One Race Riders : The guys who race for one race in the year (or two)

[El Pistolero]

He also won the Tour of Colorado and his biggest career win the Tour de ****ing Suisse. He also placed 3rd behind Contador and Scarponi, not bad company, on the mtf in Catalunya, ahead of Basso and Cadel and your beloved Uran as already mentioned. Would have finished the GC there too had he not crashed on the last stage.

in 08 he podiumed Dauphine Vuelta Beijing Olympics tt won Georgia and just missed out on podium in Worlds tt and Castilla Leon.

In 2009 he won Castilla Leon, got a top 10 in Giro and seemed on course for a top 10 in the Tour until he crashed.

Try again.

Under that logic even Armstrong is not a one time peaker in some of his years. Just look at 2002, up there from the beginning.

 

[The Hitch]

Under that logic even Armstrong is not a one time peaker in some of his years. Just look at 2002, up there from the beginning.

Under what logic? The one where I presume that if a rider peaks more than once during a season he is not a one time peaker?

 

[El Pistolero]

I doubt one needs to peak in races like VaCyL, Georgia, Utah, California, Dauphiné in order to win something in those races or podium.

 

[The Hitch]

I doubt one needs to peak in races like VaCyL, Georgia, Utah, California, Dauphiné in order to win something in those races or podium.

If only good performances in GTs and monuments count as a peak then Contador is another one race rider since he only peaks for the Tour

The thread is called "One race riders". It is what it says on the tin. If a rider is up there challenging in multiple races he is not a one race rider. Levi is up there in so many races he is most definately not a one race rider.

BTW if one doesnt need a peak to perform then why does Andy Schleck languish so so far behind in all these races. Why is Levi beating Basso, Uran , Evans?

Seems to me some sort of qualities are needed for a rider to be at the top in so many races. And Levi has them.

 

[will10]

Kolobnev - only good at Worlds or Olympics, rarely at Liege also.

 

[El Pistolero]

If only good performances in GTs and monuments count as a peak then Contador is another one race rider since he only peaks for the Tour

The thread is called "One race riders". It is what it says on the tin. If a rider is up there challenging in multiple races he is not a one race rider. Levi is up there in so many races he is most definately not a one race rider.

BTW if one doesnt need a peak to perform then why does Andy Schleck languish so so far behind in all these races. Why is Levi beating Basso, Uran , Evans?

Seems to me some sort of qualities are needed for a rider to be at the top in so many races. And Levi has them.

Andy was better at Pais Vasco than Leipheimer. He was up there in the Ardennes classics. Beat him in the Tour. Andy was decent in California, but Leipi was better. Only in Suisse and Colorado Leipi was a lot better than Andy(he had teeth problems at Colorado ).

And Cadel pretty much won every race he started in this year? How did Leipi finish in front of him?

Ps: as far as I'm concerned there's only 2 big stage races out there worth peaking for: Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. And Pais-Vasco for the Basques.

 

[Havetts]

This guy races in every race where he takes the start. Even in the Tour of fecking Oman.

A better Dutch example would be Karsten Kroon and the Amstel Gold Race.

I know he does, but all you hear him talk about eventually is riding for the Tour. I like how (actually fanboy) he rides for everything, besides Dauphiné this year. But eventually it will all boil down to the Tour and Worlds.

I get where you come from, but I guess you do so with what I mean, youngest.

 

[The Hitch]

Andy was better at Pais Vasco than Leipheimer. He was up there in the Ardennes classics. Beat him in the Tour. Andy was decent in California, but Leipi was better. Only in Suisse and Colorado Leipi was a lot better than Andy(he had teeth problems at Colorado ).

And Cadel pretty much won every race he started in this year? How did Leipi finish in front of him?

I have no idea why you are suddenly comparing Levi to other riders.

Do you understand the thread? if not read the title again. One race riders. Does Andy Schleck and Levi beating Cadel in some races mean he is a one race rider?

No it does not. So why are you posting these off topic ramblings?

Levi beat Cadel on Catalunya MTF and in Colorado. I made that point because you said you don't need peak to win those races. My point was that since Cadel is clearly a way better rider than Levi why did Levi do better in these races.

The logical conclusion for most people would be that Levi was on very good form for those races.

And if hes on very good form for these races in March, in June in August in September and finishing high in them, then he clearly must be more than a one race rider.

You follow?

 

[El Pistolero]

If only good performances in GTs and monuments count as a peak then Contador is another one race rider since he only peaks for the Tour

The thread is called "One race riders". It is what it says on the tin. If a rider is up there challenging in multiple races he is not a one race rider. Levi is up there in so many races he is most definately not a one race rider.

BTW if one doesnt need a peak to perform then why does Andy Schleck languish so so far behind in all these races. Why is Levi beating Basso, Uran , Evans?

Seems to me some sort of qualities are needed for a rider to be at the top in so many races. And Levi has them.

I wonder why I am comparing him to other riders all of a sudden

If anything, Cadel being beaten in Catalunya by Leipi after having won T-A shows you don't need great form to win such stage races.

Leipheimer skips all the classics and only rides a few races in Europe before he goes to American races that not a lot of people take too serious. He won Suisse, which showed he was in great form for the Tour, but he blew it there because of crashes I guess(or got his peaking wrong).

 

[The Hitch]

I wonder why I am comparing him to other riders all of a sudden

Such a shock to see you totally miss the point. Do you just read skim read posts in order to find something to respond to?

The bit about Levi beating Basso and Evans is not a comparison but an observation in order to refute your stupid point about him not needing to peak.

Becuase, as I explained, if hes not peaking for say Catalunya, why is he beating riders who are so much better than him?

As you pointed out those riders usually own him in races. How is he beating them in these ones then, if as you claim he is a one race rider?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I wonder why I am comparing him to other riders all of a sudden

If anything, Cadel being beaten in Catalunya by Leipi after having won T-A shows you don't need great form to win such stage races.

Evans doesn't need to be at or near his absolute peak to win such races. Nor Contador. Levi most assuredly does.

 

[El Pistolero]

Such a shock to see you totally miss the point. Do you just read skim read posts in order to find something to respond to?

The bit about Levi beating Basso and Evans is not a comparison but an observation in order to refute your stupid point about him not needing to peak.

Becuase, as I explained, if hes not peaking for say Catalunya, why is he beating riders who are so much better than him?

As you pointed out those riders usually own him in races. How is he beating them in these ones then, if as you claim he is a one race rider?

Mate, you said Leipheimer was beating all those riders and didn't even specify in what race. Like I said, Cadel Evans won Tirreno-Adriatico and was mediocre in Catalunya which shows you don't need great form to do well in such stage races. Catalunya only had one mountain stage, so I don't think you can make a lot of conclusions on that stage race.

Keep in mind you were talking about peaks which is something else than people who only race for one race.

Andy Schleck:

Amstel Gold race: he raced there for the win
LBL: same as AGR
California: he raced there for a stage win
Suisse: he raced there for a stage win
Tour: he raced there for the win

There's no one who just rides for one or two races in the year. But there are guys who are only peaking for one or two races in a year. Leipheimer peaks for California and the Tour. Andy peaks for Ardennes and the Tour. That's it.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So, in your considered opinion, does Levi peak for the Tour de France, or is that just something he rides for form for the American mini-season in August?

 

[El Pistolero]

So, in your considered opinion, does Levi peak for the Tour de France, or is that just something he rides for form for the American mini-season in August?

Of course he peaks for the Tour. But he crashed this year which can happen. But yes, California is an important race for him and one where he admits to peak for. It's more important to him than some Spanish WT stage race if that's what you're on about.

I know the OP is not talking about peaks, but Hitch was. Leipheimer is indeed not a guy who only rides for a victory in one or two races in a year. But neither is Andy Schleck as I just showed in an earlier post. They are however cyclists who peak for one or two races max...

Horner is also all about California and the Tour. California is special for American cyclists, even if you guys all like to hate on the third Grand Tour.

 

[The Hitch]

Mate, you said Leipheimer was beating all those riders and didn't even specify in what race.

.

I aksed why Levi was beating Evans and Basso in some races (reffering clearly to my earlier post where I pointed out that he beat them in Catalunya mtf and US PCC

Keep in mind you were talking about peaks which is something else than people who only race for one race.

Its not me but you that introduced this "peak" crap. Im arguing that Levi is not a one race rider that is all. You, for whatever reason are trying to argue that he isnt but obviously forced to go way off topic with it because the evidence clearly shows that he is not one.

There's no one who just rides for one or two races in the year. But there are guys who are only peaking for one or two races in a year. Leipheimer peaks for California and the Tour. Andy peaks for Ardennes and the Tour. That's it.

I like this game. lets continue.

Contador only peaks for Tour. Cadel only peaks for Tour. Gilbert only peaks for Liege and sometimes Lombardy.

Everyone only peaks once or twice in a season.

 

[El Pistolero]

Under what logic? The one where I presume that if a rider peaks more than once during a season he is not a one time peaker?

You kinda did bring the peaking thing up

Contador has 2 or at the very most 3 peaks in a season. You can't have 5 peaks in a season lol, that's impossible.

Gilbert only peaks for the Ardennes, Tour(+Olympics this year which he will do on his Tour peak) and Worlds(+ Lombardia on his Worlds form which isn't an extra peak or anything).

 

[The Hitch]

You kinda did bring the peaking thing up

.

See post before that

Under that logic even Armstrong is not a one time peaker in some of his years. Just look at 2002, up there from the beginning.

Check mate.

 

[El Pistolero]

How so? Armstrong was active throughout that whole year yet he still has a reputation of only caring about one race. Why is it different with Leipheimer?

How many peaks do you think Leipheimer has in a season? Only one or two like most cyclists. He's also not very active in big races outside the Tour. Just like Armstrong.

What makes Leipheimer's results any different than those of Armstrong?

 

[The Hitch]

How so? Armstrong was active throughout that whole year yet he still has a reputation of only caring about one race. Why is it different with Leipheimer?

.

Are you serious? WTF has Lance got to do with anything. Where do I mention Lance?

Did you really think I was bringing up a post from 3 pages ago because I want another conversation about Lance???

Maybe take a look at your previous post and figure out for yourself why I requoted your first post on the thread.

You kinda did bring the peaking thing up

 

[El Pistolero]

Are you serious? WTF has Lance got to do with anything. Where do I mention Lance?

Did you really think I was bringing up a post from 3 pages ago because I want another conversation about Lance???

Maybe take a look at your previous post and figure out for yourself why I requoted your first post on the thread.

Yeah, I did bring the peaking thing first up, my bad, but after that the whole discussion was about peaking anyway and you don't seem to think Leipheimer has only one or two peaks in a season.

I use Armstrong because most people see him as the archetype of the cyclist who only cared and peaked for one race. So how is Leipheimer any different than Armstrong? I don't see much difference between them to be honest. So if there isn't any difference:

Leipheimer only cares for 2 races.

or

People need to revise their opinion about Lance.

 

[sublimit]

Kolobnev - only good at Worlds or Olympics, rarely at Liege also.

Good Call.

Alex Rassmussen and Gustav Larsson targeting a couple of time trials a year in GT's and Worlds off the top of my head.

 

[Swabian Lass]

But isn't this just indicative of how cycling is today? Most riders will peak two or maybe three times in a season. The days of Merckx peaking all season long are long gone. And even then Merckx was exceptional.

Well,maybe Gilbert is a little different, but then he's the exception that proves the rule and even Gilbert has peaks.

 

[The Hitch]

Well,maybe Gilbert is a little different, but then he's the exception that proves the rule and even Gilbert has peaks.

Definately not. Guys like Contador Evans Scarponi Valverde Purito are at the top in race after race after race.

And thats just taking from the creme of the crop. Go down a level and you have guys like Voeckler hardly ever being off peak. Sprinters also focus around the entire season. Tony Martin won a tt in just about every month of the season.

I know people really like Gilbert but lets not diminish others in order to elevate him. Gilbert is not an exception. Hes just another guy.

It is the type of rider this thread is looking for - the type that only shows himself once a season and rides everything else as a warmup/ warmdown, that is the exception.

 

[bicing]

Just to clarify, this is the type of rider I was takling about:

It is the type of rider this thread is looking for - the type that only shows himself once a season and rides everything else as a warmup/ warmdown, that is the exception.

Ohgmyod Hitch & Pistolero your back and forth has been hiiiiiiiiiiiilarious!!

Hitch - thanks for clarification on Scarponi. Agree.

Levi is definitely not a one race rider.

Another question; since we've been talking a lot about sprinters n the forums. I'd say OSCAR FREIRE would be the biggest one race rider of the sprints category- MSR and Worlds.

 

[El Pistolero]

Just to clarify, this is the type of rider I was takling about:



Ohgmyod Hitch & Pistolero your back and forth has been hiiiiiiiiiiiilarious!!

Hitch - thanks for clarification on Scarponi. Agree.

Levi is definitely not a one race rider.

Another question; since we've been talking a lot about sprinters n the forums. I'd say OSCAR FREIRE would be the biggest one race rider of the sprints category- MSR and Worlds.

Except for the fact that he won Vuelta and Tour stages? The green jersey? He's always there in AGR and G-W? Pais Vasco sprints? T-A sprints? Tour de Suisse sprints? Paris-Tours? Brabantse Pijl? Vattenfall Cyclassics? Yeah, he's a one race rider all right

The guy is old and had a lot of injuries throughout his career, but are you really going to hold that against him? Besides, he's not a pure sprinter, he could top ten in LBL. Are we going to ignore Cancellara's time trial capabilities now and call him a one race day rider(Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde)?