movingtarget wrote:KyoGrey wrote:Dodgy career progression, which allows a non-top echelon talented rider to make a big leap forward well in the 30's. Unidimensional race tactics which consists of leeching from other riders efforts. Ruins a bright Cancellara win in San Remo and suddenly is able to troll even Valverde in his own comfort zones. So, I guess some people could feel a little bit enraged at the time with this rider.
And how many riders can you identify like that ? Some people would argue, half the Sky team. Gerrans had a late start to the sport and improving as he got older was not such a big deal. Valverde received hatred for doing the same thing but when Gerrans did it the response was just over the top. What is worse ? Cancellara's whining every time he gets beat or when the weather is bad or when he wants to neutralize the race or Gerrans winning one or two good races ? Boonen never whined about getting beaten like Cancellara did. People that get enraged about sports results need to get a grip.
Yes, sports are a beautiful thing and rage is not the appropiate feeling when watching any one of them. I was objectivelly stating the reasons of the Gerrans hate by some fans, which I believe is the topic of this post.
And yes, the same questions can be asked about other riders. But that doesn't make better Gerrans sudden transformation into a terrific killer at age 32 with Orica. Even a rider like Purito, which is considered also a very late bloomer with Katusha had shown much more things at that age, and he certainly won his 2 monuments with a different style
Valverde has practised the same Gerrans race tactics on many occasions (and he was blasted also), but he has also made great pure cycling exhibitions and has been almost unanymously regarded as one of the best cycling talents of the XXI century since he was 23. Cancellara was a whiner sometimes off the road, but in races he was extraordinary in all senses. So there is a certain love/hate side for both this riders and that is what makes them so interesting. What is exactly to love about Gerrans way of riding?