Who's your favorite directeur sportif?

[DominicDecoco]

I thought this could be interesting. Who's do you like the most and why? Funny or interesting stories you've seen, read or heard are more than welcome!

I guess I'm a bit biased here. Brian Holm has always been one of my favorites. A sympathic fella with a brilliant sense of humour. Seems to be popular among most the of peloton and staff around it. Managed to control and get the best out of one of the most difficult riders to work with and they eventually created an almost father-son relationship. Cav even wanted to pay Brian's salaries from his own pocket so he could move to Sky this season. I genuinely think there's something about that 'Brian Holm effect'.

Also, Michel Cornelisse always cracks me up. Quite a character as well. Seems friendly! He is always described as a complete lunatic behind the wheels, parping at the spectators and getting constant warnings from the officials. "I guess they don't like me today, laughs Michel" Haha!

You got any you like more than others?

 

[The Hitch]

I hope the poll you are no doubt creating as we speak contains Guissepe Martineli.

Why? He's a big Giro fan like myself, and he said Contador had already surpassed Lance as a cyclist.

BTW someone on here said once that Roberto Amadio said that the TOC was as big as the Giro and Vuelta. anyone know if its true or not?

 

[Angliru]

Giancarlo Ferretti of Fassa Bortolo fame. I'm upset that he's not found his way back to the elite level of the pro ranks. Looking at his wikipedia page it says he's over 70 years old so maybe sponsors feel the sport has passed him by. I think he'd still be an asset.

 

[cineteq]

Manolo Saiz

 

[hrotha]

Why? He's a big Giro fan like myself

Well, to be fair that's not much of an achievement when you're Italian.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Bjarne Riis

 

[simo1733]

Not Jean Lelangue after seeing his pre Strada Bianche pep talk on Eurosport.Zzzzz

 

[Kwibus]

Erik Breukink.

Such an charismatic and inspirational personality. Besides that also a tactical genius.

 

[jens_attacks]

manolo saiz.
from the active ones,i have no idea right now

 

[greenedge]

I would say Lelangue, Riis and Bruyneel are the most known at the moment.

I like Riis a lot- his reaction after Nuyens won RvV was great.

Sean Yates is good as well. I like Allain Peiper quite a bit. I should start following a GE one though.

However my favourite is JV- maybe it's because he is so outspoken but i like his focus on all races (eccentricity).He has also steered his team from nothing to being one of the best- also developed great young talent. I hope he can get Garmin a win in a monument either from Haussler, Martin, Vanmarcke or some one else ( Kreder??? )

 

[Kvinto]

Jean-Rene Bernaudeau of course, his comments make me smile quite often

EDIT: on a more serious note - Patrick Lefevere

 

[screaming fist]

Cyrille Guimard

 

[CobbleStoner]

I will point out the obvious... Peter Post
what he did with Panasonic (pre computer age) was epic, not to mention Zoetemelk, Kuiper, Knetemann, Raas, and all of TI-Raleigh

 

[theyoungest]

Michiel Elijzen. No idea what he's like as a DS, but he's a genius on twitter.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Rudy Pevenage

 

[janraaskalt]

EDIT: on a more serious note - Patrick Lefevere

Seriously?! Always complaining and it is never his mistake.

I like Lelangue, Vaughters, Damiani and Riis. For different reasons.

 

[theyoungest]

Seriously?! Always complaining and it is never his mistake.

I like Lelangue, Vaughters, Damiani and Riis. For different reasons.

From you I'd have expected a different name

 

[Kvinto]

Seriously?! Always complaining and it is never his mistake.

To me it's much easier to pick the worst DS, the good ones are more quiet thus less visible. I'm aware that Lefevere is not saint but I like when the main goal of a team is other than winning a grand tour, so i can forgive him some whining

 

[Andy99]

Whilst not structly a Directeur, I quite like Jonathan Vaughters particularly for the way he is so outspoken about the shambles that is the UCI.

Also serious respect for Sean Yates. Despite suffering a stroke a few years ago, he can still give the lads a hard time in training..

 

[will10]

Lefevere for sure.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Johan Bruyneel.

 

[slowoldman]

Allan Peiper, he is the only one I've ever met personally. I was able to ride around France with him in 2004. Great guy! (Also rode with Neil Stephens, Michael Wilson and Patrick Jonker too) That was a great trip.

 

[masking_agent]

Cyrille Guimard

mine too. Haven't seen such brilliance for spotting and moulding young riders into champions, from anyone in a long , long time.

 

[blaxland]

Two words=Bjarne Riis.

 

[pedaling squares]

I like Riis a lot- his reaction after Nuyens won RvV was great.

Yeah, I loved that. It was about 10% pro-Saxo and 90% FU-Leopard.