Who is/are your favorite rider(s)

[nesocip]

Haimar Zubeldia used to be my favorite rider while he was at Euskaltel (not really a rider to light the race up, but i kinda liked how he would always follow his own pace on the climbs and at finish end up minutes above guys who desperately try to stick with every acceleration. I also liked how he was never ever mentioned among Tour favorites, and would always end up above half the guys that were). Signing for Hog's team really made it hard for me to root for him.

Now its usual Euskaltel guys, Anton, Samu, Nieve.

From non-Euskaltel riders i like Cancellara, Basso, Freire and Roman Feillu.

Duarte and Degenkolb from these up-and-coming riders.

 

[Moncoutie]

Moncoutie


Tommy V
Offredo
Amets
Vino
Cancellara
Roche
Swift
D Martin
Oss
Kolobnev

 

[mewmewmew13]

I voted for Gilbert---pure class. He just edged out my former favorite Cancellara by an earring.
Also, Jan Ullrich and Erik Zabel were really great to watch.

Current riders, Jens Voigt, Ivan Basso, Robbie McEwen,
Nibs, Cadel(it's funny how he strikes most everyone on an emotional level..e.i. felt sorry for him, courage in the WC jersey, puts his heart into it)

Lulu, Vino attacking as well as Voeckler.. Klodi
and I guess the whole peloton almost!

 

[thirteen]

In hindsight, I probably should have included Vino

yes, you should have.

Vino.

 

[Thomsena]

We can end the thread now.

 

[boomcie]

yes, you should have.

Vino.

Sorry for that thirteen, I should have at least considered you!

 

[LugHugger]

Easy. Thomas Voeckler. Oh, and Tommeke.

 

[dabaideschbi]

Sagan,Gilbert,Valverde,Contador,Cancellara
Usually i like riders who can attack on uphills and than are very very fast at the sprint!

 

[Parrulo]

i forgot to add cunego and ivan to my list i didn't knew we actually had to include people like ametx or jens on our lists. i just assumed it was taken that every1 loves them

It's precisely because it never works that makes us love him. Voeckler, de Gendt, Hoogerland, all great, but they make things stick, they get the wins, and that's reward enough for them.

Amets is different. Amets is "the little engine that could...n't quite". But he doesn't let it get him down, he doesn't even reconsider his aims, he doesn't reinvent himself as a domestique and keep his head down. He gets up on the next day, and thinks "you know what, maybe today's the day!" and attacks again. And because Amets is in the break, I don't know about others, but I get willing to suspend my disbelief and start willing the break to succeed even when I know it's doomed. Because I want to see him get that first proper win, however unlikely. In fact, the unlikelier the better, because it just seems more Amets that way. His first name translates as "dream" and it's quite apt - he's one of those guys that dares to dream and animates the race for us.

Besides, how many other riders have had songs about them published? Koos Moerenhout for sure, Boonen I presume?

All of those guys had career victories. Yet Txurruka has so totally been taken to heart by people without a single one.

+1

 

[jobiwan]

I am a little upset that I had to vote "someone else" to vote for Andy!
I'm not ashamed!

 

[El Pistolero]

It's precisely because it never works that makes us love him. Voeckler, de Gendt, Hoogerland, all great, but they make things stick, they get the wins, and that's reward enough for them.

Amets is different. Amets is "the little engine that could...n't quite". But he doesn't let it get him down, he doesn't even reconsider his aims, he doesn't reinvent himself as a domestique and keep his head down. He gets up on the next day, and thinks "you know what, maybe today's the day!" and attacks again. And because Amets is in the break, I don't know about others, but I get willing to suspend my disbelief and start willing the break to succeed even when I know it's doomed. Because I want to see him get that first proper win, however unlikely. In fact, the unlikelier the better, because it just seems more Amets that way. His first name translates as "dream" and it's quite apt - he's one of those guys that dares to dream and animates the race for us.

Besides, how many other riders have had songs about them published? Koos Moerenhout for sure, Boonen I presume?

All of those guys had career victories. Yet Txurruka has so totally been taken to heart by people without a single one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KuX3-rMonE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz_c_0ZhaoA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8VsVes16k

 

[Libertine Seguros]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KuX3-rMonE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz_c_0ZhaoA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8VsVes16k

The Pantani one doesn't count as it's a rewrite of an existing song. Even though it's the most awesome of the lot. The Contador and Savoldelli songs are most definitely worse than "Pedal Egiten" and "There It Goes".

But Pantani, Contador and Savoldelli don't change the point that everybody with a song about them other than Txurruka are proven winners (even Moerenhout, of course that song being a bet).

 

[El Pistolero]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZgZeinJAVc

There's always this one which is the best.

 

[Skip Madness]

My favourite rider is Evie Stevie. Has all the panache of Emma Pooley, but doesn't quite have the speed on the climbs or the flat, which actually makes her suicide breaks more endearing.

The best one listed is Gilbert. Of course.

 

[El Pistolero]

JJ Haedo
Vasily Kiriyenka.
Samuel Sanchez

Scarponi
Rinaldo Nocentini.
Gadret
Henao.
Valverde.
Stefano Garzeli.
Nieve
Visconti.
Daniel Martin
The Cobra.

(Probably have forgoten a few as its of the top of my head so list will probably be updated)

Also

Anyone the Dutchies hate.
Anyone on my cq team.




I would love to see Ryaguas attempt to answer this question, seeing as he struggles to contain his excitement just about anytime anyone wins a race, or comes second in a race, or comes top 10 in a race, or is shown on camera in a race.

Great guy.

Ah, there's someone on your list I forgot to mention as one of my favorite riders. But can you guess who

I forgot a couple more(that aren't on your list as well), but if I said those now you'd totally now who I'd left out.

 

[Archibald]

 

[Anonymous]

The italian GC guys and Johan van summeran

 

[ergmonkey]

We can end the thread now.

No, but we can end it now that we have some boys from Funen.

 

[taiwan]

Haussler, Scarponi, Rodriguez, Greipel, Evans, Menchov, Goss, Serpa...

Degenkolb out of the neopros (bandwagon jumping).

 

[lucybears]

2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Rochelle Gilmore
http://www.velodrome.org.uk/images/vb20.jpg

 

[The Hitch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KuX3-rMonE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz_c_0ZhaoA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8VsVes16k

This is a very high quality post from you Pisti.

Totaly out of character

Ah, there's someone on your list I forgot to mention as one of my favorite riders. But can you guess who

.

Its either Valverde or Samu Sanchez

I forgot a couple more(that aren't on your list as well), but if I said those now you'd totally now who I'd left out

Are you seriously coming onto a "what is your favourite rider thread" and saying " There is a rider I like but Im not going to say his name".

Because that would be a new low.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

don't have a specific favorite, but mainly dutch riders. Like Boomcie explained, it is an emotional reaction.
The young dutch climbers, the oldies like tank (love this guy) and boom are all amongst it.

Ullrich and Boogey were my favorites back in their hey day.

I do like Gilbert a lot, but less this season for some reason
I've always liked these guys also:
valv.
basso
boonen
chavanel
tommy v (edit, forget him)
vino (tho I used to like him a lot more)

 

[Moviefan1203]

Horner
Van Garderen
Busche
Cancellara

 

[Maxiton]

Crap. I voted before I realized I could choose more than one. Anyway, my faves in order are

Cancellara

Evans

Hushovd

Contador

Cavendish

I still have a fondness for Robbie McEwen, even though he's not in contention for much anymore. And Stuart O'Grady.

EDITED 04-09-11

 

[Eric8-A]

Dave Zabriskie
Fabian Cancellara
Andreas Kloden
Juan Pablo Suarez
Andre Greipel
Ben Swift
Andrew Talansky
Luis Amaran