Most overrated (good) rider in the peloton?

[Pozzovivo]

Wait, who overrated Jens Voigt? The guy won almost 50 races in his 30s and 40s and finished 2nd in Liège.

His extremely (un)likeable personality has brought him the standing he has in pro cycling. The classic "fake good guy" who "couldn't believe" and "hadn't heard or seen anything" about the notorious doping culture on his own team. Liar who got away with it.

The definition of "use the most energy needlessly to gain TV-attention" through his entire career. Most support riders could do their work without showing every tv-viewer how hard they work. "Turning himself inside out" as the dull commentators were saying. Complete pretender.

Not a single big win in his career.

Those 50 wins you talk about are in which races again? Mostly backyard crits. Jakub mareczko stuff.

Yeah, so that's how I really feel...

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Apparently he nearly broke a 5 km running record during some morning run.

It was like a massive gps malfunction or something lol. He claimed to have run a 13:25 5k

 

[Andre]

I take back what I said about Portuguese riders. I was just reacting to a poster who keeps putting down Belgian riders and belittling Remco out of reason. I was stupidly (on my part) drawn into the post. Almeida is not that bad.

 

[Charlyghoul]

His extremely (un)likeable personality has brought him the standing he has in pro cycling. The classic "fake good guy" who "couldn't believe" and "hadn't heard or seen anything" about the notorious doping culture on his own team. Liar who got away with it.

The definition of "use the most energy needlessly to gain TV-attention" through his entire career. Most support riders could do their work without showing every tv-viewer how hard they work. "Turning himself inside out" as the dull commentators were saying. Complete pretender.

Not a single big win in his career.

Those 50 wins you talk about are in which races again? Mostly backyard crits. Jakub mareczko stuff.

Yeah, so that's how I really feel...

Uncle Jens ? 🙁

 

[yaco]

Patrick Broe got the question from Benji directly. And he really hesitated on it. Saying something like he could win the tour. I think it was in the Pidcock shock exit to q36.5 pod.

Did Bruyneel really say that? Goes to show that even the clever guys get rolled by media hype sometimes.

Bruyneel definitely said similar words in a podcast in 2024.

 

[Charlyghoul]

His extremely (un)likeable personality has brought him the standing he has in pro cycling. The classic "fake good guy" who "couldn't believe" and "hadn't heard or seen anything" about the notorious doping culture on his own team. Liar who got away with it.

The definition of "use the most energy needlessly to gain TV-attention" through his entire career. Most support riders could do their work without showing every tv-viewer how hard they work. "Turning himself inside out" as the dull commentators were saying. Complete pretender.

Not a single big win in his career.

Those 50 wins you talk about are in which races again? Mostly backyard crits. Jakub mareczko stuff.

Yeah, so that's how I really feel...

But he single handedly towed the peloton through the crosswinds of France for 15 years.
He’s everybody’s favourite rouleur.
Surely not uncle Jens ?

 

[Pozzovivo]

But he single handedly towed the peloton through the crosswinds of France for 15 years.
He’s everybody’s favourite rouleur.
Surely not uncle Jens ?

Most overrated rider for that 15 year period. Not a favorite at all.

 

[hfgon1]

His extremely (un)likeable personality has brought him the standing he has in pro cycling. The classic "fake good guy" who "couldn't believe" and "hadn't heard or seen anything" about the notorious doping culture on his own team. Liar who got away with it.

The definition of "use the most energy needlessly to gain TV-attention" through his entire career. Most support riders could do their work without showing every tv-viewer how hard they work. "Turning himself inside out" as the dull commentators were saying. Complete pretender.

Not a single big win in his career.

Those 50 wins you talk about are in which races again? Mostly backyard crits. Jakub mareczko stuff.

Yeah, so that's how I really feel...

To read the name of Jens Voigt in this thread is weird for me. As a german I followed his career closely and of course you can always talk about someones attitude and there will always be different opinions. I wouldnt even say that I was a big fan of Jens Voigt. But he was a really great cyclist. Not someone who was the best in the peloton but always helpful for his captains and always someone who tried to go in the front groups and who tried attacking.

The last part is also what makes the career of Jens Voigt a great career. He was never a top class rider but he was always someone who at least tried and gave everything till the end. A lot of riders that were more talented ended their careers with not even being close to having half of his wins. Thats what made him special. He made the absolute best of his career.

He held the hour world record. He has the most wins at the Criterium International, equal with Poulidor. He won the Tour of Germany twice and is the record holder there. He won the Tour de Pologne, stages at the Giro and the Tour and even wore yellow. He rode the Tour 17 times. Thats an achievement itself. A better rider would have made more of it then 2 wins but that was his ceiling. He was never top class but made himself famous for attacking and trying. Other riders were often waiting till he attacks and the help guys in the peloton hated to see him in the front group.

In my eyes he was never overrated as everyone always knew that he wouldnt be able to win big races against the top guys of the peloton. But he was always able to make a good show and at least tried. And in my opinion that was the only thing viewers expected from him and exactly that they got.

 

[Breh]

I think Del Toro might be overrated but then again it was only his 2nd GT and he wasn't even the designated leader. He's not going to win the big one but a Giro or Vuelta? Possibly.
Funnily enough I could see him having some kind of S.Yates' career trajectory.

 

[tobydawq]

After reading a lot of comments on social media after Remco's transfer to Red Bull, I'd say Florian Lipowitz belongs in this discussion.

 

[hayneplane]

After reading a lot of comments on social media after Remco's transfer to Red Bull, I'd say Florian Lipowitz belongs in this discussion.

I think that’s fair. It was a very good achievement this year but nothing about it suggested he could go on next year to significantly close the gap to the big two.

 

[hayneplane]

I like the guy but I am feeling like you ought to at least throw Felix Gall in for discussion.

Had a very good climbing level in the 3rd week of 2023 TDF which gave new mythical climber vibes but even though he got 5th on GC this year he never looked any better than the 5th best climber even on a good route for him.

 

[proffate]

I've probably said this before, but attractive riders are usually overrated.

Fans overrate their personal favorites, and personal favorites (for both male and female fans) are often based on appearance. I see way too much adulation of Landa, Ciccone, WVA relative to their actual palmares, and I blame their looks.

This extends beyond facial bone structure. It also applies to a fluid appearance on the bike. At least that is more understandable though, of course we associate suplesse with talent. Del Toro is an example of this. I am guilty of this too. The first time I became a fan of Powless he was pedaling super smooth circles up Mt Gibraltar at TOC. Nevermind that he proceeded to blow up and be passed by 20 riders before the top.

Nobody ever overrated Bauke Mollema (sorry bro).

 

[Red Rick]

I think that’s fair. It was a very good achievement this year but nothing about it suggested he could go on next year to significantly close the gap to the big two.

So exactly the same as Evenepoel then.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

So exactly the same as Evenepoel then.

Evenepoel has other qualities though.

 

[Red Rick]

Evenepoel has other qualities though.

He does. But that's not the main thing being discussed about him usually. It's usually about what ifs and best of the rest GC riders and closing the gap all the while dropping to Pogacar and Vingegaard

 

[HashRouge]

I've probably said this before, but attractive riders are usually overrated.

Fans overrate their personal favorites, and personal favorites (for both male and female fans) are often based on appearance. I see way too much adulation of Landa, Ciccone, WVA relative to their actual palmares, and I blame their looks.

This extends beyond facial bone structure. It also applies to a fluid appearance on the bike. At least that is more understandable though, of course we associate suplesse with talent. Del Toro is an example of this. I am guilty of this too. The first time I became a fan of Powless he was pedaling super smooth circles up Mt Gibraltar at TOC. Nevermind that he proceeded to blow up and be passed by 20 riders before the top.

Nobody ever overrated Bauke Mollema (sorry bro).

I feel like you're conflating a rider's popularity with how people rate them in terms of talent. I wouldn't say Ciccone is overrated, for instance, he's just popular. And yeah, I'm sure he's more popular because he's a good looking guy (and pretty charismatic), but that doesn't mean people think he's a better rider than he actually is.

 

[proffate]

I feel like you're conflating a rider's popularity with how people rate them in terms of talent. I wouldn't say Ciccone is overrated, for instance, he's just popular. And yeah, I'm sure he's more popular because he's a good looking guy (and pretty charismatic), but that doesn't mean people think he's a better rider than he actually is.

Humans are not logical beings.

 

[Brullnux]

After reading a lot of comments on social media after Remco's transfer to Red Bull, I'd say Florian Lipowitz belongs in this discussion.

I think Lipowitz and Del Toro are in a similar bracket, in that people are understandably very hyped about them but obviously a lot remains unknown. To me both need to be a bit more established before I can say whether they are overrated, since both are riding on the hype of the breakthrough year.

 

[Tonton]

I had missed the thread, saw it today, I went through the poll, and Jens Voigt's name came first to mind...give him credit, he knew how and when to show on camera, he is the Sensei in that discipline, he met the right people at the right time...

 

[Gratemans]

Humans are not logical beings.

Sure, but that's neither here nor there. "Overrated" refers to performance here, not popularity.
I actually completely agree with your post in the context of popularity. And I'm the first one to admit I'm guilty of that too. Because yes, I like Ciccone and Landa, but it's because of their style. I'm very well aware neither of them will ever win a GT. So I like em, but I definitely don't overestimate them.

(I have a soft spot for Bauke though. But that's more because of the extremely zen-like and likeable person he is. Definitely not because of his style on the bike 😄)

 

[Pozzovivo]

I've probably said this before, but attractive riders are usually overrated.

Fans overrate their personal favorites, and personal favorites (for both male and female fans) are often based on appearance. I see way too much adulation of Landa, Ciccone, WVA relative to their actual palmares, and I blame their looks.

This extends beyond facial bone structure. It also applies to a fluid appearance on the bike. At least that is more understandable though, of course we associate suplesse with talent. Del Toro is an example of this. I am guilty of this too. The first time I became a fan of Powless he was pedaling super smooth circles up Mt Gibraltar at TOC. Nevermind that he proceeded to blow up and be passed by 20 riders before the top.

Nobody ever overrated Bauke Mollema (sorry bro).

And conversely, people disliked Froome for that very reason. Looked ghastly on the bike.

 

[Pozzovivo]

I just asked ChatGPT to provide us with the answer. Here is the top 5 list of overrated cyclists according to LLM algos.

ChatGPT:

Rank​	Rider	Overrated in…	Why (expectations vs. results)
1​	Wout van Aert	Monuments/GT stages haul	Hype for Flanders/Roubaix/Tour stage dominance vs relatively modest Monument tally (one, MSR 2020).
2​	Tom Pidcock	Road palmarès vs star profile	Mega-talent and visibility; road results (outside a few big wins) haven’t matched the aura; MTB/XCO still his strongest domain.
3​	Enric Mas	Tour GC ambitions	Regular Vuelta podium threat, but scarce wins and Tour expectations consistently exceed outcomes.
4​	David Gaudu	French GC hope status	Long-touted Tour contender; inconsistent and light on headline wins relative to the hype.
5​	Remco Evenepoel (Tour-GC context only)	Tour de France winner talk	World-class overall (Liège, Worlds, Vuelta), but the Tour-GC narrative still outpaces his Tour résumé so far.

 

[HashRouge]

Sure, but that's neither here nor there. "Overrated" refers to performance here, not popularity.
I actually completely agree with your post in the context of popularity. And I'm the first one to admit I'm guilty of that too. Because yes, I like Ciccone and Landa, but it's because of their style. I'm very well aware neither of them will ever win a GT. So I like em, but I definitely don't overestimate them.

(I have a soft spot for Bauke though. But that's more because of the extremely zen-like and likeable person he is. Definitely not because of his style on the bike 😄)

Yes, this is exactly the point I was trying to make. I completely agree that certain riders are more popular because of their looks, or their style on the bike. But popular and overrated are not the same thing.

 

[HashRouge]

I just asked ChatGPT to provide us with the answer. Here is the top 5 list of overrated cyclists according to LLM algos.

ChatGPT:

Rank​	Rider	Overrated in…	Why (expectations vs. results)
1​	Wout van Aert	Monuments/GT stages haul	Hype for Flanders/Roubaix/Tour stage dominance vs relatively modest Monument tally (one, MSR 2020).
2​	Tom Pidcock	Road palmarès vs star profile	Mega-talent and visibility; road results (outside a few big wins) haven’t matched the aura; MTB/XCO still his strongest domain.
3​	Enric Mas	Tour GC ambitions	Regular Vuelta podium threat, but scarce wins and Tour expectations consistently exceed outcomes.
4​	David Gaudu	French GC hope status	Long-touted Tour contender; inconsistent and light on headline wins relative to the hype.
5​	Remco Evenepoel (Tour-GC context only)	Tour de France winner talk	World-class overall (Liège, Worlds, Vuelta), but the Tour-GC narrative still outpaces his Tour résumé so far.

The problem for Evenepoel is that he was heralded as the second coming of Mercx from a very young age (just look at his thread on this forum!), but unfortunately for him there is a rider of a very similar age who is undeniably better than him and has a much more impressive palmares. Remco is only overrated if you compare him to Pogacar. If you simply looked at his palmares and said "here is a 25 year old cyclist who has won the Vuelta, WC RR, WC TT 2x, Olympic RR, Olympic TT, LBL 2x, 2 TdF stages", you'd think he was absolutely incredible.