Who is your favorite cyclist and why?

[johnniecakes]

Andy Hampsten, pure class, then and now

[mastaliu]

Originally Posted by johnniecakes

Andy Hampsten, pure class, then and now

Yes, I wanted to be like Hampsten when I was a junior racing. That win at Alpe d'Huez in 1992 was "pure class".

[mg2ride]

He who can’t be named because it represents a wonderful time in my life. Transitioned from fishing to cycling as my main hobby, the peak in my cycling (both amount and ability), 2 boys in the 6 to 16 y/o range that were great fun. Generally just a great run for us both. In my selfish mind, the cheating and Dbaggery to others in the industry just don’t matter.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by donevwil

My wife.

She continues to do things I either could, or would, never do. Commuting 20 miles each way to work on a major thoroughfare starting at 6:30am and home by 7:30pm year 'round. She's ridden RAMROD, the Death Ride and STP multiple times, has ridden about 20 MS rides raising tens of thousands for the cause. All this while suffering from MS herself.

That is impressive !! I was at Sacto, now I wish I had met you two.

[saab2000]

They say you should never meet your heroes and I would agree with that. And I no longer have any having grown older and realized that everyone is just a human being, like everyone else. Or else my heroes are no longer athletes, let's just leave it at that.

But I had the pleasure of spending nearly an hour privately with Eddy Merckx in Belgium in 1991, at his factory. He was the definition of a gracious gentleman and if you didn't know his accomplishments as a rider and then as a businessman you would never figure it out. He is the most humble man you could ever meet and friendly to a fault and asked questions about me, putting me at total ease. I can't imagine others like him today though there are riders who personally come across as very likable people.

So I'd have to say Eddy Merckx based on my brief meeting. He left a very positive impression on me. I'm just young enough that I really don't remember his career as a rider, seeing only the footage we have all seen from the famous films like A Sunday in Hell and Stars and Watercarriers. But watching those and then meeting him was a lifetime highlight.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by gasman

That is impressive !! I was at Sacto, now I wish I had met you two.

Thank you, I did meet a few Paceliners. Always nice to put a face to a name, er, handle & avatar.

She inspires me (something I need). You may actually remember seeing her, she'd recently had foot surgery and was sporting a knee scooter.

[joosttx]

Kate Courtney.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Thank you, I did meet a few Paceliners. Always nice to put a face to a name, er, handle & avatar.

She inspires me (something I need). You may actually remember seeing her, she'd recently had foot surgery and was sporting a knee scooter.

Well I do remember seeing a woman with a scooter and a tall guy with her. If you are like 6'3" I must have passed you.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by gasman

Well I do remember seeing a woman with a scooter and a tall guy with her. If you are like 6'3" I must have passed you.

Yup, I'm 6' 5", she's 5' 11" (without scooter) and we're in our mid 50's.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Yup, I'm 6' 5", she's 5' 11" (without scooter) and we're in our mid 50's.

Yep, I saw you. Should have introduced myself but I didn't know who you were.

[Hellgate]

I'm old...54.

1. Greg Lemond
2. Sean Kelly
3. Alexi Grewal
4. Randy Whicker - "Kill & Maim"

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Yup, I'm 6' 5", she's 5' 11" (without scooter) and we're in our mid 50's.

I saw you guys too! And seconding Gasman's kudos.

[pinoymamba]

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by prototoast

Not a pro, but Jobst Brandt. The combination of strength as a rider, sense of adventure, and mechanical expertise/ingenuity really captures for me what I get out of the sport.

Wish I had gotten the chance to meet/ride with him when he was alive.

Good call. Really interesting dude. Plus, our names are almost identical, give or take a few letters ...

[mhespenheide]

(1) Historically, it has to be Bartali, for the same reasons that you give. Besides transporting photographs and documents to help Jewish Italians flee, he also hid a family in his own house, and passed messages for the Italian resistance. That says everything about his character, but it risks overshadowing his record as a cyclist, which any rider today would be ecstatic to have: three Giros, two Tours, Milan-San Remo 4 times, il Lombardia 3 times, etc., etc.

(2) For "modern" history, my own favorite has to be Andy Hampsten. I got into cycling in '87, just after LeMond's first round of success and before -7's run. Andy's success in the Suisse, Giro, Romandie, and Alpe d'Huez and his demeanor cement him as my boyhood favorite. He seemed like one of us who happened to be a world-class climber. I've had the chance to ride sort-of-with him in two editions of Eroica California, and he's done nothing to diminish that appreciation.