Operation: Support An Obscure Pro at the TDU

[unsheath]

Great stuff Gang!

I initially thought it could be quite patronising, but clearly he is loving the attention. Awesome that the campaign is the the antithesis of a certain who know who.

 

[craig1985]

He already has more then a 1000 fans.

 

[Big_Unit]

A group of 30 - 40 of us met Arthur at the hotel after the final stage of the TDU. There was an exchange of jerseys, Port Adelaide Cycling Club for Française des Jeux, both signed by the respective teams. I must say that he is a very likeable and softly spoken young man.
I heard him ask "Why did you pick me? I am innocent!"
There were many photos taken, questions asked and answered, shirts being signed etc when someone realised that Cadel Evans had just walked past. Not one of us even noticed until he was ~20m down the path! Gold!

 

[Anonymous]

A group of 30 - 40 of us met Arthur at the hotel after the final stage of the TDU. There was an exchange of jerseys, Port Adelaide Cycling Club for Française des Jeux, both signed by the respective teams. I must say that he is a very likeable and softly spoken young man.
I heard him ask "Why did you pick me? I am innocent!"
There were many photos taken, questions asked and answered, shirts being signed etc when someone realised that Cadel Evans had just walked past. Not one of us even noticed until he was ~20m down the path! Gold!

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!

This story made my day!

I had been wiki-ing the TDU and noticed the support a pro section on the website, and hearing the responses from Vichot is just awesome!!.

My new favourite quote: "Why do you pick me? I am innocent"

Just awesome!!

 

[Martin]

My new favourite quote: "Why do you pick me? I am innocent"

Yea... absolutely awesome...

So are we going for Vichot too??? or Sagan, or whom?

 

[Spare Tyre]

I'd be happy to go for Vichot. Why not? How would it work, though? Would we pick someone else if he doesn't make the team for a particular event?

 

[Aapjes]

I think it is better to pick a different rider each month. It's fun and stimulating for these guys to be singled out for a while, but I don't think it is healthy to keep it up too long. After all, they didn't earn the attention and their colleagues might think it is unfair if it lasts too long. That may hurt the rider. Picking a different 'Super domestique' each month will give the rider a taste of glory, but won't spoil him. It also means that other deserving riders get the same experience.

 

[El Imbatido]

Cyclingnews has published their article about Arthur Vichot and his Aus fanbase:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vichots-australian-fanclub-to-carry-on

I especially loved the last part:

"Appropriate to local custom, Vichot sealed his relationship with his new Australian friends by having a beer with them at the pub."

 

[craig1985]

Arthur Vichor WAG.

 

[lagartija]

I think it is better to pick a different rider each month. It's fun and stimulating for these guys to be singled out for a while, but I don't think it is healthy to keep it up too long. After all, they didn't earn the attention and their colleagues might think it is unfair if it lasts too long. That may hurt the rider. Picking a different 'Super domestique' each month will give the rider a taste of glory, but won't spoil him. It also means that other deserving riders get the same experience.

actually i think the whole point is to continue supporting that specific rider , as the CN article mentioned , the club wont pick a different rider next year in order to ensure Vichot's return, some members saying they would also fly to europe in order to cheer Artur in other events...........i think its great , kinda like sat the Neils Albert supporters club or the PVP supporters back in the day..........actually the only supporters club Carlos Sastre has is, and was started in Belgium.....and they also travel to events to cheer Carlos, he has even visited them at there local pub/support facility............

 

[Martin]

actually i think the whole point is to continue supporting that specific rider , as the CN article mentioned

well.. actually.. I've just changed my FB status to ALLEZ ARTHUR. Well, maybe I'll be able to do more in the future...
somehow it finally really seems he's the right guy to get also our support.

 

[Lones1]

actually i think the whole point is to continue supporting that specific rider , as the CN article mentioned , the club wont pick a different rider next year in order to ensure Vichot's return, some members saying they would also fly to europe in order to cheer Artur in other events...........i think its great , kinda like sat the Neils Albert supporters club or the PVP supporters back in the day..........actually the only supporters club Carlos Sastre has is, and was started in Belgium.....and they also travel to events to cheer Carlos, he has even visited them at there local pub/support facility............

I think this is brilliant... I understand why the Port Adelaide club want to stay supporting Arthur. That doesn't stop other clubs from picking a new rider when the next race is on, in whatever country. If clubs in every country picked a obscure rider then all the riders would eventually have their own fan club, it would greatly improve their moral.

An excellent idea that has real potential

Well done guys

 

[taiwan]

I initially thought this would just freak the guy out, but if the rider gets continued support, it's nice, and could actually benefit his career. If he gets to ride a lot of races for the publicity at the expense of others on the team, though, it's crap.

From my moral high horse.

 

[lucybears]

ALLEZ ARTHUR!

Triunfo de Vichot en la 2ª de la París-Correze
Arthur Vichot (Française des Jeux) ha ganado la segunda etapa de la París-Corrèze (2.1), por delante de Jonathan Hivert (Saur-Sojasun) y su compañero de equipo Gianni Meersman. Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis) es el vencedor final.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=29150

http://www.youtube.com/user/worldcyclingchannel2#p/u/1/9A509sBYUps

 

[Andrichuk]

Victoire d'Arthur sur la 2ème étape de paris corrèze 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!

Google Translate: Arthur wins the second stage of Paris correze 2010 !!!!!!!!!!!!

Very very good result for him!!! Happy to see him win after a string of top 10's.

 

[craig1985]

Good on Arthur. There are plenty of professionals who don't have a pro win. A certain Belgian who finished 5th in this year's Tour doesn't have a proper pro win to his name (unless you count a post Tour crit as a win).

 

[craig1985]

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

You were on the money with this one.

 

[Andrichuk]

Arthur is riding his first GT!!! If he's been able to hold the form he recently had that earned him his spot on the Vuelta roster, he may be able to ride himself into a top 10 position on the flatter stages once or twice. I hope

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Good on Arthur. There are plenty of professionals who don't have a pro win. A certain Belgian who finished 5th in this year's Tour doesn't have a proper pro win to his name (unless you count a post Tour crit as a win).

Theyre fixed, so you dont.

 

[royalpig180]

He got an impressive 10th place in the 3rd stage, where Gilbert won and took red. He finished in the group with Frank Shleck and what seems like half of Caisse d'Epargne. This could be a sign of things to come!

 

[lucybears]

Last year's Tour Down Under saw fans pick an obscure rider and give him the support normally reserved for a star, chanting his name and daubing paint all over the roads. It was FDJ's Arthur Vichot, a neo-pro who went on to have a half-decent season. As Arthur Vichot is not be taking part in this years TDU, "Allez Arthur" will be replaced with "Venga Angel", in recognition of Angel Madrazo, the Movistar rider with the nickname 'El Gorrión de Cazoña' (The Sparrow of Cazoña).

 

[The Hitch]

For those who dont read the new jerseys thread, this could be interesting

 

[Tuarts]

Is Madrazo that obascure though? His name has been mentioned often on here if I recall rightly, in young riders thread and even the CQ game.

 

[lucybears]

Is Madrazo that obascure though? His name has been mentioned often on here if I recall rightly, in young riders thread and even the CQ game.

maybe not, but
http://www.pacc.org.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2823

 

[ansimi]

The Sparrow seems a fine choice!

I hope he has lots of fun.