Best Rider ~ 2013

2

Comments

  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    How is this thread not completely overwhelmed with Froome-posts?

    I'm all for picking the odd ones now and again but there's really no question about this one.

    I mean.. like.. no question - or did his disappointing efforts post Tour in the major american race kill it for you?
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    edited October 2013
    C'mon Thom Thom, you know, I know....the best rider is ALWAYS Lars Bak

    Reason I've gone for Spaghetti Man Mr Nibbles over Froome is that he was giving it full welly right through to the Worlds.

    However, Froome does earn lotsa Brucie bonus points for handling all the press stuff day in day out at the Tour - 'Are you doping / How do we know you're not a cheat / Look me in the eyes and tell me you're not doping / How can you prove to it you're not doping', and being bracketed alongside Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell who'd both been popped....

    ...and he handled it all with patience and frankly class. And for all the shouts from the keyboards - journos, Twatters, internetz - that what does he or any other rider expect, OF COURSE he should expect and be ready to answer every single question all of the time....I'd actually like to see how many others could have kept their cool like he did, and not lose it - or not let it get to them.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Nibali is my human shield against accusations of raving Froome/Sky/Brit fanboi-hood on other threads.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,490
    Macaloon wrote:
    Nibali is my human shield against accusations of raving Froome/Sky/Brit fanboi-hood on other threads.

    This. People are scared to make any positive comment regarding Sky or their riders (sorry, robots).

    The reason I didn't pick him is that everything was geared towards winning the big one and then basically packed up for winter having won it. Yes, he picked up some good wins en route but I prefer riders who take a more rounded approach. Not that I think there's anything wrong in working everything towards winning the Tour, in the last 20 years that has been shown to be about the only way it can be won.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Early season has to be Cancellara, but Froome and Nibali impressed too. Like him or loathe him Froome smashed it at the tour. Nibali to come close to winning two tours is a great achievement
    Road
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    Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Rui Costa.
    For good performances the whole season through - placings in early season races in Iberia (and victory in the Primavera), 9th in LBL, placings and 3rd overall in T de Romandie, two stage wins in the T de Suisse (the second very impressive and getting him overall victory too), two stage wins in the T de France (one being I think the most impressive win of the whole TdF this year), placings in the post-TdF Canadian races, 4th in T de Beijing. Also, RR World Champion, and Portuguese TT champion.

    If one discounts the sprinters and TT-er Martin, only Froome has managed more wins this year. Rui Costa is a more complete, allround rider than not just the sprinters and TT-ers, but also the GT names being bandied about in this thread, and therefore pips it for me ahead of them.
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    knedlicky wrote:
    Rui Costa.
    For good performances the whole season through - placings in early season races in Iberia (and victory in the Primavera), 9th in LBL, placings and 3rd overall in T de Romandie, two stage wins in the T de Suisse (the second very impressive and getting him overall victory too), two stage wins in the T de France (one being I think the most impressive win of the whole TdF this year), placings in the post-TdF Canadian races, 4th in T de Beijing. Also, RR World Champion, and Portuguese TT champion.

    If one discounts the sprinters and TT-er Martin, only Froome has managed more wins this year. Rui Costa is a more complete, allround rider than not just the sprinters and TT-ers, but also the GT names being bandied about in this thread, and therefore pips it for me ahead of them.

    its a good argument ...but somehow....??? !
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    edited October 2013
    Joint honours to Fabian & Froome with Nibbles a tyres width behind...

    Discounting Vos becasue she sucks at XCO, the real cyclists sport!! ;) :P
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 1,748
    Nibali number one.
    Froome/Sagan joint second.

    Nothing scientific. That's what I liked.

    And..........Vos.
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    Chris Horner surely. Won a GT aged 41 with lots of attacking riding!
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Interesting analysis of rider points from stage races as percentage of total (WT): Froome and Nibali at 100%. Also interesting how rare race/stage winning margins > 1 min are: 8/132.

    http://www.procyclingstats.com/news/UCI_WorldTour_Statistics
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    The Flemish think (at the moment of posting):
    1. Sagan
    2. Froome
    3. Tony Martin; J-Rod; Cancellara and Bakelants all pretty close

    Not much love for Kittel, Nibali. Horner and Costa

    http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... 10_renners

    The question is for 'rider of the year' to be precise, which could also be about charisma and such.
  • frisbee
    frisbee Posts: 691
    morstar wrote:
    Chris Horner surely. Won a GT aged 41 with lots of attacking riding!

    Yep. Even if he was on drugs its a stunning achievement!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,150
    FJS wrote:
    The Flemish think (at the moment of posting):
    1. Sagan
    2. Froome
    3. Tony Martin; J-Rod; Cancellara and Bakelants all pretty close

    Not much love for Kittel, Nibali. Horner and Costa

    http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... 10_renners

    The question is for 'rider of the year' to be precise, which could also be about charisma and such.

    The Flemish have changed their minds: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-ave ... ear-prizes
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    morstar wrote:
    Chris Horner surely. Won a GT aged 41 with lots of attacking riding!

    You are Chris Horner aren't you? How are your contract talks coming along, 2 year deal with Balco on the horizon?
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    RichN95 wrote:
    The Flemish have changed their minds: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-avermaet-froome-win-flandrien-of-the-year-prizes

    "I would like to thank my colleagues who appreciated my regularity by casting their vote."
    :shock:
    Other nominees included cyclo-cross world champion Sven Nys, Tour de France stage winner and yellow jersey holder Jan Bakelants, former world champion Philippe Gilbert and Gianni Meersman."

    Fanbois
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    Joelsim wrote:
    morstar wrote:
    Chris Horner surely. Won a GT aged 41 with lots of attacking riding!

    You are Chris Horner aren't you? How are your contract talks coming along, 2 year deal with Balco on the horizon?
    ;) I'm only messing really but I felt it's a valid point. And remember, if your point of view is that they're all doping then his win is as legitimate as anybody else's by any measure.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    Gilbert isnt even a Flandrien is he?!?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    ddraver wrote:
    Gilbert isnt even a Flandrien is he?!?
    You mean that he's not Flemish (Vlaams)? Different thing. Bettini has won the Flandrien Trofee. Nowadays its just the prize for the best Belgian rider. Nys was widely expected to get it cause all the roadies have been rubbish
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Btw, Froome got the international Flandrien Trofee
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    FJS wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    Gilbert isnt even a Flandrien is he?!?
    You mean that he's not Flemish (Vlaams)? Different thing. Bettini has won the Flandrien Trofee. Nowadays its just the prize for the best Belgian rider. Nys was widely expected to get it cause all the roadies have been rubbish

    hmmm, so whats a Flandrien then?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    edited October 2013
    ddraver wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    Gilbert isnt even a Flandrien is he?!?
    You mean that he's not Flemish (Vlaams)? Different thing. Bettini has won the Flandrien Trofee. Nowadays its just the prize for the best Belgian rider. Nys was widely expected to get it cause all the roadies have been rubbish

    hmmm, so whats a Flandrien then?

    RdV_Paris-Roubaix_1977_Merckx_Maertens.jpg
    It's a type of rider. A compliment obviously. A hard-man relentlessly attacking rider who thrives on mud, cobbles, wind, cold and rain, does well in classics, particularly the cobbled ones. In short, a rider who fits the typical Flemish geography and spirit. Riders like de Vlaeminck and Planckaert. Not necessarily Flemish. Duclos-Lasalle was typical. More recently someone like Flecha perhaps, Hushovd maybe, and Cancellara of course if he wouldn't hang out so much with the Schlecks. Stannard potentially. You get the picture. They also should be humble workers, not show-offs, which is why someone like Voeckler will never qualify, and some have questioned playboy Boonen as a Flandrien, despite his suitable palmares. 1940/50s rider Briek Schotte is the idealtype.

    Photographer Stephan Vanfleteren published a coffee table book a couple of years ago illustrating the concept: http://stephanvanfleteren.com/en/portfo ... /flandrien
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    Ok so whats the word for a person that comes from Flanders, i.e. I am British, I am a Briton, He is Flemish (Vlaamse), He is a ...... ?

    It can be my word for the day! ;)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Half granite, half Kryptonite.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    ddraver wrote:
    Ok so whats the word for a person that comes from Flanders, i.e. I am British, I am a Briton, He is Flemish (Vlaamse), He is a ...... ?

    It can be my word for the day! ;)

    Vlaming
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ddraver wrote:
    He is a ...... ?

    Belgian?
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,596
    So how is Froome the best international Flandrien?
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,104
    TheBigBean wrote:
    So how is Froome the best international Flandrien?

    Voting was completed before the Worlds, clearly,
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    TheBigBean wrote:
    So how is Froome the best international Flandrien?
    Yes, he won the 'Internationale Flandrien Award' 2013. Its all current Belgian pro-cyclists who vote, not a general public vote.
    Since 2008 it's not longer about being a 'flandrien', just the Belgian and international rider of the year, according to their (Belgian) peers.
    Froome wouldn't be the best international flandrien ;-)
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,596
    So, should we conclude that Froome is the best international rider and Cancellera is best international flandrien?

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