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Eternal prodigies
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| Panaflex |
Posted on 20-03-2007 10:25
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I was thinking about cyclists that were considered prodigies in their youth but somehow never managed to live up to public expectations.
I came to realize that there are quite a few.
So please name all riders that you think fell short of expectations during their career!
Edited by Panaflex on 20-03-2007 10:26
Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.Lance
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 20-03-2007 14:13
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I will mention the most obvious case: Jan Ullrich. In some way he did live up to the expectations with his TdF-victory in 1997, but I'm sure most people had expected a lot more. Also, I'm sure he would have won more if he had joined CSC when he had the opportunity. I don't know if CSC has some sort of special dope, or if their trainings methods really are that effective, but I do know that CSC has managed to turn "falling stars" into "new riders". Ullrich could definately have used that. |
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| Panaflex |
Posted on 20-03-2007 14:23
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I agree wholeheartedly, especially what you mentioned regarding CSC. In fact any team would have been better for Ullrich than T-Mobile.
Remember what he was capable of in his only season away from Magenta (with Coast, later Bianchi). He finished second in the Tour being almost dead level with almighty Armstrong.
Now what about Boogerd?
He certainly fell short winning nothing but Amstel Gold Race and Paris-Nice once and two TdF stages.
Bearing in mind that the hype around him was almost unparalleled (well, similar to Boonen or recently Dekker I guess), he seems to lack some sort of racing sense in most situations.
Edited by Panaflex on 20-03-2007 14:49
Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.Lance
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| Phanekim |
Posted on 21-03-2007 20:27
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I think people quite unfair to Jan. He lost 99 to injury and 02 to ectasy.
All that aside he's finished 2nd 5 times. It could feasibly be...if it wasn't for armstrong, he could be 6 time winner tdf.
I feel many are quite unfair to him. Puerto probably damaged his rep forever. |
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| Panaflex |
Posted on 21-03-2007 20:57
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Phanekim wrote:
I think people quite unfair to Jan. He lost 99 to injury and 02 to ectasy.
(...)
There's one thing that bothers me about Ullrich.
Does anyone remember him, more precisely his facial expressions, in 1996 or in 1997 before winning the Tour?
He had that burning ambition and you could tell from the look in his eyes - that sense of being-in-the-present.
Somewhere between '97 and '98 it all vanished without a trace. Indeed, he was still good, excellent even - but not the same cyclist as in the '97 Tour. 
Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.Lance
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| mlminard |
Posted on 21-03-2007 21:58
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anyone remember Vandenbroucke?? talk about a prodigy that blew out! |
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| Panaflex |
Posted on 21-03-2007 22:29
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mlminard wrote:
anyone remember Vandenbroucke?? talk about a prodigy that blew out!
Most definately. Celebrated as the New Merckx, but the best episode of his career was when he faked an amateur cyclist license (allegedly with a photo of Boonen in it) to get access to a U-23 race, when he was 27. 
Edited by Panaflex on 21-03-2007 22:29
Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.Lance
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| Phanekim |
Posted on 21-03-2007 23:10
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Panaflex wrote:
Phanekim wrote:
I think people quite unfair to Jan. He lost 99 to injury and 02 to ectasy.
(...)
There's one thing that bothers me about Ullrich.
Does anyone remember him, more precisely his facial expressions, in 1996 or in 1997 before winning the Tour?
He had that burning ambition and you could tell from the look in his eyes - that sense of being-in-the-present.
Somewhere between '97 and '98 it all vanished without a trace. Indeed, he was still good, excellent even - but not the same cyclist as in the '97 Tour.
Thats what happens when you are too good too early. Once your idea of invincibility gets cracked...or someone figures you out...or someone does something better than you...its quite depressing.
98...a EPO'ed up pantani was invincible in the mountains. then you had armstrong. It had to be defeating for Jan...to not be able to beat lance in the tts and the mountains.
I honeslty think he didn't start "doping" tell later in his career. This is just assumption but he always struck me as NOT a cheater because he didn't have huge spikes in his performance (think Rumsas). He was always one of the best. |
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| gardner |
Posted on 22-03-2007 06:06
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Guidi.
Who had a massive season in the late 90ties and never showed such a per formance again.
Even not a year with CSC could bring him back on course.
/gardner |
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