Professional Cycling For the Fans - Favorite Pro rider?

my fav and idol is mark cavendish mainly because im a sprinter he has a similar life growing up as myself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_At0CpFBKhQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSb_Lj836v4

Past or present? heck past ,Jaques Anquetil, my boyhood hero, today Andy Schleck and Thomas Voelker who is from my home town in Strasbourg , France.

favorite current riders: Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara

and Jens of course

I do believe there is already a forum for this though

moving to the 217

Cadel Evans because I'm from Aus

I've always been a fan of Miguel Indurain, Lance (It strayed a bit due to Livestrong, but a different, and long story all together), Claudio Chiappucci, Mario Cipollini, and Robbie McEwen. Right now, I like the Schlecks, Jens, Peter Sagan, Lars Boom and Zdenek Stybar, both of cyclocross fame, and Cavendish is slowly creeping in on me.

anyone that consistently has/had cajones...win or lose, fbow...in the mountains, flats or rollers-vinokourov, durand, chiappucci, moncoutie, voigt, pantani, gilbert, horner, kessler, kloden, haussler, jose maria jimenez, garzelli, etc...

Stuart O'Grady. The consummate pro.

If we can include past pros: Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche.

If we can include past pros: Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche.

Sean Kelly, for sure. Also, I was a big fan of Eric Vanderaerden.

Now: Cuddles
Past: Baron Merckx

Now: Cuddles, Julian Dean, Thor, Spartacus...
Past: the Cannibal, Jaques Anquetil, Graeme Obree, the Badger...

Then-Andy Hampsten

Now-David Zabriskie

Now: Cuddles, Julian Dean, Thor, Spartacus...
Past: the Cannibal, Jaques Anquetil, Graeme Obree, the Badger...

You know dudebloke podcasts. Here. (http://veloclubdonlogan.co.uk/) It's very good.

Horner, Ullrich, Landis (regardless of what has been done).

Past or present? heck past ,Jaques Anquetil, my boyhood hero, today Andy Schleck and Thomas Voelker who is from my home town in Strasbourg , France.

For me Rudy Altig earns a spot near the top for his performance in the 1962 Trofeo Baracchi, a day that some see as humilating for Anquetil and others (men of much more depth and discernment in my opinion) see as marking Anquetil as a true champion.

Lance Armstrong. I don't know of any other pro riders.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Peter Sagan does in the future. Always amazed by Fabian Cancellara in the TT's. Overall I like the Schleck brothers, awesome talent with great personalities.

All-time: JaJa (Laurent Jalabert)

Current: Thor (tho' Levi is right up there, 'specially since I watched him lap the Pro Men's field, SOLO, in the Twilight Crit at the Cascade Cycling Classic back in the late 90's / early 00's. That boy's got some kinda motor!)

SP
Bend, OR

Present - Tyler Farrar. He's well spoken, calm and cool, and he is always a threat to beat Cavendish. I also like Ivan Basso. And I have to include George Hincapie from Queens NY, my hometown. Great cycling family and a wonderful story really. Never thought of Queens as a cycling mecca, but apparently it is.

Past - Lance Armstrong. IMHO his accomplishments are monumental in the sport.

All-time: JaJa (Laurent Jalabert)

Current: Thor (tho' Levi is right up there, 'specially since I watched him lap the Pro Men's field, SOLO, in the Twilight Crit at the Cascade Cycling Classic back in the late 90's / early 00's. That boy's got some kinda motor!)

SP
Bend, OR

Yah, I watched those races!!! Pretty impressive. Kinda sucks UCI teams aren't allowed to race in the classic anymore!! That race brought some huge names, but now you don't see them anymore.

If I had to pick one, it'd be Contador, because he's just so good all around, and does everything with style.

Other favorites are Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara, Phillipe Gilbert, Thomas Voeckler, Thor Hushovd, and Joaquim Rodriguez.

I like guys that are tactically saavy, always a threat on almost any type of terrain, like to attack, and throw caution to the wind at times. Makes 'em more fun to watch.

And JENS.

I like many of the riders already mentioned, but to add somebody new to the discussion; Boasson Hagen. I like the guys who try to step outside of their box. Sagan, Wiggins, Hushovd are the others guys I see doing this.

I also appreciate guys like Chavanel for their long attacks that make what might otherwise be boring stages interesting. I will really miss Vinokourov stirring the pot.

Lance Armstrong was one of my favorites until the 2009 Tour. I respect his achievements, but what he did during that Tour turned me off.

I always liked Indurain, Basso, and Contador.

George Hincapie has also been a favorite of mine. Behind every Grand Tour champion is a team of great domestiques and Big George is one of them.

Contador and Cancellara

I always enjoy seeing the mass sprint with Robbie McEwen suddenly popping out from nowhere to take the win. He never had a train like Cipollini or Cavendish. Gilbert tearing up the Classics and Cadel taking charge of this year's TdF keep them high on my favorites list.

I like to cheer for the crazy breakaways; sometimes they survive to take the stage.

I wish Soler would stop getting injured; he was fun to watch attacking in the mountains back in 2007.

Husholvd, "Boss Hog", Tony Martin, Matty Goss, Gilbert, Van den Broeck, ten Dam, Horner, Bak, Monfort, Rolland, and a whole lot more.

Sorry, can't pick just one favorite.

I'm tempted to say Damiano Cunego, but Thomas Voeckler gets my vote.

Paul

Big George, Jens, Tyler Farrar.

Present: Pierre Rolland. Only domestique who could hang with the big dogs (even when some other big dogs couldn't), and who got his day atop Alp d'Huez.

Past: Steve Bauer (gotta feel for the guy missing out on the Queen of the Classics by one centimeter, and second in the '84 Olympics too) and Greg LeMond.

Present: Pierre Rolland. Only domestique who could hang with the big dogs (even when some other big dogs couldn't), and who got his day atop Alp d'Huez.

Don't forget Jelle Vanendert.

Ullrich/Hoogerland/LA/AC/Schlecks/Hincapie/Cavendish/Cadel

Jens Voigt-Turns himself inside out, for the task assigned.

Charly Gaul,
Andy Hampsten
Super Mario
Phillipe Gilbert and
Boassen Hagen for current riders.

Pistolero Contador, Cuddles Evans, Spartacus, Manx Missle, Phillipe Gilbert.

Boassen Hagen for current riders.

Finally. I was beginning to think I was the only one.

Gotta love watching Spartacus and all that power and Thor descending at 70 + mph and Voeckler refusing to quit

Bobke or Jens

Chris Horner! Hope he has a HUGE season.

All time? Greg Lemond/Steve Bauer/Eric Heiden/Davis Phinney

Currently: Cadel/Levi/Thor

Jens.

can't say he's my favorite but gotta give much respect to Renshaw
best lead-out man in the business

Any rider that hasn't doped. I guess that doesn't leave very many.

Thor and the Schlecks

emilia fahlin

Cuddles

Jens and Horner. Hoogerland gets consideration.

Ullrich/Hoogerland/LA/AC/Schlecks/Hincapie/Cavendish/Cadel

Strike Ullrich, AC. That is pretty much my list.. As I posted in the thread "Crash." Anyone who is severely injured and comes back for more, gets my vote.. That would mean Hoogerland..

Thomas Voeckler, Mark Cavendish.

The former, for holding on as he did in last years tour, and being, however lame it may sound, a good role model type.

The latter, cause I just think he's cool, and fast as hell.

Vansummeren, because he is my height, and because he really laid it out to win Roubaix last year. His teeth were crusted with dirt at the finish, because he couldn't slow down enough to wipe them off, and was likely oblivious to it anyway.

Stuart O'Grady. The consummate pro.

Not forgetting his forerunner, Neil "Stevo" Stephens. Super, super domestique in his day.

All time fave - Tom Simpson. First Englishman to win the World Professional Road Race and to wear the maillot jaune. A sad day when he died.