Recently retired cyclists I miss.

  1. Keith RIchards

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    I miss Gilberto Simoni.

    Hated the guy when he first hit the scene, though he was a whiner.

    Then it turned out he was right about 90% of the stuff he was whining about, so I had to give him a second look.

    Then I found out that he would literally not touch a bike from November until January and still be good to go by the Giro.

    He always made for a good interview. Kind of like the Italian Chris Horner.

    It is his word versus ours. We like our word. We like where we stand and we like our credibility."--Lance Armstrong.
    Posted 1 year ago

  2. Orange Crush

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    Erik Dekker...always good for a late attack or a funny interview.

    The wise man said follow me...and he walked behind.
    Posted 1 year ago

  3. watermoccasin

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    JaJa... the guy just seemed, well, normal

    He came across as a generally decent person, I liked his aggressive style of racing

    Posted 1 year ago

  4. Entheo

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    i miss der kaiser, but as his facebook 'friend' he posts a lot of updates, including old battles with lance and the pirate.

    Posted 1 year ago

  5. longslowdistance

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    And JaJa just loved to ride. He's still very much doing so, last I heard.
    I like the comparison of Horner to Gilberto.

    Posted 1 year ago

  6. jacques_anquetil

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    not so recent, but Andrei Tchmil. Hard-as-nails Ukrainian classics rider with that powerful riding style. Johan Museeuw too, but he was a little too good to be true. Gonna mis Oscar Friere when he retires.

    Posted 1 year ago

  7. Keith RIchards

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    I am big Oscar fan as well....gonna miss him when he leaves the sport.

    Surprised nobody mentioned Michele Bartoli. I loved that guy. Nobody got as low as her did.

    Posted 1 year ago

  8. watermoccasin

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    Pantani and his climbing in the drops... he just made that look sweet. RIP, Marco, RIP.

    Posted 1 year ago

  9. george

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    Bobby Julich, never got the recognition he deserved in this country beyond those of us who followed cycling and Bettini he seemed to be always in it no matter the race or terrain.

    Posted 1 year ago

  10. KidWok

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    Ludo Dierckxsens...that dude was always off the front and/or had a huge smile on his face...

    Tai

    http://www.thepeoplescoastclassic.org/
    Posted 1 year ago

  11. Frozone

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    One guy I miss was only good for two years but within those two years he destroyed the peloton. This guy never asked for help. He simply went to the front and turned the screws on the hardest of the hard men until they foamed at the mouth. Unreal engine.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8MOQuF4_BI

    Posted 1 year ago

  12. jacques_anquetil

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    Yes, Bartoli and Ludo too! Let's not forget Jacky Durand.

    (wasn't Ludo caught in a doping fiasco when he won some sort of stage, was asked to provide a urine sample, and promptly threw his arms in the air and declared that he'd been doping?)

    Posted 1 year ago

  13. Gonzo Cyclist

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    too many to list really, but Pantani comes to mind, he was fun to watch. Always liked Tony Rominger, poor guy just happened to race the same time as Miguel Indurain
    More recently, I liked Ekimov, dude was tough

    Photobucket
    Posted 1 year ago

  14. zootracer

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    Ditto on Pantani. Although not 'recently retired'....his last race was in 2003....he was 'colorful' to say the least...

    Posted 1 year ago

  15. Canucklehead

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    Jacky Durand and his completely nutty 5 K into a race or a stage attacks that would work once in awhile.

    Posted 1 year ago

  16. Keith RIchards

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    Frozone....word on Vandenbroucke. When he was on form.....didn't want or need any help.

    Wow.....he serves up a SPANKING.

    Posted 1 year ago

  17. TheShortWhiteGuy

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    Джамолидин Абдужапаров - got to love his spectacular crash on the Champs-Élysées http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt4x3nuzfQ

    Oh, wait, recent? Jalabert.

    Life is too short to be small. - Disraeli

    So, why not be petty? - The Short White Guy™
    Posted 1 year ago

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