• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Taylor Phinney

Page 2 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Feb 12, 2010
547
0
0
Phinney is a massive talent obviously but I think he is being over hyped. I feel for him a bit as well because everyone seems to think that as soon as he turns pro he'll win every classic going.

Phinney, Bobridge, Kennaugh and Sagan are the future stars of the sport in my opinion and it'd be interesting to see which development tactic works best. Phinney continuing at U23 for a bit longer, Bobridge thrown into a GT, Sagan given loads of responsibility and winning big races but not riding a GT yet or Kennaugh's steady development working as a domestique mainly.

I am looking forward to seeing what opportunity Kennaugh has at Ster Elektrotoer where looking at Sky's selection, him and Downing are the only real overall contenders. He's also riding the Vuelta so that'd be interesting to see how he goes compared to Bobridge at teh Giro for instance.
 
May 20, 2010
718
1
0
Bobridge, Sagan, Phinney: all appear to have fantastic upsides. To make comparisons, at this early stage, when they have shared little time on the road seems odious.

Besides it also seems likely that even if they all succeed at becoming superstars (which is maybe 50/50), it may be in slightly different segments of road racing. :cool:
 
Jan 18, 2010
3,059
0
0
Sagan seems a step ahead at the moment but Phinny does look a class rider. At TDU he did well but time will tell how good he is - but yes a very promising rider.

I'm looking out for riders like Britains Adam Blythe , and Aus rider Cameron Meyer, they have very bright futures, The thing i like about Blythe is that he can sprint so i can see him doing well.
 
Nov 17, 2009
2,388
0
0
I don't think we'll know exactly what Phinney can be on the road until he stops riding the track.

Wiggins was a great track rider... but never more then passable on the road until he stopped riding track. While I'm not expecting Phinney to turn into a GC guy like Wiggins did, I do think we'll just be talking about "potential" until he stops riding track and goes road full-time.

I think he'll take a stab at the Omnium in 2012 (and stay on Trek-Livestrong until then so there's no pressure to deviate from his track training)... then I hope he'll hang up his track bike and get on with the road portion of his career.
 
Mar 11, 2009
5,841
4
0
kurtinsc said:
(and stay on Trek-Livestrong until then so there's no pressure to deviate from his track training)

He's already said he is going pro with The Shack next year, unless I am very much mistaken.
 
Nov 17, 2009
2,388
0
0
Jamsque said:
He's already said he is going pro with The Shack next year, unless I am very much mistaken.

That will complicate things for him if he's shooting for continuing track racing. RS sans Lance are going to need a new public face... and Phinney is a reasonable choice for them to hype to some degree as a young talent... but it will only work if he's racing on the road... not taking 1-2 months off each year from the road (at his peak) to race track.

We'll see what happens... the Landis stuff could possibly have thrown some things up into the air.
 
Aug 11, 2009
729
0
0
Mini-Phinney is my advance pick to win the (hypothetical) Giro 2012 Washington, D.C. Prologue. I think that would be the perfect coming-out party for him, and I also think that Phinney will prove himself to be the most talented prologue rider since Cancellara.

Hopefully Phinney can become a Classics champion, too, but as so many others have pointed out, it's too early to tell. Let's not forget that Geert Steegmans spent years beating up on Tom Boonen in age group racing, and it wasn't until Tommeke was 25 years-old that he really began to dominate elite racing. 265kms at elite pace is a far cry from 4km pursuiting, junior classics racing, and 130 flat kms in Qatar. Hopefully the transformation will be a smooth one, and hopefully Phinney will stop getting a few concussions every year so that his career isn't over before it ever really begins.
 
May 15, 2009
843
0
0
ergmonkey said:
Mini-Phinney is my advance pick to win the (hypothetical) Giro 2012 Washington, D.C. Prologue. I think that would be the perfect coming-out party for him, and I also think that Phinney will prove himself to be the most talented prologue rider since Cancellara.

Hopefully Phinney can become a Classics champion, too, but as so many others have pointed out, it's too early to tell. Let's not forget that Geert Steegmans spent years beating up on Tom Boonen in age group racing, and it wasn't until Tommeke was 25 years-old that he really began to dominate elite racing. 265kms at elite pace is a far cry from 4km pursuiting, junior classics racing, and 130 flat kms in Qatar. Hopefully the transformation will be a smooth one, and hopefully Phinney will stop getting a few concussions every year so that his career isn't over before it ever really begins.


2012 Giro prologue? it is too early for him
 
ergmonkey said:
Hopefully Phinney can become a Classics champion, too, but as so many others have pointed out, it's too early to tell. Let's not forget that Geert Steegmans spent years beating up on Tom Boonen in age group racing, and it wasn't until Tommeke was 25 years-old that he really began to dominate elite racing. 265kms at elite pace is a far cry from 4km pursuiting, junior classics racing, and 130 flat kms in Qatar. Hopefully the transformation will be a smooth one, and hopefully Phinney will stop getting a few concussions every year so that his career isn't over before it ever really begins.
That's a four-cheddar bay biscuit post right there, ergmonkey. Agree on the wait and see and share your unease re: the concussions. Gotta stop falling off.
 
Mar 13, 2009
5,245
2
0
Rumours had been circulating that Phinney could ride the Tour de France this year.

- from the latest cyclingnews article.

This hype is getting beyond ridiculous and can only harm him. Everyone should calm down and give him 2 years to settle in pro business, if he can do it faster than that, great, but don't put so much pressure on him!
 
Jamsque said:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/phinney-open-to-joining-armstrong-as-a-stagiaire

Phinney now talking about moving to Radio Shack as a stagiaire later this year.

Poor kid. Should open his eyes and see the damage that will be done to his "legacy" (whatever it becomes) by this association with Armstrong early in his career.

I'm with those who think he can become a Cancellara type rider, but with more of a sprint. So a cross between Boonen and Cancellara. Which would be daunting.
 
Mar 11, 2009
5,841
4
0
I agree, I think moving to RS will be not just bad for him but bad for American cycling.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
eleven said:
He seems to be built for the Classics. Interesting to see if they try to develop him into a GT rider; Americans don't much understand the Classics, to put it mildly.

And the British don't much understand dentistry.

Anyway, at some point he is going to have to decide to move away from the track, and thus far, he has maintained his desire to continue to do both. Until that point, his addition to the professional ranks will most likely not produce any major results. If he decides to fully dedicate himself to the road, he seems to have a good bit of potential in the Northern Classics. I haven't seen anything to indicate that he will be a contender for a race like LBL, but who knows?
 
Mar 18, 2009
1,844
1
0
Some of the comments on this thread are funny..."give him a break...let him develop...too much pressure" HaHa!! I'm pretty sure Phinney puts more pressure on himself than any one of us...that is probably one of the reasons he is such a good rider (genetics aside). If you ask me, he has done quite well on both the track and the road in such a short career!! What more could he do? I mean really? Funny how people put up 10 past years of PR U23 winners and say "no guarantee of anything"...true..but how many of those riders previously dominated Olympia's Tour...and make no mistake, Phinney DOMINATED that tour! What is wrong with a little hype, no matter the rider? Sagan, Bobridge, Phinney, et al.? We are fans right? All you anti hype guys must think we live in a vaccuum...rooting and hyping the younger riders is one of the things that makes this sport so fun!!
I, for myself, think Phinney is a phenomenal talent who may be a "rider of his generation" type of guy...good battles with Sagan, Bobridge and others!! This is great for the sport. Good luck to them all...and I will gladly be on the hype train for every one of them...for I am a fan!
 
interesting that Porte hasn't been mentioned yet - phenomenal ride at the Giro and also only 19years old...

I'll admit that I know almost nothing about Phinney, but will worry about him once I see him in the pro ranks and judge him then.
 
Archibald said:
interesting that Porte hasn't been mentioned yet - phenomenal ride at the Giro and also only 19years old...

I'll admit that I know almost nothing about Phinney, but will worry about him once I see him in the pro ranks and judge him then.

Porte is 25... :p
 
May 15, 2009
843
0
0
Archibald said:
interesting that Porte hasn't been mentioned yet - phenomenal ride at the Giro and also only 19years old...

I'll admit that I know almost nothing about Phinney, but will worry about him once I see him in the pro ranks and judge him then.


Which Porte? Richie Porte is already 25.