TDF winner, welcome to a man that never ever attacks...richly deserved...not

[dbrmuz]

Well this thread is even more overwhelmingly against the OP than that Banesto Mountain Train one was.What sort of sad loser creates an account just to start this? Idiot!

Cadel well and truly earned his win.The wheelsuckers he dragged up the Galibier even acknowledge that.

 

[Mambo95]

Even prior to the 2009 Worlds, he wasn't really a wheelsucker. He has always been a rider who does what he can when he can.

Back then he just wasn't a rider with the 'legs' of the likes of Vino, Ricco, Valverde, Armstrong, Landis or Rasmussen.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Even prior to the 2009 Worlds, he wasn't really a wheelsucker. He has always been a rider who does what he can when he can.

Back then he just wasn't a rider with the 'legs' of the likes of Vino, Ricco, Valverde, Armstrong, Landis or Rasmussen.

He could, and sometimes did, attack back in the old days. But he had a tendency to give up after one go sometimes, or also to get the sulks if he didn't get help or had bad luck (like on Mont Ventoux in the Dauphiné). In this race, you saw him come to the front (he's always been happy to do his share) on Galibier, but where the Evans of old might have got frustrated at nobody helping him, or done his bit then sat on expecting somebody else to help him even if they had no reason or inclination to, the Evans of now says 'screw it. I won't win this race if I don't stay up here' and pulls time back on the front.

 

[Granville57]

Can't believe how successful this guys fishing expedition was

"Dave" could only have been more helpful if he'd actually hacked my CP and added his own name to my Ignore List.

LMAO! I can't resist though...

Given the rate of attrition at this year's Tour, simply getting to Paris is no small accomplishment. This win was earned through smart, tough and determined riding from beginning to end.

(I'm still nervous about tomorrow though )

 

[fatsprintking]

I think both the above posts are fair. In the past Cadel often seemed unable to attack as he was on his limit, but he also seemed to be conservative by nature and to fail to grab races when there was a chance he should.

He does seem to have found a balance now of playing the percentages by taking calculated risks and as this has been sucessful his confidence has grown.

I have always thought that Cadel either had Asperger's syndrome or maybe some residual brain injury from his childhood accident that partly explained hispersonality and his decsion making. It seems like there has been just a slight shift in his thinking, but that this has made a world of difference.

 

[Mambo95]

He could, and sometimes did, attack back in the old days. But he had a tendency to give up after one go sometimes, or also to get the sulks if he didn't get help or had bad luck (like on Mont Ventoux in the Dauphiné). In this race, you saw him come to the front (he's always been happy to do his share) on Galibier, but where the Evans of old might have got frustrated at nobody helping him, or done his bit then sat on expecting somebody else to help him even if they had no reason or inclination to, the Evans of now says 'screw it. I won't win this race if I don't stay up here' and pulls time back on the front.

He's certainly taken on more personal responsibility, but I don't think his previous attitudes were restricted to him - you still saw it with the likes of Basso this year. I think that there's a whole generation of riders who have been tacticaly scarred by the US Postal Blue Train. This year in the Alps saw them break away for that a little at least.

 

[benpounder]

Haha. I'm sorry for what I'm about to do, but:

*Ahem*

Cadel Evans single-handedly took three minutes out of Andy on the Galibier.

That is all.

And Andy almost single-handedly took four minutes out of Cadel and the whole peloton in the preceding 50km; including up Izoard and the long drag up Lautaret.

That is not to say what Evans did on Galibier was not impressive, just correcting what seems to be a growing tendency to over-exaggerate his deeds. Without question, he was the best rider these past three weeks, but lets not go overboard.

To paraphrase another here several days ago, I'm not predisposed to dislike Cadel Evans, but the bordering on sycophantic devotion of some of Cadel's fans here pushes me in that direction. It's Lance circa the early 2000's like.

Oh, and to the OP Dave, I hope you grow up before you become a regular poster here; we have enough boneheads as it is...

 

[Mambo95]

I have always thought that Cadel either had Asperger's syndrome or maybe some resiual brain injury from his childhood accident that partly explained hispersonality and his decsion making. It seems like there has been just a slight shift in his thinking, but that this has made a world of difference.

He doesn't have any mental disorder. He grew up in a town with a population of just 6000 called Katherine, which is several hundred miles from anywhere else. People who grow up in such places will always seem a little different to those of you who grew up in larger towns near big cities.

 

[daveinzambia]

of course he deserved to win. he completed the course faster than anyone else. that is what you do to win. not that hard a concept. the one that rides the tour course faster than anyone else wins. if attacking was the sole factor in winning then we might actually get a french winner. but until they actually change the rules to a big brother style vote off for the most exciting, then the person that gets round fastest deserves to win. period.

i should add that i am not a Cadel fan. while living in Aus i was raised in UK so find it impossible to support any australian sportsman. it is in our dna.

 

[fatsprintking]

He doesn't have any mental disorder. He grew up in a town with a population of just 6000 called Katherine, which is several hundred miles from anywhere else. People who grow up in such places will always seem a little different to those of you who grew up in larger towns near big cities.

Aspergers and aquired brain injury are not mental disorders.

The fact that I live on an small island in the middle of Bass Strait with a few hundred people must mean I am really different.

 

[Special_oz_ed]

Some VERY sour grapes

Dave,

At least some of the more recent TDF winners were prepared to lead from the front to get the gaps to win the race, but step forward Cadel Evans, only defining moment of this years race was attacking to try to bring down the time difference to Andy Schleck, not a single attack, classic wheel follower and half decent time trial-er.
Dave

Would you like some lemon with those sour grapes?

Criticise Cadel all you like, but he will still have the yellow jersey!

 

[Special_oz_ed]

Nice work Mambo!

Great point.

Even prior to the 2009 Worlds, he wasn't really a wheelsucker. He has always been a rider who does what he can when he can.

Back then he just wasn't a rider with the 'legs' of the likes of Vino, Ricco, Valverde, Armstrong, Landis or Rasmussen.

Bahahahahahaha. And Kohl.

 

[BullsFan22]

Yeah that's, that's, um, yeah that's.. Ummm... Hey anyone see a bike race today???

What an epic race...

Cadel, most worthy winner I've seen for a long time...

Minus the doping, IMO, Ullrich in 1997 is the last worthy TDF winner (before this year).

 

[craig1985]

July = internet fail month.

 

[dlwssonic]

I guess you should start watching the race instead of reading the news of cadel about his 2007 and 2008 tdf. He rode a real aggressive race. He attacked since day 1. He even won a stage in stage 4. He did massive pulls for BMC in the TTT and got them a magnificent second. Cadel attacked on the descend in stage 16, he dragged the entire peloton single handedly on the galibier when no one gave him any help. He attacked on the alpe. He did a TT of his life just losing to martin by 7 seconds.

Sorry to dissapoint you that cadel can not do the type of contador attack in the mountains but he has been attacking and aggressive for the whole race and he fully deserves this win. Given his performance over the 3 weeks anything but a win would have been a dissapointment. He constantly finished top 10 in a lot of stages too. Please watch the race more and stop being so blind and just following what the press said in 2008 or 2007. In fact cuddles didnt even have to attack if he wanted too, as his TT was so strong.

 

[mickkk]

When the time came, he took 2 minutes off Shrek twice. Thats all the attacking he needed to win.

 

[ProfTournesol]

Oh dear, trolling are we? Of course all Tour winners should be exactly the same, how about repeated 10 minute attacks at 35km/hr up mountain after mountain, day after day that just crushes life out of the opponents? My that makes for interesting racing (not). Whilst the peleton may not be clean, it is certainly cleaner, and what is emerging is more interesting and closer racing, racing that allows each rider to ride to their strengths. Evans strength is his consistency, that's how he rides, he does it well. It doesn't matter how many races he wins, some people will just see this attribute as 'unworthy'. Luckily for you, there are DVDs of Armstrong, Landis, Chicken, Ricco and Pantani for you to enjoy.

 

[greenedge]

Hey Dave welcome to the forum with a post that alienates most people.

Evans won get over it. He worked his *** of to get to where he was in this TDF. He had a weaker team and in Gap he gained 1:06 on Andy. On stage 4 he gained 8 seconds. He has been consistently on top. It was not up to him to attack as he had gained time to put him into an ideal position before the mountains which everyone beloved would be his weakness.
All the other contenders lost time somewhere before the penultimate stage except for Frank who only lost 3 seconds on stage 1. I think he was the stronget man the whole TDF

 

[fatsprintking]

Hi Dave,

What you need to do to help us out is to go through stage by stage and explain to us exactly what he should have done - ie what someone such as yourself would have.

You might find that it is not easy - as I think the general consensus (as you are discovering) is that he rode pretty much spot on in every stage, but I am really happy for you to give us a few ideas about how he could improve, as after all there is always next year.

If you could help us out with the above then it might easier to get a little bit of respect for your opinion.

 

[Richeypen]

Jeez, 1 trolling post and all these responses

 

[woodie]

I think the fact that this guy hasn't replied to a single post says a lot.

Can we close this now?

 

[Jeanne]

I think the fact that this guy hasn't replied to a single post says a lot.

Can we close this now?

+1. (maybe he's creating a new account)

 

[dbrmuz]

I can't work out why this thread is allowed to stay open.Ridiculous!

 

[SiAp1984]

Evans deserved this win. He rode smart, aggressive, he worked very much in the mountains, he took a stage, he did a great ITT- and he never seemed extraterrestrial. Very good for the race. In addition to that, he should have won a GT earlier in his career (Tour 2007, Vuelta with thisl stupid mechanical on the final climb) so it is absolutels great he got yellow. Andy Schleck still has plenty of time to win the Tour. Cadel maybe used his last chance this year. I feel happy for him. Chapeau!

 

[orbis_25]

Can't wait for August.

What? Why? I love July round here, there are enough ridiculous threads and posts to keep me entertained for, well, an entire month. The rest of the time it's full of people who actually know something about cycling posting. Pah! It's not like I come here for insightful, informed comments