Rider nicknames

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Former pro and directeur sportif Christian Andersen was called "Sutsko" (that's Danish for a slipper, in case you're wondering). A rather odd nickname one might say, and I can't recall why he got that strange name, but I'm sure there's a logic explanation. Maybe his friends and team mates just had a bizarre sense of humour.
 
Jan 11, 2010
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Dekker_Tifosi said:
Gesink: De Condor van Varsseveld

(Gesink hates the name himself) :D
He doesn't even live in Varsseveld anymore... he's become De Adelaar van Aalten (the Eagle of Aalten).
 
I've heard Cavendish called "Teen Wolf." I like that.

Personally I always thought "the Badger" was the best cycling nickname ever. The first time you hear it, it takes you completely by surprise; then, the more you think about it, the more sense it makes. He's not very big but you mess with him at your own peril. He's hairy. He badgers people. He even looks like a badger (with that silver he got in his eyebrows late-career).

It surprises me that Armstrong never acquired a good nickname during his glory years. I always pictured him as some sort of reptile, with those beady eyes and leathery cheeks, but I never could invent a good phrase. "The Lizard King"?

lance-armstrong.jpg
 
Nov 10, 2009
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Le Maitre et L'empereur

yetanothergreenworld said:
"Master Jack" has a certain ring to it in English.

and so does " L'empereur d'Herenthals" ( Rik Van Looy)
( I was fortunate to have the opportunity to race with both those legends , and many others, in little so-called criteriums)
 
Nov 10, 2009
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la puce du cantal

bobbins said:
That's a Honey Badger / Ratel rather than a Badger.

Nowadays calling someone a "blaireau" is quite demeaning in French, that was not the case 20 -30 years ago.

He was called " blaireau" because that little critter is supposed to never give up and fight to the death for what it considers to belong to it.

Some old nicknames I liked, but which are now forgotten
La puce du Cantal ( forgot his real name!)
La perruche ( Marinelli, 3rd TdF 49) Marinelli, mayor of a mid-sized French town for many years.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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sportzchick said:
Since we always a have a nickname for everything down under im suprised more Aussies havent been mentioned TBH

ATM Ive hit a mentle blank

What is Cadel's nickname? And not the one the media has graced him with (Cuddles).
 
Mar 10, 2009
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Arnout said:
Igor Anton - Fuji (no idea why, but even his helmet says it)
Di Luca - the killer
Valverde - El Imbatido (the unbeaten)
Savoldelli - Il Falco
Pellizotti - Il delfino, but I guess this will chance to Il dopino which is I admit not funny

I've seen Pellizotti referred to as Glenn Close for obvious reasons. I don't know whether he or she or both should be insulted.:D
 
Aug 18, 2009
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badger.jpg


An actual badger.

Some others which are missing so far:

Vincento Nibali: The Shark/The Shark of the Straits
Tyler Farrar: The Wenatchee Wonder
Alejandro Valverde: Bala Verde (Green Bullet, may have been posted), Valv-Piti
Luis Leon Sanchez: Luisle (Spanish)/Lulu (English)
Heinrich Haussler: Barbie Barbie (Still don't get why it's like that)
Andy Schleck: Schleck the Younger, Skinny Schleck (as opposed to Fat Schleck)
Alberto Contador: Bert (his best, for me), The Accountant
Andre Greipel: Andre the Giant, The Strongest Man on Earth (within the team, apparently)

Some riders have things written on their bikes, but they usually suck. I would put "Gorilla Greipel", and "The Racing Kangaroo" (Barbie) in that category, among others.
 
May 5, 2010
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Would The Schlecks be counted as a nickname, or is that just a "general term"? You hardly ever hear anybody referring to the as Fränk and Andy Schleck (I guess it's easier just saying Schlecks...)
 
Aug 18, 2009
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Oyeah:

Danilo Napolitano: The Hulk from [where he's from]
Fabian Cancellara: Swiss Bear
Edvald Boasson Hagen: Eddy, Haagen Dazs, Boss Hog (confusingly)
Robbie McEwen: Mr. Paris-Brussels
Pedro Horillo: (wasn't it) The Philosopher
Bradley Wiggins: Wiggo, Twiggy (from '09)
 
Sep 19, 2009
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icefire said:
One of his grandfathers was known in his pueblo as 'el chabacano'. Chabacano is a word with several meanings, none of them possitive: tasteless, coarse or rude. No slang and no link to animals.

Chaba is just a short form. He preferred to write it with 'v' instead of 'b' (these letters sound the same in Spanish) to avoid negative connotations. This is the way it is written in the street he has with his name in his pueblo, where the cycling school and sports foundation dating from 1984 is placed.

http://www.elbarraco.org/deportes/deportes.html
"Chava" could be interpreted as short for "Chaval" which means "bloke" or "dude". I think it would be more fitting since he was such a friendly guy.