Weekender teaser....who is the...

[Andreu]

...................................most overrated rider in the pro-peloton?
Based on: Hype (press, tv etc) and potencial versus
deliverables i.e. results and/or contribution to a race (i.e. willingness to attack).

My vote goes to David Miller (yes I know he is a TT world champ). Every year I read about what a stylish rider he is and how this year he could do something in the tour....what like finish it? and he complains when the going gets tough (OK the Angliru is a monster but its the same for very other rider). Personally, I don´t count good at TTs = good at road races...even though they are important to the overall classsification.
My second vote goes to Iban Mayo soley for the fact that he has had opportunities to attack Lance but seems too happy to suck wheels.
A :beer:

[weisan]

Don't worry Andreu, Millar and Mayo are considered relatively young, they will learn, give them time, you will see.

[Richard]

My idea of most overrated moves around a bit amongst a select few, but the one who seems to jump to mind often is our own George Hincapie

[Russ]

My idea of most overrated moves around a bit amongst a select few, but the one who seems to jump to mind often is our own George Hincapie

But I think Georgie's performance has been a bit more consistent than Millar. At least in the last couple of years.

[vaxn8r]

Who over rates Goerge Hincapie?

Maybe I'm a little sheltered but I'm not hearing that he's a fvorite to win this or that (maybe apart from Paris Robaix). And while he rarely pulls out a win, who wouldn't give their left nut to place top 10 as often as he does? You guys are tough...

[shaq-d]

hincapie gets a lotta press for his lack of results.

and probably no one will agree with me, but tyler hamilton annoys the hell out of me, i dunno why :). i guess it's cause i think he has no chance of winnign the tour whatsoever, and yet he seems to have it in his head that he can (now watch him win the tour :cool: ). so he goes to PHONAK of all teams to show he can do it? urgh. in my opinion, without lance, he'd be nada :p. that said he did have an amazing tour de france stage win last yr... i dunno, he just bugs me.

i absolutely love the CSC team; julich, sastre, voigt, piil, jaksche, basso. wow. solid climbers, time trailists, etc., and true pros. :banana:

sd

[Elefantino]

I was at the Tour last year and snuck my way into the bus area before the start of Stage 1 in St. Denis. People were talking to Millar and I joined in, asking him questions about his chain drop the day before, in the prologue. He was still hot, and answered every question with a "f***ing" this and a "f***ing" that. I've been around athletes most of my life, and he is one of the foulest-mouthed I've ever heard.

I wanted to show him the photo I took of his chain drop — it happened right in front of me, and I got the only photo (which my friends said I should have sold to VeloNews) — but he'd have probably broken my camera.

[Russ]

I wanted to show him the photo I took ....

Damn!

That's a nice shot, I would have requested a photographers pass for ya! But then again, Millar was too pissed to do that ;)

[shinomaster]

Daniello Diluca? I would have said David Rebellin a few months ago...

[shinomaster]

Tyler kicks ass...YOu are a Crack-head Buddy... :fight:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . though maybe not in so emphatic a phrasing. I’m not sure how “overrated” can be applied to Tyler . . .

--second place Giro (with a broken shoulder)
--fourth place TdF (with a broken collar bone--and he has the X-rays to prove it!)
--Tour stage win (with what, a 90 mile breakaway? . . . with that same broken collar bone!)
--Win at Liege-Bastogne-Liege
--TWO wins in Tour de Romandie

And those are just the ones I can remember offhand. Are there more? In any event, the only thing that makes ME nervous about Tyler is that every time I’m watching him in a race I realize I’m muttering to myself, “DON’T crash! DON’T crash!! . . . :rolleyes:

BBDave

[shaq-d]

except for romandie, all with the wonderful CSC. how's he been doing with phonak? :fight:

but the tour will tell..

i did say the tour stage win was awesome.. (however, the broken collar bone doesn't make it a greater accomplishment for me. i've always thought that that kind of pain makes other pains less significant.. athletes with the will seem to do _better_ when they have that kinda pain sometimes)

sd

. . . though maybe not in so emphatic a phrasing. I’m not sure how “overrated” can be applied to Tyler . . .

--second place Giro (with a broken shoulder)
--fourth place TdF (with a broken collar bone--and he has the X-rays to prove it!)
--Tour stage win (with what, a 90 mile breakaway? . . . with that same broken collar bone!)
--Win at Liege-Bastogne-Liege
--TWO wins in Tour de Romandie

And those are just the ones I can remember offhand. Are there more? In any event, the only thing that makes ME nervous about Tyler is that every time I’m watching him in a race I realize I’m muttering to myself, “DON’T crash! DON’T crash!! . . . :rolleyes:

BBDave

[Andreu]

"but tyler hamilton annoys the hell out of me"
I think I might have the same problem with Millar ...he just annoys me. So my views are prejudiced even before he has got on a bike.
As for Tyler....I'd say he has been one of the most underrated riders in my personal opinion.
As I say if he irritates then he could win the tour and he'd still be irritating!
A

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . with Phonak and media coverage I saw from several sources addressed just that question: Can Phonak provide him with the same back-up that CSC did? The answer seems to be yes, based on their performance in Romandie. Keep in mind that Phonak lured Tyler away from CSC partially with the promise that the team would be built around him and he would have great influence in rider choices.

BBDave

[jerk]

none of you guys mentioned my buddy frank vdb....and you know the jerk is the one who continually over rates him on this board....ah the great belgian hope....

jerk

[jerk]

. . . with Phonak and media coverage I saw from several sources addressed just that question: Can Phonak provide him with the same back-up that CSC did? The answer seems to be yes, based on their performance in Romandie. Keep in mind that Phonak lured Tyler away from CSC partially with the promise that the team would be built around him and he would have great influence in rider choices.

BBDave


the only thing phonak lured tyler with was a really, really big bag of money.

[shaq-d]

the only thing phonak lured tyler with was a really, really big bag of money.

oh god, thanks jerk. i actually laughed out loud :D . and i agree. i mean c'mon.. phonak has a team anywhere near CSC? i don't think so.

sd

[BumbleBeeDave]

I fear that VDB is indeed overrated, but I still secretly hope for the very best for him. It would be so great to see him win something sizeable to silence the naysayers.

As for Phonak, I will just let things be until the Tour and see if they really can do as well as CSC did in supporting him.

And, BTW, man you’re slipping if you have to quote ME! ;) ;) ;)

BBDave

[jerk]

nah-
the jerk knows the good guys to draft off buddy....don't sell yourself short.

oh by the way, the athens course suits my man vdb to a t...he'll win gold with the belgian tri-color on his back after he wins the national championship...
jerk

[oracle]

sure he will...... maybe if he gets more EPO for his dog.

oracle

[jerk]

epo is so 2001...belgian veternarians have much better generics now...some of which are even water soluble.

[oracle]

that made me laugh - touche!

oracle

[BumbleBeeDave]

<<...he'll win gold with the belgian tri-color on his back after he wins the national championship...>>

I would really love to see that. I think we forget at times that for all the athletic accomplishments of these guys, the vast majority are 20-something kids who have spend more time on their bikes than they have gaining the life experience that lends the maturity to avoid problems like VDB and Ulrich have had.

I think Ulrich has already demonstrated the new maturity that his bad experiences of the past few years have taught him. I hope VDB is the same and will have a chance to prove it this year.

BBDave

[Roy E. Munson]

Although not meeting BBD's criteria, the fact that Tim Johnson is even in the European pro peloton is amazing, to me. I suspect it had more to do with wanting an American on the team or some sponsorship deal than pure riding ability. The most deserved American to move to the European pro ranks was Tom Danielson, and he isn't exactly lighting it up for someone whose face has been on the cover of every North American cycling mag in the past few month's. I wonder if when their bodies get used to the European drugs will they start to get some better results?