Cuddles calls it a day

reallyarunner
reallyarunner Posts: 125
edited October 2014 in Pro race
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/29370959

Been on the cards for a while now, those GTs wont be the same without him...

Possibly the greatest clean GT rider of his generation...

Retirement has been on the cards for a while now but shame to see it confirmed, kind of like ending a romance that you both know has been loveless for a while....
When a true genius appears in this world, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
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Comments

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    365157-cadel.jpg
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    evansget_1637617c.jpg
    Cadel+Evans+Le+Tour+de+France+2011+Stage+Twenty+bKIsNDCi1MWl.jpg
    924446-cadel-evans-and-family.jpg
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    winning the Worlds was a watershed for Evans. Before he was considered a whingeing wheelsucker but there was a transformation in his riding that day and he rode with guts thereafter. Best wishes to him in his retirement
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    How can such a miserable bloke garner this much love? Are there any riders who enjoyed working for him? Also don't forget he had links with Ferrari/Rominger etc. He's probably my least favourite rider in the current peloton.

    I do respect him for adopting his son, on the other hand.
  • chrisday
    chrisday Posts: 300
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    winning the Worlds was a watershed for Evans. Before he was considered a whingeing wheelsucker but there was a transformation in his riding that day and he rode with guts thereafter. Best wishes to him in his retirement

    His career in a nutshell - nicely put, YP. Seemed to be a transformative day for him in terms of confidence, and in many people's perception of him; such a gutsy ride!
    @shraap | My Men 2016: G, Yogi, Cav, Boonen, Degenkolb, Martin, J-Rod, Kudus, Chaves
  • einriba
    einriba Posts: 319
    Cuddles highlight for me was the interview where someone nearly stepped on his dog. Cadels reaction is amazing!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fe79ZuDKfk
    Getting up is the second hardest thing in the morning
  • ContrelaMontre
    ContrelaMontre Posts: 3,027
    Joelsim wrote:
    How can such a miserable bloke garner this much love? Are there any riders who enjoyed working for him? Also don't forget he had links with Ferrari/Rominger etc. He's probably my least favourite rider in the current peloton.

    I do respect him for adopting his son, on the other hand.

    I don't think you'll find Cadel has any links to Ferrari. Provide some evidence if I am mistaken
    Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Widely reported that he used him 'for training' round about the time he switched to road racing.
  • ContrelaMontre
    ContrelaMontre Posts: 3,027
    Joelsim wrote:
    Widely reported that he used him 'for training' round about the time he switched to road racing.

    Widely rubbished though wasn't it?
    Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster
  • einriba
    einriba Posts: 319
    Here's Cadel's stance on it all: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20025582
    Getting up is the second hardest thing in the morning
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    RichN95 wrote:
    evansget_1637617c.jpg
    [img][/img]

    My favourite GT stage in recent years.

    Also agree with Yellow Peril, his Worlds win made his later career. Showed what a brave and honest rider he actually is, and he proved that often.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    Joelsim wrote:
    How can such a miserable bloke garner this much love? Are there any riders who enjoyed working for him? Also don't forget he had links with Ferrari/Rominger etc. He's probably my least favourite rider in the current peloton.

    I do respect him for adopting his son, on the other hand.

    Difficult character, wildly overstated links to a dodgy doctor. Wiggins is retiring?
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    ContrelaMontre wrote:
    Joelsim wrote:
    How can such a miserable bloke garner this much love? Are there any riders who enjoyed working for him? Also don't forget he had links with Ferrari/Rominger etc. He's probably my least favourite rider in the current peloton.

    I do respect him for adopting his son, on the other hand.

    I don't think you'll find Cadel has any links to Ferrari. Provide some evidence if I am mistaken

    No, Cadel did contact and work with Ferrari - he admits it himself but states it was only for a training test:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-c ... ri-in-2000

    Cadel's restaurant night out with Wegelius is (probably) a lot more damning.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    Cadel's restaurant night out with Wegelius is (probably) a lot more damning.
    Mind you, Wegelius thinks the sun shines out of Di Luca's arse, so he's probably not the best judge of a man.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    Joelsim wrote:
    Widely reported that he used him 'for training' round about the time he switched to road racing.
    If a German newspaper getting him confused with Mick Rogers is the best evidence you have then I'd say you're overstretching to find things to support conclusion you want.
    No mention of his career long association with Aldo Sassi (the anti-Ferrari) though.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • einriba
    einriba Posts: 319
    Another of the best Cadel moments "don't touch me!"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikzgWE3t0A
    Getting up is the second hardest thing in the morning
  • tom3
    tom3 Posts: 287
    Fair play to him for getting stuck in to his final season, remaining competitive in some stages and at least giving it a go. Also, wearing the same pair of shoes for more than one race and not bothering to have film crew to depict piss poor performances all year.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    tom3 wrote:
    Fair play to him for getting stuck in to his final season, remaining competitive in some stages and at least giving it a go. Also, wearing the same pair of shoes for more than one race and not bothering to have film crew to depict wee-wee poor performances all year.

    Arf
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,731
    However good he was and however difficult he was to work with I admire him for getting as much from his career as he could. He spent much of his career banging his head against a wall as he was beaten by less talented dopers and he lost one tour due to having no team support when Sastre rode off - though arguably Evans was too stubborn in refusing to chase earlier.

    Ultimately though he didn't give up and the wins that he deserved came - his approach to his career was like his riding style - dogged and determined. His retirement comes only when it is obvious he no longer has the capacity to compete - he's wrung his talent dry. He was there in classics and grand tours giving it a go and while rarely the absolute favourite he seemed to work on the basis that if you keep buying tickets eventually your number will come up.

    Compared to Wiggins (another rider most of us consider clean) I think Wiggins edges it on talent and while it's hard to say Wiggins underachieved given what he's won I can't help buy think Evans would not be going into semi retirement if he still had the legs to beat Tony Martin in a time trial.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • manic_esso
    manic_esso Posts: 92
    Anyone think he might have been more successful if he'd had better teams around him earlier in his career ? He seemed to get the the results he got in spite of the team he was in rather than because of it from what I can remember
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    manic_esso wrote:
    Anyone think he might have been more successful if he'd had better teams around him earlier in his career ? He seemed to get the the results he got in spite of the team he was in rather than because of it from what I can remember

    Possibly cause & effect. He may have rubbed others up the wrong way like he did with CW. I wouldn't put it past him as seeing his face winds me up. He's the only cyclist who has that effect on me (except Lance of course).
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,905
    I like Cuddles as he makes riding up mountains look as hard as it is for all of us. He's rarely been the most flamboyant of riders, and some may question his character, but I admire his cussedness and determination.
  • ContrelaMontre
    ContrelaMontre Posts: 3,027
    He also wears nice shoes.
    Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    He's alright in my books because he came from a mountain bike background before moving over to the dark side :wink:

    1996
    9th Atlanta Olympics, Mountain Bike Race

    1998
    1st Overall, Mountain Bike World Cup

    1999
    1st Overall, Mountain Bike World Cup

    2000
    7th Sydney Olympics, Mountain Bike Cross Country

    :D
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    DeVlaeminck wrote:
    However good he was and however difficult he was to work with I admire him for getting as much from his career as he could. He spent much of his career banging his head against a wall as he was beaten by less talented dopers and he lost one tour due to having no team support when Sastre rode off - though arguably Evans was too stubborn in refusing to chase earlier.

    Ultimately though he didn't give up and the wins that he deserved came - his approach to his career was like his riding style - dogged and determined. His retirement comes only when it is obvious he no longer has the capacity to compete - he's wrung his talent dry. He was there in classics and grand tours giving it a go and while rarely the absolute favourite he seemed to work on the basis that if you keep buying tickets eventually your number will come up.

    Agree with all of this. His Tour win was bitter-sweet: finally a clean enough peloton for his talent to shine just at the point his talent started to decline. I hope he takes his revenge on the sport; in writing.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    arran77 wrote:
    He's alright in my books because he came from a mountain bike background before moving over to the dark side :wink:
    Some mountain bike trivia for you (which may already know). You may have seen that in mountain bike World Cup they have the top five on the podium rather than the top three.

    The origins for this come from a MTB World Cup race in Cairns in 1994 where a 17 year old debutant Australian came 5th and the race organiser was so impressed by this youthful talent that he asked for the podium to be extended to five to acknowledge him. And they've had five man podiums ever since (because the sponsors liked it).

    And that 17 year old was Cadel Evans - and here's that podium (he's on the left)
    BlquetJIcAAKMaM.jpg
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • NervexProf
    NervexProf Posts: 4,202
    A fascinating tribute to Cadel here:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=367YyCSnOWM
    Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Like I said yesterday, the guy won

    1) The best Tour of the last decade.
    2) The best single stage of a grand Tour for a decade
    3) Best worlds victory for a while

    And he's a proper bike racer. I suspect if you published sepia photos of him suffering and pretended he was from the 50's a lot of people who hate him would have a full jones for him

    The Ferrari link always makes me laugh. You may as well say Lemond was a Ferrari customer.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    Basically he's just a good guy isn't he. Down to earth and didn't deserve all the sht that came with his success. After all, he just wanted to race bikes.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    iainf72 wrote:
    Like I said yesterday, the guy won

    1) The best Tour of the last decade.
    2) The best single stage of a grand Tour for a decade
    3) Best worlds victory for a while

    And he's a proper bike racer. I suspect if you published sepia photos of him suffering and pretended he was from the 50's a lot of people who hate him would have a full jones for him

    The Ferrari link always makes me laugh. You may as well say Lemond was a Ferrari customer.

    All this.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • reallyarunner
    reallyarunner Posts: 125
    Some great photos posted earlier in the thread and great comments too.

    My enduring memory of Cadel will be him dragging the GC contenders after Andy Shleck up the Galibier and turning a tour losing 4 minute plus deficit to a potentially tour winning loss of just over a minute.

    The peloton will be poorer without him.
    When a true genius appears in this world, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift

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