Do You Care If Your Favourite Cyclist Is a "Nice Person"??

[cycladianpirate]

I hope the thread title makes this obvious enough.

 

[El Pistolero]

Not really, as long as they're not too obnoxious. Everything has its limits.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... I don't really have any particular favourite rider.
It's not super-important to me but I'd say you do get to "know" these guys mostly during interviews, and if they aren't at least somewhat 'nice' maybe interviewing them won't be too hard.
But of course their riding is the most important.

 

[Parrulo]

no, i like cyclists for their racing style not for who they are. for example i liked ricco and cav is my second favourite sprinter just being tommeke.

i dislike andy for his tour only approach and lack of tactical awareness, ofc the crap that comes out of his mouth doesn't help but it isn't the main reason.

for example i liked andy back when he got second at the giro and won LBL which was a very nice display of attacking riding but his tour only focus became too much for me

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I hope the thread title makes this obvious enough.

Difficult to answer. If riders wants to say something, I prefer they say whats on their mind rather then some filtered useless ****e. I really don't mind the odd verbal attack as long as it is delivered in a smart way. Whiny riders, however, are the real sinners.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

After the Bilbao stage of the 2011 Vuelta, every rider decided that after 4 hours of riding in circa 40º heat, thanklessly for most, with just two days left of racing and with the team buses all parked up in an area with no shade in sight, getting on the bus, cleaning up and so on were the priorities. The fans could come see them in the morning; posing for photos, talking to fans, signing autographs and facing that unbearable heat was of no interest to any of the riders. Except one. That one was Amets Txurruka.

 

[Richeypen]

A lot of successful athletes have that air or arrogance about them that quite often makes them come over as wazzocks in interviews. However it is often that self belief that makes them so good.


Having said that, my favourite rider is EBH and he seems like a genuinely nice person.

 

[maltiv]

Obviously, particularly those I've met. I wouldn't cheer for a guy who turned out to be a ******bag. But I also like some riders solely because of their riding style, without really knowing whether they are "nice" or not.

Important to note that being nice is not equivalent with appearing nice in the media...

 

[Mambo95]

It depends when you want them to be 'nice'.

I don't expect anyone to be nice in a race (or any sport event) or for about an hour after it. In fact, I prefer it if they're a little nasty in competition.

I play a team sport and we've always thought the best compliment paid to us was another team saying "You're a-holes on the pitch and good blokes off it. Just the way it should be". That's how I see sport.

 

[Richeypen]

Obviously, particularly those I've met. I wouldn't cheer for a guy who turned out to be a ******bag. But I also like some riders solely because of their riding style, without really knowing whether they are "nice" or not.

Important to note that being nice is not equivalent with appearing nice in the media...

That is true, however media coverage is the only clue as to their personality that we have in 99% of cases.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yes, I do. Although when I became a fan of Alberto I wasn't aware of what kind of person he is, but if he had been a jerk, I would've forgotten about him a long time ago.

 

[Parrulo]

Obviously, particularly those I've met. I wouldn't cheer for a guy who turned out to be a ******bag. But I also like some riders solely because of their riding style, without really knowing whether they are "nice" or not.

Important to note that being nice is not equivalent with appearing nice in the media...

exactly, for example most people hate mourinho because they think he is an arrogant @ss yet his players seem to absolutely love him, a big example of that is matterazzi crying like a baby when mourinho was leaving san siro with his stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gSgnvrcHcw

^^mourinho and materazzi

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I think its almost impossible to determine if a rider is "nice" on the road for a fan watching races on the telly, so I have to assume this is all about how riders behave in interviews etc.

 

[RedheadDane]

I have to say that I actually think all the riders are at least somewhat "nice". Take Cavendish, sure some people might think he comes across as an arrogant *** (I haven't actually met the guy so I wouldn't be able to judge) but look at how much he thanks the team every time he wins, even though they, if you think about it, are simply doing their job, doing what they're being paid for.

 

[jens_attacks]

not at all,i don't care.

 

[cycladianpirate]

I think its almost impossible to determine if a rider is "nice" on the road for a fan watching races on the telly, so I have to assume this is all about how riders behave in interviews etc.

That's a fair point. But isn't it possible to at least have an impression (whether justified or not??) The question is, does it matter??

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I can do without the broken record of thanking team mates all the time. I prefer when Cav says something smart, which he often does.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

That's a fair point. But isn't it possible to at least have an impression (whether justified or not??) The question is, does it matter??

Yes, but I do think the impression is largely build on what riders say rather than what they actually do on the road.

 

[El Oso]

I have to say that I actually think all the riders are at least somewhat "nice". Take Cavendish, sure some people might think he comes across as an arrogant *** (I haven't actually met the guy so I wouldn't be able to judge) but look at how much he thanks the team every time he wins, even though they, if you think about it, are simply doing their job, doing what they're being paid for.

I'm not a Cav fan because he came off to me as an arrogant a$$, but I saw him briefly (he was waiting at a stoplight on his way to the press conference) after Stage 1 of the 2010 Tour of California and he was actually very nice, polite and actually appeared humble when my wife and I congratulated him

 

[hfer07]

I don't think is about being "nice" - Is all about being "genuine/authentic & sincere" rather than a two-faced person playing "nice" for the public/media while being a despicable human being in his actions.

Indurain has been & always will be a "gentleman"-on and off the road- as a public figure & among the Peloton. he is just that & hats off to him.
On the other hand, Hinault was a tough character: rough, always direct to the point-no BS or fake attitude-perhaps despised by many, but his personality is like that & we won't see it any other way. What matters here is that he's Authentic. that's why I always like him & even today I look up to his commentaries, because unlike Merchx, he has no bias or compromise in telling the raw truth like it is.

 

[SirLes]

A lot of successful athletes have that air or arrogance about them that quite often makes them come over as wazzocks in interviews. However it is often that self belief that makes them so good.


Having said that, my favourite rider is EBH and he seems like a genuinely nice person.

It's been ages since I seen or heard the word "Wazzock". Criminally underused imo so I have made a mental note to use it more often in conversation.

Anyway: No is the answer for me although if I like the rider i will excuse all manner of things but if i don't then of course I will justify that by saying he's a bad person.

However I never understand why people get upset if riders appear arrogant if they are successful. I don't like it when riders do the whole humble winner bs. They should say something like "Today I was the best. I worked bloody hard and beat everyone and it feels great. My teammates supported me but I won becasue I was better then everyone"

Likewise I see nothing wrong in a loser saying "I lost because I screwed up" or words to that effect. The last thing I'd expect them to do is to start saying anyone was better than them! (Although it's just allowed with the qualifying "on the day" of course)

 

[The Hitch]

Yes. I like people like Anton, Contador, Froome, Sastre, Nibali for nice gestures.

 

[woodenswan]

not a definite part of the criteria. actually, i don mind some arrogance if it's coming from a rider who has the results to back it up.
on the other hand, although im not a fan of his "racing style" (see KBK), i still like Cavendish because of his mentioned attitude towards his teammates and his sense of humour

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I have to say that I actually think all the riders are at least somewhat "nice". Take Cavendish, sure some people might think he comes across as an arrogant *** (I haven't actually met the guy so I wouldn't be able to judge) but look at how much he thanks the team every time he wins, even though they, if you think about it, are simply doing their job, doing what they're being paid for.

There are times when Cavendish has been a total ***. But there are other times he's been a rock and a true friend - just ask Jonny Bellis.

People's "real life" personalities are often a lot more nuanced than their "professional" personalities.

 

[YannickQ]

It is all about how it goes with the way the ride.

I like that Cav is arrogance, he have shown that he is the best. I also like when the new guy things he is better then the old star.

To me there should be less nice guys and more people that hate each other just to spice it up at bit. All this we are all friends is BS I would like riders to come out saying they hate to lose and hate the guy they lost to.