Your favourite riders!

[Valv.Piti]

Wasn't able to find a thread, only on all timers instead of from the current peloton. So thought I'd make one! Just list your current 10 favourites and add some text if you so choose.

1. Valverde
Valverde is first with a mile here. Fan since 2005 when he beat Armstrong on Courchevel and has kept that level ever since!

2. Quintana
Can be too conservative at times unfortunately, but I like everything else about him. His quiet demeanour, the respect for his land and people and the natural climber. The signs for 2017 are really good, so far he has taken the bull by its horns.

3. Gaviria
Brian Holm talked about Gaviria as a bigger talent than Sagan (which I believe to be true) and said he never had seen a Neo do the things he did. Colombian sprinter? The big draw for me is the fact he is very versatile and likes to ride the races from the front.

4. Ion Izagirre
Incredible consistent and likeable rider IMO. Rarely attacks due to his time trial and his bad acceleration, but always up there in one week races.

5. Landa
One of the most pure climbers in the peloton and basque so obviously a big fan. I'll never forget how well he rode in that Giro, question is if he can replicate that performance.

6. Stuyven
Recently become a big fan, Im pretty certain thats Belgium's next big classics star. Attacking and aggressive rider who already this year should be able to top-10 in monuments.

7. Wellens
Wellens is quickly becoming a legend. Not because of how much he wins, but how he races. Must have attacked 20 times during Strade Bianche. His problem seems to be his inconsistency and how he deals with warm weather, but thats also part of the charm for me.

8. Sergio Henao
Sergio has had his amount of bad luck, its finally about to turn now (I hope). Should have won much more considering his talent. I've always found riders like him fascinating (Antón, Rodriguez, Sanchez etc)

9. Ruben Fernandez
Still waiting for his breakthrough. Some will argue he did that in last year's Vuelta, but I still think he is capable of more. Will be Movistar's most important domestique this year in GTs I think.

10. Boonen/Alaphilippe/Bardet/Contador/Nibali
All attacking and charming riders, can't really pick one.

 

[sQiD]

1. Peter Sagan
2. Alberto Contador
3. Julian Alaphillipe
4. Esteban Chavez
5. Tom Dumoulin
6. Vincenzo Nibali
7. André Greipel
8. Michał Kwiatkowski
9. Tony Martin
10. Thibaut Pinot

 

[Alexandre B.]

Top-10 in alphabetical order:

Romain Bardet
John Degenkolb
Arnaud Démare
Tony Gallopin
André Greipel
Alexander Kristoff
Pierre Latour
Peter Sagan
Tejay Van Garderen
Tim Wellens

 

[Netserk]

Only the first three are ordered.

Boonen
Contador
Nibali

Ulissi
Sagan
Vanmarcke
Bouhanni
Kwiatkowski
Wellens
Majka
Landa
Scarponi
Anton
Cunego
Betancur
Chavanel
Costa
Gougeard
... And some I forgot

 

[Velolover2]

Wellens
Valverde
Sagan
GVA
Kwiatkowski
Boonen
Vanmacke
Contador
Henao
Bardet
Dumoulin
Griepel

 

[Cance > TheRest]

After Fabian's retirement, there's no obvious nr. 1.

Instead there's just a long list of riders, that I support, among others:
Alexander Kristoff
Tom Dumoulin
Sammy Sanchez
Alberto Contador
Fabio Felline
Peter Sagan
Jakob Fuglsang
Haimar Zubeldia
Giacomo Nizzolo
Moreno Moser
Jasper Stuyven
Ion Izagirre
Alejandro Valverde

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Only the first three are ordered.

Boonen
Contador
Nibali

Ulissi
Sagan
Vanmarcke
Bouhanni
Kwiatkowski
Wellens
Majka
Landa
Scarponi
Anton
Cunego
Betancur
Chavanel
Costa
Gougeard
... And some I forgot

So you're telling me not only Sagan isn't your second favourite rider after Tom Boonen, he also ranks indifferent among all those others?

My life is a lie. :surprised:

 

[Netserk]

No, he is probably 4th, I just didn't bother ranking more riders than the three that have been my absolute favorites for several years.

If Sagan was with any of those three and the race (something important) would be decided in a two-man sprint, I'd cheer for one of those three over Sagan.

 

[SafeBet]

Some change very often, some will stay in my heart forever, but let's do it.

Moreno Moser - the one and only. Even my girlfriend makes fun of me when I mention him nowadays. She can't understand, nobody can. One day he'll be back.

Tim Wellens - only thing I don't like about him: I know that one day he'll win such an epic race that he will overtake Moreno Moser in my personal favorite list.

Diego Rosa - such a bright kid and an entertaining rider. Been following him since he turned pro. Inconsistent maybe, but amazing talent.

Jasper Stuyven - aggressive rider with a huge engine. And I love his style on the bike.

Tiesj Benoot - a true warrior. And those ears

Fernando Gaviria - the next big thing.

Fabio Felline
Stefan Kung
Romain Bardet
Esteban Chaves

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

After Fabian's retirement, there's no obvious nr. 1.

Instead there's just a long list of riders, that I support, among others:
Alexander Kristoff
Tom Dumoulin
Sammy Sanchez
Alberto Contador
Fabio Felline
Peter Sagan
Jakob Fuglsang
Haimar Zubeldia
Giacomo Nizzolo
Moreno Moser
Jasper Stuyven
Ion Izagirre
Alejandro Valverde

Still other fanboys left!

 

[sir fly]

Only SafeBet picked Chaves, and in last position...

You all should edit your posts. The guy deserves personality cult built around him.
It's enough grumpy authorities. Imagine Chaves instead of Kim Jong Un.. That would be a dictatorship I'd live in.

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

Only SafeBet picked Chaves, and in last position...

You all should edit your posts. The guy deserves personality cult built around him.
It's enough grumpy authorities. Imagine Chaves instead of Kim Jong Un.. That would be a dictatorship I'd live in.

Actually apart from Moser and Wellens, the others are in no particular order.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Only SafeBet picked Chaves, and in last position...

You all should edit your posts. The guy deserves personality cult built around him.
It's enough grumpy authorities. Imagine Chaves instead of Kim Jong Un.. That would be a dictatorship I'd live in.

Actually apart from Moser and Wellens, the others are in no particular order.

Yes. I presumed, but since the personality cult is the concept, exaggeration seemed to fit in.

 

[armchairclimber]

Bardet
Kwiat
Tommy V
Chaves
Alaphilippe
Sagan
A Yates
S Yates
Cav
Valverde

 

[manolo57]

The 3 first in order :

Pinot (by far)
Alaphilippe
Quintana

Sagan
Nibali
Aru
Demare
Bardet
Cav
Bouhanni
Kwiat
Matthews
Dumoulin

 

[Tonton]

Well, well, well... .

1. Thibaut Pinot - No one should be surprised here . As a Franc-Comtois, I was happy to discover him at the '12 TdF and have followed Thibaut ever since. He's a good guy, genuine, human: not a robot. I like that. And what a rider! I believe that the best is yet to come for Tibopino.

2. Philippe Gilbert - Pure class. I like his style on the bike. He was great long before '11, and yes, there was a time when Philippe Gilbert was unstoppable. I like him even better now that he's past his prime. I hope that he wins a couple of big ones before he's gone.

3. Arnaud Demare - I discovered him when he won the U23 WRRC, and picked him over Nacer and Bryan to be my favorite French sprinter. He is so strong. His win at Binche-Chimay-Binche was a thing of beauty. He can sprint from very far away. He's tough. And Arnaud is only now entering his prime.

4. Julian Alaphilippe - Class, panache, he's got it all.

5. Vincenzo Nibali - I didn't care too much about him until the "14 TdF. Il Squalo isn't given enough credit: I'm convinced that he had enough of a lead to overcome whatever Froome or Contador would have thrown at him. The best first week of any GC contender not named Merckx in my lifetime. An attacker. Forza Vincenzo! Just don't beat Pinot in May...

6. Peter Sagan - If it wasn't for some immature behaviors (i.e. the podium), I would have him in my top-3. He's an unbelievable rider. The most talented of his generation.

7. Romain Bardet - I like that he's unpredictable, that he can lay it all on the line, go for broke. His epic stage win at last year's TdF was a well-deserved reward for his panache. He has more in him. Much more.

8. Arthur Vichot - Another Franc-Comtois, super talented, I wish him to hit a big one in '17.

9. Jarlinson Pantano - The warrior. His never die attitude won me over. What a ballsy rider...

10. No, I won't have Haimar in my top-10 , but another Franc-Comtois: Alexis Vuillermoz. The French Purito hasn't done much lately, but he's my hometown boy and I have his back.

 

[SHAD0W93]

1. Mark Cavendish
2. Alberto Contador
3. Roman Kreuziger
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Arnaud Demare
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen
7. Greg Van Avermaet
8. Tom Boonen
9. Thibaut Pinot
10. Tejay van Garderen

 

[Red Rick]

The real question is if those riders like me back

 

[May0maniac]

In no specific order of precedence:
Boonen
Vincenzo Nibali
Wellens
Pozzovivo
Moscon
Dombrowski
Vanmarcke
Landa
Samuel Sánchez
Lutsenko

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Dont know what order to put them in, but here's mine:

Julien Alaphillipe
Romain Bardet
Tiesj Benoot
Tom Boonen
Alberto Contador
Arnaud Demare
Thibaut Pinot
Jasper Stuyven
Thomas Voeckler
Tim Wellens



Honourable Mentions:
Dan Mclay, The Yates twins, Dan Martin, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Esteban Chaves and Bryan Coquard.
When he does do road racing, Wout van Aert.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Only SafeBet picked Chaves, and in last position...

You all should edit your posts. The guy deserves personality cult built around him.
It's enough grumpy authorities. Imagine Chaves instead of Kim Jong Un.. That would be a dictatorship I'd live in.

Well, post your list, then. Presumably that will be another pick for Chaves.

He'd be on my list too. If I can narrow it down, I'll post one.

 

[portugal11]

Contador
Boonen
Sagan
Gilbert
Wellens
Rui costa
Cavendish
Bardet
Froome
Gaviria

The 3 guys I really don't like:
Nibali (by far)
Gerrans
Porte or matthews

 

[portugal11]

Wow I forgot chaves. I really like that boy

 

[BigMac]

Bryan Coquard: looks like a genuinely sweet guy.
Louis Meintjes: I just like how he's a very low profile diesel and rides back to front.
Lachlan Morton: Stylish, irreverent, talented. Did I mention stylish?
Alejandro Valverde:The cyclist I've most admired for most of my time watching the sport. Probably the most talented rider around before Sagan stormed into the scene.
Pello Bilbao: I just find him likeable.
Lawson Craddock: The rider I grew affectionate to when I first started watching the NA calendar. Still on Bontrager back then.
Peter Sagan: Well, a god among mortals and some minor deities. The best rider I've seen and likely will ever see.
Rigoberto Urán: A true hard worker, I can value that. Moreover, he's the kind of rider I like the most. Able climber and fast finisher.
Rob Britton: Kinda similar to Craddock.
Pierre Rolland: People often slag him for not showing better results while overlooking that he's not a conservative kind of rider. Doesn't settle for some minor position and as such often drops out of the top tables.
Fabio Aru: Those legs man! Those legs!
Esteban Chaves: No need to explain, really.

'Recently' I've grown to like Contador, realizing how silly I must have looked by ditching him at every opportunity. Not proud of my past.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Only SafeBet picked Chaves, and in last position...

You all should edit your posts. The guy deserves personality cult built around him.
It's enough grumpy authorities. Imagine Chaves instead of Kim Jong Un.. That would be a dictatorship I'd live in.

Well, post your list, then. Presumably that will be another pick for Chaves.

He'd be on my list too. If I can narrow it down, I'll post one.

My problem, exactly.
I could assemble a pro-size roster, and even in that case I'd most probably leave out some worthy picks.