Cancellara, ungraceful loser.

[Polyarmour]

is there a canned response to losing a classic you are favored to win? really, especially after spending the last 30k anaerobic???

Gee the guys really gave it their all, hats off the the winner, they were better today, I gave it my best, just wasnt in the cards, the chips didnt fall, thats the way the cookie crumbed, we will get them next time, balh blah blah blah. Is that what you are looking for?

Yes we would much prefer to hear shallow insincere platitudes and lies because that makes you honourable and a good sport. God forbid if anyone tells the truth, we certainly don't want to hear that. Pfft.

That win was stolen from FC, SC and maybe even PG. I don't expect any of them to be happy about it.

 

[El Pistolero]

That win wasn't stolen.

Like I said, Nuyens rode 2 hours around with a mechanical. Fabian was an idiot. A solo attack 50km from the finish is next to impossible in Flanders- Cancellara KNOWS THIS. You know, he did the exact same thing in 2007 and died on the Muur.

Why would Nuyens have to follow Cancellara in his suicide attack on the Leberg when he knows he can't? When he knows it's a stupid thing to do?

Praise Cancellara all you want, but I don't praise stupidness. And it would have been stupid from Nuyens to react to Cancellara's attack.

 

[Angliru]

Yes we would much prefer to hear shallow insincere platitudes and lies because that makes you honourable and a good sport. God forbid if anyone tells the truth, we certainly don't want to hear that. Pfft.

That win was stolen from FC, SC and maybe even PG. I don't expect any of them to be happy about it.

The "truth" is a matter of opinion in this circumstance. I noticed that you failed to respond to my question of putting you in the shoes of Nuyens who gamefully fought to the end of the race, putting himself in prime position for a good placing. It is sad that because one's favorite(s) failed to win that they have to insult and minimize the efforts of a hard fought win. This statement applies to Cancellara also who took the low road in his statements

According to someone that I'm quite certain has a much better perspective on the workings of racing at the highest order, Johann Museeuw, Nuyens rode a smart tactical race and was deserving of his victory.

 

[Polyarmour]

No one is saying that you have to like it, but if you were in the same circumstances, strong enough to stay within reach of a good finish, and found yourself able to respond to an attack at a pivotal moment in the race, are we to understand that you would have simply sat in when the 3 way sprint was taking place? Simply sitting in the back and watching it unfold, making sure to hold true to your strong principles?

Of course not. I don't blame Nick for taking his opportunities and I would expect him to do so. I'm just saying from a VIEWERS perspective it was a disappointing result.

 

[El Pistolero]

From a VIEWERS perspective, last year was a disappointing result in the cobbled classics. This year was way way way better from a viewers perspective. Everyone was glad to see Cancellara crack at the Muur except his fans. Trust me, I was at the Muur.

 

[theyoungest]

From a VIEWERS perspective, last year was a disappointing result in the cobbled classics. This year was way way way better from a viewers perspective. Everyone was glad to see Cancellara crack at the Muur except his fans. Trust me, I was at the Muur.

It was different, but equally entertaining IMO. Because I couldn't believe my eyes in both cases.

That a Muur full of Belgians liked this year's race better, I can imagine.

 

[El Pistolero]

I fail to see what's equally entertaining about an 18km time trial and an 18km with a barrage of attacks. But hey, what ever rows your boat.

 

[theyoungest]

I fail to see what's equally entertaining about an 18km time trial and an 18km with a barrage of attacks. But hey, what ever rows your boat.

Imagine Gilbert doing that 18 km time trial. You'd love it.

Oh, and it's "whatever floats your boat".

 

[lanternrouge]

Ditto. Not the first person to say what a tool cancellara is around the fans.

Can anyone expand on this?

 

[ergmonkey]

That win was stolen from FC, SC and maybe even PG.

How are you going to argue that the win might have been stolen from Gilbert?

 

[boomcie]

Imagine Gilbert doing that 18 km time trial. You'd love it.

Oh, and it's "whatever floats your boat".

Yeah, the "rows your boat" was hilarious.

And concerning the 18km solos:

if someone you cheer for wins it's always great (Gilbert for "El Pistolet"). Even if it was a boring race. If someone you cheer for wins in a nailbiter, that's even better though IMO.

Losing a boring race sucks balls, losing an exciting race also sucks, but at least that's entertaining.

So I prefer the nailbiters.

 

[The Hitch]

How are you going to argue that the win might have been stolen from Gilbert?

Exactly

Im amazed by the level of Gilbert fanboyism around here. On the RVV thread one guy said Gilbert deserved to win even. When i asked him what the hell he meant he didnt respond, though had no trouble responding to other points i made.

How on earth could the win have been stolen from Gilbert.

 

[El Pistolero]

Imagine Gilbert doing that 18 km time trial. You'd love it.

Oh, and it's "whatever floats your boat".

I'd rather have Gilbert win it in that final sprint than him to do an 18km time trial.

Just like I enjoyed Lombardia 2009 more than I enjoyed Lombardia in 2010. I fail to see how that's strange.

I don't watch the WC time trials for a reason. They're boring. And predictable.

 

[Mambo95]

This talk about fair wins and deserved wins. It's all nonsense. The first one across the line wins. End of.

Cycling is sometimes described as chess on wheels. This is wrong. In chess you can see your opponents position.

Cycling is more like poker on wheels.

Some of you will have played hold em. And you will know that the best initial hand doesn't always win.

In poker terms, here's what happened in RVV

Hammond and Hunt put the blinds in.

Everyone knew Cancellara was chip leader, but Chavanel put in a big raise.

EBH and Boom called but a small re-raise put them out.

Then Boonen put in a big raise on the flop but then Cancellara puts in a big raise.

BMC pooled their resources to make a call. So a few others called as well.

On the turn Gilbert made a big raise on the bluff, but eveyone called it.

So only three were left in. Chavanel had been holding pocket kings all along and hit a third . Fabian had had a pair of aces, but on the turn had flopped two pair - full house possible. But then, on the river, then man that they should have got rid of but didn't, Nick Nuyens (holding jack 8 clubs), pulls a flush on the last card.

That's how poker works (sort of). That's how cycling works. In poker it's a 'bad beat' but that's the way it goes. Same with cycling. People remember wins, not how they were won.

 

[Ildabaoth]

Can people stop being lazy and type the whole last name? I'm quite sloppy so it annoys me to figure out who are you talking about when you type FC, SC or NN instead of the last name. They are cyclists, not rappers, for god's sake.

 

[ergmonkey]

For all of you obstinate historical revisionists out there, I've been engaging in a little thought exercise. It turns out that Fabian Cancellara is the "real winner" of a lot more Classics than I ever realized before.

For starters, Fabian is clearly stronger than Matt Goss; Goss is "just a better sprinter." Make that win number two in Milan-San Remo 2011.

Then, Fabian is obviously a stronger solo rider than Boonen and Ballan; it just so happens that Boonen is "just a better sprinter." Make that three wins in Paris-Roubaix, counting the 2008 edition.

Then, while youth may still have been standing in his way, I'd be willing to bet that Fabian was already a better solo rider than Backstedt, Hoffman, and Hammond in 2004. Make that four (4!!!) victories in Paris-Roubaix. We've already got our new Roger De Vlaeminck.

But, of course, the real winner of this exercise is the record-tying, three-time Tour of Flanders champion, Leif Hoste.

 

[veganrob]

This talk about fair wins and deserved wins. It's all nonsense. The first one across the line wins. End of.

Cycling is sometimes described as chess on wheels. This is wrong. In chess you can see your opponents position.

Cycling is more like poker on wheels.

Some of you will have played hold em. And you will know that the best initial hand doesn't always win.

In poker terms, here's what happened in RVV

Hammond and Hunt put the blinds in.

Everyone knew Cancellara was chip leader, but Chavanel put in a big raise.

EBH and Boom called but a small re-raise put them out.

Then Boonen put in a big raise on the flop but then Cancellara puts in a big raise.

BMC pooled their resources to make a call. So a few others called as well.

On the turn Gilbert made a big raise on the bluff, but eveyone called it.

So only three were left in. Chavanel had been holding pocket kings all along and hit a third . Fabian had had a pair of aces, but on the turn had flopped two pair - full house possible. But then, on the river, then man that they should have got rid of but didn't, Nick Nuyens (holding jack 8 clubs), pulls a flush on the last card.

That's how poker works (sort of). That's how cycling works. In poker it's a 'bad beat' but that's the way it goes. Same with cycling. People remember wins, not how they were won.

Well done. Like that.

Cancellara was strong like bull, smart like tractor. ha

 

[usedtobefast]

well done. Like that.

Cancellara was strong like bull, smart like tractor. Ha

lol!!!

 

[hrotha]

I hate the fact that Cancellara's blaming the translators instead of taking responsibility for what he said.

 

[la.margna]

I lost a bit respect for FC, I have to say.

He clearly said Nuyens is not a winner for him, Nuyens is a zero.
No translation doubts.

So either you retract your statement or you stand behind it.

Maybe that's a problem at Leopard, their egos are all hanging way too high up there. Remember Babyschleck's remarks on Sastre's 2008 Tour win?
A bit more sportmanship, respect and modesty might be needed.

However, what I don't understand is why FC did not speak out at the really outrageous stuff during RVV: Leopard was a logistic catastrophe, like Johan Museeuw shouted: “Where were Cancellara's people? I saw everywhere soigneurs from Lotto and Quick-Step with water bottles - but not one from Leopard-Trek! I was all the time behind Fabian when he was in front with Chavanel. He asked everywhere for water and didn't get anything! It hurts, losing Flanders like this.”

Also record winner De Vlaeminck saw this issue as a major factor: “I like Cancellara, he attacks and races with panache. Everyone rode against him at Flanders, even the mechanics of the other teams who wouldn’t give him a bottle. That was scandalous. But he was the strongest.”

Interesting, that no word came from FC regarding this, which obviously caused the cramps... that would be something for strong and clear words (also against the own team).

 

[boomcie]

... like Johan Museeuw shouted: “Where were Cancellara's people? ...

Johan Museum shouting: that's agony...

 

[la.margna]

just reading now in the swiss paper NZZ that he was "tired" when he made the statements on Nuyens and that they were misunderstood...

whatever... if so, just simply apologise, Fabian, that easy...

 

[JA.Tri]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mambo95
"This talk about fair wins and deserved wins. It's all nonsense. The first one across the line wins. End of.

Cycling is sometimes described as chess on wheels. This is wrong. In chess you can see your opponents position.

Cycling is more like poker on wheels. (great analogy JA.Tri)

Some of you will have played hold em. And you will know that the best initial hand doesn't always win.

In poker terms, here's what happened in RVV

Hammond and Hunt put the blinds in.

Everyone knew Cancellara was chip leader, but Chavanel put in a big raise.

EBH and Boom called but a small re-raise put them out.

Then Boonen put in a big raise on the flop but then Cancellara puts in a big raise.

BMC pooled their resources to make a call. So a few others called as well.

On the turn Gilbert made a big raise on the bluff, but eveyone called it.

So only three were left in. Chavanel had been holding pocket kings all along and hit a third . Fabian had had a pair of aces, but on the turn had flopped two pair - full house possible. But then, on the river, then man that they should have got rid of but didn't, Nick Nuyens (holding jack 8 clubs), pulls a flush on the last card.

That's how poker works (sort of). That's how cycling works. In poker it's a 'bad beat' but that's the way it goes. Same with cycling. People remember wins, not how they were won."

Loved this!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ergmonkey

"For all of you obstinate historical revisionists out there, I've been engaging in a little thought exercise. It turns out that Fabian Cancellara is the "real winner" of a lot more Classics than I ever realized before.

For starters, Fabian is clearly stronger than Matt Goss; Goss is "just a better sprinter." Make that win number two in Milan-San Remo 2011.

Then, Fabian is obviously a stronger solo rider than Boonen and Ballan; it just so happens that Boonen is "just a better sprinter." Make that three wins in Paris-Roubaix, counting the 2008 edition.

Then, while youth may still have been standing in his way, I'd be willing to bet that Fabian was already a better solo rider than Backstedt, Hoffman, and Hammond in 2004. Make that four (4!!!) victories in Paris-Roubaix. We've already got our new Roger De Vlaeminck.

But, of course, the real winner of this exercise is the record-tying, three-time Tour of Flanders champion, Leif Hoste."

and this! "Chapeau"

 

[Flamin]

Just read a stunning interview with Cancellara in Het Nieuwsblad. He proved again he is pure class on and off the bike, like all people who know him say too.

F*** the media: Corriere, l'Equipe. Like Boonen said, they would love to creaty rivalry between him and Canc. Very sad. But hey, they sold some extra papers at least.

I hate the fact that Cancellara's blaming the translators instead of taking responsibility for what he said.

Lol, where you there?

 

[hrotha]

Lol, where you there?

No, but Cancellara speaks Italian, and here's the original interview. So yeah.