A top rider that no one dislikes?

[La Pandera]

While not particularly relevant, this thread reminds me of Chris Boardman's quote about Miguel Indurain:

"Indurain makes me sick because he's actually a really nice guy. You can't actually work yourself up, there's no hate involved, no anger. He's a really nice bloke and a true champion."

Great quote, one of my all-time favorites.

 

[Arnout]

Does anyone dislike Tommy Voeckler? I can't imagine many do.

Many people don't like him, not least of all some of his teammates. I did like him in 2004, then didn't like him and now I'm indifferent. Kind of funny guy actually and he also toughened up lately.

 

[Arnout]

No, the ranking per se is not that important. I started with that to have something to go by but a guy like Jens certainly counts. He is very high profile and is certainly a top rider. I just can't be someone that is almost completely anonymous to people. Jens is certainly not anonymous.

I don't like Jens, he's always acting like he is done wrong.

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

Nibali-don't really know why, something rubs me the wrong way. Maybe the Ferrari rumours?
Hincapie-Pla d'Adet 2005. Also, talking himself up almost every year about winning roubaix.

I don't think Hincapie talks himself up about winning Roubaix. The english media talks Hincapie up.

Hincapie is actually pretty restrained and humble. He's a nice guy.

Of course he's gonna take a pr kicking in a bit. And historically he's a bit like EBH - nice guy, gets over hyped, people dislike him as a result. Of course EBH has won more pro races at 23 than Hincapie had by the time he was 33.

 

[The Hitch]

I just updated the OP with the different subtractions and additions mentioned in the thread. I also put a parenthesis around names that a borderline in terms of how well known they are. Some riders have certainly won some great wins but are so young and new that people haven't really gotten to know them well enough yet.

Look through the updated list and see if there is anyone you dislike so they should be taken off. You can also add new riders if there is anyone you think might meet the criteria.

No Szmyd
Let me explain this to you nicely In modern times, lists like this need to contain a bit of affirmitive action. The novel Easstern European is needed, and Szmyd certainly fits the bill.

PS even though hes not on your list, someone has nominated him, so the Pope doesnt count either, hes spanish as far as im

+What are these CG rankings ? And how is Samu 2nd? All i know is pro tour rankings and hes nowhere near top 3 on that.

 

[The Hitch]

Can't imagine anybody disliking Gilbert, great versatile rider, attacks when he can, good mentality, work ethic, family man...

On the other hand. He wears an earing, so that kind of balances it out.

 

[ingsve]

No Szmyd
Let me explain this to you nicely In modern times, lists like this need to contain a bit of affirmitive action. The novel Easstern European is needed, and Szmyd certainly fits the bill.

PS even though hes not on your list, someone has nominated him, so the Pope doesnt count either, hes spanish as far as im concerned.

Well I haven't added anyone except the top 30 of the CQ ranking to get things started. After that I have only added riders that people suggest. I apologize if someone else nominated him and I've missed it. I'll add Szmyd.

Who's the Pope?

 

[Mambo95]

Who's the Pope?

A Eurosport nickname. Menchov - because he's frequently kissing tarmac.

 

[Nearly]

Can we put Spartacus back in? I don't think you can ignore the relationship between success and likableness which can be an inverse one. The more successful a rider is, the more people there will be with more reasons to not like the rider e.g. the Cancellara slow down. Almost no leaders are universally loved and it takes balls to lead as Cancellara showed that day. This is not a low profile nice guy contest is it?

So there has to be some counterbalancing here - why, it has been said that if LA challenged Jens to a contest as to who has the most balls then Jens would win by 5 -- and I hear no one here wanting to disqualify Jens for this reason alone (or resurrect LA for that matter - oops did I say that?)

 

[ingsve]

Can we put Spartacus back in? I don't think you can ignore the relationship between success and likableness which can be an inverse one. The more successful a rider is, the more people there will be with more reasons to not like the rider e.g. the Cancellara slow down. Almost no leaders are universally loved and it takes balls to lead as Cancellara showed that day. This is not a low profile nice guy contest is it?

So there has to be some counterbalancing here - why, it has been said that if LA challenged Jens to a contest as to who has the most balls then Jens would win by 5 -- and I hear no one here wanting to disqualify Jens for this reason alone (or resurrect LA for that matter - oops did I say that?)

No, the point is to find a rider that nobody dislikes. It does not matter why someone is disliked or if they deserge it or not. That doesn't matter. There are people who dislike Cancellara for whatever reason so he's out.

 

[The Hitch]

Can we put Spartacus back in? I don't think you can ignore the relationship between success and likableness which can be an inverse one. The more successful a rider is, the more people there will be with more reasons to not like the rider e.g. the Cancellara slow down. Almost no leaders are universally loved and it takes balls to lead as Cancellara showed that day. This is not a low profile nice guy contest is it?

So there has to be some counterbalancing here - why, it has been said that if LA challenged Jens to a contest as to who has the most balls then Jens would win by 5 -- and I hear no one here wanting to disqualify Jens for this reason alone (or resurrect LA for that matter - oops did I say that?)

Ill love canc if he follows up on his promise to go for ardennes classics and giro di lombardia. Atm im impartial to him after his actions on stage 2 and bit of hypocricy on stage 3.

 

[ingsve]

I don't like Jens, he's always acting like he is done wrong.

And there goes one of the favourites.

 

[Nearly]

And there goes one of the favourites.

..... ouch. The defence rests your honour!

 

[ingsve]

No Szmyd
Let me explain this to you nicely In modern times, lists like this need to contain a bit of affirmitive action. The novel Easstern European is needed, and Szmyd certainly fits the bill.

PS even though hes not on your list, someone has nominated him, so the Pope doesnt count either, hes spanish as far as im

+What are these CG rankings ? And how is Samu 2nd? All i know is pro tour rankings and hes nowhere near top 3 on that.

So, the Pople is Menchov. When I saw him discussed I assumed he as already on the list but I guess he was not. I'll add him until someone says they dislike him.

The CQ ranking is the cycling quotient which is a ranking that is based on the old UCI ranking before the pro tour was introduced. You find it here: http://www.cqranking.com Many people feel it's a more fair ranking than the PT since it gives credit for all races and not just the top 10% of races.

 

[The Hitch]

So, the Pople is Menchov. When I saw him discussed I assumed he as already on the list but I guess he was not. I'll add him until someone says they dislike him.

The CQ ranking is the cycling quotient which is a ranking that is based on the old UCI ranking before the pro tour was introduced. You find it here: http://www.cqranking.com Many people feel it's a more fair ranking than the PT since it gives credit for all races and not just the top 10% of races.

I do cheer against Menchov, but thats because i feel he has had his fair share of gt victories and want to give someone else ago, so i dont dislike him.

 

[blaxland]

Don,t like these riders:Menchov=boring Gt rider/The new Cadel Evans
Cancellara=Cry baby/whinger.
Ricco=Attitude su*ks
Maybe a rider like Adam Hansen should go on the list...

 

[Nearly]

I do cheer against Menchov, but thats because i feel he has had his fair share of gt victories and want to give someone else ago, so i dont dislike him.

Me too, and I did not like the fact that he appeared to be leading the charge when Schleck chucked a cog on the Tourmalet or his obvious disdain for the cycling world at large after the Chicken got tossed out of the TdF, but to say I don't like him would be going too far.

 

[The Hitch]

Me too, and I did not like the fact that he appeared to be leading the charge when Schleck chucked a cog on the Tourmalet or his obvious disdain for the cycling world at large after the Chicken got tossed out of the TdF, but to say I don't like him would be going too far.

All that , and you dont dislike him?

what on earth have the riders you do dislike done to you

 

[Nearly]

All that , and you dont dislike him?

what on earth have the riders you do dislike done to you

The rested defence was just regurgitating a tad! If Jens and Spartacus are out and the Pope is in then I am not sure I give a Ratz any more but it's not about me and the OP is challenging us all.

NB I see Blaxland has put the Pope out of my misery though.

 

[Wallace]

What about Boonen? I know his habit of sniffing coke off of 16 year old girls' behinds is kind of divisive (some are all for it, others jealous, a few genuinely offended), but he seems like a nice guy. And he's usually honest when he loses about having been beaten by someone who had better legs that day.

 

[meandmygitane]

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".

I think the only thing that makes EBH "disliked" is his godawful fanboys - "better TT than Cancellara! Future GT-winner! Faster than Cavendish! Better climber than Schleck and more punch than Gilbert".
Guilt by association.

Edvald himself is modest and down-to-earth, his fans - not so very much.
(Edvald for worlds' ITT and Hushovd for the RR? )

 

[Ferminal]

I think the only thing that makes EBH "disliked" is his godawful fanboys - "better TT than Cancellara! Future GT-winner! Faster than Cavendish! Better climber than Schleck and more punch than Gilbert".
Guilt by association.

Edvald himself is modest and down-to-earth, his fans - not so very much.
(Edvald for worlds' ITT and Hushovd for the RR? )

Agreed, it's just as easy to dislike a rider based on the (mis)representation of them by their fans.

 

[meandmygitane]

How about Robbie Mcewen? I find him likeable enough, a rare quality in sprinters (things like excuses, asthma-medications, adaptive lenses, being CAV spoils it for the rest of them)
But others may have different opinions?

 

[jaylew]

Agreed, it's just as easy to dislike a rider based on the (mis)representation of them by their fans.

Yeah, Sagan is going to get some of that as well. I certainly wouldn't say I dislike the guy but his rabid fans are starting to turn me off to him.

I'd say a few of the guys not in parenthesis are too low profile to be considered, particularly Txurruka and Morenhout.Probably Szymd as well.

Other possible nominees - Flecha, Fédrigo, Ballan, Eisel(possibly too low a profile)

 

[Nearly]

How about Robbie Mcewen? I find him likeable enough, a rare quality in sprinters (things like excuses, asthma-medications, adaptive lenses, being CAV spoils it for the rest of them)
But others may have different opinions?

I like Robbie a lot but that view is not uiversally shared in the peleton - in fact Stuey O'Grady, another great rider and character, and Robbie reputedly do not like each other so under the rules of this thread that rules out both! I feel like a mod now.