Operation: Support An Obscure Pro at the TDU

[El Imbatido]

Check this out from Port Adelaide Cycling Club's forum:

http://www.pacc.org.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2337

Here's the plan.

We pick an obscure European pro rider who is doing the TDU. Someone who no one has heard of before, will probably not get a Tour de France spot, and is making minimum wage fetching bottles for his team leader. Preferably non english speaking.

We all make an effort to cheer him like crazy, every time we can see him during the TDU. We can even work out how to cheer him on in his native language.

Result: Obscure pro wonders where the heck this mysterious fanbase has come from, and is confused but delighted.

They chose no. 107. VICHOT Arthur FRA

Riding for Francaise Des Jeux.

They're talking about painting his name on the road, mobbing him outside the hotel, sending gifts to his room etc, They already have t-shirts and have flooded his facebook page with messages of support!

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=a...474522?ref=search&sid=553339184.2421485044..1

Apparently it is already working: http://translate.google.co.uk/trans...he loves it. I just think it is awesome idea.

 

[53 x 11]

This was started by some friends of mine. So far they have managed to get of Eurosport france as well as French radio, there should also be a CN article soon. There are also official T-Shirts made up now by FTM clothing.

I think its been discussed a little in the Start List Thread. Its a nice idea and Arthur seems totaly confused by the whole thing.

There is also a Fan Club dinner tomorrow night in the Adelaide CBD, should be fun!

 

[craig1985]

Yeah I'm a member on his fan page on facebook.

 

[badboyberty]

ABC radio have a station ID recorded by Arthur Vichot. I spent 25c sending the ABC a text message asking if Arthur Vichot had attacked yet and they played his station ID on the radio a minute later.

Allez Arthur!

 

[the truth.]

REAlly mighty idea

LOVE IT

 

[Awolpe]

awesome idea some of the guys really could do with some support just sitting there feeling useless

 

[Anonymous]

This is pretty funny.

It would be quite funny to extend it a bit, something like each forum nominates an obscure rider to cheer on for the season. As we all live in different countries and attend different races, said rider would think he had a massive global following. Maybe a young neo-pro or something, to make him even more confused as to how people know of him.

 

[Bluebeard]

As well as being quite funny, I think it is actually really good that one unsung rider gets his day in the limelight. Traditionally, Pro Tour and higher ranked continental domestiques only get some coverage if in the TDF, or maybe the Giro. Otherwise they have only their home town (or if in the case of a smaller country like Ireland or Japan for example, their nation). It is a lowly paid thankless job much of the time, especially say domestiques on teams that are considered to have no chance of any kind of victory - Fuji for ages last year.

Perhaps we should elect a domestique to give that added cheer to for all the major races.

EDIT: What Hibbles said.

 

[Highlander]

I think that this is a great story. The only thing that can make it better is if the team lets Vichot go off in a breakaway today. That way, he can get plenty of coverage on ABC and his fans will not have to worry about the problems in finding him in the large peloton.

 

[BikeCentric]

I have to admit when I saw the thread title my immediate reaction was "oh how stupid, pro cyclists don't need to be treated like this they are already pros, blah blah blah."

Then I read the description of what you guys are actually doing in the first post and decided that this is just great! It's a great thing for the sport way more than it is for just the chosen rider. I'll bet the rider is actually a bit embarrassed by it all but the bigger message is that this is an example of true fans of the sport knowing how it works and displaying their enthusiasm for all the riders in the peloton, not just the very small minority of world beating stars. Because the truth is the majority of riders and support staff are completely anonymous although they are required for the very few superstars to shine. And usually they get none of the credit while the superstars take all the accolades.

So this is a great gesture on many levels and I for one appreciate it.

 

[flicker]

Arthur Vichot, my hero

 

[El Imbatido]

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

Nice work. Hope there are some photos when he rides past that!

 

[dolophonic]

Very cool.
A real nice gesture of support. I bet he is stoked.
Great idea.

 

[aimeebear]

I was the lucky one that they interviewed for the article that was posted on cyclingnews. The reporter was great because he spoke fluent french and english which allowed him and myself to find out what was really going on inside arthurs head! Until then, whenver I spoke to him he just looked scared.

He is totally loving it! At first he was a little bit bewildered and confused, but now really appreciates the support that we have been giving him and says he will never forget his first tour, and always love Adelaide even more because of it! He was more than happy for us to meet up with him after the last race to give him his tshirt and our jersey and he is organising for all the team to sign one of their jerseys for us! He said his team are a little bit jealous that he is a rockstar. The guy doing the interview said he has never heard of anything like this being done anywhere int he world - so maybe it can be a new trend!

It has also made the tour even more fun for those of us on the 'Vichot' bandwagon!

 

[craig1985]

What a great story.

His fanpage is up to 819 members.

 

[velololo]

all the French sport media are now also talking of Arthur!
That's a big idea and I hope this will boost him for a great career!

 

[doddy13]

ProCycling magazine have apparently made him one of their "Fab4" for 2010, meaning they'll follow his progress all year according to the facebook page.

I like the guy actually, i like most domestiques who get on with their life very quietly and rarely get a look in or much support. Well done to the Australian fans who made this campaign.

Allez Arthur!

 

[issoisso]

i like most domestiques who get on with their life very quietly and rarely get a look in or much support

Given his youth results, the expectation is that he'll be quite a bit better than that

 

[doddy13]

Given his youth results, the expectation is that he'll be quite a bit better than that

I was looking at his palmares earlier today actually, i agree with you.

 

[BroDeal]

This is pretty funny.

It would be quite funny to extend it a bit, something like each forum nominates an obscure rider to cheer on for the season. As we all live in different countries and attend different races, said rider would think he had a massive global following. Maybe a young neo-pro or something, to make him even more confused as to how people know of him.

So when are going to pick our pro for this forum? Who has the nominations?

 

[badboyberty]

So when are going to pick our pro for this forum? Who has the nominations?

Peter Sagan, but I suspect we'll forget he's a neo-pro by the end of Spring.

 

[BroDeal]

Looking at the pic I though you were suggesting we support Evans since he never wins anything.

 

[Ferminal]

Looking at the pic I though you were suggesting we support Evans since he never wins anything.

I like my head where it is thank you.

 

[craig1985]

Do any of the older posters remember Frederic Vichot? Because he is Arthur's uncle who won a couple of stages at the TdF and was apparently great at going downhill. So clearly he was no hack.