He's probably gone under the radar of most Brits, outside of cycling, in terms of his best results/achievements came whilst other Brit riders had larger personalities that dominated the narratives instead, and he just became part of the furniture at Sky/Ineos.
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He's probably gone under the radar of most Brits, outside of cycling, in terms of his best results/achievements came whilst other Brit riders had larger personalities that dominated the narratives instead, and he just became part of the furniture at Sky/Ineos.
- Apr 13, 2021
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So he spent the last 6 years promising to do another spring with the classics and then never did it
- Jan 27, 2012
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Au contraire, I think Geraint Thomas has been taken far more seriously than he deserves.
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Depends how you're looking at it. To still be extremely competitive as shown by still finishing on GT podium last year at 37 is unavoidable to be taken seriously. Only other obvious GC rider that springs to mind having a comparable end to a career would be Contador, although he was 3-4 years younger in his final GC podium.
- Dec 28, 2010
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I'd say more than respectable, and I feel posts like this underscores my point a bit. Thomas has a very similar palmares to Cadel Evans: same GT win/number of podiums, Thomas better in other stage races, Evans' Flèche a bit better than E3, and then there's Evans' WC which probably elevates him a bit above Thomas even if considering Thomas' two Olympic track gold medals.
Evans is held as a cycling legend for the ages in his home country while also having a great reputation elsewhere, and I'm quite sure Thomas would have a somewhat similar status in the UK if it wasn't for Wiggins/Froome having just preceded him. I think Thomas is quite unlucky in that regard. Going the other way though, you can maybe argue that Evans faced a stronger generation of opponents than what Thomas did, at least around Thomas' Tour win.
- Jan 27, 2012
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I hear what you are saying. Still I think respectable is correct. Evans career was also respectable. I respect what they have achieved in the sport. I don't don't think any of them have outstanding or remarkable careers.
- Feb 20, 2010
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Interestingly (or not as the case may be), I'm the exact opposite. In my opinion he has had an outstanding and remarkable career, but I don't respect it.
At the end of the day, given the number of people who have had careers in pro cycling since the Tour de France has been the biggest race in the sport, which is most of its lifetime as a sport, and the number of people who have won it, it's impossible not to say that the career of any Tour de France winner is outstanding.
He seems like a decent enough guy though.
At the end of the day, given the number of people who have had careers in pro cycling since the Tour de France has been the biggest race in the sport, which is most of its lifetime as a sport, and the number of people who have won it, it's impossible not to say that the career of any Tour de France winner is outstanding.
He seems like a decent enough guy though.
- Feb 20, 2012
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you don't respect how? I'm trying to look it from you pov. because he doesn't deserve it / should never have been allowed to win the TDF and should have never been allowed to be thin and more or less follow Dumo's path? (or viceversa, Dumo followed G's)?
- Feb 20, 2010
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yep sorry, my mistake. Dumo followed Wiggo's path
Tom Dumoulin: 'Bradley Wiggins showed me what's possible'
Dutchman Tom Dumoulin is fourth overall in the Vuelta a España and is hoping to move up after Wednesday's key time trial stage, taking cues from Britain's Sir Bradley Wiggins
www.cyclingweekly.com
- Nov 16, 2013
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Apart from that, doesn't he have a point?
Is it only his defensive riding style that makes his career disreputable to you? Or are track riders not allowed to reconsider their careers?
I think he has had an incredible career trajectory and is an inspiration because he has managed an entirely different work/life balance than all other world class bike riders of the time, he is a funny and as you say, very decent guy, but his racing style has of course not been attractive.
- Apr 30, 2011
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So it's because she thinks he was doping to get to where he went?
I don't think he did.
Edit: That's not to say that I accuse Horner of that, but I guess that was what you alluded to?
- Apr 30, 2011
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Horner never tested positive, and in any case it's not a subject of discussion here. I'm strictly talking about his career trajectory: he was a very late bloomer. Why wouldn't that be inspiring, if you find that of Thomas so?
- Nov 16, 2013
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- Feb 20, 2010
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Quite apart from everything else that I disagree with or find disreputable about his career trajectory and his race program over the years and how that reflects on prior statements by people connected to him, I don't think there has ever been a race where I've thought, "you know what, this race would be improved by Geraint Thomas being in it", or that I've ever thought "what a shame for the race" when he's crashed out of one. I've never wished ill on the guy, but when he's been forced to withdraw from a race I can't say I've ever missed him, or even really noticed he was gone.
I also know that Pastronef has admitted that they initially became a fan of Team Sky to be a contrarian, and as somebody who empathises with that tendency to reject what they feel to be a forced narrative, I can at least respect the hustle and dedication required in sticking up for them after all these years, but as a result I know that comparing the career paths of Thomas and Dumoulin, given when their style shifts were, at what stage in their career and at what age they took place, is disingenuous and presented as a false equivalence.
(edit: changed first phrase of second paragraph to be fairer)
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- Apr 30, 2011
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And Michael Mørkøv won gold in Tokyo. Not to mention Lasse Norman Leth, who has more track medals than Thomas.
- Nov 16, 2013
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I think you're deliberately missing my point.
Can't you just say forthright what is so terrible about Thomas instead of this annoying game where I have to guess the answers to your riddles?
- Feb 20, 2012
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I don't think it's an inspiration that he could only be assed to be great in the Tour even during his best years. Getting the piss on isn't that inspiring.
he won Paris-Nice in March, Romandie end of April., Trentino (Alps) in April, podiumed the Giro twice, in May. July WAS the goal for Sky, but Thomas knew how to ride hard not only in July
- Jul 4, 2016
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Going on the piss can be inspiring to people who crave liver failure. G is as inspiring as a damp squib.
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