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A top rider that no one dislikes?

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ingsve

ingsve

Mar 12, 2009
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We discuss a lot of riders here and it seems to me that most top riders have people who love them but also a significant number of people outright dislike them. I could name any top rider almost and immediately point to people who are absolute fanboys and also people who are haters.

This made me think. Is there any top, high profile rider that no one dislikes? It doesn't mean that everyone has to be a fan of them, it's ok to be indifferent but what I'm looking for is a top rider that no one outright dislikes. Does such a rider exist?

It would be easy to find some obscure rider that no one really knows about that could fit the criteria but that's not what I'm talking about. It would have to be someone who is known enough so that people have had the opportunity to make up their mind about them.

Another thing would be what I mean by dislike. It can be riders that you think are boring, arrogant, cheaters, too dominant, or anything else that has made you dislike them in some way. There could be riders that you don't have anything against personally but you might not like them because of how other people hype them or things like that. That also counts. Any rider that makes you cringe or react when they are mentioned is automatically disqualified.

I'm not sure where to start.

Her is the top 30 of the current CG ranking minus riders that I know have haters.

2. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel
6. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin
14. VISCONTI Giovanni
27. CUNEGO Damian
28. KOLOBNEV Alexandr
(29. PINOTTI Marco)
(30. GAVAZZI Francesco)

other nominees:

Christian Vandevelde
Danielle Bennati
Igor Anton
Jian Antonio Flecha
Alessandro Ballan
David Moncoutié
Ezekiel Mosquera

Borderline riders that might not be high profile enough to have had a chance to get disliked.
(Sylvester Szmyd)
(Koos Morenhout)
(Amets Txurruka)
(Dan Martin)
(Johnny Hoogerland)
(Bauke Mollema)
(Chrisitan Meier)
(Pierrick Fedrigo)
(Bernhard Eisel)
(Adam Hansen)
(Russel Downing)
(Nicholas Roche)




Now, let's start removing riders if there is someone here that you dislike and let's see who remains in the end. Also feel free to add other riders that aren't in te top 30. This was just a short list to get things started.

Everyone has unlimited veto. If one person dislikes a rider they are disqualified.
 
F

Ferminal

Jul 3, 2009
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Hmm, I'd cross Greipel, due to his "rivalry" with Cav, might upset some Cav fans.

Cross Schleck, I think people dislike his 4 weeks of racing per season approach. He has that effect on me.

Maybe Rogers because he's been a quasi-GT contender for a long time, but I think this season he's done enough to shrug that (i.e. no longer remotely a contender).

So yeh, for me, disqualify Andy Schleck.
 
Ryo Hazuki

Ryo Hazuki

Mar 31, 2010
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10. GESINK Robert
11. SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon
16. SCHLECK Andy
20. BRAJKOVIC Janez
24. FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar
25. ROGERS Michael

these I dislike
 
I

issoisso

Mar 18, 2009
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Nobody's perfect. Heck, even Freire's often accused by his teammates and directors of being extremely lazy, yet they all love him. In fact, I can't remember reading anyone saying they dislike Freire.

It's up to each person personally to set their own metrics.
Me, personally, I'll like or dislike a rider based on how friendly and respectful they are or aren't to everyone in the business, be they fans, mechanics, other riders, etc.

For example, i like Frank Schleck as he is a very nice and respectful guy who treats everyone around well. While I can't stand Andy Schleck with his enormous ego and occasional slandering of other people for no reason.

No one can please everyone. No matter what rider you come up with, you'll always find people with a good and a bad word about them.
 
A

Anonymous

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I dont think Eddy Boss has too many haters although his wayward sprinting might have upset a few other riders, and I think on the whole Cunego is pretty popular as well. Michael Rogers and Tony Martin i think probably are reasonably well liked as well. And of course, everyone loves big george hincapie ;)

on the whole i dont think there is a rider alive that is loved by the entire peloton
 
rxgqgxnyfz

rxgqgxnyfz

Apr 26, 2010
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A few people still remember that times when Nibali was second Cunego (in terms of arrogance and anti-team work attitude).

Canc got quite a substantial a flack after keeping a slow pace for Schleck when he fell on TDF stage.

Tyler's Transition ads shown so many times on Eurosport (at least 3 times for every commercial pause), he sure has a hatedom of his own now.

Schleck has been called a ***** and hypocrite for his behavior on TDF.

Cunego... Seriously? :rolleyes:
________
Xanax Rehab Dicussion
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
rxgqgxnyfz said:
Tyler's Transition ads shown so many times on Eurosport (at least 3 times for every commercial pause), he sure has a hatedom of his own now
Click to expand...

Id agree with that, no problem with him as a rider, but that ad has done enough to put me off him. I do wonder if the advert has a negative effect on his popularity.
 
taiwan

taiwan

Aug 18, 2009
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Without naming names, if I start reacting negatively to a rider it's often because I feel they're overrated or covered too much. I have to accept I'm wrong if they're living up to the hype, though.
 
M

maltiv

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hrotha said:
I happen to like Boasson Hagen a fair bit myself, but considering how many people are constantly decrying the "hype" and saying he's had a crappy season for no discernible reason maybe he could be removed.
Click to expand...
Saying someone has had a crappy season doesn't mean you dislike the rider though. For example, I think Kurt Asle Arvesen has had a crappy season, although he's my favourite rider.
 
Kazistuta

Kazistuta

Mar 19, 2009
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Nibali arrogant?? Never heard that.....

For sure A.Schleck and Spartacus gained some "haters" this summer, but I'd like to think that neither Samu, Gilbert or Purito has any real haters.

In fact I hate that haters exist. One may dislike a rider, but "hate" is such a strong word.... I myself don't hate anyone - I just feel an immense loath towards specific riders;)

EDIT: Oh yeah, add Stuart O'Grady, George Hincapie and Jens Voigt - the latter would be my favorite in this contest (what's not to like?)
 
hrotha

hrotha

Jun 10, 2010
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maltiv said:
Saying someone has had a crappy season doesn't mean you dislike the rider though. For example, I think Kurt Asle Arvesen has had a crappy season, although he's my favourite rider.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but Arvesen *has* had a crappy season, while Boasson Hagen hasn't by any stretch of the imagination. The way some people refuse to admit that and keep criticizing him at the slightest chance suggests to me they could be categorized as "haters".
 
K

khardung la

May 8, 2009
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I did not know Contador had haters :). I mean does it count Armstrong supporters or we are talking about Contador having too big an ego (or something like that)?? One can be hated for winning, but that should not count unless something else is there. Every winner will be object of envy, sadly.

Samuel Sanchez has a bunch of "haters" in Spain. The guy has an excuse always at hand, it is funny to follow his elaborated excuses (i.e. in last TdF for not being in the podium). I don't like the guy too much either.

I haven't met any person who dislikes Freire though. I know many who dislike Andy's ego, and they use to like Frank. I don't have a clear opinion about none of both.
 
sublimit

sublimit

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TeamSkyFans said:
Id agree with that, no problem with him as a rider, but that ad has done enough to put me off him. I do wonder if the advert has a negative effect on his popularity.
Click to expand...

I can cope with that ad for some reason but maybe I'm just weird. I've gone off Schleck for that ridiculous advert for Specialized though. (the one with Contador)

I cant stick Grieple, got a permanent smirk and whined about missing the Milan - Sanremo 2010.
 
The Hitch

The Hitch

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taiwan said:
Without naming names, if I start reacting negatively to a rider it's often because I feel they're overrated or covered too much. I have to accept I'm wrong if they're living up to the hype, though.
Click to expand...

Same. I like Richie Porte. But for some reason it really gets on my tits that people call him young prodigy when hes 26. As a result, i find myself not cheering for him and downplaying his achievements (that giro young jersey was a fluke you know ;))
 
N

Ney the Viking

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Voigt! I don't think i have ever heard anyone complain of Jens. He works like a horse, but have enough wins to not be "just another domestic", he is well respected in the peleton, and he is always in such a good mood! He does however tell some really weak jokes, tho I take that as a charm.

Oh and he even takes a crash with optimism, love this interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfiBbZJTx9s

edit: just as an example of jokes, when asked in late in the 2009 Tour (I think) wether Andy could still win he answered "well theres always a possiblity, I mean 5 Astana guys could be attacked by a Bear here in the Pyronees and then we could just take a smoke and take it easy all the way to Paris." :D
 
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