Riders that Never were?

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

There is a long list of "new Merckx's" (for instance Fons de Wolf), "new Coppi's" (Italo Zillioli,
Guido Carlesi, etc.) and "new Anquetil's" (Bernard Guyot, Régis Ovion, etc.) but perhaps the best
example is Jos Wouters, also called Rik III (after Van Steenbergen and Van Looy). At 19 (in 1961) he
won Paris-Tours, at 20 Paris-Brussels (the same year he finished also 6th in Paris-Roubaix and 4th
in Liège-Bastogne-Liège). Next year 5th in Flandres and 4th in Paris-Brussels, but that was that.
Two years later he stopped racing.

Benjo Maso

[email hidden] (Crank Yanker) wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

Current crop is also Julich and Vaughters.

"K. J. Papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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[email hidden] (Crank Yanker) wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

Current crop is also Julich and Vaughters.

I remember an article in CycleSport about the Italian media touting G. Figueras as this Italian
generation's "flouriclasse" (sp?), a position occupied now by P. Bettini.

BTW, I don't think it's accidental that there are so many washouts. When my track eligibility ran
out and I moved to rugby, the coach was so enamored with my speed that he promptly inserted me into
the lineup even though I had never played. I didn't look forward to practice (and skipped many of
them) because of the expectations (translate to pressure). Only lasted 2 years, much of it injured.

In cycling, I couldn't climb for [censored]. No one expected anything of me - it was a lot more fun even
though I had mediocre talent for it.

There's an advantage to being an underdog: you've got something to prove and there's
nothing to lose.

Being the opposite (overdog?) has a lot to lose and little to gain: perform well and you're even,
perform poorly and you've let down everyone who had expectations.

If only all Little League Parents (in whatever sport) understood this.

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

Abraham Olano. Did not become the next Indurain/.

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

The topic is far too wide open. It is subject to interpretation. There are dozens each year that
fail to meet the highest hopes of their fans, but most of them find some success. Jeff Bernard and
Chas Mottet are two French riders that were to inherit the vacancy left by Hinault. They both had
excellent careers. I could go on for hours though, so maybe you should narrow the scope somehow.
Maybe rider that failed to meet the writer's expectations. I expected more from Zulle, Rominger,
Jalabert, Bugno, and many more. Again, all great riders that did not quite reach the heights of
their potential.

"Jiyang Chen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who

were

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the "greatest" riders that never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

Abraham Olano. Did not become the next Indurain/.

Was, nevertheless, World Champion.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Crank

Yanker) said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

Berzin

Bobrik

that rider who was on the vitalicio seguros who became the subject of a bidding war won by Banesto
and then never heard from again

Jeff Bernard

"Nick Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

The topic is far too wide open. It is subject to interpretation. There are dozens each year that
fail to meet the highest hopes of their fans, but

most

Quoted message said:

of them find some success. Jeff Bernard and Chas Mottet are two French riders that were to inherit
the vacancy left by Hinault. They both had excellent careers. I could go on for hours though, so
maybe you should narrow the scope somehow. Maybe rider that failed to meet the writer's
expectations. I expected more from Zulle, Rominger, Jalabert, Bugno, and many more. Again, all
great riders that did not quite reach the heights of their potential.

Jalabert?

You've got to be kidding me.

Dude starts out as a sprinter, then transforms himself, winning the green jersey (TdF), Vuelta
(overall), 4th in the TdF (overall), climber's jersey (TdF), World TT champion, UCI #1 for 3 or 4
years running.

The only thing he didn't win a lot of was World Cup races, but still, if you're UCI #1 for as long
as he was, he can't be considered a failure.

In article <[email hidden]>, "Tom Kunich"

Quoted message said:

"Jiyang Chen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who

were

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the "greatest" riders that never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

Abraham Olano. Did not become the next Indurain/.

Was, nevertheless, World Champion.

Twice, in fact: RR in '95 and ITT in '98. He also won the Vuelta in '98. Not too bad a record,
imo. He's no Indurain, but who is?

--
tanx, Howard

"Better a lapdog for a slip of a girl than a ... git." Blackadder

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?

(Crank Yanker) said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

In the last 30 years or so, the ones in which I had been following cycling, most of those guys were
Belgians. As soon as some of those guys started to win something, they were soon entitled to a
future of greatness by flemish newspapers. Some of them (Willems, Roosen) I think were in fact not
that much, just good riders overrated by a press that was too much in the need of a new idol for
their readers to cheer. Some other (Fons de Wolf, Van Hooydonck) had a real talent, but for
different reasons started to fade at the age in which the real champions rise to total greatness.
But the most sad case for me is Wilfried Nelissen. He could have been really a great rider, maybe at
the same level of Museeuw in the one day classics and competing with Cipo in the bunch sprints. But
he seemed doomed by the fate, an incredible series of tremendous accident happened to him, first
reducing his potential and then forcing him to retire very early. I am firmly convinced that if he
stayed healthy, now we would be cheering something like his 200th victory, with a dozen World Cups
in between.

Nick Burns said:

I expected more from Zulle, Rominger, Jalabert, Bugno, and many more. Again, all great riders that
did not quite reach the heights of their potential.

I think that whatever kind of results Bugno achieved, short of a cannibal-like palmares, he would
have disappointed his estimators anyway. The talent of that rider was potentially unlimited. If he
only had the mental thoughness of his home rival Chiappucci (who OTOH had been probably one of the
greatest overachiever in the story of this sport, a completely talentless guy with a few really
good results).

Quoted message said:

The topic is far too wide open.

OK, limit yourself to still active riders.

Quoted message said:

It is subject to interpretation.

No [censored], just name the riders who you thought were going to be something and never panned out to be
much of anything.

Kurgan Gringioni said:

Jalabert?

You've got to be kidding me.

Dude starts out as a sprinter, then transforms himself, winning the green jersey (TdF), Vuelta
(overall), 4th in the TdF (overall), climber's jersey (TdF), World TT champion, UCI #1 for 3 or 4
years running.

The only thing he didn't win a lot of was World Cup races, but still, if you're UCI #1 for as long
as he was, he can't be considered a failure.

Being UCI #1 is not an important achievement and is not considered much by the riders themselves.
Just think that a perennial loser like Fr. Casagrande was nr. 1 for quite a number of weeks.

Olano as a Tour winner.

(Crank Yanker) said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

"Davide Tosi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(Crank Yanker) said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

In the last 30 years or so, the ones in which I had been following

cycling,

Quoted message said:

most of those guys were Belgians. As soon as some of those guys started to win something, they
were soon entitled to a future of greatness by flemish newspapers. Some of them (Willems, Roosen)
I think were in fact not that much, just good riders overrated by a press that was too much in the
need of a new idol for their readers to cheer. Some other (Fons de Wolf, Van Hooydonck) had a real
talent, but for different reasons started to fade at the age in which the real champions rise to
total greatness. But the most sad case for me is Wilfried Nelissen. He could have been really a
great rider, maybe at the same level of Museeuw in the one day classics and competing with Cipo in
the bunch sprints. But he seemed

doomed

Quoted message said:

by the fate, an incredible series of tremendous accident happened to him, first reducing his
potential and then forcing him to retire very early. I am firmly convinced that if he stayed
healthy, now we would be cheering something like his 200th victory, with a dozen World Cups in
between.

Another example is Erik Vanderaerden. I remember it was said on Belgian TV: "We don't have to regret
anymore that Merckx has stopped. We have Vanderaerden now!" Of course he disappointed. Van Hooydonck
is another case. He sank back in anonimity because he refused to take EPO, being afraid to risk his
health. I hope we all agree that such a coward didn't deserve to win.

Benjo Maso

"Nick Burns" "Chris McReynolds" (why the stupid-ass email address?) <[email hidden]>
wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

The topic is far too wide open. It is subject to interpretation. There are dozens each year that
fail to meet the highest hopes of their fans, but

most

Quoted message said:

of them find some success. Jeff Bernard and Chas Mottet are two French riders that were to inherit
the vacancy left by Hinault. They both had excellent careers. I could go on for hours though, so
maybe you should narrow the scope somehow. Maybe rider that failed to meet the writer's
expectations. I expected more from Zulle, Rominger, Jalabert, Bugno, and

Troll ehh?

Jaja and Rominger on this list?

They had careers 99% pros would dream of.

Quoted message said:

many more. Again, all great riders that did not quite reach the heights of their potential.

"Davide Tosi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Kurgan Gringioni said:

Jalabert?

You've got to be kidding me.

Dude starts out as a sprinter, then transforms himself, winning the green jersey (TdF), Vuelta
(overall), 4th in the TdF (overall), climber's

jersey

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(TdF), World TT champion, UCI #1 for 3 or 4 years running.

The only thing he didn't win a lot of was World Cup races, but still, if you're UCI #1 for as
long as he was, he can't be considered a failure.

Being UCI #1 is not an important achievement and is not considered much by the riders themselves.
Just think that a perennial loser like Fr. Casagrande was nr. 1 for quite a number of weeks.

But not several years.

Who have been the #1's in the last decade, for a significant period of time?

Jalabert, Zabel, now Bettini.

Anyone else?

"Kurgan Gringioni" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Jalabert?

You've got to be kidding me.

My point was that just about any rider could be help up as an example of one who did not reach the
heights expected of them. Jalabert was expected by some to win the Tour. He had a great career.
This thread is a bit silly since any rider that is known by the people that contribute here had to
have at least some level of success. All of the riders I mentioned were expected to win the Tour,
yet did not.

benjo maso said:

"Davide Tosi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(Crank Yanker) said:

In the spirit of the "greatest crashers in cycling" thread, who were the "greatest" riders that
never fulfilled the promise they showed early in their career?

In recent years, Kloden and Vainstains come to mind.

In the last 30 years or so, the ones in which I had been following

cycling,

Quoted message said:

most of those guys were Belgians. As soon as some of those guys started to win something, they
were soon entitled to a future of greatness by flemish newspapers. Some of them (Willems, Roosen)
I think were in fact not that much, just good riders overrated by a press that was too much in
the need of a new idol for their readers to cheer. Some other (Fons de Wolf, Van Hooydonck) had a
real talent, but for different reasons started to fade at the age in which the real champions
rise to total greatness. But the most sad case for me is Wilfried Nelissen. He could have been
really a great rider, maybe at the same level of Museeuw in the one day classics and competing
with Cipo in the bunch sprints. But he seemed

doomed

Quoted message said:

by the fate, an incredible series of tremendous accident happened to him, first reducing his
potential and then forcing him to retire very early. I am firmly convinced that if he stayed
healthy, now we would be cheering something like his 200th victory, with a dozen World Cups in
between.

Another example is Erik Vanderaerden. I remember it was said on Belgian TV: "We don't have to
regret anymore that Merckx has stopped. We have Vanderaerden now!" Of course he disappointed. Van
Hooydonck is another case. He sank back in anonimity because he refused to take EPO, being afraid
to risk his health. I hope we all agree that such a coward didn't deserve to win.

I did mention Van Hooydonck, as far as the reasons for which he decided to not stay at top level,
that's his own business.

I don't agree about Vanderaerden. As opposite as all the other belgians mentioned in this thread he
had a quite long and successfull career. His main problem had been that he always prefered quantity
to quality. He won many races, but just very few of them had been really important ones. He should
have been more focused on performing when it really counted, instead of wasting his energies to win
local circuits.