Why is Ryder Hesjedal so underrated?

[bikenrunnwt]

Top results in Tirreno in '08 and '09, Eroica in '08 and '09, 3rd GP Marseillaise '08, 10th Tour of California '07, 4th Volta a Catalunya '06 plus a strong ride in the '08 Tour (48th in GC) supporting Vande Velde in his first Tour.

Lack of media coverage is likely due to the fact that he is a Canadian. Anyways, keep an eye out for him in the future!

Also wait and see what Svein Tuft, Christian Meier of Garmin and Dom Rollin of Cervelo can do when they get used to the Euro scene!

 

[skidmark]

I dunno, why is Davide Rebellin so underrated? He has gotten 2nd through 8th in pretty much every race he's raced in for the last 10 years, and he's even won a few. And he's Italian, but doesn't get near the attention Bettini, Valverde, Schleck, riders of similar character and style, have in recent years. Really, I'd love to wave my Canadian flag with you (it's truly nice to see a good handful of my countrymen in the Euro peleton this year), but I'm sure the reason Hejsdal doesn't get attention is because he hasn't won anything, pure and simple.

Who else do we think is severely underrated in the peleton?

 

[tifosa]

I don't think Hesjedal is under rated. Cycling has to do with preparation meeting opportunity; the more opportunity you have to race, especially with teams and riders who test your skills, the better your racing gets. He's a really good rider who is becoming a great rider. I think this season he will more than prove his skills. At least I'm hoping so.

 

[Stani Kléber]

Ryder had a fairly anonymous Tour de France last summer too. I wish him well but he's won very little. Look at the Eroica, guys like Peter Velits and Daniel Lloyd finished ahead of him. Are these guys underrated too?

You need to win, and then keep winning, to build a reputation.

 

[Bartoli]

Hesjedal was last year after his good Tirreno named as a possible rider to finish top ten in Milano. He didn't even get near the top 10, he was slightly better in Le Tour. He needs a top 10 in of the grand tours to make his name, now he is just a promising rider, with some nice results in minor or at least not the big stage races (yes, Volta a Catalunya is Pro-tour, but look who were ahead of him, the race simply aint a goal for the great riders) who's got everything to prove.

 

[bikenrunnwt]

I dunno, why is Davide Rebellin so underrated? He has gotten 2nd through 8th in pretty much every race he's raced in for the last 10 years, and he's even won a few. And he's Italian, but doesn't get near the attention Bettini, Valverde, Schleck, riders of similar character and style, have in recent years. Really, I'd love to wave my Canadian flag with you (it's truly nice to see a good handful of my countrymen in the Euro peleton this year), but I'm sure the reason Hejsdal doesn't get attention is because he hasn't won anything, pure and simple.

Who else do we think is severely underrated in the peleton?

I agree that Davide Rebellin is very underated for his great accomplishments (triple in 2004) compared to those you listed, especially compared to Valverde! I was comparing Ryder to other North American riders, who get much more press than he does. I guarantee if Ryder were American his consistant high placings in the events I have mentioned would have garnered him much more attention.

I do agree he has not had a high overall GC in a Grand Tour (yet!), but neither has a lot of other riders who get a lot of press coverage (most on his own team!). Anyways, while we are at it, who else would you list as being underrated compared to their contemporaries. Here are few that come to mind: Bruseghin, Valjevac, Nocenti, Flecha, Freire, Voight to name a just a few.

 

[Tom Morris]

It might help if he had actually won something.

 

[bikenrunnwt]

How about them apples?

It might help if he had actually won something.

Ryder's aggresive riding has finally paid of with the elusive win he has been looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIhQrK8BqYI

Watch out for him at the World's with a course that suits him well!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Ryder had a fairly anonymous Tour de France last summer too. I wish him well but he's won very little. Look at the Eroica, guys like Peter Velits and Daniel Lloyd finished ahead of him. Are these guys underrated too?

You need to win, and then keep winning, to build a reputation.

I agree. He is a good rider, and I think he gets the respect he deserves.

 

[Hammerhed]

For the classics and semi-classics and other one-day races, when I consider a potential winner, I always factor in Davide Rebellin for a number of reasons: He is a proven winner/top finisher, and he is very aggressive and not afraid to mix it up with any of the big riders. Ryder though, despite his spectacular mountain bike career where he did establish himself as a fighter, has not shown those qualities yet as a road rider, but he looked really good on Friday! If he keeps that up, and if Garmin allows him to race for himself in some of the one day races, I believe Ryder will emerge as a top level racer. Plus, plus, he is clean!

 

[Anonymous]

I dunno, why is Davide Rebellin so underrated? He has gotten 2nd through 8th in pretty much every race he's raced in for the last 10 years, and he's even won a few. And he's Italian, but doesn't get near the attention Bettini, Valverde, Schleck, riders of similar character and style, have in recent years. Really, I'd love to wave my Canadian flag with you (it's truly nice to see a good handful of my countrymen in the Euro peleton this year), but I'm sure the reason Hejsdal doesn't get attention is because he hasn't won anything, pure and simple.

Who else do we think is severely underrated in the peleton?

Because he looks like a gnome and therefore doesn't garner much interest from company looking for endorsements. That, AND HE WAS BUSTED FOR DOPING, thereby confirming what everyone had always suspected. I cannot imagine why he would be underrated...

I agree that Davide Rebellin is very underated for his great accomplishments (triple in 2004) compared to those you listed, especially compared to Valverde! I was comparing Ryder to other North American riders, who get much more press than he does. I guarantee if Ryder were American his consistant high placings in the events I have mentioned would have garnered him much more attention.

I do agree he has not had a high overall GC in a Grand Tour (yet!), but neither has a lot of other riders who get a lot of press coverage (most on his own team!). Anyways, while we are at it, who else would you list as being underrated compared to their contemporaries. Here are few that come to mind: Bruseghin, Valjevac, Nocenti, Flecha, Freire, Voight to name a just a few.

Is Crack the national drug of Canada or something? Rebellin was always suspect, and the Olympics just confirmed what anyone who watched should have known.

 

[Astana1]

If he were Brit then the Brit fanboy media would have anointed him as the next whoever quite a long time ago.

 

[logical cranium]

This is sofball question for my supereor brain! I come from DPF to spred knowlege!

Rider doesnt ride Trek Madonna super carbide frame worth 500 VAM units. Last i herd he doesnt date anchorexic child actor which wood help put him in the moood to lose wait and increase the VAM. unknown use of O2 tents with latest cowblood ingections.

There are many things rider can do to reach teh next level. Your welcome.

 

[pedaling squares]

Is Crack the national drug of Canada or something?

Nope. Just the Territorial drug of the NWT.

 

[blackcat]

For the classics and semi-classics and other one-day races, when I consider a potential winner, I always factor in Davide Rebellin for a number of reasons: He is a proven winner/top finisher, and he is very aggressive and not afraid to mix it up with any of the big riders. Ryder though, despite his spectacular mountain bike career where he did establish himself as a fighter, has not shown those qualities yet as a road rider, but he looked really good on Friday! If he keeps that up, and if Garmin allows him to race for himself in some of the one day races, I believe Ryder will emerge as a top level racer. Plus, plus, he is clean!

wrong forum to raise such a subject

 

[hulkgogan]

It's amazing how the Canuck inferiority complex always comes out. Why is Ryder underrated? I dunno, why are a 100 other Spanish, Dutch, Italian and French guys with similar results underrated?

Nothing against Ryder, I've raced against him and he's doing great and that win was class, but come on dude, learn your sport.

 

[ptensioned]

It's amazing how the Canuck inferiority complex always comes out. Why is Ryder underrated? I dunno, why are a 100 other Spanish, Dutch, Italian and French guys with similar results underrated?

Nothing against Ryder, I've raced against him and he's doing great and that win was class, but come on dude, learn your sport.

/rant

It's amazing how for every Canuck who complains about lack of respect, there's someone who suggests an inferiority complex.

While I agree that up until this Vuelta, Hesjedal had yet to achieve enough palmares to warrant significant attention outside of Canada. His MTB success had yet to translate entirely to the road. With a 2nd and a win, that should change somewhat.

I think ultimately, being Canadian does hurt his profile. He doesn't have a national media drawing attention to him in the same way that even American riders do. Look at the lack of coverage in Canada of his stage win. As far as I can tell, there were a grand total of two articles written, one by someone from his hometown of Victoria (or thereabouts), and one by the Canadian Press (mostly cut and pasted from the AP).

To me the problem is within Canada, not elsewhere. For example, Matt Keenan has been great in his Vuelta commentary, pointing out every time a Canuck has been at the front, and talking up Tuft, Meier, and Hesjedal at every opportunity. Meier got a lot of credit from Magnus Backstedt and Martin MacRossan (sp?) over on Cycling.TV for his domestique work in the first week of the Vuelta. P and P just don't matter anymore as they have gone so far down the Versus "rah-rah USA" road that they pay as little attention to European riders as Canadian (unless they warrant a comparison to the almighty Lance).

Our national media is still very provincial and unless it's hockey, they don't care (look at the attention paid to the Coyotes court proceedings and the Dany Heatley trade). I'm sure that's also a reflection of Canadian interest in general, outside of Quebec. I'm hoping the UCI races in Quebec next year will inspire more attention, but I'm not holding my breath.

/end rant

 

[Walshworld]

He's under rated because of a spelling issue.

He's un under-rated rider because his named is spelled Ryder with a Y. If he changed it to RIDER Hesjedal, then he'd be at the top. CHeck out this link for a Ryder story on my cycling blog:
http://walshworld.wordpress.com/200...lta-stage-11-for-garmin-lazy-spaniard-doesnt/

 

[ethnik]

/rant

It's amazing how for every Canuck who complains about lack of respect, there's someone who suggests an inferiority complex.

While I agree that up until this Vuelta, Hesjedal had yet to achieve enough palmares to warrant significant attention outside of Canada. His MTB success had yet to translate entirely to the road. With a 2nd and a win, that should change somewhat.

I think ultimately, being Canadian does hurt his profile. He doesn't have a national media drawing attention to him in the same way that even American riders do. Look at the lack of coverage in Canada of his stage win. As far as I can tell, there were a grand total of two articles written, one by someone from his hometown of Victoria (or thereabouts), and one by the Canadian Press (mostly cut and pasted from the AP).

To me the problem is within Canada, not elsewhere. For example, Matt Keenan has been great in his Vuelta commentary, pointing out every time a Canuck has been at the front, and talking up Tuft, Meier, and Hesjedal at every opportunity. Meier got a lot of credit from Magnus Backstedt and Martin MacRossan (sp?) over on Cycling.TV for his domestique work in the first week of the Vuelta. P and P just don't matter anymore as they have gone so far down the Versus "rah-rah USA" road that they pay as little attention to European riders as Canadian (unless they warrant a comparison to the almighty Lance).

Our national media is still very provincial and unless it's hockey, they don't care (look at the attention paid to the Coyotes court proceedings and the Dany Heatley trade). I'm sure that's also a reflection of Canadian interest in general, outside of Quebec. I'm hoping the UCI races in Quebec next year will inspire more attention, but I'm not holding my breath.

/end rant

The french TSN affiliate in Quebec RDS reported on Ryders win, both via online print and with some television time on their sportscast.

Originally hailing from Quebec, and having lived in Ontario and now BC, i find that cycling is far more on the radar media wise in Quebec than just about anywhere else in Canada. The fact that several long term events are still being held (Beauce, Abitibi, MTB @ St-Anne and Bromont, worlds in Montreal and subsequent world cups, MTB worlds twice etc etc) certainly helps that profile.

Quebec media in general are very big on celebrating quebec athletes successes, and whenever quebec cyclists knock one out of the park it is extensively reported on (Charles Dionne's big wins south of the border in particular).

Perhaps because Quebecers has a more european approach to many things in life is one reason why cycling has a solid following and home grown reporting.

Now if only that could be extended to the rest of the country! Hopefully the dual world cups should help that starting next year. I for one will be front and center in my old home town of Quebec City to cheer them on, it should be spectacular.

cheers

Michael

 

[ptensioned]

Perhaps because Quebecers has a more european approach to many things in life is one reason why cycling has a solid following and home grown reporting.

Quebec is leagues ahead of the rest of Canada when it comes to paying attention to sports outside of the North American "Big 4" (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL). One sport that I'm distressed to see is getting more play here in English Canada is US College Football. I just don't get it...

Obviously the language thing keeps Quebecers from getting as wrapped up in American media hype as the rest of us, but I agree there is also a more European attitude that helps as well. There's times I miss Ottawa (it's not Quebec, but it's close). That tends to evaporate when I'm riding in January, though...

The thing that disappoints me is that here in BC, despite plenty of local participation in both road and especially mountain biking (and the fact that Hesjedal and Tuft are local boys), there's not enough creativity in local media to find and tell these stories.