Armstrong voted legend of the year in CN .com poll

[ImmaculateKadence]

Im very confused by a legend poll that includes current riders...

leg·end (ljnd)
n.
1.
a. An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical.
b. A body or collection of such stories.
c. A romanticized or popularized myth of modern times.
2. One that inspires legends or achieves legendary fame.

what exactly did lance do that inspired legend this year... Although to be fair, i would not say ill of VdB but dying is hardly legendary/inspirational either (although he is one of the greats).. i think legend is a bit extreme to be honest.. maybe rider of the year, or i dunno.. something.. but legend???

Many of the users in this forum will use "c" as the reasoning for Lance's overwhelming win in that category.

 

[auscyclefan94]

No, im dismissive of the result because most intelligent people do not feel the need to participate in polls.

People do polls becuase they lack confidence in their opinion, and desperately want what they think to be the winning option to give them some faith in themselves.

Intelligent people are perfectly happy with their thoughts and opinions and dont need them substantiated by the results of am irrelevant poll..

Therefore, logic dictates that the only people who participate in polls are stupid, making the results of the polls largely irrelevant, and does nothing for the polled except to make them think that their stupidity is acceptable and normal.

Well a lot of people voted on the poll on this forum so a lot of people must be stupid including myself. I personally are content and have confidence in my own thoughts and opinions but thought it would be a bit of fun.

Legend of the year... what a joke! If their was a category for biggest waanker of the year or biggest liar/manipulator of the year then Lance would win those polls hands down.

 

[hfer07]

I wonder how much that kind of endorsement might have cost............
this poll matches exactly the ones Versus.com does, in which regardless of the year's results, LA always tops them all .....

 

[Anonymous]

No, im dismissive of the result because most intelligent people do not feel the need to participate in polls.

People do polls becuase they lack confidence in their opinion, and desperately want what they think to be the winning option to give them some faith in themselves.

Intelligent people are perfectly happy with their thoughts and opinions and dont need them substantiated by the results of am irrelevant poll..

Therefore, logic dictates that the only people who participate in polls are stupid, making the results of the polls largely irrelevant, and does nothing for the polled except to make them think that their stupidity is acceptable and normal.

I do it because I am OCD and it just isn't okay to leave something undone. If there is a button to be pushed, I am the man for the job.

 

[Ferminal]

This is worse

Cyclingnews reader poll results - Rider of the year

1. Fabian Cancellara: 3786
2. Mark Cavendish: 3618
3. Alberto Contador: 3036
4. Lance Armstrong: 1238
5. Cadel Evans: 860
6. Andy Schleck: 675
7. Philippe Gilbert: 426
8. Steve Peat: 162
9. Marianne Vos: 143
10. Alejandro Valverde: 126

You can't argue with any of the top three, they could be picked in any order.

But yeh, apparently Armstrong had a better year than Young Schleck...

 

[rhubroma]

Wow, someone really doesn't like polls.: eek: I suppose I could say something snide about people who generalize, particularly generalize about something as meaningless as whether people vote in internet polls, but mainly I'm just left wondering where the vitriol comes from. Did your pet dog choke on a poll when you were a child, leaving you scared for life or something?

Polls simply allow us to comprehend how much humanity is a flock of sheep, more willing to base its choices on cheap propaganda than on reason and, who, not being able to reason with its own brain, prefers having some "good shepherd," or popular "hero," or demagogue do its thinking for itself. Whereas in its choices it more often replaces fact for fiction and vice versa, than basing them on the truth.

 

[karlboss]

This is worse

Cyclingnews reader poll results - Rider of the year

1. Fabian Cancellara: 3786
2. Mark Cavendish: 3618
3. Alberto Contador: 3036
4. Lance Armstrong: 1238
5. Cadel Evans: 860
6. Andy Schleck: 675
7. Philippe Gilbert: 426
8. Steve Peat: 162
9. Marianne Vos: 143
10. Alejandro Valverde: 126

You can't argue with any of the top three, they could be picked in any order.

But yeh, apparently Armstrong had a better year than Young Schleck...

Interesting list. It seems The top 3 depend on what sort of rider you like. After that maybe fanboys. Seriously Lance above Schleck and Valverde? At least they had the good grace to win.

 

[Mellow Velo]

This is worse
Cyclingnews reader poll results - Rider of the year

1. Fabian Cancellara: 3786
2. Mark Cavendish: 3618
3. Alberto Contador: 3036
4. Lance Armstrong: 1238
5. Cadel Evans: 860
6. Andy Schleck: 675
7. Philippe Gilbert: 426
8. Steve Peat: 162
9. Marianne Vos: 143
10. Alejandro Valverde: 126

You can't argue with any of the top three, they could be picked in any order.

But yeh, apparently Armstrong had a better year than Young Schleck...

CN readers certainly love Don Ale.
Personally, I can't see it. Canc is third of the three, IMO. No classic win, unless you count the Tour of Cali prologue.
His season comes down to the WCITT, the Tour prologue and his home tour.

To me, the guy who had an exceptional season, is Phil Gilbert.
Not to mention the fact that he was riding competitively in March, took a Giro stage in May, but still managed the best October, I can remember.

Lance, I make 8th.
Not much objectivity in these polls.

 

[Biscuit]

So, correct me if I'm wrong......according to our fellow CN readers 3rd place in the TdF is a better performance than 2nd place in the same race or winning the World championships or winning the Vuelta & Dauphinee Libre or winning a Paris-Tours/Lombardia double?

The Muppets have us surrounded

 

[Mellow Velo]

So, correct me if I'm wrong......according to our fellow CN readers 3rd place in the TdF is a better performance than 2nd place in the same race or winning the World championships or winning the Vuelta & Dauphinee Libre or winning a Paris-Tours/Lombardia double?

The Muppets have us surrounded

They also conveniently forgot that 2nd at the Tour, also won LBL!
Still, when so many only watch one race a year and only one man in that race....

 

[theyoungest]

Personally, I can't see it. Canc is third of the three, IMO. No classic win, unless you count the Tour of Cali prologue.
His season comes down to the WCITT, the Tour prologue and his home tour.

As far as I remember, Cancellara's spring was a complete disaster, he even pulled out of the Giro just before the Cinque Terre time trial, because it was "crazy", in his opinion. Well, I gotta say, to me that was the best time trial of the year, and it's too bad the best time trialist of the world decided not to have a go at it. Although admittedly one of the reasons why I thought the Giro time trial was so great is that it was indeed absolutely crazy

 

[bianchigirl]

Perhaps the poll should have been 'Most Popular Rider of the Year' - and maybe next time a link to a potted biog listing their achievements for the year so as to at least keep the category somewhat honest? Otherwise the CN readers who vote in polls* look extremely ill informed.

* I doubt many who bother to post actually voted

 

[elapid]

I voted because I wanted to win the bike (and I never win competitions, so I suppose I don't know why I bothered in the first place). But my votes were nothing like the majority. I've already posted a thread on the ridiculousness of the best stage race of the year being the TdF. Lance as legend, Cancellara as best rider. All hogwash for the year-round fans. Lance made a comeback, wippee. Other than win a non-sanctioned 24hr MTB race and coming 3rd in the TdF, he did nothing. That doesn't make him a legend for his efforts in 2009 or the 4th best rider. Cancellara had a terrible start to the year, won his home tour (which is a good effort, but was also possibly tailored to his strengths), and blitzed the WC TT course, but no stages and no classics. He has had much better years. Best rider has to be between Cavendish (MSR and multiple GT stage wins), Contador (TdF and multiple stage and stage race wins), and Gilbert (GT stage win and unbeatable in October and competitive throughout the year). Anyway, I'll keep plugging away for the bike in upcoming years and no doubt keep shaking my head at the results of the polls - I don't mind if they don't agree with me, but there really seems to be little logic to them sometimes!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Best stage race of the year?
Same as last year and 2007. The Paris-Nice, by some distance.

Which makes it all the more odd, that the ASO continue to serve up the borefest, that is the Tour.

 

[bianchigirl]

Maybe they should split the Tour into 3 week long races - one P-N, one in the Alps, one in the Pyrenees - might sort out the bore fest

Agreed about P-N BTW, and it's usually a great race. Gilbert as best rider. Longo for legend - still competitive at the very highest level of her sport. Best moment Menchov coming a cropper in the last Giro TT - a moment that had it all and was a fitting finale to a drama packed race.

 

[Skip Madness]

If we're all having a bash now, then my favourite poll result had to be the Best Female Road Rider. Claudia Häusler came eighth! God knows what she'll ever have to do to win it. I heard that if she walks on water next season she'll be "in contention."

 

[Bike Boy]

Best stage race of the year?
Same as last year and 2007. The Paris-Nice, by some distance.

Which makes it all the more odd, that the ASO continue to serve up the borefest, that is the Tour.

Your probably right. Lets just forget about the "tour" who cares

 

[doddy13]

So, correct me if I'm wrong......according to our fellow CN readers 3rd place in the TdF is a better performance than 2nd place in the same race or winning the World championships or winning the Vuelta & Dauphinee Libre or winning a Paris-Tours/Lombardia double?

The Muppets have us surrounded

Apparently so, but as long as Lance is around there will be lots of votes for him. He's reasonably popular in America isn't he? And according to alot of people he won 7 Tours clean.

I however wouldn't have voted Valverde - His Operacion Puerto file is beginning to loom in, and about time too. Until he's either been cleared (unlikely) i can't look at his results. As well as 3 weeks with me saying on forums "How come he's not actually banned yet?".

Anyway, does it matter?

 

[Cerberus]

if it gives you something to do for ten minutes why not..

You do realise that my original reply was intentionally nonsense dont you..

Ehm, no.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Your probably right. Lets just forget about the "tour" who cares

On the contrary, the Tour is unsurpassable, in terms of it's colour, crowds and spectacle. It is the hook that catches new followers to the sport, many of whom, go on to become ardent fans of the sport.

However, as a race, it is extremely prescribed.
We rarely get to see the best of the racing, that takes place during the opening hour of each stage.
After that, it generally follows an established pattern.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

It is the hook that catches new followers to the sport, many of whom, go on to become ardent fans of the sport.

That's how I took interest.

 

[Bike Boy]

@ Mellow velo

I'm actually on your side on this one. last couple of years Paris Nice has been like a renaissance.
I just hope you exaggerated when you made your point

 

[moi123]

legend of the year? Please no!

 

[frenchfry]

One thing is for sure, Lancey-poo is a legend in his own mind.

 

[ravens]

legend of the year? Please no!

According to "Lance: The Magazine" he is messiah of the millennium.