Carlos Betancur discussion thread

[tristecsinamigos]

Re:

Even if he doesn't retire his leash was short.

He can focus on his son all he wants, just like any other family man, but he still needs that income. Maybe a less demanding job.

Is really cycling more demanding than your average blue collar job? For one, he doesn't have to work 8-10 hours day picking up coffee or whatever.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Even if he doesn't retire his leash was short.

He can focus on his son all he wants, just like any other family man, but he still needs that income. Maybe a less demanding job.

Is really cycling more demanding than your average blue collar job? For one, he doesn't have to work 8-10 hours day picking up coffee or whatever.

What's more enjoyable? Having to live overseas, rarely see your family, staying in hotels all the time, riding in all weather with strange people who you barely know or working with your friends in a familiar setting and seeing your family every night?

If I was Unzúe, Betancur would be spending the off season with the Quintana Brothers, then joining Rory Sutherland here for the Australian summer.

 

[tristecsinamigos]

Re: Re:

Even if he doesn't retire his leash was short.

He can focus on his son all he wants, just like any other family man, but he still needs that income. Maybe a less demanding job.

Is really cycling more demanding than your average blue collar job? For one, he doesn't have to work 8-10 hours day picking up coffee or whatever.

What's more enjoyable? Having to live overseas, rarely see your family, staying in hotels all the time, riding in all weather with strange people who you barely know or working with your friends in a familiar setting and seeing your family every night?

If I was Unzúe, Betancur would be spending the off season with the Quintana Brothers, then joining Rory Sutherland here for the Australian summer.

But he only has to do that a few months a year, and he is making 10 or 20 times more money than he would make at a finca. He has plenty of time to spend with his family and he will have much more once he retires in a few years...

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

Even if he doesn't retire his leash was short.

He can focus on his son all he wants, just like any other family man, but he still needs that income. Maybe a less demanding job.

Is really cycling more demanding than your average blue collar job? For one, he doesn't have to work 8-10 hours day picking up coffee or whatever.

What's more enjoyable? Having to live overseas, rarely see your family, staying in hotels all the time, riding in all weather with strange people who you barely know or working with your friends in a familiar setting and seeing your family every night?

If I was Unzúe, Betancur would be spending the off season with the Quintana Brothers, then joining Rory Sutherland here for the Australian summer.

But he only has to do that a few months a year, and he is making 10 or 20 times more money than he would make at a finca. He has plenty of time to spend with his family and he will have much more once he retires in a few years...

The problem is that he'll spend more than 40 years with a low income (unless he gets a job at a cycling team).
Riders like Froome, Valverde, Contador, Cavendish, etc earn a lot of money, plus they are famous, so once they retire, either they'll become DS, or TV cycling commentators, not to mention possible marketing earning. But at least 90% of all riders won't have that luck, so they better have something else to do. Unfortunately, Betancur will probably be one ofthem.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Even if he doesn't retire his leash was short.

He can focus on his son all he wants, just like any other family man, but he still needs that income. Maybe a less demanding job.

Is really cycling more demanding than your average blue collar job? For one, he doesn't have to work 8-10 hours day picking up coffee or whatever.

What's more enjoyable? Having to live overseas, rarely see your family, staying in hotels all the time, riding in all weather with strange people who you barely know or working with your friends in a familiar setting and seeing your family every night?

If I was Unzúe, Betancur would be spending the off season with the Quintana Brothers, then joining Rory Sutherland here for the Australian summer.

But he only has to do that a few months a year, and he is making 10 or 20 times more money than he would make at a finca. He has plenty of time to spend with his family and he will have much more once he retires in a few years...

Of course. That's how I'd see it too. But does Betancur? Maybe not...

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

Maybe I am too sensitive, but I don't really enjoy reading speculation about the mental health of cyclists.

I don't think it's sensitive, speculation about someones health with no knowledge is pretty poor manners in my opinion.

 

[IndianCyclist]

If he is happy being a gregario instead of a leader, then that is his decision. His career, his life and we have to respect that. Yes he does have the talent to be the next Valverde but does not appear to have the ambition to go with it. Other riders would kill for his talent. But there are many poeple out there who have talent but choose not to do anything with it. All the criticism that has come his way was becos of his breakthrough season and the subsequent failure to live up to it. If we assume that he is a water carrier, then all that criticism goes away as there is no expectation. May be he will realize at 32 that he wants more and it may be too late but unless somebody really takes him and ignites the hunger in him, he is not going to change. 2 of the best managers in the cycling world have failed.

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

Even if he doesn't retire his leash was short.

He can focus on his son all he wants, just like any other family man, but he still needs that income. Maybe a less demanding job.

Is really cycling more demanding than your average blue collar job? For one, he doesn't have to work 8-10 hours day picking up coffee or whatever.

What's more enjoyable? Having to live overseas, rarely see your family, staying in hotels all the time, riding in all weather with strange people who you barely know or working with your friends in a familiar setting and seeing your family every night?

If I was Unzúe, Betancur would be spending the off season with the Quintana Brothers, then joining Rory Sutherland here for the Australian summer.

But he only has to do that a few months a year, and he is making 10 or 20 times more money than he would make at a finca. He has plenty of time to spend with his family and he will have much more once he retires in a few years...

The problem is that he'll spend more than 40 years with a low income (unless he gets a job at a cycling team).
Riders like Froome, Valverde, Contador, Cavendish, etc earn a lot of money, plus they are famous, so once they retire, either they'll become DS, or TV cycling commentators, not to mention possible marketing earning. But at least 90% of all riders won't have that luck, so they better have something else to do. Unfortunately, Betancur will probably be one ofthem.

I have to disagree. I believe there is an industry where he will always be in a high demand.

... yes, dieting is not going away as the population is getting fatter.

He is perfect for that! Just imagine his fat picture quickly swapped for the lean body of a pro-cyclist winning a race.

Yeah, diet pills companies will pay top dollars for his fat face

 

[liamito]

Re:

Sick at the moment. Next week he will do Poitou-Charentes followed by Plouay. With Valverde and Quintana participating in the Vuelta, Carlos will play his cards in Canada and in Lombardia.

Will he even race again this year?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Caught a very rare virus, I assume

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Caught a very rare virus, I assume

Hamburgitis?

 

[BigMac]

This is just sad.

 

[carolina]

even sadder when you think he suggested ag2r was the problem... and people believed him.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

even sadder when you think he suggested ag2r was the problem... and people believed him.

Who are these people you mention?

 

[roundabout]

Re:

even sadder when you think he suggested ag2r was the problem... and people believed him.

That was just Ryo being Ryo

 

[carolina]

just search "ag2r fault" in this topic and you'll find some people.

also, would unzue give him a two year contract if he didn't think that ag2r was the problem?

 

[Gigs_98]

But next year he will come back for sure, right? RIGHT?

 

[jsem94]

He's like the Balotelli of cycling.... wtf.

 

[Moviestar]

Fully recovered from his illness and back to training in Pays-Basque.

 

[Durden93]

People have to stop dwelling on the past. Regardless of how talented he once was, that cyclist is gone. He can still have a great career, but only if people let go of his past. I don't really think it is fair for people to talk about what might have been instead of what he is doing.

 

[MacBAir]

Re:

People have to stop dwelling on the past. Regardless of how talented he once was, that cyclist is gone. He can still have a great career, but only if people let go of his past. I don't really think it is fair for people to talk about what might have been instead of what he is doing.

Tyler, this is cycling. No matter what happens to him, we know what he is capable off. We will always want to see that rider back.

 

[liamito]

There he is. :surprised:

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Either he or everyone else is gonna finish outside of the time limit.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Still no DNS or DNF? Is this really happening?

 

[liamito]

Still no DNS or DNF? Is this really happening?

He is already leading the chase. His shape should be pretty terrible though, even poor Malori is allowed to stay in the wheels for now.