I have changed my mind, Cadel Evans.

dvdrovers

there is no doubt evans polarizes people....I think he could definately handle the media a lot better, his voice and looks will unfortunately have an affect as well but shouldnt.
With regard to being a boring rider...I'm not sure how else he could race with the team he has, it just wouldnt make sense to burn himself out just so people can say that at least he has attacked. The fact that the mountains arent his strong point makes it illogical and crazy to attack anyway. And couldnt you consider his time trialing as his attacking weapon, he certainly has no coat-tails to sit on there! I personally think it will be thrilling to watch the final TT as it was last year....bottom line is the tour is an endurance race and it comes down to the rider who can best endure the 3 weeks....i would like to see some of these bloggers try and climb some of those alpine stages!!

eskimo Joe

im Sure Allan Pieper , said a few years ago , that he had a diffrent kind of personality to most people kind of l;ike Robert Millar

DaveyL

flattythehurdler wrote:

They weren't allowed anywhere near him unless they deemed friendly in advance. You should read Bad Blood. He had hired goons taking photos of everyone asking him a question he didn't like so he could ban them from all future contact. A big bully like AF and the BBC

I know, and I have!

But who's AF?

RichN95.

DaveyL wrote:

But who's AF?

Alex Ferguson I would assume

feersumendjinn

Seems to be the fate/curse of the TdF winner whoever he may be to induce hate & admiration in equal measure in the hissy spiting partisan mob that occupy the cycling forums of the world
I can't think of one yet that has united everyone.

Earthbound

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

Earthbound wrote:

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

you make a big leap of asummption that I was referring specifically to Evans, they wre in fact general commenst about road racing and why its so exciting compared to other endurance events.
I happen to think that he is one of the strongest riders in the peloton, witness his ability in the mountains and TT ing. He deserves to be where he is on the basis of his all round ability, in his particular case since he doesnt have a very strong team around him, his position is all the more impressive. A for your last comment, what a load of b**cks sorry This is 2008 and winning IS everything.

No leap of assumption at all. The title of this thread is "I have changed my mind, Cadel Evans" Cadel Evans IS the topic under discussion. Anything else is OT.

I did witness his ability in the mountains and there wasn't much of it. Noticeably inferior to Sastre, the Schlecks, Van De Velde, Kohl, Schumacher and no better than Valverde, Menchov.

As for "it's 2008 winning IS everything". I fear you may be correct. We live in shallow times were qualities of heroism, endeavour and worthiness hold little value in the eyes of many sections of society. Where a bit of ducking and diving and snatching whatever scraps fall to hand whilst no one else is looking leads to arguably undeserved rewards.
This "win by any means necessary" is of course the very philosophy adopted by the drugs cheats.

It's very sad.

calvjones

"I did witness his ability in the mountains and there wasn't much of it. Noticeably inferior to Sastre, the Schlecks, Van De Velde, Kohl, Schumacher and no better than Valverde, Menchov."

This is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've read during the Tour. Did you see Kohl after yesterday's stage? You didn't see Schumacher at all, did you? Wonder why?

And to suggest being 'no better' than Valverde or Menchov on a mountain means you don't have much climbing ability :roll:

flattythehurdler

I think he is a whining xenophobe who's behaviour resembles naomi campbell on the jerry springer show. The "talk to the helmet" interview was priceless. He reminded me of gollum when he lashed out at the reporter who approached his left arm. I don't want him to win, and would say this to his, or anyone elses face.
Having said that, he is a hard fecker and his courage and heart are without question. he is an outstanding cyclist who would be a worthy winner.
I prefer everyone else though.

RichN95.

flattythehurdler wrote:

I think he is a whining xenophobe.

As he lives in Switzerland, is married to an Italian and works with Belgians, he's a pretty rubbish xenophobe.

flattythehurdler

Have you read this month's pro-cycling? Maybe he just hates the British the. Apologies if that makes xenophobia the wrong term.

redddraggon

RichN95 wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

I think he is a whining xenophobe.

As he lives in Switzerland, is married to an Italian and works with Belgians, he's a pretty rubbish xenophobe.

He just doesn't like the English (who can blame him?)

calvjones

redddraggon wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

I think he is a whining xenophobe.

As he lives in Switzerland, is married to an Italian and works with Belgians, he's a pretty rubbish xenophobe.

He just doesn't like the English (who can blame him?)

I couldn't possibly comment. Some of my best friends are English

flattythehurdler

Me too, that's why it annoyed me, especially as he must have known that the mag has a very large British readership.

Alain Quay

"I did witness his ability in the mountains and there wasn't much of it."

Yes, I second that as most daft comment made on this topic.

He's not particularly likeable but he's clean and he's fighter and a grafter.
He was up against a very tough team in CSC yesterday.

I am reminded of a line in Bruce Springsteen song:

(s)he ain't a beauty
but hey you're alright

Bugly

hating or baiting poms was once a national sport in Oz

Cmon guys most of the world hated the Brits at one time or another.

shannyla

He's not particularly likeable but he's clean

How do you know?

He was successful in XC mountain biking's dirtiest period - Miguel Martinez and Filip Meirhaeghe anyone?

And lets not forget that he's a graceless, whinging, toad-faced little sh!te that makes "Whinging Poms" look good...[/url]

Uncle Chop Chop

You're right Shannyla. NOT.The fact that he won two MTB World Cup series in row against Martinez and Meirhaeghe means he must be dirty???? Maybe the fact that he works incredibly hard and is a very gifted athlete is the reason he was succesful.
And graceless????? We are talking about the same guy who shed a tear whilst receiving the yellow jersey aren't we???

rustychisel

Bugly wrote:

baiting poms was once a national sport in Oz

Cmon guys most of the world hated the Brits at one time or another.

Baiting. Still is. We don't hate anyone though.

Never let the facts get in the way of your prejudices.

shannyla

You're right Shannyla. NOT.The fact that he won two MTB World Cup series in row against Martinez and Meirhaeghe means he must be dirty????

... which if I'm not wrong is exactly the logic every one around this here forum uses to damm Armstrong and anyone else that won a race up to last week....

Sauce for the goose and all the rest of it. You can't be proclaimed cleaner than a virgin rolling around in snow if you're successful when everyone else is dirtier than a third-world bus station toilet.

And headbutting a camera and all the other bullsh!t he pulls means that he really is a graceless, whinging, toad faced little sh!te. i hope someone runs over his dog...

davidmiller

Uncle Chop Chop wrote:

You're right Shannyla. NOT.The fact that he won two MTB World Cup series in row against Martinez and Meirhaeghe means he must be dirty???? Maybe the fact that he works incredibly hard and is a very gifted athlete is the reason he was succesful.
And graceless????? We are talking about the same guy who shed a tear whilst receiving the yellow jersey aren't we???

Do you really think it is graceful to cry when you receive a yellow jersey?

I've replied to a couple of other posts about my feeling towards Cadel - I just can't get it. However, I fully expect him to take the yellow back on saturday but I hope to god that Satre beats him and I'm no Sastre fan.

AND get this, I grown to dislike and disrespect Cadel so much that if Sastre does keep hold of the lead on saturaday I'll ask myself if he's clean.....but I won't care!!!!

How bad is that?

Sorry all....I won't be surprised if you all take turn to give me s**t now.

David

iain_j

I think Cadel will get enough time back in the TT and beat Sastre for the win.

I hope Sastre hangs on, the smaller the margin the better, and beats the childish whinger.

I've only ever been a casual TdF follower, whoever wins, good for 'em. But this one this year has been enough to de-lurk me (gasp). When it started hotting up in the Pyrenees, I thought, good on ya Cadel, sticking in there with CSC when his own team were nowhere to be seen. But the longer its gone on the more and more I've grown to really, REALLY, dislike the little pr!ck.

Whichever way it goes, it's been the most exciting race I remember watching. But he'd be the most boring winner.

top_bhoy

I can understand him not being a favourite of some but certain comments from some people are a disgrace. He's a guy who is simply doing his best without the help of a supporting team. He goes out and gives the TdF 100%, since when was that a crime?

For those with short memories and who never actually witnessed it, Indurain didn't set the heather on fire in the mountains, simply happy to limit any losses and romp away with it in the time trials for his time gaps.

IMO, whoever wins it will deserve it - anyone with the ability to go 3 weeks around France on a bicycle at 40+Kms/hr deserves all the kudos going.

Leroy42

Have been reading the many postings about Cadel, the way he has defended the TdF, instead of attacking.
First off, I have to admit that I don't like him. Ugliest climbing style I've ever seen (mayby I'm that ugly when I climb too thats why my mates drop me so fast ).
I do admire him though. He has no team, CSC had a 3 pronged attack against him and four days on their turf (mountains) to beat him enough to remove his weapon (TT) from the equation.
I am far from a good climber, but on a good day I can hang with some of the others and am amazed when I can stick with them. Do I try to jump away from my climber mates? Rarely, but on a real good day I have, got great satisfaction out of droping them, but normally pay the price later.
This is the point with Cadel in 2008. In anybody's book he is a very good climber, around the 40 minute marked (41 or 42 maybe) on L'Ape is great climbing. He is a bit like Ullrich in that he has no jump, he cannot go with the accelerations of Contador or Sastre so has to work his way back up to them, or limit his losses.
Wheelsucking is all well and good, and certainly helps if you can be paced, but surely CSC could have used different tactics rather than grind their way up, albeit at a very fast pace. Constant changes of pace would have been the better option, speed up, let Cadel chase, wait and repeat. Thats going to mess with your head, and at this level it's the head that wins it.
I think we all need to work out what we really want. During Lance's reign, all people did was complain that the race was boring, controlled by the US/Disco team. He'd be lead to the bottom of the first mountain, attack hard and settle back to watch the others fall to pieces. I loved the LA years, watching that level of perfection and professionalism.
Basso, Ricco, Pantani, Riis etc, all did spectacular rides which were talked about for years, but guess what, they weren't real. Doped to the gills.
I think this year we have seen a much cleaner race, thats why, apart from SD boys, people have found it really hard to attack and stay attacking. Sastre was the first real one we've seen. I think this is the face of clean cycling. It just is not posible for most people to constantly attack at the speed that these guys are going at.
So I think Cadel will win, I think he certainly deserves it, I think he is a champion and I think he played his cards right. I wish I had a drop of his talent. And I have the utmost respect for what he is doing.
Do I 'like' him, not as a sports personality, not his cycling style, certainly not his climbing style, and I don't think he will be talked about like past champions.
But he gets to go home with a yellow jersey, the others get to go home!!!!!!!!

Tom Butcher

Top_Bhoy wrote:

For those with short memories and who never actually witnessed it, Indurain didn't set the heather on fire in the mountains, simply happy to limit any losses and romp away with it in the time trials for his time gaps.

IMO, whoever wins it will deserve it - anyone with the ability to go 3 weeks around France on a bicycle at 40+Kms/hr deserves all the kudos going.

Indurain was boring too - but without Evans' attitude problem. To be honest he may be a nice guy in reality but if you act like he does in front of the press you can't expect to be that popular. I'm hoping Sastre wins but if Evans takes yellow I'll applaud that - it obviously means a huge amount to him. One thing I like about cycling compared to say football is that supporting one rider doesn't mean having a dislike of his opponent.

idaviesmoore

I'm not happy about the 'I hope someone runs over his dog' comment :evil:

Let's keep things to Hate/Don't Hate Cadel, shall we. And leave the canines out of it