In praise of Thomas Voeckler

Kléber
Kléber Posts: 6,842
edited July 2009 in Pro race
Well done to Voeckler for his ride today. He took his luck by attacking just at the right moment when others were tired from chasing Igatiev but that is what it's all about. It's always nice to see a breakaway have its chance too.

He's been an outspoken critic of doping, we can look to him and his healthy attitudes. He's an exemplary pro and apparently a nice guy too.

There have been troubles in the team, apparently one factor behind Chavanel's decision to quit the team in the past was because team boss J-R Bernadeau was obsessed by Voeckler but the guy delivers the goods, he's won in the early season. He's not world class but he is a battler, always entertaining to watch.
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Comments

  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    A great athlete who has had gran tour wins stolen off him by Armstrong. I thought (and you all know) his leading the 2004 TDF was a pot luck break away that didn't get chased down...not brute force riding off the front when Ullrich and LA were going for it...still they were just good responders to doping eh..

    TV has done nothing much in his career and that is the bikeradar rule...show respect for the relatively minor winners and trash the big winners of the GTs (that really sucks!)

    cut the favouritism out guys and show some respect for the winners in cycling's big events.. :
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Is supporting Voeckler not respecting "the winners in cycling's big events"?

    As for favouritism, I'll support any rider who is outspoken on the problem of doping and wins his races fair and square. It's hard not to, unless you have objections to this Dave, perhaps you touched the "hot sauce" or other things during your racing career, although I'll assume not.

    Maybe you didn't know but he's a regular at anti-doping conferences and has repeatedly (but discreetly) called on the UCI to introduce start line testing to control haematocrits and total body haemoglobin, pointing out the obvious flaws of the UCI's early morning "vampire" raids. So far he's been ignored but it took a decade for the UCI to bring in the passport so maybe one day. He's also written to the UCI to denounce the undetected abuse of growth hormones and the exaggerated number of TUE letters in circulation.

    People like this are doing good for our sport, no? A shame some have to sneer at this.
  • juggler
    juggler Posts: 262
    maybe a harsh assessment.... so many times you see Voeckler going off the front on some doomed venture. Maybe today it's just working the percentages, that it was that 1% chance that worked.

    Anyway, every year in the Tour someone wins a stage and it is a big deal... maybe they target a particular stage, they know that will never win overall... race within a race. I was glad he won.

    Presumably as you only have interest in the GT winners, you have no interest in the sprinters, climbers or young rider jersey? So guess we should not talk about Cavendish anymore?
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Quit trying to start arguments where there are none Dave, it's getting very tiresome.

    Voeckler's popularity has nothing to do with Armstrong, Ullrich or anyone else. He's a plucky, attacking rider who wears his heart on his sleeve and brings publicity to a very modest team who operate on a tiny budget. His popularity is not exactly rocket science. People love to support an underdog.

    As for "cut the favouritism out" - why? How can you watch sport without having favourites?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I'm with you 100% on this one Kléber.

    I like to be excited when watching this sport and whether that is from a big name like Contador or a relatively no-namer I am not bothered. Voeckler is by no means a no-namer - he has been a performer all through his career and provides excitement in all his races without fail.

    He is one of my favourite riders and for me he embodies one of the qualities I admire in cyclists - an almost reckless attacking mentality. I know this is not the tactic of someone winning the GC but it will certainly provide entertainment for the spectators and will ensure that their name is remembered for a long time to come. Note also that Voeckler is very much appreciated and liked in France.

    08072009_01gf.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I love this moment of him - defending the maillot jaune with grit. Look at the emotion on his face...for me a pure cyclist unlike some who shall remane nameless yet are revered.

    Shame about the dopers out there in front.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUXL7XkVi7c
    Contador is the Greatest
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    One of my favourites too. Was made up to see he'd won today. Did you know he'd sailed across the atlantic twice too?

    Definitely one of the riders I want a photo with in bourg st maurice!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,576
    I'm delighted for him. Today's win was just reward for the number of times he's tried to win a stage in a GT. He came damn close in the Giro this year too, but today's was well ridden. As Kleber said, he timed his attack to perfection and had time to enjoy his win.

    His attitude to the scourge of the sport which is doping is also refreshing.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    I was urging him on
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • twowheeledwriter
    twowheeledwriter Posts: 129
    edited July 2009
    I saw him close up by the team bus this morning at Le Cap d'Agde - I could see in his eyes that he was going to target this stage :D

    He's the reason I bought a Bouyges Telecom shirt (my advice: get the shorts too as the shirt is a b*gger to match with anything else) - I admired his "never say die" attitude. And, yes, he and his team are very well liked here. The guys on French TV were overjoyed to see him win.

    By the way, the scrum around Lance at stages 2, 3 and 4 has been incredible. He seems to have his own police escort to and from sign on, and to the start and finish and then back to the bus. The French public and media can't get enough of him.

    On the other hand, poor Contador got lost going to the stage start at Montpellier yesterday as he had no-one to help him and he looked a bit lost again today coming back to the bus from signing on.

    Anyway, back to original point - there's are balance between interest and enthusiasm for the underdog but also for the big winner too.
    "Tyres down on your bicycle, your nose feels like an icicle"
  • claudb
    claudb Posts: 212
    Don't forget (Dave) that the sport has to entertain and excite the fans and TommyV is one of the best there is at that. I just like to see him enliven every race with his gutsy (NB. not tactically inept to the fans) riding and was over the moon to see him win today. I can be as cynical as the best of them but to see the smile on his face today was great - a well deserved victory !!!
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    Well done Thomas, a deserved win if ever there was one.
  • iain_j
    iain_j Posts: 1,941
    Well done Thomas - yet another rider making this one of the best Tours I've seen in recent years (and it's not a week old yet).
  • avalon
    avalon Posts: 345
    edited July 2009
    Anyone who gets over the line before the ego that is named Cavendish is OK in my book.
  • ACMadone
    ACMadone Posts: 300
    He's just one of those riders that's been around for years with no reason to dislike him. Well done Thomas :)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    ACMadone wrote:
    He's just one of those riders that's been around for years with no reason to dislike him. Well done Thomas :)

    Heh... for a pro cyclist that's actually one hell of an achievement.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Respect to him
    - Jens Voigt giving generous and lengthy congratulations to Voeckler, featured on the CN podcast.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    You all realise that now he'll become the new, born-again French hope and thus will never win anything again!


    Great ride!
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    I like Tommy V.

    Delighted for him. :D
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    iain_j wrote:
    Well done Thomas - yet another rider making this one of the best Tours I've seen in recent years (and it's not a week old yet).

    but everyone tests positive next week going into the rest day...(just kidding)
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • don key
    don key Posts: 494
    Philip S wrote:
    I like Tommy V.

    Delighted for him. :D

    Vommy T is the biz, Dave-1 is very, unintentionally, funny
  • don key
    don key Posts: 494
    avalon wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    A great athlete who has had gran tour wins stolen off him by Armstrong. I thought (and you all know) his leading the 2004 TDF was a pot luck break away that didn't get chased down...not brute force riding off the front when Ullrich and LA were going for it...still they were just good responders to doping eh..

    TV has done nothing much in his career and that is the bikeradar rule...show respect for the relatively minor winners and trash the big winners of the GTs (that really sucks!)

    cut the favouritism out guys and show some respect for the winners in cycling's big events.. :

    What a tiresome prick u are.

    Thanks for reminding me, I have prick practice later, it's going to be hard.
  • fpbr
    fpbr Posts: 5
    Kléber wrote:
    Well done to Voeckler for his ride today. He took his luck by attacking just at the right moment when others were tired from chasing Igatiev but that is what it's all about. It's always nice to see a breakaway have its chance too.

    He's been an outspoken critic of doping, we can look to him and his healthy attitudes. He's an exemplary pro and apparently a nice guy too.

    There have been troubles in the team, apparently one factor behind Chavanel's decision to quit the team in the past was because team boss J-R Bernadeau was obsessed by Voeckler but the guy delivers the goods, he's won in the early season. He's not world class but he is a battler, always entertaining to watch.

    Because being outspoken is proof he doesn't dope, right?

    Cycling fans have got to be the dumbest crowd around.
  • don key
    don key Posts: 494
    fpbr wrote:
    Kléber wrote:
    Well done to Voeckler for his ride today. He took his luck by attacking just at the right moment when others were tired from chasing Igatiev but that is what it's all about. It's always nice to see a breakaway have its chance too.

    He's been an outspoken critic of doping, we can look to him and his healthy attitudes. He's an exemplary pro and apparently a nice guy too.

    There have been troubles in the team, apparently one factor behind Chavanel's decision to quit the team in the past was because team boss J-R Bernadeau was obsessed by Voeckler but the guy delivers the goods, he's won in the early season. He's not world class but he is a battler, always entertaining to watch.

    Because being outspoken is proof he doesn't dope, right?

    Cycling fans have got to be the dumbest crowd around.

    Klebes, Im jealous, you have a new fan, do you think it's a craze twin?
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    fpbr wrote:
    Because being outspoken is proof he doesn't dope, right?

    Cycling fans have got to be the dumbest crowd around.
    Proof? No, but it's a start.

    Besides, practically every pro in the bunch accepts Voeckler does it clean. But they're probably the second dumbest crowd around :wink:
  • flattythehurdler
    flattythehurdler Posts: 2,314
    Dave_1 wrote:
    A great athlete who has had gran tour wins stolen off him by Armstrong. I thought (and you all know) his leading the 2004 TDF was a pot luck break away that didn't get chased down...not brute force riding off the front when Ullrich and LA were going for it...still they were just good responders to doping eh..

    TV has done nothing much in his career and that is the bikeradar rule...show respect for the relatively minor winners and trash the big winners of the GTs (that really sucks!)

    cut the favouritism out guys and show some respect for the winners in cycling's big events.. :

    WTF?????
    Dan
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    A great athlete who has had gran tour wins stolen off him by Armstrong. I thought (and you all know) his leading the 2004 TDF was a pot luck break away that didn't get chased down...not brute force riding off the front when Ullrich and LA were going for it...still they were just good responders to doping eh..

    TV has done nothing much in his career and that is the bikeradar rule...show respect for the relatively minor winners and trash the big winners of the GTs (that really sucks!)

    cut the favouritism out guys and show some respect for the winners in cycling's big events.. :

    WTF?????


    My sentiments exactly... The two aren't mutually exclusive y'know.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    Dave what are you on? A great ride by Tommy, I was chuffed for him.
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    fpbr wrote:

    Because being outspoken is proof he doesn't dope, right?

    Cycling fans have got to be the dumbest crowd around.

    Agree with Kleber - it's an indication he probably is clean - same with Wiggins.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.

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