First off, sorry auscyclefan for singling you out by quoting you. My comment was aimed more generaly at many in the on-line community. People seem to think that because they a) have an oppinion and b) have a means of expressing that opinion (ie a forum) that it somehow makes them and their opinion valid and people, especialy the subject of that opion (in this case pro riders), should take notice.
Im not all that flash on this quoting stuff, so i will do it old school:
"AN opinion is a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty."
Nice little definition, I like it. I dont know if you made it up or got it from a dictionary. Either way it is good.
"I am allowed to have one because of what I know about cycling"
Well, actually you are 'allowed to have one' for no other reason than you are human. My grandmother is allowed to have an opion on cycling and she does not know what the TdF is.
"So I am obliged to say what I think about something and I may be right about it."
This is the issue; no. Your not obliged to say anything.
Finaly:
"The procyclist will know more about scheduling 9 times out of 10 more than me or any other poster. But saying that the procyclist always knows more about cycling than a fan when they have followed the sport for a long time and understand the history is wrong."
Yeah sure. If there was a cycling general knowladge test where the forum members were pitted against 100 pro riders, i would not be supriesed if the forum members won. But when it comes to citicizing an exact situation that is where we know nothing. We are given a press statment. That may be the truth it may be a lie. We dont know. We can guess, but that is all we have to go on. The rider, DS, team manger etc know the truth. Despite what our opions are of them, they are in that job becasue they are very good. They are not stupid. They know more about the effects the decision is going to have then we do. Who are we to think we know better?
We can have an opinion. - 'I think that is a very strange decision to make because....' But to cross the line and say 'DS X was stupid to do this becuase i said so' is wrong.
But hey, this is just MY OPINION.