Duffers calls Evans...

emadden

a wheelsucker....
and its the first time all week he's right... I dislike Evans passive-aggressive approach. I hope Cunego can come good in July... otherwise we could have a boring Tour

RichN95.

OK. I'm probably the biggest Evans fan on here - mainly because he gets me PTP points a plenty - but I'll mount a defence of him.

1) He's a wheelsucker. But who's wheel is he sucking. Landis? Rasmussen? Vino? See a link? It's surprising that the more that dopers get busted, the more Evans seems to get better and more attacking. I have not heard one whisper of evidence of doping against him. He was an aggeressive prodigy aged 19-20 in MTB (far better than Ras and Landis) and moved on up since.

2) In the mountains he looks likes he's suffering - mouth open, not able to give interviews for a few minutes. I haven't seen that for many years.

3) A big criticism of Armstrong was that he only did one race. Evans, last season, got results from Paris-Nice to Lombardy. When was the last time a GC man did that?

4) Wheelsucking at last year's TdF. Rasmussen had Dekker, Manchov and Boogerd with him. Contador had Leipheimer, Hincapie and Rubeira. Satre had Voight and Schleck. Valverde had Pereiro and Karpets. Vino had Kasheshkin and Kloden. All Evans had was Horner hanging on to the back. I don't race so maybe I'm wrong in thinking that being so outnumbered is a bad time to attack.

5) He doesn't have the acceleration that can make him a flair rider. So he's not a natural born genius. I don't tjhink that you can hold the fact that he uses his talents to his best abilities against him.

iainf72

RichN95 wrote:

1) He's a wheelsucker. But who's wheel is he sucking. Landis? Rasmussen? Vino? See a link? It's surprising that the more that dopers get busted, the more Evans seems to get better and more attacking. I have not heard one whisper of evidence of doping against him. He was an aggeressive prodigy aged 19-20 in MTB (far better than Ras and Landis) and moved on up since.

He rode for

Saeco
Mapei
Team Telekom

As we all now know, Telekom were filth. Saeco?

It's not evidence but any stretch but he's been on some of extremely dirty teams. Even his current team are a bit on the dubious tip.

Uncle Chop Chop

iainf72 wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

1) He's a wheelsucker. But who's wheel is he sucking. Landis? Rasmussen? Vino? See a link? It's surprising that the more that dopers get busted, the more Evans seems to get better and more attacking. I have not heard one whisper of evidence of doping against him. He was an aggeressive prodigy aged 19-20 in MTB (far better than Ras and Landis) and moved on up since.

He rode for

Saeco
Mapei
Team Telekom

As we all now know, Telekom were filth. Saeco?

It's not evidence but any stretch but he's been on some of extremely dirty teams. Even his current team are a bit on the dubious tip.

You're right Ian he did ride for TMolbile for two seasons.........and just what did he achieve in those two seasons???? Not a damned thing....Bit of a strech to suggest that he's dirty then don't you think? And what's wrong with his current team? How about you give the guy a break huh? Did you not see the footage of the stage to Ville-La-Grand - Morzine??? He dragged Valverde all the way up the final part of the climb. I don't quite see how that makes him a wheelsucker. Maybe I'm missing something?

Uncle Chop Chop

iainf72 wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

1) He's a wheelsucker. But who's wheel is he sucking. Landis? Rasmussen? Vino? See a link? It's surprising that the more that dopers get busted, the more Evans seems to get better and more attacking. I have not heard one whisper of evidence of doping against him. He was an aggeressive prodigy aged 19-20 in MTB (far better than Ras and Landis) and moved on up since.

He rode for

Saeco
Mapei
Team Telekom

As we all now know, Telekom were filth. Saeco?

It's not evidence but any stretch but he's been on some of extremely dirty teams. Even his current team are a bit on the dubious tip.

You're right Ian he did ride for TMolbile for two seasons.........and just what did he achieve in those two seasons???? Not a damned thing....Bit of a strech to suggest that he's dirty then don't you think? And what's wrong with his current team? How about you give the guy a break huh? Did you not see the footage of the stage to Ville-La-Grand - Morzine??? He dragged Valverde all the way up the final part of the climb. I don't quite see how that makes him a wheelsucker. Maybe I'm missing something?

blazing_saddles

Might as well have the same poll for Leipheimer. He rides in an almost identical fashion, except he attacks less and when he does, can't get out of the saddle.
Sort of the poor man's Cadel Evans. More in need of an MOT, instead of some polish.

iainf72

Uncle Chop Chop wrote:

IYou're right Ian he did ride for TMolbile for two seasons.........and just what did he achieve in those two seasons???? Not a damned thing....Bit of a strech to suggest that he's dirty then don't you think? And what's wrong with his current team? How about you give the guy a break huh?

His current team - Oooh, I don't know, didn't they employ a doctor last year who was dishing out testosterone?

I'm not saying he is dirty but there is a lot of blind belief he's somehow the cleanest guy in the world based on him speaking english or something

I quite like Cadel to be honest.

Gragi

go Mr Evans go!
First Welsh tour de france winner sounds splendid to me.

Gr.uB

Being an Aussie, I have to root for the homeboy.
I agree his style is somewhat annoying as he isn't a natural attacker, but the fact that he uses his brain to maximise his style, I have to admire that.
The worst thing about him - that no one else has mentioned is his voice !!

redddraggon

Are we sure Cadel Evans isn't a secret love child of Kirk Douglas - those chins look mighty similar

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

1) He's a wheelsucker. But who's wheel is he sucking. Landis? Rasmussen? Vino? See a link? It's surprising that the more that dopers get busted, the more Evans seems to get better and more attacking. I have not heard one whisper of evidence of doping against him. He was an aggeressive prodigy aged 19-20 in MTB (far better than Ras and Landis) and moved on up since.

He rode for

Saeco
Mapei
Team Telekom

As we all now know, Telekom were filth. Saeco?

It's not evidence but any stretch but he's been on some of extremely dirty teams. Even his current team are a bit on the dubious tip.

Saeco - he was only part time with them due to his Cannondale links. He did a full Mountain Bike season that year.

Mapei - their dodgy period was under Lefevere, who'd long gone by them. Sinkewitz was there at the same time and said it was the only team he didn't dope on.

Telecom - he was largely ignored there. One Vuelta the whole team got "food poisoning" - except Zabel and Evans.

dave_1

who says Evans doesn't attackl? just launched himself off the front on last climb

blazing_saddles

Yes, Evans makes a lone attack on the leader,only to be sucked up by the master.

At the risk of being obssessively anti-Astana, as opposed to those obssessively pro-Astana, (yes, they do exist, they know who they are)
What on earth was old Leipo playing at? Payback for yesterday, or a lesson in how to ride for second place? :?

He and Evans get away from Valverde. They could put him under a lot of pressure, but LL won't do a turn. Evans, infrustration stops towing, so LL attacks. (well, sort of) This seems to be a devoloping Astana tactic. Contador did the same thing to Menchov at the Giro.
Both resort to mucking around and Valverde gets back. Brilliant!

hammerite

Dave_1 wrote:

who says Evans doesn't attackl? just launched himself off the front on last climb

perhaps thats why he doesn't attack much, because he knows it won't get him very far. Todays attack wasn't really a sustained effort.

Jez mon

Yep Levi looked like a prat, but then again with all this "Let Levi ride" sh** we already knew he was a prat anyway.

I thought the whole stage was rather dismal tbh, Evans and Valv don't want to stretch themselves to much, which we can all understand. Levi OTOH can just race this event at max without worrying about July but instead he rides like that, for sure, he would have been working with a guy a head of him in GC, BUT he would have been securing his place and putting some hurt on Valv. Best case senario, he could have ridden himself into second with Evens first. Then if he was feeling good he could attack tomorrow and perhaps win.

I admit the above is VERY VERY unlikely, but your not going to win if you don't attack, and attack HARD.

On a side note, what i think about Evans...is it me or does he look like a Thunderbirds puppet at times?

NJK

I think people need to look at physiology and the make up of the riders. Evans isn't a real lightweight and i thought todays attack was sustained but behind Gesink dragged the group up. Every rider or athlete has a threshold and i think that all the riders in the final group on any mountain stage are pretty similar especially in the last few years.

kellys_heroes

ok so he's took 5 years to go on the attack .lets just be thankfull we dont have to watch that annoying little spaniard contador-he can be a wheelsucker too.i am quite looking forward to seeing this years Tour without Lance,s Love child team astana. bruyneel and his cronies are fast becoming or already are the most hated team since Chelsea.

parkaboy

The worst thing about him - that no one else has mentioned is his voice !!

Do you think he might doping with helium?