Who's the most boring...

jim one

afx237vi wrote:

Kloden. How many could he have won if he'd possessed some ambition?

While that is true, you do have to remember he was 2nd in 2004 to Armstrong and again 2nd in 2006 after Landis was DQ with very little racing before the tour. He has won Paris-Nice, Tierenno-Adriatico plus Tour of Baque country and Tour of Romandie as well as been German national champion and won a bronze medal at the Sydney olympics.

I would say that is a pretty impressive record. Perhaps he knows that he will never improve on his 2nd place in the tour??

greasedscotsman

Robstar24 wrote:

not sure about some of the LA comments; while his formula was fairly tried and tested, he was a much, much more aggressive rider than miguel indurain, who did try v hard to win stages rather than just the time trials. remember tdf 2004 when he won five stages in the same race? you would never have seen big mig do that, he was very generous toward his rivals.

There were far more interesting lance moments: sestrieres 1999, bonk joux-plane 2000, alpe d'huez 2001, (nothing of note 2002), and luz-ardiden 2003 was a masterclass in aggressive riding when the chips are down.

OK, so apart from the last 10km or so of a mountain stage, when did LA ever attack? I can't think of any? It's that tried and tested it's boring.

And how about doing something other than the Tour? What about a Giro/Tour double? Or an hour record attempt? When did LA ever do anything like that?

Sorry, but for me LA is dull, Indurain is far more interesting!

Pross

Are you talking as a GC contender? Pre-cancer there was the stage to Verdun in '93. In fact he was quite an exciting rider before his GC wins started.

mididoctors

Pross wrote:

Are you talking as a GC contender? Pre-cancer there was the stage to Verdun in '93. In fact he was quite an exciting rider before his GC wins started.

LA is far from the most boring contender...possibly a boring repeat winner but his presence for the drama alone makes him interesting even if you just want to coat him off..

hell I enjoyed his presence at verbier just to see him get a big reality check...

no no no the more i think about it the more I'm going for Levi... Kloden isn't really making any pretense at being a contender anymore..superdomestique the end

its Levi by a country mile

dave_1

Timoid. wrote:

andyp wrote:

Pross wrote:

+1 to Chiappucci, that ride to Sestrierre in 1992 was the highlight of my time watching bike racing. I can't imagine we'll see a potential winner ever do that again.

For a GC contendor that attack was suicidal and Chiappucci only got away with it because Indurain bonked in the closing kilometres of the stage. Not that it mattered as he'd already put over 6 minutes into Chiappucci in the Luxembourg TT.

Did anyone ever consider Chiappucci a potential GC winner? His best results came when coming second to Indurain, in both the Giro and the Tour, and I think Indurain always had the measure of him.

This doesn't even take into account how Chiappucci was 'prepared'. As he, Indurain and a couple of others were probably the first riders to master EPO usage in Grand Tours thanks to their partnerships with Conconi and Ferrari.

Agreed. Chiapucci was always an also ran until he met the good Dr's. Read Roche's comments on his second time at Carrera (yes I know about Roche not being a good boy in his second stint either) where he was amazed that a no-mark like Chiapucci was all of a sudden top dog.

Roche won the RAS at 18. that's sh.it hot talent in anyone's book. He was a pro by 1983 and right up there in 1983 TDF mountains and GC at 21, Paris Nice winner in 1983...Stephen Roche was fantastic athlete...shme he muddied the waters with the Italian investigation...but the general reader shouldn't be in the slightest doubt Roche was a brilliant brilliant cyclist..

Pross

I was lucky enough to ride with him about 15 years ago, he was quite 'portly' by then to be polite and I thought I'd try to attack on a hill and ride away from him - big mistake :oops:

greasedscotsman

Pross wrote:

Are you talking as a GC contender? Pre-cancer there was the stage to Verdun in '93. In fact he was quite an exciting rider before his GC wins started.

Yes, I was, that's what the original question was asking. Maybe being exciting and a GC contender don't really go hand in hand anymore. Riding for GC is as much about not losing time as gaining it.

Pross

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, certainly in the modern era. Also, if anyone did do it now you can be sure there'd be questions asked about how they managed it!

dave_1

Levi L is boring and his monotone voice, annoying...but he was far too nice to Contador at the 2008 Vuelta and wouldn't be boring if he'd ridden selfishly. He completed the 08 Vuelta course in the same time as AC. He has a smokin hot wife ,so maybe he isn't boring though?.

dulldave

flattythehurdler wrote:

... and Evans in the Dauphin last year was absolutely outstanding. One of the bravest rides I have ever seen. It took a combination of valv.piti, and possibly the most talented GC rider of all time working together to deny him. He attacked about ten times on the last two days.

+1