Talked up but constantly poor / underperforming riders

Alejandrosdog

Why are some riders constantly talked up when the only consistency they have is not achieving.

GC Quintana and Richey Porte

everything TJ

theres three for a start

ShutupJens

Going to go with Calmejane - as far as I'm aware he won a stage of the tour a couple of years ago, and not done much since. The other day when he attacked into a headwind 10km to go on a sprint stage, Ned was bigging him up like he does this sort of thing all the time

Pross

'Si' Clarke and 'Turbo Durbo' (although they may well have just been talked up by one individual over and over again to the point I expect something from them).

Wayne Plunger

Pross wrote:

'Si' Clarke and 'Turbo Durbo' (although they may well have just been talked up by one individual over and over again to the point I expect something from them).

I think that very same person had a soft spot for Lenny Kamna as well.

jam1e

I wouldn't say he's constantly poor but Reichenbach doesn't live up to the hype. Although this may be for same reasons as above...

Brakeless

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Why are some riders constantly talked up when the only consistency they have is not achieving.

GC Quintana and Richey Porte

everything TJ

theres three for a start

I’d say winning the Giro counts as achieving.

above_the_cows

jam1e wrote:

I wouldn't say he's constantly poor but Reichenbach doesn't live up to the hype. Although this may be for same reasons as above...

Reichenbach descends like "an old lady."*




*Tom Dumoulin, Stage 19 Giro, 2018.

blazing_saddles

Lotto's classics team.

andyp

Brakeless wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Why are some riders constantly talked up when the only consistency they have is not achieving.

GC Quintana and Richey Porte

everything TJ

theres three for a start

I’d say winning the Giro counts as achieving.

And a Vuelta, plus 4 other GT podiums.

But hey, it's easy to sit at your keyboard and slag riders off. :roll:

flasher

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Why are some riders constantly talked up when the only consistency they have is not achieving.

GC Quintana and Richey Porte

everything TJ

theres three for a start

I was slagging Quintana off to a friend this morning, however he countered with the fact that he's won both the Giro and the Vuelta and twice 2nd and once 3rd in the Tour!

rick_chasey

TdG....

amrushton

He has but the way he started he was bigged up to be the GT winner for the next so many years but his lack of ability to win or sometimes to even hold his place in the peloton has let him down given that team he in. However, lets look at Landa. He has been in various teams at the highest level and he clearly has ability but he never has the chance to finish it off. Porte - the best #2 at one point yet v.average at other teams but Armstrong says Porte could win the Ironman so clearly v.talented. Bardet is another but so many lack the consistency. Valverde has the consistency. He can win stages, 1 day rides et. Pinot has come good now but his descending was worked on and his tt-ing (Bardet take note)

RichN95.

Sep Vanmarcke

ShutupJens

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Lotto's classics team.

This a lot

Without Benoots results the most remarkable performances I can remember from them have come from Greipel in Flanders

tommasi

Quintana has been overrated for years. I don't know why Movistar are still pinning their hopes on him in 2019. Seems like a shit teammate too. Not telling the team he was struggling yesterday, refusing to help Landa.

ShutupJens

Quintana promised a lot as a rider who would also wear the white jersey but hasn't really developed since then - sort of like Andy Schleck

ShutupJens

Not a poor rider but I've just watched the highlights from Sunday and not sure why Simon Yates chances of retaining his vuelta title are being talked up. Anyone else feeling this? I think it's just Ned getting excited

hypster

Quintana was very lucky to win both the Giro and the Vuelta as well. The Giro under controversial circumstances when the stage was supposedly neutralised and the Vuelta when Sky were half asleep at the start of a short stage and Contador dragged Movistar up the road leaving Froome behind. He didn't win them in the traditional sense, he was gifted them.

A perennial follower not a leader.

Pross

ShutupJens wrote:

Not a poor rider but I've just watched the highlights from Sunday and not sure why Simon Yates chances of retaining his vuelta title are being talked up. Anyone else feeling this? I think it's just Ned getting excited

Coming back into form at the right time when most of his rivals will be struggling post Tour. But Dumoulin may well be back by then. Vuelta also probably suits Yates a bit more with the sharper climbs.

m.r.m.

RichN95 wrote:

Sep Vanmarcke

My call as well.

Bardet, Mikel Landa, Porte, TJvG for GT's.

Honorable mentions: Taylor Phinney, Warren Barguil

bobmcstuff

Rick Chasey wrote:

TdG....

I dont think that's fair at all... perhaps by you, talking him up to be a GC rider, but nobody else does that. He's talked up as a breakaway rider and he delivers on that as much as you could expect.

ShutupJens

bobmcstuff wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

TdG....

I dont think that's fair at all... perhaps by you, talking him up to be a GC rider, but nobody else does that. He's talked up as a breakaway rider and he delivers on that as much as you could expect.

As a GC rider he would be very unremarkable, but using his talent like he does he has forged a very successful career IMO. Sort of similar to a Gerrans but more likeable and with a neck

poweredbyidris

Pross wrote:

ShutupJens wrote:

Not a poor rider but I've just watched the highlights from Sunday and not sure why Simon Yates chances of retaining his vuelta title are being talked up. Anyone else feeling this? I think it's just Ned getting excited

Coming back into form at the right time when most of his rivals will be struggling post Tour. But Dumoulin may well be back by then. Vuelta also probably suits Yates a bit more with the sharper climbs.

Would be his 3rd GT of the year though

surfercyclist

I completely agree about Quintana and Porte, I also find it odd that the commentators on TV "big" them up yet they surely know that they have no GC hope. Can't believe Movistar will keep Quintana as leader next year. The distain on Landas face as he swept past him on last stage says it all! Also Bardet has badly faded last two years, one time the great French hope.

salsiccia1

SurferCyclist wrote:

I completely agree about Quintana and Porte, I also find it odd that the commentators on TV "big" them up yet they surely know that they have no GC hope. Can't believe Movistar will keep Quintana as leader next year. The distain on Landa's face as he swept past him on last stage says it all! Also Bardet has badly faded last two years, one time the great French hope.

Now you mention it...

He's been talked up but done very little.

larkim

The thread title is constantly "poor". Not under-achieving, but "poor". Very few fit that bill, though the names on here are definitely often those who disappoint compared to their potential ambitions. On the other hand, there are only 3 GTs a year, so if that is the overall frame of reference then there will be relatively few who don't disappoint.

bobmcstuff

ShutupJens wrote:

bobmcstuff wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

TdG....

I dont think that's fair at all... perhaps by you, talking him up to be a GC rider, but nobody else does that. He's talked up as a breakaway rider and he delivers on that as much as you could expect.

As a GC rider he would be very unremarkable, but using his talent like he does he has forged a very successful career IMO. Sort of similar to a Gerrans but more likeable and with a neck

Yeah, I agree with you.

TdG is not talked up as a GC rider - he's talked up as a breakaway rider and he is quite good at it, so doesn't meet these criteria at all...

me-109

Someone confused with (or mis-spelling) TvG?

rick_chasey

Me-109 wrote:

Someone confused with (or mis-spelling) TvG?

No.

The guy wins very little considering the hype he receives.

larkim

Does he get hype as a potential winner, or does he get hype as someone who might win a stage (and does), but who invariably creates some excitement in a stage race day?

me-109

He attacks a lot but is often ultimately unsuccessful. Is he a team leader or a domestique? If the latter then he is probably fulfilling his role and getting air-time for what often seems to be the smaller teams. Sometimes, like the other day, it pays off. Has he been any worse than 'Nico' Roche?