Favourite Rider

[BigBoat]

There's no doping that will do jack for F1 except maybe some HGH (for the neck muscles.) A cup of coffee or some Red Bull will do the trick lol.

 

[Anonymous]

past....

1) sean kelly

then a battle between a few, chiapucchi, sean yates, robert miller, pantani, abdou, mario cippolini..

present...

tricky.. none that thrill me in the same way that some of the above did.. but..

EbH, so obvious for 2 years now he is going to special and i love being part of the "told you so" crowd

Big Jens... just find the guy hilarious, and love his riding style

Cancellara.. the wife i think is in love with him, and personal memories of the london prologue

hates....

greg lemond.. i dont know why, just something about the guy just really got on my ****

cadel.. just bores the living hell out of me

ullrich.. had no time for him then, get even less time for him now.. lazy, cheating, nothing much more to add..

unsure

contador.. i really dont know what to make of him.. sometimes i love watching him, but sometimes i hate him, and have a deap rooted distrust of him.. would i want him on my team.. yes.. would i let him babysit my kids... no.. .

 

[clydesdale]

Now

Voigt
Cancellara
Sylvain Chavanel
A. Schleck
Menchov

Then

Indurain
Bauer
Delgado
Hinault
Rooks

 

[tifosa]

So many. Right off the top of my head? Andrea Tafi. Great riding with him too: http://www.ilborghettodiandreatafi.it/

 

[mr. tibbs]

This thread is great. Every post I read, I'm going "Oh! Of course! How oculd I forget him!" And slapping myself on the forehead.

So my list, at this point, would be huge--pretty much just copypasta of all that has come before, with two additions:

1. Dave Zabriskie. What a goof. I love that he doesn't seem to take himself seriously at all (Also, Salt Lake City native, here, so I'm biased.), and

2. Marie Helene Premont. What can I say? she's tough as nails and I'm madly in love with her.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

This thread is great. Every post I read, I'm going "Oh! Of course! How oculd I forget him!" And slapping myself on the forehead.

Ditto, especially Kelly and Perico. (Follow the link. He's still awesome!).

Too many more to list!

 

[hfer07]

Past:
Fausto Coppi, Luis Ocana, Federico Bahamontes, Eddy Merxx

All 80's heroes: Bernard Hinault, Greg Lemond, Luis Herrera, Fabio Parra, Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche, Pedro Delgado, Laurent Fignon, Pascal Simon, Andy Hampsten, Phil Andersen, Urs Zimmermannm etc.

90's Only Marco Pantani

Recently: Contador, Valverde, Sastre, Schleck Brothers, Cancellara, Jens Voigt, Gilbert

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I generally like riders who sacrifice themselves for the team, for example O'Grady, Sørensen, Arvesen, Gustov, Cancellara and Voigt during last years TdF, when they killed themselves at the front of the peloton one by one - just to set up their three captains for the finale. Or someone like Michael Barry or Adam Hansen, who spend the entire day at the front to reel in the break so Cavendish can win the sprint.

 

[krebs303]

Salvatore Commesso, Pantani, Jens Voigt, Paolo Salvodelli, Joseba Beloki, Santiago Botero

 

[TRDean]

Past: Jonathon Boyer, Charlie Mottet, Phil Anderson, Leo Peelen,

Current: Absolute favorite is Kenny van Hummel, Boonen, Gilbert, Cunego, Ben King, Tom Veelers

Favorite Team: Skil-Shimano, Rabobank

Last but not least I like the style of Jens Voigt!!

 

[Sheltowee]

Maybe I over looked, but I didn't see Bobby Julich mentioned by anybody. I always liked him a great deal. Great Paris-Nice 2005 on an aluminum Soloist

 

[rhubroma]

Greg Lemond, Marco Pantani. Basta

 

[rhubroma]

No, come to think of it, all the greats from the 80's: Hinault, Fignon, Roche, Kelly, Delgado, Hampsten, Adri van der Poel, Thunisse, Motet, Dag Otto Lareson, Bruekink, Pahra, Anderson, Millar ...I realize I can't spell half these guys names.

 

[Panic Cycling]

Someone mentioned earlier that our memories are weak...
add Cippo and Julich to my list.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

There's no doping that will do jack for F1 except maybe some HGH (for the neck muscles.) A cup of coffee or some Red Bull will do the trick lol.

So not true


OT: Stijn Devolder, Tom Boonen, and my number 1: philippe Gilbert!

 

[hulkgogan]

"Nature boy" Gert-Jan Theunisse. Lunatic. Champion of the Mullet. Strongman.

Steven Rooks. Always looked like he was about to fall asleep, which somehow made me partial to the guy. Gave hilarious Dutchtastic interviews: "What's different in the amateur ranks since you were amateur?" "They ride more."

Dirk de Wolf. Belgium nutter. Hardman.

Gianni Bugno. What a headcase, what a star. Smoothest pedaller ever. Beautiful on the bike.

 

[Kennf1]

No Doubt! I followed (local kid) Eric Heiden from speed skating to cycling. Wasn't he one of the major forces behind the formation of 7-Eleven?

Yep. He started out sponsored by Schwinn as I recall. Then hooked up with the 7-Eleven team, along with Phinney, Kiefel, Steida, Shapiro, Demgen, Bradley, and Carmichael. Followed all those guys growing up.

Heiden looked comically huge on a bike in the early days. 6'2", about 210 lbs. I think he eventually trimmed down to about 180.

 

[Kazistuta]

My picks

Past:

Andrey Tchmil - His no-nonsense approach was very appealing to me.

Laurent Jalabert - A stylistic rider without comparison.

Rolf Sørensen - Was the rider who really opened my eyes towards the pro cycling scene. Efficient super-ego.


Present:

Ivan Basso - I was chocked when Basso admitted "intent to dope", but I still admire his classic smooth riding style.

Jens Voigt - As many others here: Who can resist an attacker of the mercy of God?

Samuel Sanchez - I've seen him as a less succesful version of Valverde, and especially his attacking downhill has impressed me.

Vicenzo Nibali - Got my eyes set on him after U23 WC in 2004, where he and the other young Italians were very visible. Been a fan since, really nice to see him get better and better every year.

Jacob Fuglsang - A Danish CLIMBER? Yes, and he's already shown potential (let's see him focus in Dauphine). Chris Anker Sørensen is also looking great, but Fuglsang is a GT prospect in the making due to his very decent TT skills.

 

[42x16ss]

Have to agree with many names said so far, especially Jens Voigt and Phil Anderson.

No-one has mentioned Djamolidine Abdoujaparov! The man was a loose cannon extraordinaire in a sprint. Won the sprinters classification in each GT and had one of the TDF's most spectacular crashes ever on the Champs-D'Elysee in '91 and still finished with the green jersey!

 

[franciep10]

From what I've read most posts have voigt as their favourite rider

 

[Jacques Tati]

Coolest looking rider ever....Fons De Wolf.

Others Rudy Dhaenens, Freddy Maertens, Adrie Van Der Poel.

Current Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara

All time favorite Sean Kelly

 

[Jacques Tati]

We shouldn't forget the women....Nicole Cooke

 

[verbeek]

Past - Frans Verbeeck (one of the hardest guys ever to ride a bike)-
Rene Pijnen -
Gunter Haritz -
Marc de Meyer -
Gianbattista Baronchelli -
Didi Thurau ( the coolest guy EVER on a bike) -
Eddy Merckx
Rik van Linden

Recent Past - Andy Hampsten - Sean Kelly - Laurent Fignon - Mario Chipollini-


Now - George Hincapie - Danilo De Luca - Levi Leipheimer

 

[euphrades]

This is a tough one.......

Legeds:
Eddy,Merckx, Bernard Hinault: don't think explanations are required.

Past:
Greg Lemond; did so much for cycling, gifted athlete and an inspration. H was responsible for me getting into cycling.
Sean Kelly
Pedro Delgado
Laurent Fignon
Miguel Indurain

Today:
David Millar
Ivan Basso
Alberto Contador
Lance Armstrong

Yes I put Lance in there. I like the guy and his racing style......he is from Texas and so am I. Unless you lived there then you won't understand.

 

[Green Hornet]

Floyd Landis
Lance Armstrong
Eddy Merckx

Yea - Yea - let the flames begin