What makes a legend !

[hondated]

I expect many of you have seen it as well and it is a publication by Cycling Weekly called Cycling Legends.
Its most recent issue features Mark Cavendish.
Now whilst I recognise that MC as in his career achieved a great deal I personally feel that describing him as a legend is a bit of overkill given those that are truly cycling legends who's names we all know.

Am I being unfair on saying this or do you agree with me.

 

[Carols]

Totally agree. The term is now just thrown around these days like confetti. There are Very Few Legends and Cavendish sure isn't one of them.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

 

[Fernandez]

The term legend is not made for sprinters. Bahamontes can be called a legend.

 

[Ruby United]

Re:

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

I agree that no one is peleton is, but if I had to choose one person in the current peleton, it would be Cav (even ahead of Contador)
Though, I assume that if you don't call Cav a legend then no sprinter in history is a legend

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

I agree that no one is peleton is, but if I had to choose one person in the current peleton, it would be Cav (even ahead of Contador)
Though, I assume that if you don't call Cav a legend then no sprinter in history is a legend

Yes as a sprinter he's achieved pretty much everything that is possible for him to achieve (worlds, green jersey, MSR, stage race GC wins) however it's not enough.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

I think the only one you can call a legend in the current peloton is Contador. The amount of adversity he has been through coupled with 9 GT's + the rest is still remarkable and he isnt finished yet. However, that doesnt he is or is the greatest cyclist of his generation or the past 10 year or whatever since I reserve the right to call Valverde that, but I wouldnt call him a legend (if that makes sense).

If Boonen had got his *** together and won a bit more, he would have been as well and he probably already is to a lot of people.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

I think the only one you can call a legend in the current peloton is Contador. The amount of adversity he has been through coupled with 9 GT's + the rest is still remarkable and he isnt finished yet. However, that doesnt he is or is the greatest cyclist of his generation or the past 10 year or whatever since I reserve the right to call Valverde that, but I wouldnt call him a legend (if that makes sense).

If Boonen had got his **** together and won a bit more, he would have been as well and he probably already is to a lot of people.

In my opinion you need results across all forms of races to be an absolute legend, we are talking about the top 0.000001% of cyclists here. Contador has had a superb career but again is not considered a legend in my view. He also needs 2 more GT's to reach 9 official wins and there lies another problem

 

[Valv.Piti]

But if thats your argument, we will hardly ever come across a legend again

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

But if thats your argument, we will hardly ever come across a legend again

and I wholeheartedly agree with that.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

I think the only one you can call a legend in the current peloton is Contador. The amount of adversity he has been through coupled with 9 GT's + the rest is still remarkable and he isnt finished yet. However, that doesnt he is or is the greatest cyclist of his generation or the past 10 year or whatever since I reserve the right to call Valverde that, but I wouldnt call him a legend (if that makes sense).

If Boonen had got his **** together and won a bit more, he would have been as well and he probably already is to a lot of people.

In my opinion you need results across all forms of races to be an absolute legend, we are talking about the top 0.000001% of cyclists here. Contador has had a superb career but again is not considered a legend in my view. He also needs 2 more GT's to reach 9 official wins and there lies another problem

1 out of 100.000.000 is a legend? I guess we run pretty high above expectation then

 

[Pricey_sky]

Think I may have pressed too many 0's

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Think I may have pressed too many 0's

You don't say you pressed too many 0's.

You say the key got stuck.

Gosh, Pricey.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Think I may have pressed too many 0's

You don't say you pressed too many 0's.

You say the key got stuck.

Gosh, Pricey.

What can I say? I suppose I'm too honest!

 

[gunara]

Contador legend....Valverde better....Valverde not a legend (if that makes sense).

Of course it doesn't

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't think Cav is a legend, neither is Alberto but he is ahead of Cav in my opinion. The word "legend" is thrown around too easily.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

Totally agree. The term is now just thrown around these days like confetti. There are Very Few Legends and Cavendish sure isn't one of them.

Why not? He's done everything possible as a sprinter and has a better classics palmares then some riders I'm sure you'd call legends.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

I don't think Cav is a legend, neither is Alberto but he is ahead of Cav in my opinion.

I agree with that Flo. I'd probably put Contador, Valverde and Cancellara ahead of Cav of the current bunch.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Agree, he's had a superb career but he's not in that small club that can be considered legends. I don't think anyone in the current peloton is.

I think the only one you can call a legend in the current peloton is Contador. The amount of adversity he has been through coupled with 9 GT's + the rest is still remarkable and he isnt finished yet. However, that doesnt he is or is the greatest cyclist of his generation or the past 10 year or whatever since I reserve the right to call Valverde that, but I wouldnt call him a legend (if that makes sense).

If Boonen had got his **** together and won a bit more, he would have been as well and he probably already is to a lot of people.

Agree, IF there's a legend in the current peloton it's Alberto (I am biased ) but I feel we should wait and see how the current riders are regarded in 10-15 years or more before we can say who is a legend and who isn't.

 

[KyoGrey]

A legendary cyclist is one that his tale will survive with the passing of generations.

Of the current peloton, Contador, Cancellara and maybe Boonen. Valverde has a leyendary palmares also, but for whatever reason he hasn't trascended as much...

 

[BigMac]

Legends are not contemporary. Only future generations will be able to tell if our guys were Legends or not.

 

[Fernandez]

For me valverde and contador are legends, they will be remembered.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

Totally agree. The term is now just thrown around these days like confetti. There are Very Few Legends and Cavendish sure isn't one of them.

Subscribed.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

For me valverde and contador are legends, they will be remembered.

I'd be much likelier to call Cav a legend than Valverde (that may change if Valverde ever wins the WC).

From the current peloton, I'd say 1) Berto 2) Canc 3) Cav.

Considering Cav is one of the most successful pure sprinters, he's got to be up there

 

[Valv.Piti]

I may be biased here, but Valverde >>> Cav. Agreed with the poster that the term legend isnt suitable for sprinter - at least not pure ones.