mini phinney greatness

[theyoungest]

Didn't the kid win the last two editions of the Amatuer Paris Roubaix?

While I won't deny that Phinney is obviously very talented, Dimitri Kozontchuk also once won Paris-Roubaix U23. So the jury is still out.

 

[Ryaguas]

While I won't deny that Phinney is obviously very talented, Dimitri Kozontchuk also once won Paris-Roubaix U23. So the jury is still out.

Yep yep... I think that Phinney will be the next "Big George Hincapie"... not a GC contender, good in classics, some TT and some sprint...

 

[TRDean]

While I won't deny that Phinney is obviously very talented, Dimitri Kozontchuk also once won Paris-Roubaix U23. So the jury is still out.

I've seen this argument a lot...Phinney has won a ton more than just PR U23....dominating the Olympias Tour, and being world pursuit champ ain't bad either. He has a little more to his palmares than just PR.

 

[Merckx index]

Phinney is what he is. I good young rider in the flats with a bit of a sprint, a good short TT/Prologue and a decent longer TT. He's shown no climbing chops at all.

People saying he'll contend in the GC of a GT simply haven't looked at his results. It's hard to imagine him making that sort of change even at his current young age.

I heard of a guy like that who ended up winning the TDF. Several times, actually. Many times, actually.

 

[theyoungest]

I've seen this argument a lot...Phinney has won a ton more than just PR U23....dominating the Olympias Tour, and being world pursuit champ ain't bad either. He has a little more to his palmares than just PR.

That's why the part before the comma said that Phinney is a major talent. But take a look at the winners of the past 10 years and you'll know that winning Paris-Roubaix U23 in itself doesn't mean much.

 

[Red Lobster]

I expressed myself bad... I wanted to say that He is not THAT good... but of course is my opinion... and you can differ...

Okay, fair enough, especially if English isn't your first langauge . . . BUT the context of that statement was your assertion that Jesus Hernandez is a better climber than Horner, and I would have to disagree with that assessment.

 

[Ryaguas]

Okay, fair enough, especially if English isn't your first langauge . . . BUT the context of that statement was your assertion that Jesus Hernandez is a better climber than Horner, and I would have to disagree with that assessment.

Did I put Horner against Jesus??? wasn't Dani Navarro? wow I made a huge mistake there if that is true...

My main languages are French - Spanish...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

That's why the part before the comma said that Phinney is a major talent. But take a look at the winners of the past 10 years and you'll know that winning Paris-Roubaix U23 in itself doesn't mean much.

exatcly never even sene kozontchuk do well on any cobbled race. hell even robert gesink was 4th in tour of flanders u23!!

 

[Red Lobster]

Did I put Horner against Jesus??? wasn't Dani Navarro? wow I made a huge mistake there if that is true...

My main languages are French - Spanish...

Yeah, I just dug up the old post . . . .
For a third language you are doing okay!

 

[kurtinsc]

I heard of a guy like that who ended up winning the TDF. Several times, actually. Many times, actually.

That guy finished high in races with climbs before that. The tour dupont wasn't a huge race... but it had some uphills. Podiums at liege don't go to guys who can't get up a hill either.


Lance was a hilly-classics rider when younger.

Phinney hasn't shown that yet even... his good showings have almost entirely been on courses devoid of hills. Maybe if he slims down he can do something on a hilly course in the future, but it's tough to imagine him on a 15km climb of any incline doing anything.

It's much easier to imagine a Liege podium guy doing that.

 

[roundabout]

I think he meant Indurain

 

[kurtinsc]

That's why the part before the comma said that Phinney is a major talent. But take a look at the winners of the past 10 years and you'll know that winning Paris-Roubaix U23 in itself doesn't mean much.

Well winners of the Olympias Tour have fared a bit better. Boom, Clement, Dekker, Posthuma, Knaven... some decent riders in there.

Some world champs in the pursuit have done okay on the road too. Bradley McGee, Bradley Wiggins, and Boardman to some degree.

I have no idea if he'll be a star or not. But I'm betting he won't be a washout either.

 

[theyoungest]

Well winners of the Olympias Tour have fared a bit better. Boom, Clement, Dekker, Posthuma, Knaven... some decent riders in there.

Winning Olympia's Tour... sign of future greatness in Paris-Roubaix?

 

[kurtinsc]

I think he meant Indurain

When did Indurain ever not show the ability to climb? He turned pro in 1985 and won l'Avenir in 1986. That's generally a climbing race, right?

 

[roundabout]

At 20 Indurain was primarily featuring in TT's and prologues. His first 2 Avenir finishes were 38th and 50th at 20 and 21.

 

[Polish]

I agree the expectations heaped upon young Phinney are a bit over the top lol.

No - he will NOT be the next Lance Armstrong lol again.

But maybe he could be the next Greg Lemond?

 

[Merckx11]

Phinney's results far surpass Indurain at this age. When Indurain graduated high school he weighed 195 lbs. It was not clear he was a great climber until he was over 25.
Anyone who thinks they can predict Phinney won't be succesful at the grand tour level based on these specatular results at 20 is making a foolish bet.

 

[kurtinsc]

Phinney's results far surpass Indurain at this age. When Indurain graduated high school he weighed 195 lbs. It was not clear he was a great climber until he was over 25.
Anyone who thinks they can predict Phinney won't be succesful at the grand tour level based on these specatular results at 20 is making a foolish bet.

At 20, Indurain finished 2nd at the Vuelta a Andalucia. That is still way more climbing ability then Phinney has shown.

Indurain is such an outlier in terms of body type to performance that I'd go as far as to say he's the exception that proves the rule. There's also the clinic-ish rumors as to how he climbed so well that might not be as easily applied by Phinney.

While Phinney could suprise, I think it's a very good bet to think he's not going to be a GC guy in a climbing oriented race. I'm a fan and I hope he does very well... but I think it's a much better bet to think he'll do well as a sprinter, NC or TT guy then as a climber.

 

[redtreviso]

At 20, Indurain finished 2nd at the Vuelta a Andalucia. That is still way more climbing ability then Phinney has shown.

Indurain is such an outlier in terms of body type to performance that I'd go as far as to say he's the exception that proves the rule. There's also the clinic-ish rumors as to how he climbed so well that might not be as easily applied by Phinney.

While Phinney could suprise, I think it's a very good bet to think he's not going to be a GC guy in a climbing oriented race. I'm a fan and I hope he does very well... but I think it's a much better bet to think he'll do well as a sprinter, NC or TT guy then as a climber.

3 or 4 years from now mini phinney is going to look pretty silly storming up Sestriere or Alp d'Huez after claiming to have discovered high cadence all of a sudden. Oh wait..I'm thinking of someone else.

 

[kurtinsc]

3 or 4 years from now mini phinney is going to look pretty silly storming up Sestriere or Alp d'Huez after claiming to have discovered high cadence all of a sudden. Oh wait..I'm thinking of someone else.

Again... Lance showed a lot more climbing ability early in his career then Phinney has so far. Yeah, Lance wasn't a high-mountains guy until he came back from cancer... but he could handle races with significant hills at 20 and 21.

Even if Phinney has that "type" of transformation... I'd think both his starting point and maximum ability climbing wise would be much closer to Hincapie then Armstrong. He might become a good enough climber to help someone in the mountains... maybe to compete in a Tour of California type race. But not the GC in a race with real mountain tests.

 

[kurtinsc]

On another note... impressive TT win for Phinney in Utah.

He's shown prologue ability before, but I assumed Leipheimer would fairly easily beat him at the 15km TT. I'd say Leipheimer is the best TT guy he's beaten so far in his career.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Definitely an impressive win for Phinney. I'm not sure why the TT was so short though.

Tomorrow's crit will be interesting. Definitely not your average 4-corner crit. Hilly AND at elevation.

 

[flicker]

2 TTs at altitude beating Leipheimer. That kid is epic!

 

[redtreviso]

2 TTs at altitude beating Leipheimer. That kid is epic!

You are going to need a new alfalfanator...

 

[velobabee]

mini phinney

i love this you guyz. he really is anything but mini, opposite. what a beautiful soul he is, he has some magic, this one does, magical T A Y L O R takes to the sky and wins another. see more pictures of M A G I C soul T A Y L O R, son of greatness and power. friendly future coming up folks.