In that dynamic, the haters are rarely those who show up first or throw the first punch.
So fanboys are the ones throwing the first punch. At whom would they be throwing this punch then, since there are no haters present (yet)? Imaginary haters? Silent haters? Peaceful-hippie-haters? Or do you mean that simply the existence of fanboys is considered an offence in itself to (yet-to-develop/potential) haters, so they will perceive a rider actually having fans/fanboys to begin with, as a first punch in their direction? A bit like the Simpsons episode where Lisa discovers the smell of nerds is actually what sets off bullies to start bullying. Sensing the presence of fanboys praising their idol is enough fuel for non-fanboys to be considered under attack, and the need to "set things straight" and develop into full-fledged haters from there on out? Something like that?
I remember a time when the Evenepoel, topic was a place where information about the rider was shared and discussed in a normal fashion, simply with people in awe of some of the things he did, others showing interest and wanting to find out more. A lot of news articles being posted (this was a time he was simply a phenomenon in the junior ranks, not a cycling star in the WT, so most articles were in Dutch and not much was found in other media). I can't for the life of me remember "fanboys" attacking non-existent/non-present (as to your proposition) haters a priori. What i do remember is people who started becoming defensive and felt the need to have the fanboys "tone it down a notch". I remember one guy, Der Effe, who pioneered (sorry Netserk) the anti-Evenepoel movement with such conviction that led him to make the following prediction about junior rider Evenepoel in 2018:
"Will be a good laugh in a couple of years, after his fading into anomynity". A good laugh was had by all indeed. And not just due his typo. And you will need to forgive fans and fanboys to react to post(er)s like that. They simply are an open invitation.
As to your initial remark, it is obviously false. But i will say this, that after the first few non-silent, non-imaginary, non-peaceful-hippie haters have pooped the party, that neutral posters who voice concerns or offer a critical view, are then often too quickly labelled as haters. That much is true.
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