Is Evans the new Zabel?

thunder

anyone count the Protour as a win? Or is the Protour, Mcquaid wind?

Drongo

ProTour is different. It's an indication of consistency. Some would say he's consistently second.

In his MTB days, he won the World Cup but not a world championship. That's kinda similar.

That said, I think Evans has come on some in recent times. He has seemed (to me, at my considerable distance) more at home around the winner's circle, racing with more confidence, as if he belongs there.

The real test is the Tour, of course, but I don't see him doing some Jana Novotna/Greg Norman-esque snatching defeat from the jaws of victory if he's in a position to win. In that sense, perhaps he is like Zabel, coming second a lot not because of mental fragility, but rather just ... because.

biker jk

but rather just...because...Contador is a drug cheat.

thunder

who says Evans is not?

If Evans is clean, he should not have his manager one Tony Rominger.

If he worked with Ferrari, and Cyclingheroes said he did, why did you take advice of a doctor who is notorious for facilitating the doping culture in the sport?

If Evans is clean, he is still compromised. He has ridden for and alongside TMobile riders, he has ridden alongside Mapei. He is part of the doping culture.

Has he had one injection from a team doctor, without verifying what the product was?

If he is clean, it would be a stretch, but it would also not be untarnished. He has had dopers ride for him, and he has ridden for dopers. He has not called out the dopers.

Its almost impossible to operate in the sport without being touched by it. Perhaps only someone like Bassons can appeal to that status. You might be clean, but it has affected your performance, whether supporting riders, or your support riders.

Evans has not given the ethical position like someone of Brad Mcgee, or Philippe Gilbert's status. Even Mcgee and Gilbert though, have been leadout riders for cyclists who would have been doping. So can you countenance that? Difficult moral quandary no?

Crankyfeet

Good post thunder.

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limerickman

Also Zabels record of classification victories (6 times Points winner in the TDF)
suggests that Evans has some way to go before he can even considered with the likes of Zabel.
Add the number of wins by Zabel.

Zabel is one of the all time great cyclists.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Runitout

Agreed that all are sullied by the brush, even if they don't jump into the tin of paint. But Thunder, by your quote above, I assume you mean to say that McGee and Gilbert are clean.

I hope you aren't basing that view purely on their stated opinions. Things aren't always what they seem.

It's true - if a cyclist doesn't condemn the dopers, he's unlikely to be clean. But those who shout loudest and proudest are sometimes the same ones doing Lady Macbeth impersonations at nights.

Hope a real cyclist wins LBL.

Cheers

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And saying so to some
Means nothing; others it leaves
Nothing to be said.

thunder

re: Mcgee and Gilbert.

got some decent inside information lines on those guys.

You are right tho, if you are a nice guy, speak English, you can develop a purely arbitrary reputation as a clean rider.

See: Hamilton. Landis.

Even Mancebo.

It is very arbitrary. Well, not completely, those factors mentioned above, inform the function of "known to be a clean rider"

strummer_fan

Zabel continues to be extremely competitive at an age when many riders have already retired. As Lim points out, his Palmares are extremely impressive.

He won stages last year (2007) in the Tour De Suisse, the Deutschland Tour, and the Vuelta. He beat sprinters including Bennati, Freire, and his teammate Petacchi.

Evans is the new Poulidor, not the new Zabel.

Crankyfeet

Let's see how he goes in this year's TdF. It's the first time he's been favorite. A couple of year's ago, he wasn't even mentioned as a chance. Last year he was hardly mentioned as a favorite. Nobody picked him as their likely winner of the Fleche Wallonne, yet he almost won it.

Already we are branding him as a proverbial bridesmaid and non-deliverer of expectations when in reality, we've hardly had any expectations it seems.

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