The Real Cycling Awards..

[Kazistuta]

Obvious candidates for "loser of the year" must be:

McEwen, Freire, Bennati and Hoste.

Buit my vote goes to Kim Kirchen, who was supposed to be competitive all year long in various terrains. Where was he?

 

[balkou]

I disagree a lot with this thread.
Pathetic, Cadel's try to breakaway? Or Gilbert's? I don't think that anyone who attempts a breakaway is pathetic, on the contrary we must respect them. That's what we want to see, no Stratego all the way etc.
And to call Menchov's Tour pathetic? He already have won the (competitive enough this year) Giro anything more it would have been a plus. There are only 3 GT possible winners every year and it's very rare to see someone win two of them, or do I have to say even try two of them? It's OK if Contador, Schleck or Lance want to focus on one race only. But that don't subtracts anything from guys who at least tried to win 2 GTs, such as Menchov, Simoni and made it only on one. At least they had the b@lls to try it.

 

[RTMcFadden]

+ Loser of the year
I'm unfortunately coming across as a hater here, which certainly wasn't my intent at the start of this post but I do think LA has probably lost more than anyone else this season, at least in terms of fans and admiration. His huge appearance fees paid for by Ozzie tax payers and shortening Ireland's prestige race, his snipping of a certain team-mate, right from when he announced his comeback up until said team-mate showed he now out classed the "old master", his hissy fit at the Giro, and his poor loser attitude, have all contributed to more and more casual to semi-serious cycling fans turning their backs on him as the year has gone on. He may have helped bolster his stock in the American media but amongst those who take even a passing interest in the sport outside of July, be they American or not, I doubt it has ever been lower. There are many, many "I used to be a Lance fan but..." posts on this forum alone that stand testimony to the fact that by virtue of his comeback he has lost more than anyone else this year (even if he has made several million for his personal fortune at the same time).

Well said.

 

[pedaling squares]

Worst Team Kit
Has to be the subdued Astana kit when they were not receiving money from their sponsors

Worst Bike of the year
Cadel's Canyon. It was cursed. At least until September

Biggest non event of the year
The results of the 2008 TDF retro testing

Stupidest Quote of the Year (by a rider)
Lance's comment about Contador's 1st stage victory not being part of the team plan
Maybe the DS didn't want yellow that soon, but I chose this because it highlighted how Lance used "team" as a cover for his own plans.

Stupidest Quote of the Year (non rider)
Phil Liggett saying Contador is not intelligent enough to win

Rider youd least like to have on your team in 2010
Armstrong. Because I would be blasted on Twitter or lose my ride to the start line if I didn't play the role of bytch

Whiner of the year
Hincapie at le Tour. It's a race George, they don't have to let you win

Most dissapointing race
Vuelta. Too many riders using it as a warm up only, Cadel's bad luck keeping the results from being closer.

Loser of the year
Pat McQuaid. For too many dumb quotes to list, and for being a nail in the tire of progress

 

[kurtinsc]

Cavendish had already been disqualified before Hushovd complained at all, so no matter what Hushovd had said or done, Cav would still have been disqualified. Hushovd obviously agreed with the disq, but that doesn't really make him a whiner now does it?

About being annoyed at Velits, that was quite a natural thing to do. Hushovd expected that after he had climbed his fat *** over several mountains and finished in the peloton, no one else would care to fight for a 5. place as only he needed points, but apprently Velits found this very important for some weird reason. He did not insult Velits in the media afterwards, and explained that in the "heat of the moment" he had felt rather irritated, which I only find natural.

And then your last reason. Wow. He bragged about winning the 2 sprints by pointing at his green jersey. Damn. That's almost as bad as cheering when you win a stage. What a selfish idiot.

As I said, I was a big Thor fan before this year. But what I saw was a guy incapable of winning a head to head sprint complaining and whining his way into a green jersey... then seeming cocky about it.

Obviously you disagree. That's fine. And yes, I know the points jersey isn't just about sprints. But the public face he put forward was not the stoic and professional Thor I'm used to seeing at the Tour... it was a frustrated guy who was complaining about others rather then sucking it up and beating the other guy.

Regardless of the question if Cav interfered with him on that stage... he wasn't like Cav wasn't capable of riding fast enough to stay ahead. He was trying to ride as slow as possible without getting passed. And it wasn't like Velits cheated to beat Thor... he whined because he felt entitled to the points.

It bothered me. It's not what I expect from him. It's not the image I was used to from the CA days.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Most pathetic breakaway attempt: I don't remember many pathetic breakaway attempts.

Most laughable grand tour performance of the year: Cadel Evans and/or Carlos Sastre at the tour. Those guys are much better than that. Both should have been in the top 10.

Worst Team Kit: Garmin. As if the colors weren't bad enough, they had to do the argyle.

Worst Bike of the year: Cadel's Canyon. I say that based on aesthetics; that bike is the ugliest in the peloton. It's even worse than Lance's yellow TT bike.

Biggest non event of the year: Astana's PT license and Contador's future.

Stupidest Quote of the Year (by a rider): All the comments between LA and AC. One just kept topping the next.

Stupidest Quote of the Year (non rider): "The cancer has been in remission for 4 years, but our cancer has now returned." Paul Kimmage. He should be hit in the head with an old typewriter after making that comment. Not because it was directed at Lance, but because it belittles cancer. Absolutely no tact.

Rider you'd least like to have on your team in 2010: Vino. Nothing against him, but there is so much baggage, and the UCI is just looking for an excuse.

Whiner of the year: Greg LeMond.

Most dissapointing race: Tour of Ireland. Over half the field dropped out on the last day.

Loser of the year: Jonathan Vaughters. The eternal second to Bob Stapleton's first, now he just seems bitter about it.

 

[Anonymous]

Worst Team Kit: Garmin. As if the colors weren't bad enough, they had to do the argyle.

you cant diss the argyle

 

[Deagol]

you cant diss the argyle

Umm, yeah you can.

I leave near Boulder (relatively speaking) and see it wayyy too much. Nothing against the team, but the kit is ugly

 

[The Cobra]

+ Most pathetic breakaway attempt: Cadel in the tour, desperate!
+ Most laughable grand tour performance of the year: Boonen takes it, what a waste.
+ Worst Team Kit: AG2R, not a fan of the brown look, I always liked the old kit as well.
+ Worst Bike of the year: All of Lance's custom paint jobs, special mention to the butterfly bike and the yellow TT bike from the tour.
+ Biggest non event of the year: Tour radio ban.
+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (by a rider): Astarloza: "I'm completely innocent." Oh come on why even bother!!
+ Rider youd least like to have on your team in 2010: Evans.
+ Whiner of the year: Has to be Lance, closely followed by Evans.
+ Loser of the year: Lance, won nothing and his petty feud with Contador was embarassing.

 

[auscyclefan94]

+ Most pathetic breakaway attempt - Cadel Evans in Tour de France, breaking away from his own team in the TTT.+ Most laughable grand tour performance of the year - Boonen was invisible at the TDF... but do people remember Bennati was there? Best stage finish... 9th. His Vuelta was only slightly better.

+ Worst Team Kit - Not a fan of Astana's.

+ Biggest non event of the year - Lance's TDU performance. Most of us knew he'd just coast through the race... but you'd have thought he was a favorite based on the US media covering the event.

+ Rider youd least like to have on your team in 2010 - Boonen. Way too much headache for a guy turning into a pure classics rider who still thinks he's an elite sprinter.

+ Whiner of the year - Hushovd. For filing the complaint saying he was impeded in the sprint where Cav got relegated, and for whiling at Velits for outsprinting him for a medium placing on a mountain stage. Then bragging about his breakaway pointing at his green jersey. I've always been a fan of his, but he came across as very childish in this tour.

+ Most dissapointing race - People say the Tour, but most expected it to be the Contador/Astana show that it was. It met expectations. I thought P-R was dissappointing. It was shaping up very good... then everyone crashed and Boonen had an easy solo to the win. Big let down.

+ Loser of the year - Fuglsang. I heard a lot of hype leading up to the Vuelta. He didn't crack the top 50.

I disagree with every point of yours

1)firstly Schleck was originally in that breakaway attempt as well. he had to do something. secondly the breakaway from the team is called sprinting for the line. due to the major differences of strength, it showed how pathetic lotto were.

2) IF you really expected lance to be able/want to ride for the win then you are dillusional. Of course the US media would pump it up, he's there "champion". All countries do that.

3)I would love to have boonen on my team. very good sprinter and great in the classics.

4)hushovd had every right to complain. he was squashed into the barriers and didn't get a chance to sprint. Though it was the organisers fault. a bit

6)AStana's kit looks cool

5)jakob Fuglsang had a very nasty crash. He'll be up there next year.

 

[kurtinsc]

I disagree with every point of yours

1)firstly Schleck was originally in that breakaway attempt as well. he had to do something. secondly the breakaway from the team is called sprinting for the line. due to the major differences of strength, it showed how pathetic lotto were.

2) IF you really expected lance to be able/want to ride for the win then you are dillusional. Of course the US media would pump it up, he's there "champion". All countries do that.

3)I would love to have boonen on my team. very good sprinter and great in the classics.

4)hushovd had every right to complain. he was squashed into the barriers and didn't get a chance to sprint. Though it was the organisers fault. a bit

6)AStana's kit looks cool

5)jakob Fuglsang had a very nasty crash. He'll be up there next year.

1. I'm NOT talking about the break in a regular stage. I'm talking about how at the end of the TEAM TIME TRIAL he broke away FROM HIS OWN TEAM to cross the line alone... even though the 5th person has to cross to stop the clock. You TOW your team to the line if you're a strong TT rider in a TTT, you don't DROP them.

2. I didn't expect him to. But it was "much ado about nothing". The TDU is a sprinters race... and the US media made it seem like he'd win it.

3. He's a great classics rider and a B-level sprinter right now. He's paid like he's great in both, and still seems to THINK he's great in both. Plus there's the cocaine... which is not what you want from your high dollar rider.

4. Everyone has the right to complain. Doesn't change the fact he came across (to me) as a whiner. If you can't win head to head... just whine about it.

5. Perhaps so. Enough have posted about the crash (which for whatever reason I missed) that I'll admit being wrong about that.

6. Not a fan of the kit. Blue and yellow is not a color combo I'm fond of. Not as bad as orange and purple (see Clemson University), but still just doesn't work to my eye. I'd like to see more red and black kits in the pelaton. Most are a bit... well... efiminate... for my tastes. Was never a fan of the T-mobile kit either.

 

[The Falcon]

1. I'm NOT talking about the break in a regular stage. I'm talking about how at the end of the TEAM TIME TRIAL he broke away FROM HIS OWN TEAM to cross the line alone... even though the 5th person has to cross to stop the clock. You TOW your team to the line if you're a strong TT rider in a TTT, you don't DROP them.

i think that summed up the Evans - SL Partnership nicely.

 

[auscyclefan94]

1. I'm NOT talking about the break in a regular stage. I'm talking about how at the end of the TEAM TIME TRIAL he broke away FROM HIS OWN TEAM to cross the line alone... even though the 5th person has to cross to stop the clock. You TOW your team to the line if you're a strong TT rider in a TTT, you don't DROP them.

2. I didn't expect him to. But it was "much ado about nothing". The TDU is a sprinters race... and the US media made it seem like he'd win it.

3. He's a great classics rider and a B-level sprinter right now. He's paid like he's great in both, and still seems to THINK he's great in both. Plus there's the cocaine... which is not what you want from your high dollar rider.

4. Everyone has the right to complain. Doesn't change the fact he came across (to me) as a whiner. If you can't win head to head... just whine about it.

5. Perhaps so. Enough have posted about the crash (which for whatever reason I missed) that I'll admit being wrong about that.

6. Not a fan of the kit. Blue and yellow is not a color combo I'm fond of. Not as bad as orange and purple (see Clemson University), but still just doesn't work to my eye. I'd like to see more red and black kits in the pelaton. Most are a bit... well... efiminate... for my tastes. Was never a fan of the T-mobile kit either.

1. He was towing them. The last few k'ms he towed the team, he lang were sprinting at the line but the others weren't strong enough to hold. In a ttt the team strong teams stay together and sprint for the line, the weaker reams split apart. Not evans' fault.

Johan punctured mid way, for him we waited - we needed his power on the fast finish.

 

[badboyberty]

+ Most pathetic breakaway attempt: No such thing, some are doomed to fail, but any one in a breakaway is better than 190 wheel suckers.

+ Most laughable grand tour performance of the year: He Who Shall Not Be Named pulling faces on the TdF podium.

+ Worst Team Kit: Garmin, Garmin, Garmin
Question "How can we make orange argyle look worse?"
Answer "I know, let's make all our jerseys into skinsuits!"

+ Worst Bike of the year: Specialized TT bike, generic and ugly

+ Biggest non event of the year: September 5

+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (by a rider): "We don't want to get rid of Cadel. I can assure you this. This is the last time Cadel will be the only leader in this team. Next year if Cadel is on the team Van den Broeck will be at the same level, as co-leader - if not above him" not really a rider, but he wishes he was: Coucke on the Evans/Jurgen VdB situaion

+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (non rider): "While I'm keen to hear opinions on this matter I’m afraid that spoilers, or race headlines, are very much here to stay. I understand that some of you are against this but if you look on the majority of news websites you’ll see exactly the same thing." Daniel Benson: Cycling News

+ Rider you'd least like to have on your team in 2010: Ricco

+ Whiner of the year: Twitstrong

+ Most dissapointing race: Tdf TTT

+ Loser of the year: BPC/Sprocket/Arbitter

 

[Anonymous]

+ Most pathetic breakaway attempt = Unfortunately, Cadel coming out of Andorra

+ Most laughable grand tour performance of the year = Linus Gerdemann, Tour (he talks himself up for GT but he's so far off)

+ Worst Team Kit = AG2R, go back to the blue and yellow, it looked sweet. Now, very dull and brown shorts?

+ Worst Bike of the year = no idea

+ Biggest non event of the year = worlds TT, who esle came close to Canc. Great event, but a non-event becoz only one guy was ever going to win it

+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (by a rider) = The Tom Danielson about being the best climber in the world on a given day. respect for him saying that, but bending the truth a little

+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (non rider) = probably something to do with the anti-doping agencies saying no tour positives means everyone is clean

+ Rider youd least like to have on your team in 2010 = denis menchov, he'd probably fall off his bike and cause me to crash

+ Whiner of the year = Alberto Contador, so what if your team didn't ride for you, get over it.. HAHA i'm kidding, i love him.. no idea, but not Cadel which i assume everyone voted for (havent read the thread yet). he doesn't whine, he's misunderstood

+ Most dissapointing race = Vuelta with a stupid tyre change ruining the chance of a very very close race for first

+ Loser of the year = Cunego. Talked up the Giro, wasnt for him. Number one fav for the Worlds and couldn't deliver. Don't get me wrong, i like him, and he's not a 'loser' but unfortunate to be so hyped up by the media in those two huge races which he based his season on

 

[Sam Allen]

1)firstly Schleck was originally in that breakaway attempt as well. he had to do something.

It was Fabian Cancellara in the break.

 

[auscyclefan94]

It was Fabian Cancellara in the break.

Schleck was as well at the start.

 

[auscyclefan94]

+ Most pathetic breakaway attempt = Unfortunately, Cadel coming out of Andorra

+ Most laughable grand tour performance of the year = Linus Gerdemann, Tour (he talks himself up for GT but he's so far off)

+ Worst Team Kit = AG2R, go back to the blue and yellow, it looked sweet. Now, very dull and brown shorts?

+ Worst Bike of the year = no idea

+ Biggest non event of the year = worlds TT, who esle came close to Canc. Great event, but a non-event becoz only one guy was ever going to win it

+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (by a rider) = The Tom Danielson about being the best climber in the world on a given day. respect for him saying that, but bending the truth a little

+ Stupidest Quote of the Year (non rider) = probably something to do with the anti-doping agencies saying no tour positives means everyone is clean

+ Rider youd least like to have on your team in 2010 = denis menchov, he'd probably fall off his bike and cause me to crash

+ Whiner of the year = Alberto Contador, so what if your team didn't ride for you, get over it.. HAHA i'm kidding, i love him.. no idea, but not Cadel which i assume everyone voted for (havent read the thread yet). he doesn't whine, he's misunderstood

+ Most dissapointing race = Vuelta with a stupid tyre change ruining the chance of a very very close race for first

+ Loser of the year = Cunego. Talked up the Giro, wasnt for him. Number one fav for the Worlds and couldn't deliver. Don't get me wrong, i like him, and he's not a 'loser' but unfortunate to be so hyped up by the media in those two huge races which he based his season on

Goatie, how can you love armstrong and contador?