2020 World Championships - now confirmed for Imola, Italy.

[Volderke]

What the heck is so hard to understand about I do NOT like his personality?

It is very hard for me to understand how well you know his personality. I mean, I discover new personality characteristics every single day in my colleagues, my friends, my children and even my wife. Truly knowing someone takes years, lots of talks and experiences and close contact.

I doubt if you know Alaphilippe personally, or if you even know people who know him personally. I at least know some people who ride in his team. That could result in a possible bias that is favourable towards him, but I don't even dare to say anything about him, good or bad. I only know him from television and interviews. Just not enough to have an opinion, but my opinion about people I don't know is a bit biased towards 'positive' because I feel that everybody deserves a chance to give a first personal impression. I cannot 'unlike' someone before we haven't even met!

So to state that you don't like someone's personality, when you have never talked to that person, don't even understand what they are saying in their native language... It all like there is a massive barrier made mostly by a cultural difference, by not having face-to-face contact and by having massive prejudice.

 

[Breezy1985]

Great cohesive race made by Voeckler's selection.
When Martin controlled the bunch on the penultimate climb, I knew a Bergen-like attack was on the horizon.

And, more importantly, Gianni Moscon wasn't there! I think his presence would have changed the dynamic of the finale.

Who do you think Gianni would have punched?

 

[Alexandre B.]

Who do you think Gianni would have punched?

Our hopes.

 

[Breezy1985]

Our hopes.

God there couldn't be 2 more different personalities between smiley Ala and that racist twerp. Would have been a real good Vs evil battle

 

[BlueRoads]

My criteria was that they either deserve it by the way they raced (Bettini, Kwiatkowski, Pedersen), or they were the outright favourite (Cipollini, Cavendish).
Already having a good track record is a bonus (because I think WC should have shown already they are able to win a variety of big races, best example isValverde), but even in that case they still have to earn it by the way they race or being a favourite.
Pedersen wasn't a favourite but he was a very worthy winner, solely on the basis of how he helped to shape up the race.

To give a counter example: Hushovd won the WC in 2010 simply because the big favourite (Gilbert) went too early, not because Hushovd made the race / was best in the race / was the top favourite. Same with Rui Costa, and even with Evans in 2009: Cancellara made that race from beginning to end, and only lost because everybody was racing against him, not because Evans was stronger than the others in that lead group. So those wins involve more luck than outright the strongest.

In Imola 2020, Alaphilippe won because he was much stronger than anybody else and once he attacked he rode a very brave ride, and if he wasn't caught by the chase group, it wasn't becasue that chase group let him take the win. They really dug deep to catch him, but they couldn't. So for me, a very worthy winner.

I'm not entirely sure they gave all they had in the chase, but what was great to see was that he was going for the win, not a probable second. He was very probably going to lose against van Aert in the sprint, but also quite probably winning in a sprint against the others, once van Avermaet and Matthews were out.

 

[Koronin]

It is very hard for me to understand how well you know his personality. I mean, I discover new personality characteristics every single day in my colleagues, my friends, my children and even my wife. Truly knowing someone takes years, lots of talks and experiences and close contact.

I doubt if you know Alaphilippe personally, or if you even know people who know him personally. I at least know some people who ride in his team. That could result in a possible bias that is favourable towards him, but I don't even dare to say anything about him, good or bad. I only know him from television and interviews. Just not enough to have an opinion, but my opinion about people I don't know is a bit biased towards 'positive' because I feel that everybody deserves a chance to give a first personal impression. I cannot 'unlike' someone before we haven't even met!

So to state that you don't like someone's personality, when you have never talked to that person, don't even understand what they are saying in their native language... It all like there is a massive barrier made mostly by a cultural difference, by not having face-to-face contact and by having massive prejudice.

It's how his personality comes across. Many, many sports fans decide on if they like an athlete based on the personality they show publicly. It's the way he chooses to come across.
Yes, your admittance to knowing people on his team does make you bias. For fans the way an athlete comes across on TV, in interviews is the personality they are showing to the fans and allowing fans to make their decision on liking or not liking.

 

[Leinster]

I don't really doubt Pedersen is a worthy winner. He's just not a prolific winner as he's a proper hard man with a decent, but not enough to win bunch sprints sprint.

Agreed, and we've already seen him carrying bottles in the rainbow jersey this season, so he's a rider who knows his limitations. But at the same time he's a rider who gets his chances, and I hope he gets more of them in the coming years. He'll probably never win as many races as Freire, but he'll put together a good career.

 

[Anybody_but..]

Murcia 2017 solo attack from near the top of the final climb to win solo. Catalonia 2017 when he put on a master class in how to race. If you ignore the Tour and the Ardennes, Valverde can be an entertaining rider to watch, but for the most part you need to watch him race in the Spanish races for that.
Your comment is showing you want to attack me for how I decide if I like someone or not. Basically saying I should pick them the way YOU pick your favorites. Sorry you can have YOUR opinion but you do NOT get to make other people have the same opinion.

My first day, WTF is going on here?
Camulos and Koronin - as a NewBorn I must say 2 things:,

• Ala - is now one of the most amazing - amongst , PR, WvA, TP, MvDP;
• Bala - thanks God - is over - because of, let say, reasons mentioned by Camulos .

 

[Big Doopie]

A known doper denying he ever doped just makes him a lying piece of sh*t...

this.

x1000.

he cannot retire soon enough.

 

[BlueRoads]

It's how his personality comes across. Many, many sports fans decide on if they like an athlete based on the personality they show publicly. It's the way he chooses to come across.
Yes, your admittance to knowing people on his team does make you bias. For fans the way an athlete comes across on TV, in interviews is the personality they are showing to the fans and allowing fans to make their decision on liking or not liking.

I very much respect you opinion, I can understand it very well. I can't stand Ronaldo, and I don't care if I never met him personally or whether his team-mates say he's a great guy. I like Alvaro Hodeg better than Remco Evenepoel, although he's hardly the more exciting rider.
However, I think we got it now. You don't like him. It's okay.

 

[Koronin]

My first day, WTF is going on here?
Camulos and Koronin - as a NewBorn I must say 2 things:,

• Ala - is now one of the most amazing - amongst , PR, WvA, TP, MvDP;
• Bala - thanks God - is over - because of, let say, reasons mentioned by Camulos .

Your bias is showing.

You really should go over the clinic thread because that is the ONLY place this comment belongs.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The situation after the final climb was like Rio 2016 - with a guy out in front and a group of chasers within half a minute. In Rio, Fuglsang and Van Avermaet attacked from the group with a handful of kilometers to go. That's the way to do it, and it will ensure you a medal. But, of course, if you don't have the legs, it's not possible.

 

[Blanco]

A known doper denying he ever doped just makes him a lying piece of sh*t, how's that for a great personality huh.

That talk doesn't belong here.

 

[Armchaircyclist]

My criteria was that they either deserve it by the way they raced (Bettini, Kwiatkowski, Pedersen), or they were the outright favourite (Cipollini, Cavendish).
Already having a good track record is a bonus (because I think WC should have shown already they are able to win a variety of big races, best example isValverde), but even in that case they still have to earn it by the way they race or being a favourite.
Pedersen wasn't a favourite but he was a very worthy winner, solely on the basis of how he helped to shape up the race.

To give a counter example: Hushovd won the WC in 2010 simply because the big favourite (Gilbert) went too early, not because Hushovd made the race / was best in the race / was the top favourite. Same with Rui Costa, and even with Evans in 2009: Cancellara made that race from beginning to end, and only lost because everybody was racing against him, not because Evans was stronger than the others in that lead group. So those wins involve more luck than outright the strongest.

In Imola 2020, Alaphilippe won because he was much stronger than anybody else and once he attacked he rode a very brave ride, and if he wasn't caught by the chase group, it wasn't becasue that chase group let him take the win. They really dug deep to catch him, but they couldn't. So for me, a very worthy winner.

-------------------

It seems very odd to talk about deserved wins, as long as there is no foul play the win is well deserved. Hushovd won by absolutely crushing the others in exactly the kind of finish he was best at - long hard sprint in false flat like finish. He won an open sprint by more than a meter. Pedersen by contrast won by a few centimeters last year ? Sagan won in Bergen by less than 10cm after coming out from behind Kristoff at exactly the last moment. Well done and perfectly executed, and it would be silly to say it is not deserved.

 

[Camulos]

Murcia 2017 solo attack from near the top of the final climb to win solo. Catalonia 2017 when he put on a master class in how to race. If you ignore the Tour and the Ardennes, Valverde can be an entertaining rider to watch, but for the most part you need to watch him race in the Spanish races for that.
Your comment is showing you want to attack me for how I decide if I like someone or not. Basically saying I should pick them the way YOU pick your favorites. Sorry you can have YOUR opinion but you do NOT get to make other people have the same opinion.

Only 2 examples come to mind eh, one of them being in some mickey mouse race, lol. I watch the Tour and the Ardennes and he's never been animating those races like real champions do, not one heroic victory in a race that matters for Valverde, relying on your sprint and following the best is of course fair game, but it's not exactly enthralling to watch, wouldn't you say so? Seeing Ala ride is like watching a porno, Valverde's riding on the other hand is like watching a Joe Biden speech.

 

[Armchaircyclist]

Who cares about the personality of riders ? Let them speak through their sport, forget about the interviews

 

[Wvv]

Proud of how teamspirited the Belgians acted today. GVA, who for some bizarre reason is seen by some as a selfish rider, proved to ride all out for the true leader as well. Benoot, Wellens and Vliegen were brilliant too.

Wout was very strong again, and congratulations on a (however bittersweet) silver double in his very first road world championships (youth categories included).

But Alaphilippe is of course a deserving winner and will wear the jersey with class. He used his signature move to perfection on a hard (and beautiful) course. Well done Imola.

Looking forward to the WC in Belgium next year. I hope our national team will be as united, but personal ambitions and a course more suited to different riders could prove a challenge.

 

[Anybody_but..]

Your bias is showing.

You really should go over the clinic thread because that is the ONLY place this comment belongs.

My 4?th post but after a few minutes of reading of Valverde thread I must ask:
What is a kind of relationships between you and HIM?

 

[Volderke]

-------------------

It seems very odd to talk about deserved wins, as long as there is no foul play the win is well deserved. Hushovd won by absolutely crushing the others in exactly the kind of finish he was best at - long hard sprint in false flat like finish. He won an open sprint by more than a meter. Pedersen by contrast won by a few centimeters last year ? Sagan won in Bergen by less than 10cm after coming out from behind Kristoff at exactly the last moment. Well done and perfectly executed, and it would be silly to say it is not deserved.

Well, my criterium is the following question:

Who would you pick as the rider most deserving the win, and is that rider the same as the winner?

In case of Imola 2020, there is really no question about it. In some previous WC, I feel that sometimes, the most daring / strongest rider didn't win and the winner only got it by virtue of the strongest rider making tactical mistakes, or because stronger riders where looking at eachother and 'allowed' the winner to get away. Those are also beautiful races and a win is a win, but I didn't want it to turn into something negative, I only wanted to highlight the positive: this is a fully deserved win without discussion.

And it is reassuring that you know the WC will wear the rainbow jersey with pride and you'll see that jersey often deep in the finale of races.

 

[Blanco]

Only 2 examples come to mind eh, one of them being in some mickey mouse race, lol. I watch the Tour and the Ardennes and he's never been animating those races like real champions do, not one heroic victory in a race that matters for Valverde, relying on your sprint and following the best is of course fair game, but it's not exactly enthralling to watch, wouldn't you say so? Seeing Ala ride is like watching a porno, Valverde's riding on the other hand is like watching a Joe Biden speech.

So Valverde is a boring rider to you, ok we get it. To me he is not. And what now?

 

[Koronin]

Only 2 examples come to mind eh, one of them being in some mickey mouse race, lol. I watch the Tour and the Ardennes and he's never been animating those races like real champions do, not one heroic victory in a race that matters for Valverde, relying on your sprint and following the best is of course fair game, but it's not exactly enthralling to watch, wouldn't you say so? Seeing Ala ride is like watching a porno, Valverde's riding on the other hand is like watching a Joe Biden speech.

Just examples, because you couldn't believe there were any at all. Your comments are showing you didn't really want any to begin with. The Tour is not suited to his skill set and never has been. He's well know for racing smaller races and esp Spanish races very different from races outside of Spain. He's also more than happy to lose a race if people won't work with him than drag anyone to the line with him. By the way that would be YOUR definition of "real" champion. You do not get to make a definition of "real" champion for anyone else. Your last sentence needs to be removed because politics are forbidden on this site.

 

[Boes]

Riders from different nations helping their trade-teammates is one of the most disgusting traditions of the WC and I honestly find it shocking people here are complaining because of someone not doing it.

Yeah, it goes both ways though. Don't forget Dries Devenyns passed on a selection for Belgium because he didn't want to get caught in a situation where he had to chase Alaphilippe.
It al comes down to the team manager. Lefevre seems to get his guys in line even in world championships.

 

[Leinster]

I'm not entirely sure they gave all they had in the chase, but what was great to see was that he was going for the win, not a probable second. He was very probably going to lose against van Aert in the sprint, but also quite probably winning in a sprint against the others, once van Avermaet and Matthews were out.

Once a solo escape gets a gap like that, there's only one way to go, and that's flat out.

If Fuglsang and (Kwiatkowski?) had bridged to Alaphilippe rather than being caught by the other 3, it would have been an interesting finale, and you'd give Kwiat a decent chance of winning that sprint.

 

[Koronin]

My 4?th post but after a few minutes of reading of Valverde thread I must ask:
What is a kind of relationships between you and HIM?

Very good friends with his sister-in-law. Friends with several of his friends. I would say he and I are more acquaintances than friends as I haven't spoken to him personally enough to truly say friends.

 

[Camulos]

So Valverde is a boring rider to you, ok we get it. To me he is not. And what now?

Now we agree to disagree hombre.