New to cycling world, Can anyone help out?

[Afrank]

Yes, you could probably consider him like a Sagan-like all rounder type rider; just with less talent. He can climb fairly well at times (not enough to contend in the big mountain and hilly stages/races) and has a strong sprint as one of his biggest assets.

He's sort of seen a decline in the last few years though.

 

[Echoes]

If you're new to cycling, know that what matters in cycling is the classics and cyclocross.

The rest is crap.

 

[Der Effe]

So it's normal to support lots of riders?

For example it's normal for a fan to support Greipel, Kittel and Cavendish? And Quintana and Froome at the same time?

btw, thanks for all these replies.

Most people probably have one favourite 'top gun' in each category. For example Froome is their favourite GC man, Boonen their favourite cobbles guy, Kittel their sprint guy, Sagan their allround guy and Gilbert their Ardennes/hills guy. Doesn't mean you can not support or have sympathy for other (top) riders, obviously. If we talk about cobbles/races in Flanders, I personally really like Vanmarcke - but that doesn't stop me from hoping some of the Dutchies I like to get a great result as well. It's not strange to have more than one 'personal favourite' within the same race.

I think most cycling fans like a rider based on things like nationality, character, their style, etc. Things one can identify him- or herself with, I guess.

My personal experience is to not let your favourite riders 'ruin' your love for cycling. If in Paris-Roubaix my favourite rider gets a puncture at a decisive moment you're like "Why?!?!" but it will (probably) still be an amazing race. Having personal favourites is nice though, as it makes you enjoy cyling, or any sport, even more when they win.

 

[ianstannard]

Are there some rising talents in cycling? Are there good young cyclists (not in prime) in team sky?

 

[Afrank]

Dombrowski, Boswell, Henao (2 of them, Sergio and Sebastian, sergio the bigger one), Edmondson, Kennaugh are the main rising and young talents at team Sky. Too many rising talents to list in the whole of the sport.

Dombrowski and Sergio Henao are their two biggest talents I would say (at Sky). Dombrowski was great in 2012, winning the Giro Bio (the u23 Giro d'italia) in impressive fashion and placing very well in the major US races. And one look at Henao's Palmares so far and you can tell he's got a ton of talent. Could be a future contender in GT's.

 

[Netserk]

True, none of them are particularly good, but Swift has only won 2 bunch sprints (both in Pologne) since June 2011. In the same period, EBH has won 8, with much tougher competition.

At the moment it seems unlikely that any of them will win a flat bunch sprint again though.

So far in 2014 I think it's fair to say that Swift have done better in sprints.

 

[manafana]

Good point

that post is too funny with the new avatar

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Sky is so boring m8, go Astana like the rest of us cool guys

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Yes, you could probably consider him like a Sagan-like all rounder type rider; just with less talent. He can climb fairly well at times (not enough to contend in the big mountain and hilly stages/races) and has a strong sprint as one of his biggest assets.

Everyone in the last 15 years has less talent than Sagan, but don't forget that also EHB used to be one of the very big talents. He never fully lived up to the expectations, but he's still quite young.

 

[ianstannard]

I see, but compared to other riders, is EBH still considered a good rider?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I see, but compared to other riders, is EBH still considered a good rider?

Yes. I would say in top shape he is a top 3 contender at uphill finishes (WC 2012 he was very good etc.)

 

[ianstannard]

I was just wondering, which teams are the best in flat stages, climbs? (not the best riders, but the best leadout trains etc.)

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I was just wondering, which teams are the best in flat stages, climbs? (not the best riders, but the best leadout trains etc.)

Flat stages are for Omega (Cavs team) togheter with Argos (Kittel and Degenkolbs team)

In the mountains Sky usually leads, but Moviestar and Saxo can challenge. As well as Astana

 

[Catwhoorg]

I see, but compared to other riders, is EBH still considered a good rider?

Depending on how he comes back from his shoulder injury he got last year, he should be one of the top 15 world tour points scorers this year. He may eveb push into the top #10

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Flat stages are for Omega (Cavs team) togheter with Argos (Kittel and Degenkolbs team)

In the mountains Sky usually leads, but Moviestar and Saxo can challenge. As well as Astana

Spoken like a true propaganda minister for Vino.


And you are right.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

But again, you think too much in teams. Cav in his prime, Cancellara in his prime, Contador in his prime,... they don't need a team to be the best in their field.

 

[Der Effe]

But again, you think too much in teams. Cav in his prime, Cancellara in his prime, Contador in his prime,... they don't need a team to be the best in their field.

In some cases it even is the other way around. Rabobank needed Freire for years to get some decent results.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

But again, you think too much in teams. Cav in his prime, Cancellara in his prime, Contador in his prime,... they don't need a team to be the best in their field.

And to be clear, with Cancellara in his prime, I mean in Flanders & Roubaix. That he doesn't need a team for TT is quite obvious

 

[jsem94]

But again, you think too much in teams. Cav in his prime, Cancellara in his prime, Contador in his prime,... they don't need a team to be the best in their field.

This is true. Cav could win with or without a sprint train a few years ago. Cancellara has rarely had excellent classics teams behind him, but still has gone victorious in many monuments.

I was just wondering, which teams are the best in flat stages, climbs? (not the best riders, but the best leadout trains etc.)

It's hard to say at the moment. A few years ago, the HTC train leading out Mark Cavendish was by far the best. In climbs, I'd have to say that Sky is the best.

But a good team on a climb matters less than it does on a flat stage. You don't get much of an effect from sitting on a wheel going uphill, but they can offer pacing and emergency help if something were to go wrong mechanically. The reason I'd pick Sky as the best teams on climbs is because their Super-domestiques usually stick around for the longest among the favorites on the climb.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Spoken like a true propaganda minister for Vino.


And you are right.

Not propaganda if it is true

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Well, totally contrary to what I said before, a team can be of big importance to all type of races, depending on your target man.
Sprints like Cipo and Petacchi were dominant, but they needed their leadout.
Armstrong really relied on a all crushing team in his tour victories. Armstrong of course was dominant himself, but the type of climbers without the biggest punch rely more on a strong team early in the mountains.
And in classics a good team can completely hijak a race (echelons etc), while having a teammate left at the end of Roubaix can save you in case of a flat tire.

 

[theyoungest]

ianstannard, you seem to think cycling teams are like Football teams? Cycling fans mostly (not always always though) support individual riders instead of teams, and there is no big rivalry between teams.

As for your questions:
1.no
2.cav
3.no/more chance to be target man
4.all, but mostly GC
5.no (see 4)

Well, as a Belgian you obviously support OPQS, since objectively the Tour is the biggest stage for sprinters, and objectively Kittel was better than Cav there

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I support cav since longer than a year. And Cav's season still was way more impressive than Kittel's one

 

[Jspear]

If you're new to cycling, know that what matters in cycling is the classics and cyclocross.

The rest is crap.

The grand tours aren't crap. You have to be an amazing athlete to do well in a 3 week race.

 

[winkybiker]

I don't really understand why your country of residence/citizenship would be a factor in who you "support". That is essentially an accidental and largely irrelevant correlation.

You'd perhaps be better to simply watch the sport and you'll start to see riders whom you feel display worthwhile attributes. Follow them and take some pleasure in them winning or performing heroically because of who they are and what they do, rather than because of where they come from.