Danny Pate - Team SKYVE - Most anonymous Rider

ginsterdrz

Did he even ride? He was on the roster.

What did he actually do for the team?

Did Murdoch/21st Cent Fox have something to do with his selection Sir B ???

What a waste of a Wiggins!

iainf72

If Sky had been in a position where they needed someone to ride on the front on the flat for hours, Danny is the man for that.

But they didn't.

knedlicky

You are hard on Pate.

In the TT, as starter no. 11, Pate was the fastest up till then and so took over the ‘throne’ for about 2 hours, until starter no. 91, Barta, displaced him (Barta was then displaced by eventual winner Tony Martin).
So Pate was only anonymous (your word) to those who didn’t see him on the throne for 2 hours.
In the TT he was in fact fastest Sky rider – next best, Thomas, took 2 mins longer. Porte took 3-40 longer.

In the more normal stages, Pate was in the first break of the day during stage 9; it lasted about 45 mins. And for his 11th place in the TT, he acquired 5 pts in the points competition – not much but more than Lopez managed, he got none.

Lopez did finish higher up in the GC than Pate, and the one time he was in a break, during stage 17, the break lasted about 90 mins, twice as long as that Pate was in, but overall, because of Pate's good TT result, Lopez was the more anonymous of the two.

But I wouldn’t have left behind either in favour or Wiggins; his in-the-meantime disparaging remarks about the Tour, only show he isn’t someone to take.

takethehighroad

iainf72 wrote:

If Sky had been in a position where they needed someone to ride on the front on the flat for hours, Danny is the man for that.

But they didn't.

This.

Plus there were a whole host of Lampre riders I'd not heard a thing about until I saw them on the TT timing screens.

DeVlaeminck

knedlicky wrote:

In the more normal stages, Pate was in the first break of the day during stage 9; it lasted about 45 mins. And for his 11th place in the TT, he acquired 5 pts in the points competition – not much but more than Lopez managed, he got none.

Lopez did finish higher up in the GC than Pate, and the one time he was in a break, during stage 17, the break lasted about 90 mins, twice as long as that Pate was in, but overall, because of Pate's good TT result, Lopez was the more anonymous of the two.

But I wouldn’t have left behind either in favour or Wiggins; his in-the-meantime disparaging remarks about the Tour, only show he isn’t someone to take.

What disparaging remarks? Do you mean the comments about it being political and cut throat - surely the selection of Pate over Wiggins proves he was correct? Damn shame that we have a rider who won the Tour but is willing to speak his mind - totally devalues his whole career - who does he think he is !

jimmythecuckoo

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

Pross

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

r0bh

Hilarious thread. Anyone knocking Pate is just showing their complete lack of knowledge of how a pro cycling team works.

jimmythecuckoo

Why just stop and knocking Sky?!

Let's start on Rui Costa, he is champion of the world and was bobbins. Won 2 stages last year and none this.

These things happen in bike racing.

Maybe the OP wanted to open a thread about tactics and why Sky maybe didn't let Pate try and get in a break?

DeVlaeminck

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous - Pate may have done some work early on in the Yorkshire stages but this is a 3 week Tour. Given his TT was decent you'd have expected him to have had the legs to get in some breaks - it's not like there weren't some big groups going up the road on several days and Sky had nothing else to ride for having no GC man and no sprinter.

Rui Costa was equally poor but he did try and continue in the race before having to quit with pneumonia.

symo

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Why just stop and knocking Sky?!

Let's start on Rui Costa, he is champion of the world and was bobbins. Won 2 stages last year and none this.

These things happen in bike racing.

Maybe the OP wanted to open a thread about tactics and why Sky maybe didn't let Pate try and get in a break?

This, but they were pants eh.
Yes Rui was available at the rear of the peloton most days for TV interviews about being the world champion. Don't remember him appearing either on a mountain or a breakaway. Could be my age.

adr82

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

RichN95.

DeVlaeminck wrote:

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

Zandio crashed out in the first week. Lopez had an injured shoulder for most of the race.

Pross

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous - Pate may have done some work early on in the Yorkshire stages but this is a 3 week Tour. Given his TT was decent you'd have expected him to have had the legs to get in some breaks - it's not like there weren't some big groups going up the road on several days and Sky had nothing else to ride for having no GC man and no sprinter.

Rui Costa was equally poor but he did try and continue in the race before having to quit with pneumonia.

I thought I saw Pate in a break in the brief glimpses I caught in the final week but could be wrong. Lopez was poor, Zandio did crash out early but didn't appear to do much in the first few stages. Even Kiriyenka (who I like as a rider) didn't offer much in the stages I saw. Did he get in any breaks in the mountain stages? That's usually his 'thing' when he has a free rein.

salsiccia1

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

That's a poor excuse in my book. He shouldn't have retired, should he. Wiggins wouldn't have.

RichN95.

Pross wrote:

Even Kiriyenka (who I like as a rider) didn't offer much in the stages I saw. Did he get in any breaks in the mountain stages? That's usually his 'thing' when he has a free rein.

He rode solo through the Pyrenees for about an hour on one stage. And he was third on the stage Rogers won the previous day.

DeVlaeminck

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

It was actually stage 6 but he was anonymous up til then!

Kirienka I agree did have a real go and could have won the Mick Rogers stage had Europcar not messed up. Not sure about his tactics doing a huge amount of work on the front on the last climb but he got back to the lead group of 5 so you have to say it worked. Kirienka, Thomas and Nieve come out with some credit - at least they had a go - even if Nieve ultimately didn't have the legs we might have hoped.

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

Pross wrote:

Even Kiriyenka (who I like as a rider) didn't offer much in the stages I saw. Did he get in any breaks in the mountain stages? That's usually his 'thing' when he has a free rein.

He rode solo through the Pyrenees for about an hour on one stage. And he was third on the stage Rogers won the previous day.

Ah, missed those stages. Only caught the Hautacam stage with Nieve giving it a go.

adr82

DeVlaeminck wrote:

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

It was actually stage 6 but he was anonymous up til then!

So... what were you expecting him to do to light the race up in the first 5 stages...?

Pross

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

It was actually stage 6 but he was anonymous up til then!

So... what were you expecting him to do to light the race up in the first 5 stages...?

Be near the front on the flat keeping Froome out of trouble (as Pate was doing) which I thought was his main job but he seemed to spend the whole time sat at the back. No doubt he did a bit of bottle duty but he didn't do much else from what I saw (as opposed to last year when he was working hard on the front in the early stages). Maybe he was another who was struggling with illness / fatigue coming into the race?

adr82

Pross wrote:

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

It was actually stage 6 but he was anonymous up til then!

So... what were you expecting him to do to light the race up in the first 5 stages...?

Be near the front on the flat keeping Froome out of trouble (as Pate was doing) which I thought was his main job but he seemed to spend the whole time sat at the back. No doubt he did a bit of bottle duty but he didn't do much else from what I saw (as opposed to last year when he was working hard on the front in the early stages). Maybe he was another who was struggling with illness / fatigue coming into the race?

That's still pretty "anonymous" work though... from the way some people are talking a rider isn't worth taking unless they do something headline-worthy at least once.

above_the_cows

This thread is hilarious.

andyp

Agreed, but in a sad kind of way.

RichN95.

I'd say that most anonymous rider of the Tour (except Zubeldia, obviously) was Arnaud Demare. I realise his team had other things to think about, but it was a big contrast to Bouhanni in the Giro.

above_the_cows

andyp wrote:

Agreed, but in a sad kind of way.

In a very sad kind of way. People admitting to not watching stages then saying they didn't see riders doing things.

I personally saw Zandio up the front a lot on the first stages, I was remarking how he and Bernie Eisel, also up the front had matching facial hair.

Of course if you're not looking for riders you won't always see them. It's pretty silly after the fact to say "I didn't see what's his name." Well maybe you just didn't see them, it doesn't mean they weren't there.

And while Lopez was fairly anonymous after stage 3, the person who has to take some responsibility for that is the idiot standing on the road with an iPad who he clipped. Remember that? Many people remarked upon it at the time. That was Lopez, up near the front, shepherding Porte. The repercussions of course of his hitting the spectator was Andy Schleck's crash and ultimate withdrawal.

above_the_cows

RichN95 wrote:

I'd say that most anonymous rider of the Tour (except Zubeldia, obviously) was Arnaud Demare. I realise his team had other things to think about, but it was a big contrast to Bouhanni in the Giro.

How can you say that Rich? He wasn't anonymous when he went for a poo in that man's camper van! :P

DeVlaeminck

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

adr82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Pross wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

If we were going to knock Sky riders, there would be more candidates than Pate.

This. Pate was everywhere in the first few days (helped by having coverage of the start of the race and not just the pointy end).

To be honest Lopez, Pate and Zandio were all anonymous

To be fair Zandio does have the excuse of having retired during Stage 5...

It was actually stage 6 but he was anonymous up til then!

So... what were you expecting him to do to light the race up in the first 5 stages...?

Er no I was just responding to whoever said Pate wasn't the most anonymous Sky rider - but you are right perhaps unfair on Zandio - so it was just Pate and Lopez who proved themselves anonymous - the chance to do so was stolen from Zandio by a lack of bike handling skills/bad luck whichever it was.

above_the_cows

I want to know what happened to the following:

Simon Gerrans, Michael Albasini (racially abusing Kevin Reza aside), Simon Clarke, Luke Durbirdge, Mathew Hayman, Jens Keukeleire (aside from being part of the incident that brought down Froome on stage 4), Christian Meier, Svein Tuft?

RichN95.

Can any one remember seeing Andriy Hryvko and Dimitri Gruzdev do anything?

adr82

Above The Cows wrote:

I want to know what happened to the following:

Simon Gerrans, Michael Albasini (racially abusing Kevin Reza aside), Simon Clarke, Luke Durbirdge, Mathew Hayman, Jens Keukeleire (aside from being part of the incident that brought down Froome on stage 4), Christian Meier, Svein Tuft?

Well Durbridge had that little fracas with a Movistar soigneur on one of the latter stages... other than that, not much for any of them except sometimes being in breakaways and trying to contest the odd sprint. Gerrans was carrying injuries from Stage 1 and eventually withdrew, he would obviously have been plan A for stage wins. From watching their videos, they also seemed to be hoping that Durbridge and/or Tuft would do well in the TT, but that didn't happen either.

DeVlaeminck

RichN95 wrote:

I'd say that most anonymous rider of the Tour (except Zubeldia, obviously) was Arnaud Demare. I realise his team had other things to think about, but it was a big contrast to Bouhanni in the Giro.

Demare was disappointing for sure but he did get a top 3 on at least one stage, stood out in his French champions jersey and got more exposure climbing into a motorhome on the Lautaret than Pate got in the whole tour so there have to be more anonymous riders than him.

edit - actually 3rd twice