Conta & Evans early form...

[powderpuff]

This post is exactly my problem with Evans. That's why he's over rated in my book. Somebody called valverde over rated well valverde has won all of Evans Major podiums except for the tour.

You forgot one, the Worlds. Oh and Cadel didn't perform as well in the other Spanish major that Valverde has excelled in, "Puerto".

 

[franciep10]

You forgot one, the Worlds. Oh and Cadel didn't perform as well in the other Spanish major that Valverde has excelled in, "Puerto".

Sorry about that I thought he won it in 2005 but he came second, yeah and evans is as clean as my bike right now(I rode through mud this morning) but I'll save that for the clinic

 

[powderpuff]

Sorry about that I thought he won it in 2005 but he came second

Second, geez he may as well have come last. He is over-rated.

 

[tgsgirl]

This post is exactly my problem with Evans, his major palmares are one win an d 2nd places and even a 7th place in lbl as an acheivment. That's why he's over rated in my book. Somebody called valverde over rated well valverde has won all of Evans Major podiums except for the tour.

Well if that's your - faulty, I might add - interpretation of what "overrated" means, then the entire goddamn peloton except for Cavendish, Cancellara, Contador and Boonen are overrated

 

[Nearly]

This post is exactly my problem with Evans, his major palmares are one win an d 2nd places and even a 7th place in lbl as an acheivment. That's why he's over rated in my book. Somebody called valverde over rated well valverde has won all of Evans Major podiums except for the tour.

I am not sure anyone has overrated Valverde in fact as an all round rider he has seemed to be regarded of late as second only to Contador. I have been a fan since I saw him outsprint LA on Courchevel in the 2005 TdF when the pair seemed on a different level to the rest. Mind you Cadel was nothing then in TdF terms although he did finish 8th that year (after being ejected for not being a 'team player' at T Mobile the previous year) but he has come on in leaps and bounds (if not pole vaults) in Tour terms (his brain, heart and leg snap last year aside) whereas Valverde, as good as he has been, has languished by comparison.

Perhaps AV turned the GT corner at last year's Vuelta. If he makes the Tour this year it could be interesting as he has been superb this year (but since he only came 2nd in P-N no doubt I too am overrating him).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I can't see Valverde threatening Contador. He did win the Vuelta, but not with great might or anything. Mosquera was the better climber, Gesink even caused him a great deal of problems on the steeper parts of La Pandera, and if Evans didn't flat on Sierra Nevada, who knows what might have happened.
I'm definately not convinced of Valverde's GT chances just because he won the Vuelta.

 

[Ferminal]

This post is exactly my problem with Evans, his major palmares are one win an d 2nd places and even a 7th place in lbl as an acheivment. That's why he's over rated in my book. Somebody called valverde over rated well valverde has won all of Evans Major podiums except for the tour.

I'd say he's an underachiever, rather than being overrated.

So far in his road career, he has not fulfilled his potential. I don't think people are "overrating" him because a rider of his ability should have multiple GTs, stage races and one day wins.

 

[powderpuff]

I'd say he's an underachiever, rather than being overrated.

So far in his road career, he has not fulfilled his potential.

+1 Not far off it; but i'm sure he would have liked to have won a GT or a monument by now.

 

[franciep10]

There are a lot of riders that I consider over rated Farrar, EBH, Evans, LL Sanchez and those are riders that I like. Evans he is a good rider but he constantly under performs he has one major win and a lot of podiums in big races which is great for a good rider but not good enough for a rider that's supposed to be great.

 

[euphrades]

There are a lot of riders that I consider over rated Farrar, EBH, Evans, LL Sanchez and those are riders that I like. Evans he is a good rider but he constantly under performs he has one major win and a lot of podiums in big races which is great for a good rider but not good enough for a rider that's supposed to be great.

I agree and you can't compare LL to CE, LL has won some good races and has finished well in alot of the GTs. I also think LL has a better personality than CE.

CE can blame his poor rides on his previous team as much as he wants but why would you build a team around a guy that doesn't deliever the goods. If he was a great rider then he would have done more than he has.


As for Contador he looks good and is the heavy favorite for the Tour. One thing we have to remember is that not everyone prepares in the same manner and AC seems to have the ability to stay at a high level for a long period of time. Where as Andy Schleck takes time to build up. If i remember AS was quiet until later in the year.

 

[Ripper]

Wow folks!

Given that it tends to be the market that rates riders, not forum individuals, it always amazes me when some think a rider is overrated, while others think said rider is a star ... that tends to be the biggest flag that the extreme opinions are clouded by personal like or dislike.

For what it's worth, Valverde and Evans are both huge talents. I know Angliru has read my vents about Valv-Piti (), but the guy is still a huge talent and I would not slam his abilities. Annnnd, until last year, many would have said he was 'overrated' as a GT rider and should focus on one day races. Evans on the other hand, has tended to do better in GTs and until last year, would not have been considered a huge threat for a one day race like Worlds. So they are both talents, but obviously very different.

Evans developed himself on the MTB diet, which means he did not pick up some of the road tactics in the junior ranks. May be he should have picked things up quicker, may be not ... one could question the tactical sense of the team he was with (it seems that other than PG, they are again looking pretty feable, but that is another thread ). But he has been walking a different path over the past year and working with what he has, so good on him. Some riders work on improving their TT skills and get a lot better but still cannot win a TT, and yet they don't seem to get slammed as much.

One last thing - while I don't dislike Tommy D, he certainly seems to fit more within that potential 'overrated' mantra, given his comparatively weaker palmares and yearly hyping by many cycling websites Even Bro has the Tommy Meter going

 

[Angliru]

Surely Contadors biggest reason for winning PN was to send a message to a certain one time team mate. He had a bit of a monkey on his back after letting it slip last year. This year there can be no tweets along the lines of "great rider, but inexperienced..."

No, I think Contador's biggest reason for winning Paris-Nice is because it is his kind of race, one that he has publicly stated a tremendous love for and each time that he's ridden it he's ridden with an aggressive nature and a desire to win. I recall the first time that I really noticed him was the Paris-Nice when he went on the attack and was descending, possibly the final stage, and clipped out of his pedal almost careening into the mountainside before regaining control. P-N is a no holds barred kind of race. Right up his alley.

 

[Nearly]

Garzelli just pipped Evans by a spoke width for 2nd behind breakaway Ignatiev in T_A stage 6. CE could have done with the 2nd time bonus that Garzelli got Both closed 2 sec on Scarponi (plus respective bonuses) in the last uphill sprint. Looks like another podium in the making for Cadel but again not the top one.

 

[Von Mises]

No, I think Contador's biggest reason for winning Paris-Nice is because it is his kind of race, one that he has publicly stated a tremendous love for and each time that he's ridden it he's ridden with an aggressive nature and a desire to win. I recall the first time that I really noticed him was the Paris-Nice when he went on the attack and was descending, possibly the final stage, and clipped out of his pedal almost careening into the mountainside before regaining control. P-N is a no holds barred kind of race. Right up his alley.

Contador´s biggest reason for winning P-N is because he is the best stage racer in the world. So far I have not seen a course what does not suite him and during last 2-3 years he has been favourite in all stage races where he had entered.

All this mental stuff and sending messages is overrated. Media of course likes to hype that kind of stuff, but I think that most riders are riding for themselves (including Contador) and not for "sending messages".

 

[Publicus]

No, I think Contador's biggest reason for winning Paris-Nice is because it is his kind of race, one that he has publicly stated a tremendous love for and each time that he's ridden it he's ridden with an aggressive nature and a desire to win. I recall the first time that I really noticed him was the Paris-Nice when he went on the attack and was descending, possibly the final stage, and clipped out of his pedal almost careening into the mountainside before regaining control. P-N is a no holds barred kind of race. Right up his alley.

2007 Paris-Nice. He himself admits it basically put him on the map. Just a great race.

 

[luckyboy]

Why are people talking about AC's 'reason' for winning? Doesn't he win because he can?

"We might as well win"

 

[Oldman]

Why are people talking about AC's 'reason' for winning? Doesn't he win because he can?

"We might as well win"

+1. Not only that; he can ride most remaining races up to the Tour as good training without overcooking himself. He's already set the tone and can cultivate whatever added talent he needs for the Tour whether it be following specific riders or getting into a competitor's head (not LA; the recent pictures of him suggest he convinced Lance about 15 lbs. ago).

As for Evan's tactics or attacking abilities it's pretty clear that he defaults to his mountain-biking instincts when under pressure. His World's attack worked out for him and likely convinced him to be more agressive. He still attacks like a tractor.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Garzelli just pipped Evans by a spoke width for 2nd behind breakaway Ignatiev in T_A stage 6. CE could have done with the 2nd time bonus that Garzelli got Both closed 2 sec on Scarponi (plus respective bonuses) in the last uphill sprint. Looks like another podium in the making for Cadel but again not the top one.

Tirenno is more of a warm up race for evans for the spring. he would of liked to win but I don't think he would be devastated to lose it. I think he and gesink were caught a bit napping when scarponi went off the front in stage 4. Still it is a promising start for evans.

 

[cyclopeon]

Well if that's your - faulty, I might add - interpretation of what "overrated" means, then the entire goddamn peloton except for Cavendish, Cancellara, Contador and Boonen are overrated

Cancellara overrated too-- he was only 2nd in the final TT of the 09 Tour

 

[tgsgirl]

Cancellara overrated too-- he was only 2nd in the final TT of the 09 Tour

Eddy Merckx was second in the 1975 Paris-Roubaix

 

[karlboss]

There are a lot of riders that I consider over rated Farrar, EBH, Evans, LL Sanchez and those are riders that I like. Evans he is a good rider but he constantly under performs he has one major win and a lot of podiums in big races which is great for a good rider but not good enough for a rider that's supposed to be great.

who says he's great? Maybe this is why you think he's overrated. Ask the question of someone how good is cadel evans and see if they over rate him. For me on a one day course with hills ie mendrisio/lombardia I'd use his name as a potential winner, but expect top 5. Surprised if he finishes oustide the tope 10. Any GT he enters...if AC doesn't enter, possible winner, I expect top 5 surprised outside top 10. I don't think there are too many different expectations.
If valverde is a better rider or not is irrelevant to if one or the other is over or underrated.
Farrar for me seems overated. Took Cav once, then finished second loads of times while never once looking in contention and some say he is the second best sprinter in the world? Its far easier to overrate up and comers as the next big thing who never really deliver, difficult to overrate evans we all know how he'll do and he always does.

 

[franciep10]

who says he's great? Maybe this is why you think he's overrated. Ask the question of someone how good is cadel evans and see if they over rate him. For me on a one day course with hills ie mendrisio/lombardia I'd use his name as a potential winner, but expect top 5. Surprised if he finishes oustide the tope 10. Any GT he enters...if AC doesn't enter, possible winner, I expect top 5 surprised outside top 10. I don't think there are too many different expectations.
If valverde is a better rider or not is irrelevant to if one or the other is over or underrated.
Farrar for me seems overated. Took Cav once, then finished second loads of times while never once looking in contention and some say he is the second best sprinter in the world? Its far easier to overrate up and comers as the next big thing who never really deliver, difficult to overrate evans we all know how he'll do and he always does.

I don't think of Evans as a great rider as I said in my post I think he is a good rider but other people always put him in the great rider conversation(aussies) I totally agree with you on everything else

 

[karlboss]

I don't think of Evans as a great rider as I said in my post I think he is a good rider but other people always put him in the great rider conversation(aussies) I totally agree with you on everything else

who thinks of him as better than i described?

 

[Night Rider]

This post is exactly my problem with Evans, his major palmares are one win an d 2nd places and even a 7th place in lbl as an acheivment. That's why he's over rated in my book. Somebody called valverde over rated well valverde has won all of Evans Major podiums except for the tour.

That would have been me, and I was specifically responding to the claim of Evans being over rated as a TdF contender? In that respect all the riders I listed are more over rated than Evans in the TdF, including Valverde, he continually gets pumped a s a Tour contender and he spectacularly fails to deliver! At least Evans has been on the second step of the podium twice.

 

[Galic Ho]

That would have been me, and I was specifically responding to the claim of Evans being over rated as a TdF contender? In that respect all the riders I listed are more over rated than Evans in the TdF, including Valverde, he continually gets pumped a s a Tour contender and he spectacularly fails to deliver! At least Evans has been on the second step of the podium twice.

At least Valverde has won a Grand Tour. First trumps bridesmaid position every day of the week. Forever.