Ryder Hesjedal Discussion Thread

[WinterRider]

Are there Canadians in here, i'd like to know how the Canadian people think about Hesjedal (almost) winning the Giro

I think most Canadians don't even know what the Giro is. It is being reported on National news, but mostly as a footnote. So I would say most Canadians don't care. That said, some are taking a mild interest.

Those who are into racing though are flipping out a little bit

 

[WinterRider]

If he wins Il Giro, a GT, he leaps Buaer by a long way!

My thoughts exactly. Who would rather have a 4th in the Tour, over winning the Giro? Hope that's how it goes this weekend.

 

[Teddy Boom]

Bauer's entire career was about coming close. Closest ever Paris-Rubaix, a couple of other good placings at PR, the world championship crash, the Olympic road race. I never followed cycling back then, so I only know about the famous stuff, but.. He was a strong as hell rider who was just never quite at the right place and time.

Hesjedal seems to have very similar qualities in the hanging in there and fighting on sense. Much more of a climber compared to Bauer as strong man, of course (which is funny as hell considering their heights), but it is looking good for Hesjedal being in the right place at the right time. I guess that makes all the difference.

Canadians don't know anything about cycling. At all. It is getting a little mention here and there, but his placing at the Tour in 2010 got more headlines than this. Pathetic.

Anyway..

Anybody think the relatively cool weather today helped Ryder? I saw it was 13C at one point, which isn't cold, but it sure isn't hot either. Maybe those swarthy Mediterraneans need to be at full boil before they can reach peek performance?

 

[CanSprint]

Would be an even better story if he rode for Spidertech

I second that!!!

Maybe this will open the purse string of the bigger Canadian Companies, Bauer needs the Budget to have Hesjedal as Team leader and the supporting cast...

Bauer was real good ask Sean Kelly!

Cheers

 

[Unkown]

On my news station in Canada Ryder only got a 10 second highlight window, pretty lame for a guy on the brink of winning the Giro d'Italia. If he wins it I wonder if he could make front page news here in Canada.

 

[Bespoke]

I think most Canadians don't even know what the Giro is. It is being reported on National news, but mostly as a footnote. So I would say most Canadians don't care. That said, some are taking a mild interest.

Those who are into racing though are flipping out a little bit

On my news station in Canada Ryder only got a 10 second highlight window, pretty lame for a guy on the brink of winning the Giro d'Italia. If he wins it I wonder if he could make front page news here in Canada.

Of course you guys are correct. Cycling is a non-story here, especially (despite record breaking temperatures today) when hockey season is still underway (nuts).

If you recall, when Canada did well in rowing in the Olympics, that sport did get a bit of a lift. I have to think, especially with the demographics such that they are, with a growing uptake of cycling by us old farts , that the timing for this success by a Canadian is primo!

 

[the delgados]

Where I live (Toronto), Ryder is getting a surprising amount of attention from media outlets that never report on cycling.
Sadly, some radio interviews with former Canadian cycling pros are followed by comments designed by radio hosts to distance themselves from the topic--i.e. Radio guy to co-host: "I don't ride a bike. Do you?"
Radio host: "Not since I was 8 years old."
Har har.

 

[Bespoke]

Where I live (Toronto), Ryder is getting a surprising amount of attention from media outlets that never report on cycling.
Sadly, some radio interviews with former Canadian cycling pros are followed by comments designed by radio hosts to distance themselves from the topic--i.e. Radio guy to co-host: "I don't ride a bike. Do you?"
Radio host: "Not since I was 8 years old."
Har har.

They're afraid to be labelled "commie pinkos" by Don Cherry.

 

[palmerq]

team 1040 was talking about hesjedal this morning he is getting more and more famous

 

[Eric8-A]

Coming into this Giro, I thought he was capable of a top 5, then I said top 10. It's nice to see a rider from Garmin be so aggressive in the decisive stages in a GT instead of just sitting around. There's only one more mountain stage tomorrow, and if Ryder is able to stay in contention, there's no doubt that he'll win the Giro. He says he's always best in the third week, and that the longer the climb on a profile is, the better it is for him. And tomorrow's final climb looks pretty long.

 

[Category 6]

Are there Canadians in here, i'd like to know how the Canadian people think about Hesjedal (almost) winning the Giro

Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, besides a limited number of cycling fans and riders, cycling here in Canada largely rates below logrolling (no offence to logrollers ). I've noticed a few stories about Ryder over the past week, but the story still trails local high school sports. Heres hoping he will pull it off this weekend. Should give a boost to cycling here in the great white north.

On another note, my son and I had a brief encounter with Ryder during the 2010 TdF. He seems like quite a nice guy and a great ambassador for the sport.

 

[Wigwan]

Well here in Quebec City, a lot of people are aware of him, even though the majority of them don't watch cycling. But at least the media talks about cycling other than for the TdF and GP Québec-Montréal.

 

[Alex III]

Are there Canadians in here, i'd like to know how the Canadian people think about Hesjedal (almost) winning the Giro

Well in Victoria anyway he's getting a ton of attention, and actually gets quite a bit of local media attention for most of his other racing as well. He's a definite 'household' name I would say here even before the Giro, I have yet to know someone who doesn't know who he is at the very least.

I think the profile is probably much higher in BC than some other parts of the country. He/this Giro seems to be big in Quebec as well, which makes sense as it will be great for this years Montreal and Quebec GP's.

He also usually races in a few local events each year as well, and there's a race called 'Ryder Hesjedal's Tour de Victoria' which had 1500 riders last year.

On another note... some Canadian Olympic rowers (left of pic) appreciating Ryder (middle) in pink last weekend. They are also based out of Victoria but were in Italy for a camp.

 

[180mmCrank]

The rowers are in fact the Canadian Olympic team and are competing in Lucerne Switzerland this weekend. They qualified direct to the final beating the Brits in the heat - it will be a cracking final on Saturday about the same time as Ryder is on the TT course in Italy.

It's funny how few Canadian know anything about cycling - especially road racing - and yet there are literally hundreds of 40+ yrs old guys thrashing up and down the roads of Vancouver all Lycra clad in matching team gear. Some of them do support cycling development in BC but most of the, are only interested in themselves.

Sport in Canada is weird that way. It's all about (ice) hockey!

 

[Master50]

I have been paying attention to Ryder since I watched him as a junior MTB racer at burn't bridge in shawnigan lake. He started 3 minutes after the elite men and I think he was second only to Roland Green Who started with the elite men. I can' remember but I think he even took a couple of seconds out of Roland. Ryder is a pretty quiet guy but he is clearly speaking loudly now.
I was just too excited when I finally saw today's stage 18. By far the best stage racer ever to be born in Canada. Even when Steve got 4th in the tour as Steve had to loose like 35 minutes to hold 4th.
Go Ryder, you have really earned it!

 

[Ripper]

Are there Canadians in here, i'd like to know how the Canadian people think about Hesjedal (almost) winning the Giro

We're going f*cking crazzzy. But it ain't won yet, so we are trying to contain ourselves

 

[xmoonx]

Go Ryder!

An "in your face move by HesJey today". I picked Basso for GC, seriously hope Ryder does it but JRod looked to have kept some in reserve.

 

[Ripper]

Would be an even better story if he rode for Spidertech

I hope you're kidding!

 

[Ripper]

I have been paying attention to Ryder since I watched him as a junior MTB racer at burn't bridge in shawnigan lake. He started 3 minutes after the elite men and I think he was second only to Roland Green Who started with the elite men. I can' remember but I think he even took a couple of seconds out of Roland. Ryder is a pretty quiet guy but he is clearly speaking loudly now.
I was just too excited when I finally saw today's stage 18. By far the best stage racer ever to be born in Canada. Even when Steve got 4th in the tour as Steve had to loose like 35 minutes to hold 4th.
Go Ryder, you have really earned it!

Yup, he's been a mutant since day one.

 

[Ripper]

The rowers are in fact the Canadian Olympic team and are competing in Lucerne Switzerland this weekend. They qualified direct to the final beating the Brits in the heat - it will be a cracking final on Saturday about the same time as Ryder is on the TT course in Italy.

It's funny how few Canadian know anything about cycling - especially road racing - and yet there are literally hundreds of 40+ yrs old guys thrashing up and down the roads of Vancouver all Lycra clad in matching team gear. Some of them do support cycling development in BC but most of the, are only interested in themselves.

Sport in Canada is weird that way. It's all about (ice) hockey!

It is very odd. There is a course at SFU called Sport in Canada ... it is well known as the hockey course. Seriously. Hockey and that is it.

It can be a bit maddening because as you say, there is no shortage of MAMILs riding around and training for Gran Fondos

 

[Master50]

Wow this is great for Canadian cycling...he isn't in Bauer's league but this put him 2nd best by a long shot!
Killer performance today.
still 2 more day's!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers

You are correct but at 3week stage races Ryder is the best Canadian by miles. Steve's 4th was pure luck and pluck. Steve lost like 30 some minutes to place 4th. Ryder has lost less than a minute and gained most back. Now I would never put Ryder against Steve at Paris Roubaix except Ryder has finished it several times.

They are riders of different talents, but on Monday Ryder will be Canada's greatest GT rider and certainly equal to Steve. That was my diplomatic answer.

I have Ryder as Canada,s #1

 

[ElleSquared]

Like some others have mentioned, I think Ryder is a Pretty Big Deal in Victoria, is getting some serious notice (now) in greater BC, and is getting brief "Well, isn't that cute, eh? Bike racing!"-type mentions on national media.
It's difficult to be a cycling fan in this country...

I grew up just outside Victoria (just like Ryder! We're totes besties! ), and it seems to me that, like most small-ish, sleepy type towns (and I say those words with love for my hometown), there is a HUGE amount of interest in the local media and the community in promoting (usually disproportionately) the successes of home-grown talent. Of course in this case, it is 100% deserved attention.
I remember that during the 2010 Tour there was a recurring feature in the main newspaper that was, essentially, a "Ryder Watch!", in which they (rather hilariously) tracked his progress through each stage of the Tour in extremely dumbed-down language which wouldn't be incomprehensible to regular Victorians who had never watched a professional bike race in their life. 'Twas funny....I think they kept the feature for the 2011 Tour, though it was really not very exciting reading last year

Anywho. Ryder is amazing. Most boys (and girls!) from the Island are.


...and let's be serious: after an abysmal Canucks post-season, BC sports fans need a feel-good story in the springtime to help salve their wounds.

 

[ElChingon]

His team boss persuade him to do it.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...dals-giro-success-from-a-safe-distance_220866

Finally team Garmin shoots for races other than le Tour! Its like before the whole team would train for July and then use the rest of the year to see who would make the team. Hopefully they have another similar team (one designated leader) setup for la Vuelta.

They can use le Tour to train

You'd think this was the first time a team came up with such a plan, one designated leader for a race and not this new era 9 riders for a GT and 9 possible leaders chosen through the process of elimination

 

[Eric8-A]

They might use Martin for the Vuelta. He went pretty good there last year.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

If he wins, it will be because he had the balls (and legs) to actually attack in the mountains, unlike the other top 10 candidates. He deserves the victory for that alone!