Classy riders in the pro peleton

[Michele]

What about Petacchi? He's been called the 'Gentleman Sprinter'...

If he only could stop crying..

 

[uphillstruggle]

I agree with you.The common usage of the term in cycling is regarding riding style.For example Stephen Roche was regarded as being more Classy than Sean Kelly.Nothing to do with their results or personality and everything to do with style and suplesse(Excuse the spelling)
In the current peloton maybe Basso,Moncoutie,Contador,Millar,Kloeden are Classy while Voekler,Voight,Evans,Gesink, Leipheimer are not.
Just my opinion.

Agree with those. maybe I should start a best and worst riding styles thread. Evans is one of the ugliest climbers out of the saddle I have ever seen - the man looks like a crab on a bike. Chris Anker Sørensen is also pretty bad but fun to watch with the faces he pulls.

 

[jens_attacks]

maybe I should start a best and worst riding styles thread.

agree.let's have some fun

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

Oscar Freire is definitely a classy rider.
And Philippe Gilbert also, the way he can simply ruin a field while everyone has been watching him and knows he is the favourite. When Gilbert is in form he can beat almost anyone.

 

[Angliru]

I know what you mean. Maybe not classy style-wise on his bike, like say, Dave Millar, but Tommy V definitely has classy attitude to racing and ethics.

+1 One has to respect his sacrifice to keep the team intact.
I personally like the riders that pretty much just ride without much controversy but still get results. Oscar Freire is my fav along with Sammy Sanchez. A dedicated road captain like Andreas Klier has to be respected to for his tactical sense and old school ways. There is an excellent interview with him in the latest issue of the Peloton magazine.

 

[Angliru]

I agree with you.The common usage of the term in cycling is regarding riding style.For example Stephen Roche was regarded as being more Classy than Sean Kelly.Nothing to do with their results or personality and everything to do with style and suplesse(Excuse the spelling)
In the current peloton maybe Basso,Moncoutie,Contador,Millar,Kloeden are Classy while Voekler,Voight,Evans,Gesink, Leipheimer are not.
Just my opinion.

I'd be inclined to agree with your examples. Some seem to be fighting with their bikes (Evans) or just have quite an unattractive style (Leipheimer) while others just seem to float along (Contador, Petacchi when sprinting, Freire, Kloden), or just simply look like they were birthed with a bike attached to their feet (Valverde).

 

[Angliru]

Going back a bit, I remember Raul Alcala looking quite the natural on his time trial bike in the height of his career.

 

[warmfuzzies]

Contador was the classiest rider in the peloton. He always provided a refreshing breeze on his way past a rider suffering from a mechanical. The bigger the race, the stronger the breeze.