Talked up but constantly poor / underperforming riders

Alejandrosdog
Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
edited July 2019 in Pro race
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
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Comments

  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    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
    Pross Posts: 43,516
    '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).
  • 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
    jam1e Posts: 1,068
    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
    Brakeless Posts: 865
    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
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    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.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Lotto's classics team.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,565
    Brakeless 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
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    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
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    TdG....
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,312
    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.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,258
    Sep Vanmarcke
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    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
    tommasi Posts: 40
    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
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    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
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    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
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    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
    Pross Posts: 43,516
    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.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,476
    RichN95 wrote:
    Sep Vanmarcke
    My call as well.

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

    Honorable mentions: Taylor Phinney, Warren Barguil
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,440
    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
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    bobmcstuff 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
  • 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
  • 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
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    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.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,485
    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.
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  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,440
    ShutupJens wrote:
    bobmcstuff 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
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    Someone confused with (or mis-spelling) TvG?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Me-109 wrote:
    Someone confused with (or mis-spelling) TvG?

    No.

    The guy wins very little considering the hype he receives.
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,485
    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?
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  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    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?