# Random TdF riders I like



## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Sammy Sanchez- he's gutty!

Tony Martin- he's next Jens hopefully (of course you can't replace Jens, but you know what I mean). 

Levi- because he actually gives good interviews.

Thor- he's clever, again he snuck out with the break for the sprint points- just like last year. 

Popo- the perfect domestique, what a great teammate. 

Most of the Bbox guys- they really stepped it up this year, and are racing aggressively and smart.


----------



## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

I've always liked Tommy V.
Popo and Horner
Not here this year, but I'm a Danny Pate fan.


----------



## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

I have become very enamoured of the climber super domestiques. These guys look like they would cut out their own kidneys to get their GC man to the top. It is gut wrenching and inspiring to watch these guys eviscerate themselves for their team. 

Watching Daniel Navarro wear the "mask of pain" for hours leading up Col de la Ramaz and Morzine breaking Armstrong was incredible. And there he was again in stage 9.

And Jens Voight did the same for Schleck to bury Evans and most of the rest of the GC yesterday. When he hit the top of Madeleine it looked like he was going to fall over. But he still hitched on to Leipheimers group for the tow home to 12th place.

It takes a hard man to crush himself this hard for sports glory. 

It takes a special hard man to crush himself this hard for *someone else's* sports glory!


----------



## doc68 (Dec 15, 2001)

ryder hesjedal- How can you not like his name RyderPlus he's Canadian-friendliest people ever


----------



## cammccarty (Jul 21, 2008)

doc68 said:


> ryder hesjedal- How can you not like his name RyderPlus he's Canadian-friendliest people ever



+1 This guy has some potential.


----------



## J24 (Oct 8, 2003)

Is Bbox renewing its sponsorship for '11?


----------



## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

Heinrich Haussler. Yeh yeh I know...not in the tour due to injury. Wait till next year...should be a good one for him.


----------



## LesDiablesRouges (Jul 17, 2009)

Eros Capecchi, Rein Taaramae, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Lars Boom, Kevin Seeldrayers, Robert Gesink, Kreugziger

big fan of the younger guys s it's interesting to project how they'll project over the next 5-7 years.


----------



## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

Bouet - AG2R, guy in thebreak today, gutsy rider did his country proud with the day that was in it


----------



## ksanbon (Jul 19, 2008)

Mark Renshaw. How many wins does Cav lose without him?


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

Chavanel and Pineau.

And I am sure I butchered their names. Really aggressive and I like that.


----------



## Cpk (Aug 1, 2009)

Alessandro Petacchi

it is good to someone take it to m.cav.


----------



## roadie92 (Jan 21, 2008)

Jurgen Van den Broeck. He is flying the flag for Belgium and putting in a great ride. Hope he's able to keep a high GC spot!


----------



## OES (Jan 23, 2002)

I was gonna say this very thing. Both Navarro and Jens were just WAY beyond great those days. You have to not just admire but like someone who'd just fling their bloody guts on the road that way.



Brad the Bold said:


> I have become very enamoured of the climber super domestiques. These guys look like they would cut out their own kidneys to get their GC man to the top. It is gut wrenching and inspiring to watch these guys eviscerate themselves for their team.
> 
> Watching Daniel Navarro wear the "mask of pain" for hours leading up Col de la Ramaz and Morzine breaking Armstrong was incredible. And there he was again in stage 9.
> 
> ...


----------



## trunkz22 (Sep 12, 2008)

Evans. This year his opened my eyes to his greatness.


----------



## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I'm not going to check my spelling.

Sylvain Chavanel. Sammy Dumoulin. Tommy Voekler & the BBox Boys. Jerome Pineau. In general, guys who just go for it, tactics be damned. Mark Renshaw, but only because he has a name straight out of Gilbert and Sullivan.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Cunego is one that I like to see in a breakaway. Compared to some of those guys, he looks like a junior rider who stumbled into the wrong race, but he's got guts.

While I appreciate the strategy and the chess-match of a long tour, there's something to be said for those guys who just attack each day's ride and save nothing for tomorrow.


----------



## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

Pavel Brutt, just because it's the best cyclist name since Marco Velo.


----------



## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

ksanbon said:


> Mark Renshaw. How many wins does Cav lose without him?


+1 for Mark "The Australian Rocket Launcher" Renshaw.

It takes incredible power, agility and timing to do what he does.


----------



## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

ksanbon said:


> Mark Renshaw. How many wins does Cav lose without him?


We shall see perhaps.

Go figure, we just said something nice about the guy and he goes psycho and gets DQ'd! :mad2:


----------



## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

never was much of a Petacchi fan til this year... nice to see the old guys and underdogs get the V now and then. 

+1 for Sammy Sanchez, he's a tough and smart rider, gets results all year long but usually in races you never hear about. Find some videos from Tour of the Basque Country for examples.


----------



## Miles E (Jul 31, 2003)

Coolhand said:


> Sammy Sanchez- he's gutty!
> 
> Tony Martin- he's next Jens hopefully (of course you can't replace Jens, but you know what I mean).
> 
> Levi- because he actually gives good interviews.


It killed me when Phil & Paul noticed Sammy still lurking in the cars behind Andy & Berto most of the way up the Madeleine, like some Jason figure that couldn't be killed. Gutsy riding for sure.

I was wondering the same thing about Martin. I'm sure their personalities differ, but he seems to have the same big engine/hard nosed riding style of Jens.

Levi's interviews seem a little less canned than some, but still put me to sleep. His unassuming yet professional approach is refreshing though, as was his attempt to hang with Schleck when he attacked on the Madeleine, even if was ill fated/ill advised.

Not exactly an unsung hero, but Contador is now the favorite interview in our house. His nasal accent makes him sound like a character from Sesame St., and he seems downright pleased with his command of a few English phrases ("at the moment...", "the situation...").


----------



## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Miles E said:


> It killed me when Phil & Paul noticed Sammy still lurking in the cars behind Andy & Berto most of the way up the Madeleine, like some Jason figure that couldn't be killed. Gutsy riding for sure.
> 
> I was wondering the same thing about Martin. I'm sure their personalities differ, but he seems to have the same big engine/hard nosed riding style of Jens.
> 
> ...


Plus he can eat 20 Gel packs!


----------



## LesDiablesRouges (Jul 17, 2009)

There's only one Jens. I wish we could see more rider interviews so we could get better insight on the riders. 

Levi seems too boring for me. He needs so more edge.


----------



## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

Adam Hansen, Tyler Farrar, Simon Gerrans, Cadel Evans and the other riders who have finished stages with broken bones. It shows a lot of guts to get to the end.
Adam Hansen was taking his turn doing pulls with a broken collar bone.


----------



## rubbersoul (Mar 1, 2010)

Dave Zabriskie cause he's so fricking weird!

DZ's Nutz!!
________
WEB SHOWS


----------



## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

dougydee said:


> Adam Hansen, Tyler Farrar, Simon Gerrans, Cadel Evans and the other riders who have finished stages with broken bones. It shows a lot of guts to get to the end.
> Adam Hansen was taking his turn doing pulls with a broken collar bone.


^^^^^ this. :thumbsup:


----------



## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

I guess he's not too "random" now that he's in the spotlight of the Renshaw headbutt incident but here's to *Julien Dean*.

He seemed really pretty mellow for a guy that had just been smashed in the helmet three times while riding at 40+ mph. He did not immeadiately throw Renshaw under the bus, but took a "another day at the office" approach. He did eventually speak out about Renshaw impeding Farrar but the headbutts were no biggie to him.

Did you know that he is the only rider in the 2010 TDF peloton that completed all stages of all three 2009 grand Tours?

In stage 13 of the 2009 TDF he was shot in the hand by a pellet gun! He did not have the pellet removed because it would mean likely abandoning.


----------



## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

Another vote for Ryder.

The kid has heart and is really giving it is best this tour. I bet that he is Garmin's GC rider for next year.

Hope he stays at Garmin. Id like to see that business model work out. Although I heard that they got a nice cheque for Wiggens, who's not doing as well as Ryder is. LOVE IT.


----------



## ksanbon (Jul 19, 2008)

Brad the Bold said:


> I guess he's not too "random" now that he's in the spotlight of the Renshaw headbutt incident but here's to *Julien Dean*.
> 
> He seemed really pretty mellow for a guy that had just been smashed in the helmet three times while riding at 40+ mph. He did not immeadiately throw Renshaw under the bus, but took a "another day at the office" approach. He did eventually speak out about Renshaw impeding Farrar but the headbutts were no biggie to him.


IMHO, he lucked out by not not getting reprimanded for starting the whole thing. I'm not defending Renshaw, because he made a bad decision when he cut off Farrar and I agree w/ his disqualification. Very disappointing!

Oh well, there's always Jens....


----------



## M-theory (Jul 16, 2009)

Miles E said:


> Not exactly an unsung hero, but Contador is now the favorite interview in our house. His nasal accent makes him sound like a character from Sesame St., and he seems downright pleased with his command of a few English phrases ("at the moment...", "the situation...").



Whenever Contador speaks, it reminds me of the first time I heard Bruce Lee's actual voice. Surprisingly comical as well. 

As far as Tour riders, I'm missing Nibali.


----------



## gormleyflyer2002 (Sep 12, 2005)

roadie92 said:


> Jurgen Van den Broeck. He is flying the flag for Belgium and putting in a great ride. Hope he's able to keep a high GC spot!


+2.....not getting the props he deserves. It's going to be interesting to see how he gets through this week.......

plus Ryder, go Canada go.


----------



## Jason1500 (Apr 1, 2008)

I'll always be a George Hincapie fan. Even bought a jersey from his apparel line.


----------



## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

Fabian Cancellara. Not only does he ride well, he's frickin' hot!


----------



## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Not sure Big George or Sparticus are very random (although they are both quite popular for a reason).

The idea was what under-covered rider do you like?


----------



## sokudo (Dec 22, 2007)

Coolhand said:


> The idea was what under-covered rider do you like?


Denis Menchov.


----------



## Jason1500 (Apr 1, 2008)

Coolhand said:


> Not sure Big George or Sparticus are very random (although they are both quite popular for a reason).
> 
> The idea was what under-covered rider do you like?


hmm the OP had Levi on his list surely he's as recognizable perhaps even more so then Big George, no?


----------



## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Jason1500 said:


> hmm the OP had Levi on his list surely he's as recognizable perhaps even more so then Big George, no?


Maybe with his Road ID!


----------



## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Tony Martin is a particular favourite of mine. Navarro has been great and I have a liking for Menchov.


----------



## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

Levi's in the State of California promotional ads. I like who I like--as far as lower profile riders go, I like Hejedal and Cunego.


----------



## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

Chavanel and Pineau (who both salvaged Quick-Step's year!).
Jens, of course, is a perennial favorite.
While I still like DZ, he used to be a lot more entertaining.
Juergen Van Den Broeck (spelling?) has been awesome- you go dude!
I'm totally bummed that Cadel is so far out now- he was doing the rainbow jersey proud!
I enjoy interviews especially from Levi and Cav- both never sound rehearsed and don't rely on cliches, always telling it like it is (or how they see it at least)


----------



## hawker12 (Oct 19, 2003)

At first I didn't care for Cav, thinking his interviews were weird, somber, evasive and aloof. Now I'm thinking that he is somewhat shy and just doesn't have great social skills. Sure doesn't make for a good interview though.


----------



## BDB (Jul 8, 2002)

Been impressed with Nicolas Roche. And Gadret his team mate also.


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

RRRoubaix said:


> Chavanel and Pineau (who both salvaged Quick-Step's year!).
> Jens, of course, is a perennial favorite.
> While I still like DZ, he used to be a lot more entertaining.
> Juergen Van Den Broeck (spelling?) has been awesome- you go dude!
> ...


Super-Domestiques:
Popo and Azevedo. O'Grady and Jens. Vino. Renshaw and Tony Martin. Millar and Zabriskie. Horner and Jani. Levi and Klodi. Hincapie. 

Gutsy attackers:
Vino. Chavanel. Hesjedal. Vino. Haussler. Voeckler. Vino. Voight. Chavanel. Vino. Moreau. Hushovd.

I am sure I am forgetting someone. I also like Schleck brothers, Cavendish, Menchov, Farrar. Michael Berry (his writing)


----------



## FlandersFields (Jul 16, 2010)

-Not in this Tour, but still: David Arroyo. The way he defended his Pink Jersey in the Giro was epic. 

-As I'm Flemmish, VDB.


-Hondo, a powerhouse.


----------



## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

albert owen said:


> Tony Martin is a particular favourite of mine. Navarro has been great and I have a liking for Menchov.


2 of 3 for me. Martin's been a beast all year. Menchov was sneaky good in yesterday's stage. :thumbsup:


----------



## ksanbon (Jul 19, 2008)

I was wrong.......Cav doesn't need Renshaw.


----------



## chavez (Jan 20, 2009)

Tommy Voeckler is one of my favorites as well. His stage win last year, plus the one he had this year...I dunno but I feel like being on Bbox you probably don't get the limelight much so when he's out there winning it's good to know people are paying attention. Plus the attack he escaped with last year was amazing to watch.


----------



## RipTide (May 4, 2007)

Chris Anker Sorenson. His facial expressions are priceless. He is probably a terrible poker player.


----------



## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

How about some HATE between teammates?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/oth...n-i-couldnt-stand-to-be-near-him-2264978.html

Cycling: 'I wanted to smash his head in. I couldn't stand to be near him'

By Nicolas Roche
Tuesday July 20 2010
If John Gadret is found dead in his hotel room in the morning, I will probably be the primary suspect. The 31-year-old French climber has been a team-mate of mine at Ag2r for the past two years.

Although we never had more than what you could call a workmanlike relationship, we never had any reason to fall out or take a dislike to each other over the past two years. But after today's stage, as he sat beside me on the team bus I had great difficulty in not putting his head through the nearest window.

Today was yet another really tough mountain stage, with the summit of a massive mountain coming just 20kms from the finish.

At 25km long, the ascent of the Port de Bales is one of those climbs that is too hard to rank and is classed as an Hors Category climb. If anyone was going to attack the leaders today, this is where it would be.

As usual, the Saxo Bank team of yellow jersey Andy Schleck set a fast tempo on the climb and the peloton began to lose riders out the back door.

I knew that if I could hang on going over the top, I could take a lot of time out of some of the guys in front of me on the overall classification and move up a few places from my overnight position of 14th overall.

Halfway up the climb, I was riding pretty comfortably in the Contador and Schleck group and some of the guys ahead of me like Basso and Kloden were beginning to struggle. As most of the other team leaders were left on their own, I was looking to move into the top 10 overall and still had Gadret with me for support. Or so I thought.

Six kilometres from the top of the climb, just as the pace began to increase at the front, I punctured a front wheel. I pulled over to the side of the road and as Gadret was riding behind me, I asked him for his wheel as he rode alongside.

This is a perfectly normal request if the team car is not around. To save time, a team-mate will often give his team leader a wheel or even his bike if necessary. I have done it plenty of times over the years, as have most cyclists, amateur or professional, at some stage in their careers.

As our team car was No 11 in the cavalcade and it would take a lot of time for them to get to me through the streams of dropped riders, I asked Gadret -- who was there to help me -- for his wheel. I couldn't believe what happened next. He just shook his head and said 'Non'. At first I thought he was joking, but soon realised he wasn't when he kept riding past me.

As my team manager, Vincent Lavenu, in the car behind shouted into Gadret's earpiece to wait, I took my wheel out and waited for a new one. All the time the group -- including Gadret -- was riding up the mountain, away from me.

After what seemed like an eternity, I eventually got a front wheel off the yellow Mavic neutral service car. Because the Mavic cars have to service any rider that needs a wheel or is in mechanical difficulty when their team car can't get to them, they don't have their wheels set up to fit everybody's frames instantly.

My wheel change took way longer than normal as the mechanic unscrewed the wheel's skewer to fit my front fork. At this stage, I was like a bull. I hopped back on my bike only to discover that my new wheel had been put in at an angle and was rubbing off the brake blocks. I leaned down and opened my front brake and, fuelled by rage, started passing groups on the climb.

All I could think of was getting to the finish as quickly as possible. Rage alone though, wasn't going to get me back up to the front of the race. Unbelievably, Gadret had attacked Schleck and Contador near the top, even though there was a group five minutes up the road and he had absolutely no chance of winning the stage.

Vincent was still screaming in our earpieces, calling Gadret every name under the sun and telling him to wait for me on the descent and help me claw back some time on the long run in to the finish. Gadret, though, just ignored him and kept riding.

Encouragement

There were loads of Irish flags on the climb and the encouragement from the fans, some of whom were wearing GAA jerseys, spurred me on even more. I flew up the last kilometre and having passed lots of riders on the way up, I found myself on my own on the descent. I nearly killed myself on the first two corners because in my state of rage and frustration I had forgotten that my front brake was still open.

I had to tighten it as I was descending, which slowed me down again. I spent the rest of the stage on my own, chasing like a madman. I didn't know who I had passed or who was in front of me. I could see world champion Cadel Evans up the road and was fixated on catching him next but the line came too quickly.

I had finished almost eight minutes behind stage winner Thomas Voeckler but more importantly, I lost between three and five minutes to some of the guys that I should have put time into and dropped three places to 17th.

My team-mate Lloyd Mondory had also been in the early break and did a fantastic job to get fourth on the stage. Lloyd is a sprinter and this wasn't his type of stage at all, so to get fourth was a tremendous ride and even though I was angry at Gadret, I was really happy for Lloyd.

After the stage, I reminded Vincent that Gadret was on the team for another two years, and that I hoped he never asked me for anything again, because I would not forget today for a long time. Gadret finished three minutes ahead of me and now lies just two places and two minutes behind me. He is the first French rider overall. Maybe he wants to be the first Ag2r rider too.

By the time I got onto the team bus, Vincent was already in the middle of a blazing row with Gadret.

Although I wanted to smash his head in, and had visions of a baldy French climber exiting through the windscreen, I let Vincent do his job as team manager and said nothing. I got off the bus as quickly as possible and travelled to the hotel in the team car. I couldn't stand to be near him. I will have to keep my hands in my pockets at the dinner table.

Although I am too angry to have thought about it properly yet, I will possibly have to go on the attack now to gain back the time I lost today. If I want to finish in the top 15, I have two options.

I can hang in there on the climbs and hope some of the guys in front of me blow up like they did today, or I can get in an early move and try to stay away to the finish, taking back a bit of time.

I know a move like this can be suicidal and can cost you a lot of time, but I want to finish in the top 15. I'm 17th, so I have nothing to lose.

- Nicolas Roche

Irish Independent


----------



## tinkerbeast (Jul 24, 2009)

RipTide said:


> Chris Anker Sorenson. His facial expressions are priceless. He is probably a terrible poker player.


imagine what he must look like in bed....


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

ksanbon said:


> I was wrong.......Cav doesn't need Renshaw.


If anything, he appears to be winning by greater margins, while looking back and with great ease. I think Prince Harry was just slowing Cav down.


----------



## Jalap-inya (Jan 29, 2010)

Jens Voigt. I can't believe how badly he destroys himself for team leaders.

Roman Kreuziger

Ryder Hesjedal.

Chris Horner.

I wish Vincenzo Nibali was in the tour 

Can't wait for Peter Sagan to start ripping up the GT's.


----------



## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

Great thread. 

Agree on Chris Sorensen. This winter I think I'll use the video of those Sorensen pulls for VO2 max intervals. 

Also, thought the whole bunch of Astana worker bees were great. Navarro - the Hardman of the TDF, IMO. Tiralongo, is he hammering the peloton or going to a disco - ? Noval, I swear I've spotted him or his double on my local bike path training for the MS150. Vino - I can't help but like the guy this time around. He made the race much more fun to watch and I hope he doesn't hang it up after this year. 

Thinking about Navarro, it seems to me if you're a team next year without a real GC rider, you could do much worse than giving the guy a look. I'd love to see what he's got left after sitting in for most of the tough climbs


----------



## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Pros:

JENS - like the Highlander, there can be only one!
Chavanel - have been quietly rooting for him for years - thrilled he wore yellow twice during this Tour.
Sparticus - Amazing - The motor hoax was disgraceful and should not mare this man's amazing talent.
Andy Schleck - Great talent, seems like a nice kid - I like his interviews.
Navarro <- as a result of this year's TdF - totally impressed me.
Have to agree with those who have mentioned BBox Team - what a great effort!
Love Saxo Bank as a team - dem's da sheet!
(edit) I forgot my boy Carlos Sastre - my faith is strong - forgive me Carlito! (/edit)

Cons:

Don't like Vino - but am impressed that he didn't go rogue at this tour.
Can't bring myself to be happy when current and/or ex-dopers win races or stages (Vino, Valverde, Basso etc.) - guess I've gotta work on that forgiveness thing.


----------

