I'm a Brit: can I support Cadel?

neilo23

Obviously I can if I want, but I can't see Bradley doing much to excite the cycling fan in me. I have the uptmost respect for him, he's pure class, but (we will see) I expect Cadel to battle and attack in an attempt to win the race and in doing so win the hearts of the fans, regardless of the outcome.

I expect Sky to ride a defensive race to maintain Brad's lead and if everything goes to plan he should win. But I find everything a bit reminiscent of the Indurain years: trounce the opposition in the time trials and defend the advantage in the mountains.

I love it when Cav wins. Can't say I'm particularly patriotic, but I'm proud of him, but which riders provided the entertainment in the Indurain years? Chiappucchi, Bugno, Jalabert, Rominger et ál.

I understand that the name of the game is to win, but for me, the way the race is won is just as important as the result: a 12 round slugfest is far more stimulating than a first round knockout. Like many people, I would have been the Poulidor fan, not the Anquetil fan, regardless of our respective nationalities.

iainf72

You can support whoever you like

Supporting someone just coz they're from the same country as you is so 19th century. But if people want to do it that's fine too

Squaggles

Some Aussies will be supporting Bradley

andyp

But on the sly, as treason is still punishable by death in Australia.

celbianchi

iainf72 wrote:

You can support whoever you like

Supporting someone just coz they're from the same country as you is so 19th century. But if people want to do it that's fine too

Absolutely. Patriotism is an oddity I don't grasp.

andyp

Not ^ an Australian.

Turfle

No.

Of course you can. I disagree with the defensive/attacking point though. Sky were the team that blew the races to pieces on Saturday. Cadel, Nibali etc have to attack now, but they'd be perfectly happy to sit on the coattails for 3 weeks if it served them best.

ddraver

A Brit supporting an Aussie?

Sorry but the rugby/Cricket fan in me just thinks that's all kinds of wrong! :P

You don't remember this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cym3Whor0MY

Or this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wSIzbSQ_Kw

Or the tragedy of this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6bChhhR ... re=related (terrible clip sorry, but Richie's commentary is too necessary! )

neilo23

ddraver wrote:

A Brit supporting an Aussie?

Sorry but the rugby/Cricket fan in me just thinks that's all kinds of wrong! :P

You don't remember this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cym3Whor0MY

Or this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wSIzbSQ_Kw

Or the tragedy of this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6bChhhR ... re=related (terrible clip sorry, but Richie's commentary is too necessary! )

I don't have a thing for Aussies. Being a Londoner I get annoyed by the fact that every other barman in the town is a good looking, athletic, happy go lucky Aussie who is still happy to be there apart from the rain dripping down his neck. And I don't like cricket or rugby. Simply never been patriotic and hope that the best man wins (as long as the best man inspires me to stop watching the TdF on telly and get on my bike). I just want a bit of passion (not saying Brad doesn't have any: I like him), but visual passion and suffering!. Having said that, since the compulsory helmets they all have to do a bit more to look like humans

ddraver

I dunno, it's one of the best rivalries in the sports I like...Again summed up beautifully by this other tragedy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRRGy_EQ ... 741494D78E

So good with the Aussie commentary!

RowCycle

Seeing this picture I worked out why Cadel Evans lost so much time in the time trial

morstar

neilo23 wrote:

but which riders provided the entertainment in the Indurain years? Chiappucchi, Bugno, Jalabert, Rominger et ál.

I

Really? Maybe my mind has wondered in the mean time but Bugno was always conspicuous by his absence in the tour and Rominger was to Indurain what Ullrich was to Armstrong. (A cynic might say less effective doper but I'm going with eternal bridesmaid)

neilo23

morstar wrote:

neilo23 wrote:

but which riders provided the entertainment in the Indurain years? Chiappucchi, Bugno, Jalabert, Rominger et ál.

I

Really? Maybe my mind has wondered in the mean time but Bugno was always conspicuous by his absence in the tour and Rominger was to Indurain what Ullrich was to Armstrong. (A cynic might say less effective doper but I'm going with eternal bridesmaid)

Rominger won 3 stages in one tour (92 or 93?)!

sagalout

Support who you like - but I find your reasoning a little strange, considering Wiggins is trying to win it in exactly the same way as Cadel did last year, ie just stay in touch in the mountains and hammer the time trial(s).

Or maybe its the underdog syndrome? We aren't used to having too many British athletes that are the favourites so it seems alittle odd to be supporting the guy likely to win, rather than the guy putting up a brave fight, but likely to lose. :?

carl_p

There are riders whom I like and dislike, but not because of their nationality. Support who you like.

I'd quite happily see Wiggo win, but despite being the best part of 2 mins down, Evans showed enough fight in the TT to suggest this Tour isn't over by a long way. I just hope that for the sake of this Tour we get some proper racing soon, and may the best man win regardless of this nationality.

Gazzetta67

Watched the last 29 tours to know that it's ok for someone to go well in the first 10 days, only to blow up in the final week and not hold their form. Want wiggins to win but evans will fight all the way.

neilo23

And there lies the problem; I can't feel empathy for Wiggins: when he wins, it' ´s because of his time trial dominance. When Armstrong won, he won the time trials and attacked in the mountains. I think it will be a while until this happens again

Yellow Peril

neilo23 wrote:

And there lies the problem; I can't feel empathy for Wiggins: when he wins, it' ´s because of his time trial dominance. When Armstrong won, he won the time trials and attacked in the mountains. I think it will be a while until this happens again

Yes he did didn't he... Perhaps we can have a circa 70 page thread of investigation into Lance and the Anthill mob and how they managed all of that :roll: .

Cadel looked remarkably relaxed post time trial when interviewed, positively affable and cheerful. Perhaps having won last year he feels like he has scratched an itch. He seems to be enjoying having become the battling underdog. Wiggo is being cast as a shoe-in now and is carrying the burden and the pressure that goes with it. Cadel must get up in the morning and log in to Biker Radar and feel pretty smug about all the love that is out there for him these days.

jim453

Gazzetta67 wrote:

Watched the last 29 tours to know that it's ok for someone to go well in the first 10 days, only to blow up in the final week and not hold their form. Want wiggins to win but evans will fight all the way.

Who was the last rider to blow it from a position as strong as Wiggo's?

dommccabe17

neilo23 wrote:

And there lies the problem; I can't feel empathy for Wiggins: when he wins, it' ´s because of his time trial dominance. When Armstrong won, he won the time trials and attacked in the mountains. I think it will be a while until this happens again

And we all know how he used to manage that.
Hopefully it will be a long, long while before we see the likes of Pharmstrong again.

peterst6906

Firstly, what a difference a couple of years has made for Cadel, since winning the World's.

A few years ago he was thought to be a dire, wheel sucking rider (even though it wasn't true then), but now the more common opinion is along the lines of the attacking flare he has, which is great.

Secondly, in relation to your question:

Sky, a team owned by an Australian, or an Australian rider?.....

Murdoch or Evans - which would you prefer won?...

Either way, the Aussie's can't lose (not that Murdoch is considered Australian anymore at home).

Squaggles

Cadel certainly does seem pretty relaxed about it all , I think it's because he's already won it

Us Brits do seem to like an underdog or gallant loser like Andy Murray , we don't seem so sure about supporting the favourite to win

rick_chasey

Cadel's always chilled, unless he's the favourite.

rebs

I've liked Wiggins and his attitude which I guess isn't for everyone.

Never expected he'll be in such a position for now. I'm fairly patriotic which kind of goes in with my job. But that doesn't mean I'll support any brit no matter. If they are a bellend i.e a footballer I'm not all fussed :P

Wiggins vs Evans is a great content. But I cannot see on recent form how Evans will out climb Wiggins and he'll have no chance in the TT's....

MrTapir

rebs wrote:

I'm fairly patriotic which kind of goes in with my job.

Are you a Beefeater?

patchy

hehe. try being a Brit supporting Wiggins in Australia - all I get are seething glances and accusations that Wiggins 'is on drugs, he must be, right?'

Worst bit is I can't gloat cos he'll only go and crash out the next day if I do...

RichN95.

patchy wrote:

hehe. try being a Brit supporting Wiggins in Australia - all I get are seething glances and accusations that Wiggins 'is on drugs, he must be, right?'
.

Just say "I don't think he's on drugs, but his Dad was an Aussie so I can't rule it out"

MrTapir

patchy wrote:

hehe. try being a Brit supporting Wiggins in Australia - all I get are seething glances and accusations that Wiggins 'is on drugs, he must be, right?'

Worst bit is I can't gloat cos he'll only go and crash out the next day if I do...

Cant you just say that Cadel is, he won the tour last year so must be. You can only win on drugs after all.

Graculus

I like Bradley Wiggins, but then again I also like Cadel Evans. But which is better? There's only one way to find out...

I think it's going to be one hell of a fight because Cadel just never gives up. I really admire him and was delighted when he won last year. I admire his attitude; I remember that at the beginnning of last year's Tour he said 'All I want is not to have bad luck' - he knows victory is mainly down to hard work (and drugs if you are a cynic!) and he doesn't seem to have that sense of entitlement that some riders seem to have.

I still want Bradley to win though...

deejay

neilo23 wrote:

Rominger won 3 stages in one tour (92 or 93?)!

A Wheel sucker to do so.!
Just like LeBlanc !

Pross

MrTapir wrote:

rebs wrote:

I'm fairly patriotic which kind of goes in with my job.

Are you a Beefeater?

No, that's Bertie.