Surprise Gt winner in last 20 years

[Cobblestoned]

There's a really funny video on that on youtube. The guy won a bike with megabike (a game in wich you'll have to predict stage outcome) and they take away his bike because ricco and schumacher were caught doping
and it was a joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_aDS-vVhpA
if you understand dutch it's worth watching!

loool
"Dit is mijn pomp !"

 

[Cobblestoned]

It wasn't all that surprising that Ulle won in 1997. Yes there may have pretentions of him entering the tour as a helper for Riis however he had finished 2nd in 1996, now that was a bigger surprise.

The brake pads on Ullrich´s bike had to be renewed after each stage in 1996.

 

[happychappy]

1. Carlos Sastre
2. Carlos Sastre
3. Carlos Sastre
4. Carlos Sastre
5. Carlos Sastre

 

[maltiv]

1. Carlos Sastre
2. Carlos Sastre
3. Carlos Sastre
4. Carlos Sastre
5. Carlos Sastre

What?

 

[Lyds97]

And what about Riis in 1996.
(you did say last 20 years)

Riis was 3rd and 5th in the TdF in 95 and 93, so not that big a surprise.

I seem to recall seeing an interview from the time with Godefroot, where he recalled Riis announcing at the winter training camp that he was going to win the '96 Tour. Apparently everyone thought this was hilarious

 

[hrotha]

I seem to recall seeing an interview from the time with Godefroot, where he recalled Riis announcing at the winter training camp that he was going to win the '96 Tour. Apparently everyone thought this was hilarious

I'd say that had more to do with Indurain being around than with Riis's previous results though.

 

[undencem]

Evgeni Berzin won Giro 1994 in his first pro season ,was second in Giro 1995 and after that he couldnt do anything in GTs till his retire in 2000.He turned pro in Gewiss Ballan but retired in Mobilvetta Design-Formaggi Trentini

 

[Angliru]

1. Oscar Pereiro- Tour 2006 ( see him winning a gt was dificult to imagine, then the Tour!!!?

2. Aitor Gonzalez - Vuelta 2002 ( came from nowhere)

3. Alberto Contador - Tour 2007 ( big big surprise at the time, he entered the race as a domestique)

4. Damiano Cunego - Giro 2004 ( super rookie!)

5. Paolo Savoldelli - Giro 2005 (unlikely retourn for the Italian)

Contador didn't enter the 2007 Tour as a domestique. He was entered with the goal of (quoting Bruyneel): "seeing what he could do". Bruyneel knew he had a prize on his hands but was uncertain as to how advanced Contador was in his development. Contador was given free reign as I understand it, to ride his race. He was not entered as a "domestique" for Leipheimer. That was my understanding.

Salvodelli had won the Giro previously so I don't how much of a surprise his winning again was, unless one had personally given up hope on him based on his invisible years at T-Mobile.

I'll have to do a bit of research before I make my choice.

 

[Angliru]

I suppose most first time winners are a surprise. Ullrich winning was a surprise. Lance winning was a surprise. Cunegos first win was a surprise. THough in some cases like with Valverde and Basso and Sastre if they have already performed well before its not too big a surprise

And what about Riis in 1996.
(you did say last 20 years)

Ullrich was 2nd the previous year in his very first Tour appearance so how would winning the next year be a surprise. Was it a surprise because his teammate Riis was the previous year's winner and still riding for the same team?

 

[Lyds97]

I'd say that had more to do with Indurain being around than with Riis's previous results though.

Oh for sure. But it was pretty surprising when Indurain floundered in the Pyrenees and Riis went on to take the lead a couple of days later.

 

[The Hitch]

Ok ok i get it ullrich was not a surprise.

Also, those who keep saying Perreiro had a 30 minute bonus, so its no surprise pleeeeeeeeasssssee.

He didnt get a 30 minute bonus. He lost half an hour one stage (largely on purpose) and then got half an hour back the next stage. That gave him 1 minute going into the Alps, so he had to fight for his tdf victory just the same as anyone else.

 

[The Hitch]

There's a really funny video on that on youtube. The guy won a bike with megabike (a game in wich you'll have to predict stage outcome) and they take away his bike because ricco and schumacher were caught doping
and it was a joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_aDS-vVhpA
if you understand dutch it's worth watching!

Wait wait. Am i understanding you correctly?

They gave him a bike because he got a prediction right. Then as a joke when the winner tested positive they went to his house, told him they were taking back the bike, but then told him it was just a joke?

If so. Brilliant

And that Rasmussen tdf advert, you dutch speakers sure do have it good when it comes to cycling youtube videos.

 

[Squares]

I reckon Contador was already the team captain by 7th stage and leecheimer was way back in the GC

That's funny, Leipheimer finished 3rd that year, 31 seconds back of Contador. So by way back, you mean 2 places behind Contador?

 

[movingtarget]

For me there is no contest. Armstrong's first TDF win. Here is a guy who almost died. His team at the time, cancelled his contract and probably thought he would never race again. Pre cancer he had no stage race form but won the World Road Title and could ride well in the classics and sprint. Completely changes his training, his body shape, his pedalling style, improves his climbing and time trialling to a huge degree. Pereiro's win was was just idiocy on the part of the other teams and it almost happened again this year with Arroyo in the Giro. Good luck to both of them. Both are very good riders who were severely underestimated at the time. Giving those types of riders huge chunks of time only increases their confidence and motivates them even more. All of a sudden the unthinkable becomes a possibility.

 

[erader]

Ullrich wasn't a surprise. He had come second the year before.

true. the next year was like a lemond/hinault rivalry. i can tell by reading this thread who was really watching bike racing back then.

erader

 

[Nick C.]

true. the next year was like a lemond/hinault rivalry. i can tell by reading this thread who was really watching bike racing back then.

erader

I didn't watch cycling, but in retrospect how is a 22 now 23 year old who finished 2nd his first crack, was junior world champ (or whatever the title was called back then), won the final TT and was in if not helping force the selection in the mountains not a favorite especially when his team leader won the year before and was post 30.

1999 or Cunego had the rider winning with the weakest palmares as pertains to a GT. Cunego from it being his second year and LA from but for the '98 Vuelta never featuring high in anything resembling a stage race in Europe. Contadot had featured prominently in several editions of Paris Nice before winnign in 2007, been beaten in the final TT by Cadel in Romandy ... but 1999 featured someone with palmares between Sergey Ivanov and Kim Kirchen or Carlos Barredo throttling the field.

 

[loydfloyd32]

Angel Casero - Vuelta 01. Yeah....I know, he was second the year before, but hey. Angel "mister nobody who the heck is he" Casero actually won a GT. At least he was surprisingly bad after that win.

 

[The Hitch]

For me there is no contest. Armstrong's first TDF win. Here is a guy who almost died. His team at the time, cancelled his contract and probably thought he would never race again. Pre cancer he had no stage race form but won the World Road Title and could ride well in the classics and sprint. Completely changes his training, his body shape, his pedalling style, improves his climbing and time trialling to a huge degree. Pereiro's win was was just idiocy on the part of the other teams and it almost happened again this year with Arroyo in the Giro. Good luck to both of them. Both are very good riders who were severely underestimated at the time. Giving those types of riders huge chunks of time only increases their confidence and motivates them even more. All of a sudden the unthinkable becomes a possibility.

Arroyo was given a 8 minute advantage in the gc. It wasnt idiocy because they didnt know who or how big the break was until it was too late.

Perreiro unlike Arroyo was not given a huge advantage. They let him have a minute advantage in the gc. That is all. This is not idiocy.

 

[The Hitch]

but 1999 featured someone with palmares between Sergey Ivanov and Kim Kirchen or Carlos Barredo throttling the field.

You mean world road race champions and Flech Wallone winners Sergey Ivanov and Kim Kirchen or Carlos Barredo

I think you exagerated a bit. I said myself it was a surprise but come on.

 

[hfer07]

That's funny, Leipheimer finished 3rd that year, 31 seconds back of Contador. So by way back, you mean 2 places behind Contador?

as I wrote: "by stage 7th Contador was way ahead of Leecheimer. as the race progressed, Levi clawed his way up, but remained "behind" to AC all the way to Paris

 

[Squares]

For me there is no contest. Armstrong's first TDF win. Here is a guy who almost died. His team at the time, cancelled his contract and probably thought he would never race again. Pre cancer he had no stage race form but won the World Road Title and could ride well in the classics and sprint. Completely changes his training, his body shape, his pedalling style, improves his climbing and time trialling to a huge degree.

You do know that Lance took 4th place in the 1998 Vuelta, right?

To me, that fact, focusing on being a GT rider, and then targeting the Tour as his next GT made it less of a surprise, especially without the 1996, 1997, and 1998 winners of the Tour being present for the 1999 race.

 

[indurain666]

Angel Casero - Vuelta 01. Yeah....I know, he was second the year before, but hey. Angel "mister nobody who the heck is he" Casero actually won a GT. At least he was surprisingly bad after that win.

Agree, my other favorites:

-Gonzales Vuelta 02
-Gotti, Giro 97 and 99, 99 was a very sad one and I am pretty sure he never really enjoyed winning this one
-Berzin, Giro 94, out of nowhere
-Armstrong, Tour 99
-Savoldelli, Giro 02

 

[The Hitch]

You do know that Lance took 4th place in the 1998 Vuelta, right?

To me, that fact, focusing on being a GT rider, and then targeting the Tour as his next GT made it less of a surprise, especially without the 1996, 1997, and 1998 winners of the Tour being present for the 1999 race.

Or the 1995, 4 ,3,2,1 winner Indurain, or 90, 89 86 winner Lemond etc. So there was no previous tdf winner in 99. So there was going to be a new winner no matter what.

 

[Franklin]

I suppose most first time winners are a surprise. Ullrich winning was a surprise.

Err hardly a surprise!

Lance winning was a surprise.

I guess he is, but me and my brother were putting him very high on the list due to his killer-mentality (American mentality), we are Dutch and hardly lance fans, but I seldom saw athletes so maniacally focussed and believing in themselves as Americans (both Greg and Lance). Also, Jan and Marco didn't compete. Alex was just back from a suspension.

Cunegos first win was a surprise.

Yep

THough in some cases like with Valverde and Basso and Sastre if they have already performed well before its not too big a surprise

Sastre was a huge surprise.

And what about Riis in 1996.
(you did say last 20 years)

The surprise was the collapse of Miguel, Riis himself was less of a surprise.

 

[Franklin]

Perreiro unlike Arroyo was not given a huge advantage. They let him have a minute advantage in the gc. That is all. This is not idiocy.

Err, come again? Perreiro did get a HUGE gap for free. It was because Phonak couldn't close the gap and the other teams refused to help due to them being arrogant and thus unpopular (this was said by Boogerd after the stage).