Rui Costa Discussion Thread

[Zinoviev Letter]

He wasn't lucky and he isn't a coward, more like a winner like the classification shows

Don't be so one eyed. There is no contradiction between winning and being lucky. He was lucky in a number of ways: that Nibali woul commit suicide to benefit him and Valverde, that Purito wasn't strong enough to get away from Nibali, that Valverde had an inexplicable brain fart. These things were not under his control, and he got lucky on all three counts.

He had to be strong enough to be there when riders who would usually be stronger were not. And he had to be smart enough to take the right gambles. But he also had to be very lucky. And there's nothing wrong with that and certainly nothing unusual about it in a sport as chaotic in cycling.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

If Purito had been smart, he'd have ensured that Valverde would've won.

Only if being smart means you can peddle your dim witted team mate's bike for him.

 

[Pippo_San]

This guy's clearly a winner, and a really cool one, like a silent assassin.
He rode an awesome race, and he fully deserved this success.

Yet. There are ways, many different ones that lead to victory: this race proved he's just a winner and not a champion, much like Gerrans with his Milano Sanremo win.
I hope the next years, as a true captain of a team, he can also prove he's a real champion and not just a smart winner.

 

[Inquitus]

Rui is World Champ and he deserves it, in the final selection with a limited team on a horrible day to ride a bike. Often the strongest man or the strongest team doesn't win, that's the beauty of cycling. Chapéau Rui and wear them stripes well.

 

[Winterfold]

I don't get why pretending you are feeling bad when you are feeling good is so often described on here as "smart".

Its the oldest trick in the book. Children know how to tell lies like that when they are 3. They did tests where they put a cake in front of 4 year olds put a camera in the room, ask the kids not to touch the cake then after the kid touches the cake, they come back and ask the kid "did you touch the cake" to which the kid always replies "no", unaware that the camera has caught them in the lie.

Thats about the same level of sophistication as saying "oh noes i feel so bad, you must pull", and then screwing that person out of their medal, 5 minutes later.

Are you sure you understand 'smart' in the context of a bike race?

It's not lying, it's bluffing.

Rui Costa held his nerve and timed it perfectly = smart

 

[Flamin]

If one would ask which rider can really read a bike race and take a victory whilst not being the strongest, Rui Costa would probably come to my mind first.

A killer pur sang.

 

[nepetalactone]

This guy's clearly a winner, and a really cool one, like a silent assassin.
He rode an awesome race, and he fully deserved this success.

Yet. There are ways, many different ones that lead to victory: this race proved he's just a winner and not a champion, much like Gerrans with his Milano Sanremo win.
I hope the next years, as a true captain of a team, he can also prove he's a real champion and not just a smart winner.

Very well said.

 

[The Hitch]

Are you sure you understand 'smart' in the context of a bike race?

It's not lying, it's bluffing.

Rui Costa held his nerve and timed it perfectly = smart

But anyone can do that. Anyone. Theres no trick to it whatsoever. Its the most obvious thing you can do.

The people who bulk the trend and take the hard options are the ones worthy of praise imo.

 

[trevim]

Wow it's so weird to see Rui in rainbows. I still can't believe it!

 

[BigMac]

Wow it's so weird to see Rui in rainbows. I still can't believe it!

Neither do i. Its a feeling one can't really explain.

 

[The Hitch]

How is it being met in the Portugese Press. do they care?

 

[trevim]

How is it being met in the Portugese Press. do they care?

It's election day in Portugal so it's difficult to compete. Also today João Sousa was the first portuguese to win an ATP event (ATP250 Kuala Lumpur). But he was congratulated by the President and all the sports papers have him on the front page (http://www.record.xl.pt/). Cristiano Ronaldo mentioned him on facebook so that gets a lot of coverage in a country clearly addicted to Ronaldo's daily soap opera

 

[BigMac]

How is it being met in the Portugese Press. do they care?

They care... like true hypocrites. The press and majority of portuguese people themselves are clueless or don't give a flying crap about cycling all year long unless it is TdF or A Volta. If one is trying to dynamize the sport (press duty) you should follow that same sport all year long, not just when a Portuguese wins, it deeply irritates me. The mentality here is pretty petty, so the only reason people care, it's because the name of Portugal was somewhat elevated internationally. You get what i'm trying to say?

Summary: The press only cares when a countryman wins.

Anyway you were prolly looking for a short answer.

 

[DHammer]

They care... like true hypocrites. The press and majority of portuguese people themselves are clueless or don't give a flying crap about cycling all year long unless it is TdF or A Volta. If one is trying to dynamize the sport (press duty) you should follow that same sport all year long, not just when a Portuguese wins, it deeply irritates me. The mentality here is pretty petty, so the only reason people care, it's because the name of Portugal was somewhat elevated internationally. You get what i'm trying to say?

Summary: The press only cares when a countryman wins.

Anyway you were prolly looking for a short answer.

I must disagree with you in a way. Sure, most of the people never care about cycling all year and now many of them will start to talk about that.

But thats the way it is.

People that werent even born when Agostinho won Alpe D'Huez still talk about it and all they needed to start caring again was this.

I myself started to watch cycling when Azevedo joined US Postal and for some years all I watched was that, mostly due to the lack of Tv coverage and professional reasons.

All we need is some spark to light the fire!

 

[The Hitch]

It's election day in Portugal so it's difficult to compete. Also today João Sousa was the first portuguese to win an ATP event (ATP250 Kuala Lumpur). But he was congratulated by the President and all the sports papers have him on the front page (http://www.record.xl.pt/). Cristiano Ronaldo mentioned him on facebook so that gets a lot of coverage in a country clearly addicted to Ronaldo's daily soap opera

Saw the Ronaldo tweet. Winning a 250 event post season equivalent to Road worlds wtf?

They care... like true hypocrites. The press and majority of portuguese people themselves are clueless or don't give a flying crap about cycling all year long unless it is TdF or A Volta. If one is trying to dynamize the sport (press duty) you should follow that same sport all year long, not just when a Portuguese wins, it deeply irritates me. The mentality here is pretty petty, so the only reason people care, it's because the name of Portugal was somewhat elevated internationally. You get what i'm trying to say?

Summary: The press only cares when a countryman wins.

Anyway you were prolly looking for a short answer.

Well thats how every press behaves unfortunately. I usually don't mind so long as its not in the TDF as when its in the TDF that they get the sucess thats when countries begin to totally ignore and see as meaningless the other parts of the sport.

Hopefully now Rui will get more fame and following from the Portugese press as he carries the stripes.

 

[trevim]

They care... like true hypocrites. The press and majority of portuguese people themselves are clueless or don't give a flying crap about cycling all year long unless it is TdF or A Volta. If one is trying to dynamize the sport (press duty) you should follow that same sport all year long, not just when a Portuguese wins, it deeply irritates me. The mentality here is pretty petty, so the only reason people care, it's because the name of Portugal was somewhat elevated internationally. You get what i'm trying to say?

Summary: The press only cares when a countryman wins.

Anyway you were prolly looking for a short answer.

Some friends that know I like cycling just asked me if he had beaten Froome! It's the only thing that seems to matter these days. It reminds me when I tried to convince them in July that it was OK for Rui to wait for Valverde in the Tour because he is a much better GT rider....or when I tried to explain it was so much better to win stages in style than riding for pointless GC....or when I made my case about how Movistar was so much better for Rui even if he had to ride for someone else in a race or two. People don't have any clue about cycling in general and certainly not about the prestige of being WC.

Saw the Ronaldo tweet. Winning a 250 event post season equivalent to Road worlds wtf?

People don't have a clue; tomorrow it will have the same impact for general public

 

[trevim]

Saw the Ronaldo tweet. Winning a 250 event post season equivalent to Road worlds wtf?

People don't have a clue; tomorrow it will have the same impact for general public

 

[BigMac]

I must disagree with you in a way. Sure, most of the people never care about cycling all year and now many of them will start to talk about that.

But thats the way it is.

People that werent even born when Agostinho won Alpe D'Huez still talk about it and all they needed to start caring again was this.

I myself started to watch cycling when Azevedo joined US Postal and for some years all I watched was that, mostly due to the lack of Tv coverage and professional reasons.

All we need is some spark to light the fire!

I completly agree with that. Yet what i mean is, most people will craptalk this week long about Rui's exploits and then forget about cycling untill he or another portuguese wins something, same goes to the press.

If you ever have the opportunity, take a look at sports related pages on FB and its comments. All you are able to read is things like ''I am so proud of being portuguese'', ''Thank you Rui for making us so proud of our country'' from people that prolly don't even know a bike has two wheels. Not a single cycling objective observation.

Even if people start to care, it is for Costa, not the sport itself. I can be wrong, but time will prove me right.

 

[The Hitch]

If you ever have the opportunity, take a look at sports related pages on FB and its comments. All you are able to read is things like ''I am so proud of being portuguese'', ''Thank you Rui for making us so proud of our country'' from people that prolly don't even know a bike has two wheels. Not a single cycling objective observation.

Thats still a million times better than the replies to ronaldos voice of support.

They go more like - messi sucks **** and - messi + pele + maradona = ronaldo etc. ****ing hell, even this they have to pollute with meaningless shouting.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

. People don't have any clue about cycling in general and certainly not about the prestige of being WC.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. People in general will have no clue about the traditions of the sport, the rainbow jersey etc. But people everywhere understand the basics of what World Champion means. It's in the name after all, and it's an idea that exists across sports. If anything I suspect a non-cycling audience will tend to overestimate the significance of being WC in a sport with eight other annual top tier races. Which in this case is a good thing!

People don't have a clue]

I'm not a fan of sporting jingoism, but Irish and British people can certainly tell you about the advantages of having a few local riders do well in terms of building support and involvement. At least as compared to the long periods when local riders were poor. 95% may never get beyond cheering for "our boys" but for some at least it provides an entry into a complex sport.

 

[trevim]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. People in general will have no clue about the traditions of the sport, the rainbow jersey etc. But people everywhere understand the basics of what World Champion means. It's in the name after all, and it's an idea that exists across sports. If anything I suspect a non-cycling audience will tend to overestimate the significance of being WC in a sport with eight other annual top tier races. Which in this case is a good thing!


I'm not a fan of sporting jingoism, but Irish and British people can certainly tell you about the advantages of having a few local riders do well in terms of building support and involvement. At least as compared to the long periods when local riders were poor. 95% may never get beyond cheering for "our boys" but for some at least it provides an entry into a complex sport.

You may be right on the 1st point; on the 2nd point though, it really is the "our boys" mentality.

 

[hfer07]

Congrats to Costa - He deserved the stripes, despite all the none sense already said about his performance. I would have loved to see Purito in rainbow-but Costa did his race extremely clever & tailor measured all his efforts to be among the best on the final lap. Did he wheel suck too much? Indeed-but I reckon he also "BRIDGED TO PURITO ON HIS OWN" -it wasn't like he was dragged by Nibs or Valpiti-so that alone has a lot of merit....the rest is history...

Chapeau to Rui Costa-the new World Champion

 

[TheEnoculator]

Congrats to Costa - He deserved the stripes, despite all the none sense already said about his performance. I would have loved to see Purito in rainbow-but Costa did his race extremely clever & tailor measured all his efforts to be among the best on the final lap. Did he wheel suck too much? Indeed-but I reckon he also "BRIDGED TO PURITO ON HIS OWN" -it wasn't like he was dragged by Nibs or Valpiti-so that alone has a lot of merit....the rest is history...

Chapeau to Rui Costa-the new World Champion

As a bike racer, I know for a fact that bridging is one of the hardest things to do on a bike. So I give Costa full credit for being smart about it.

 

[Parrulo]

I still can't believe what happened, i was busy all day because of the elections and when my phone started ringing with messages and calls from my friends i lost my composure for a very long while when i was actually doing some very serious stuff.

Costa really is a pure cyclist. He is not the best at anything physically but tactically wise he probably is the best cycling in the world right now.

 

[Parrulo]

The first pages of the 3 biggest sports newspapers in Portugal. Normal media obviously put the elections on their covers which is logical.

Net, if the pics are too big please resize them for me, i am dead tired at the moment and i am barely managing to stay awake.