, but I am just not seeing what the difference between Richard Virenque and Lance Armstrong is. Why do Americans reserve all their bile and hate for Virenque while giving Armstrong a free pass?

To the original purpose of the thread, I found watching Virenque's lone escapes much more exciting than watching Mr. Armstrong's team bring him three or four kilometers from the finish so he could sprint for forty seconds. Armstrong never had a victory like Virenque's Paris-Tours.

With the possible exception of Laurent Jalabert, all the riders I selected were racers who were willing to lay it all on the line and go for broke in a race. I chose Jalabert because he was the last real bike racer. You have to go back to Sean Kelly to find anyone like him. What passes for racers today are not worthy of washing Kelly's chamois.

A ten year association with Dr. Michele Ferrari and six positives for EPO. Sorry, but I am just not seeing what the difference between Richard Virenque and Lance Armstrong is. Why do Americans reserve all their bile and hate for Virenque while giving Armstrong a free pass?
I don't idealize LA and I don't believe I've ever reserved any bile for RV (and since I'm having my gall bladder removed tomorrow, I'm out of the bile-reserving business for good). That said, LA's six "positives" are all from one Tour. There's still six others, all victories, you have to discount before you can say he's not a rider worthy of regard. Lotta people are doing that, but I'd like to see more evidence that the tail isn't wagging the dog.


To the original purpose of the thread, I found watching Virenque's lone escapes much more exciting than watching Mr. Armstrong's team bring him three or four kilometers from the finish so he could sprint for forty seconds. Armstrong never had a victory like Virenque's Paris-Tours.
RV's Paris-Tours was a great ride, great in large part because he returned from exile to confirm his merit, presumably drug-free. LA's had some great victories, too. When Heras or Acevedo is hauling up an HC mountain, it takes a pretty strong rider to up the speed, even for 40 seconds. I'm just not sure I see how RV's reluctant and long-delayed confession offers much of a basis for distinguishing LA from RV, especially when LA has so much more on his palmares.


With the possible exception of Laurent Jalabert, all the riders I selected were racers who were willing to lay it all on the line and go for broke in a race. I chose Jalabert because he was the last real bike racer. You have to go back to Sean Kelly to find anyone like him. What passes for racers today are not worthy of washing Kelly's chamois.
Well, I like Voigt, as I've said. I loved Jalabert, too.

A ten year association with Dr. Michele Ferrari and six positives for EPO. Sorry, but I am just not seeing what the difference between Richard Virenque and Lance Armstrong is. Why do Americans reserve all their bile and hate for Virenque while giving Armstrong a free pass?

To the original purpose of the thread, I found watching Virenque's lone escapes much more exciting than watching Mr. Armstrong's team bring him three or four kilometers from the finish so he could sprint for forty seconds. Armstrong never had a victory like Virenque's Paris-Tours.

With the possible exception of Laurent Jalabert, all the riders I selected were racers who were willing to lay it all on the line and go for broke in a race. I chose Jalabert because he was the last real bike racer. You have to go back to Sean Kelly to find anyone like him. What passes for racers today are not worthy of washing Kelly's chamois.1. I'm British
2. LA bored me rigid after winning in the style he did.
3. Whilst I'm not a LA fan. I didn't make the comparison between LA and RV.
4. RV was banned, albeit for a paltry 8 months for using EPO, Cocaine, and Heroin as part of an organised programme.

Virenque cried, lied and lied some more for YEARS until he was looking at the prospect of prison. All his teammates confessed and took their punishment like men. Virenque had to be dragged kicking and screaming to his fate. FFS he even had the neck to publish "Ma Verite". At best he may have won two jerseys moderately clean. Sure as hell wasn't 5, 6 or 7!

1. I'm British
2. LA bored me rigid after winning in the style he did.
3. Whilst I'm not a LA fan. I didn't make the comparison between LA and RV.
4. RV was banned, albeit for a paltry 8 months for using EPO, Cocaine, and Heroin as part of an organised programme.

Virenque cried, lied and lied some more for YEARS until he was looking at the prospect of prison. All his teammates confessed and took their punishment like men. Virenque had to be dragged kicking and screaming to his fate. FFS he even had the neck to publish "Ma Verite". At best he may have won two jerseys moderately clean. Sure as hell wasn't 5, 6 or 7!

And *YAWN* you are boring all us as well. Go away. Say 'hi' to David Millar for me. Thanks.

A few of mine:
Current - Zabel. Class from head to toe. A consistent performer and loyal teammate year after year.
Past - Lemond. My childhood idol and still is. I really don't care about the events of the past two or three years. Doesn't change my opinion of him a bit. Have ridden with him several times, twice when he was still racing and once after retirement. He actually asked me about my racing...
Kent Bostick - As a kid, my buddies and I were often towed down the coast by Bostick. When he would catch our group in the early morning, he'd always slow up and finish with us when he could have rolled by without much effort. He was very generous with his time and I learned a ton from him.
For the future, there are so many exciting riders to look foward to: Contador, Popovich, Valverde, Sella, Chickenman...

And *YAWN* you are boring all us as well. Go away. Say 'hi' to David Millar for me. Thanks.Sorry about the rant.
One more name that deserves a mention though - BOBKE!

A few of mine:
For the future, there are so many exciting riders to look foward to: Contador, Popovich, Valverde, Sella, Chickenman...

i enjoy the rabo riders because all of them seem to be capable of making an attack stick, with the addition of flecha next year that team is going to make more than a few DSs nervous.
the young riders i like,
1) Valverde because he is overloaded with talent
2) Popo because his work with Hincapie in the Dauphine last year, too cool
3) DaveZ because he leaves everything he has on the pavement during the TTs, he is such a powerhouse and so young
4) Sanchez and Contador as a duo. Lot of potential there, I just hope it plays out.

[QUOTE=Fogdweller]A few of mine:
Current - Zabel. Class from head to toe. A consistent performer and loyal teammate year after year.

Thank you. I can't believe it took this long to mention Zabel. He's definitely lost a step, as evidenced by his recent, and seemingly endless string of second places, but his palmares is hard to match. Plus, how many sprinters finish nearly every grand tour, and how many riders start in February only to win Paris-Tours. I dislike most sprinters, but Zabel deserves an exception.

I love the guys that try the long breakaways like Laurent Jalabert. There aren't too many guys who like to ride ahead of the pack these days, I guess because the technology is getting better, not too many of the long breakaways survive unless the breakaway group has no-name riders. There are a ton of young guys I like to watch, Popo, Valverde, Zabriskie and Boonen just to name a few that I enjoy watching.

a vote for george.
selfless man. glad he got a stage win this year
he earned it long ago.

LA has him well taken care of though...
can't wait to see how he does protected in 06
he has developing to much more then the best single day racer

tyler hamilton before phonak...just cause :D