[Competition] Win a chance to experience the FBD Insurance Rás like never before

Dav

No helmets required...

Boards.ie has teamed up with An Post to offer one lucky boards member and a friend the chance to experience a stage of the 2010 FBD Insurance Ras from the unique perspective of the An Post team car.

You will get to witness how the team tactics change as the stage progresses, hold your breath as team manager Kurt Bogaerts navigates the corners at speed on route to give a rider refreshments, and be there with the team as they pass the finish line. The winner will also be keeping us up-to-date with a thread here in the forum - An Post will be providing the necessary communications equipment for this.

The Ras starts Sunday 24th May in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, and ends Sunday 30th in Skerries. The lucky winner can select whichever stage they want to join Kurt and the An Post boys in green for. Full route details at www.fbdinsuranceras.com

Dinner, B&B is included in the prize.

To be in with a chance to win, just correctly answer the following question:
Who is your favourite cyclist of all time and why?

An Post, sponsors of the Sean Kelly cycling team, the An Post Cycle Series and the Tour of Ireland.

DeVore

Heyupyahboya!

DeV.

Beasty

I guess anyone who nominates Sean Kelly has a head start on this one!

blorg

Dav wrote: »

To be in with a chance to win, just correctly answer the following question:
Who is your favourite cyclist of all time and why?[/B]

Correctly, I like that...

Beasty

Beasty wrote: »

I guess anyone who nominates Sean Kelly has a head start on this one!

... So I'm going to go with Graham Obree - anyone who can break the world hour record using a home-made bike including parts from a washing machine is definitely my favourite

Taking on board Blorg's post - I hereby confirm this is correct (Obree is my favourite cyclist of all time):p

(I take it the first correct answer wins!)

blorg

I think what we need here is pen-portaits of our favourite cyclists.

Obree, Kelly, Roche, reminiscences please.

DeVore

Hahaha... no there isnt a "correct" answer and no Sean Kelly wont get you any further up the ladder then otherwise... its just a bit of craic and ensures we are not a lottery (bad bad bad) but rather a competition (good good good)!


DeV.

bcmf

Martin Earley.
Sure......Kelly and Roche were the kings but Martin was always there and very rarely got the recognition for it.

DualFrontDiscs

The question isn't favourite pro cyclist, or in fact favourite racing cyclist, just favourite cyclist. Easy trap to fall into there

I think I'll have to vote for my Da'.

For fanning the cycling spark that exists in all of us.

You help me up, when I fell over.
You raise me up when my tyres were flat.
You raise me up so I can climb o'r mountains.
etc.

PM for contact details

DFD*

*DefyingFormalDictats

Beasty

Beasty wrote: »

... So I'm going to go with Graham Obree - anyone who can break the world hour record using a home-made bike including parts from a washing machine is definitely my favourite

Taking on board Blorg's post - I hereby confirm this is correct (Obree is my favourite cyclist of all time):p

(I take it the first correct answer wins!)

I'm going with Obree for the reasons listed above plus the fact he kept annoying the **** out of the UCI.

ROK ON

I am so conflicted. Lance for his general all round greatness or Vino for his absolutely stunning attack in probably the most exciting race of the season. What a comeback.

Junior

I'm going to go with a bit of a cliché here and nominate a fellow waterford man before Quigs Snr gets in here, and no not King Kelly although I am tempted.

I'm going to say Ciarán Power is my favourite cyclist of all time, for a couple of reasons, I got to race with the man underage up as far as Junior level, and he was class apart even at that age, I can remember him beating seniors in league races, and yet when he turned pro he never lost any of his grounding, he was the complete model pro. Even when teams fell apart around him (Linda McCartney) he still stayed focussed on what he wanted and kept at it, unlike other Irish 'stars' who threw the head at it, he was rewarded with some excellent results, 13th in Athens, who could ever forget him dicing with the sprinters at the Giro. All this in an era between Kelly & Roche and the new breed (Martin, Roche jnr and Deignan), when he had very little support from the establishment here in Ireland, and yet he still kept the head up and got on with it. And yet at the end of it all he got dicked when cycling ireland etc should have been holding up this man as an example to all. And still he's involved with his local club, and gives coaching lessons to other clubs, the man is a pure gentleman thru and thru and nothing can taint his true love cycling.

Now that might seem like a bit of bromance there, but as I said I know the lad since I was 12 and I think he's a shining example of what a true love for the sport can mean.

DaDartle

In 1989, at the tender age of 13 watching Greg LeMond go out and destroy Monsieur Fignon on that final time trial/stage did it for me. LeMond it is then.

ROK ON

@Junior. That is not romantic at all. It is actually the essence of sport.
Class.

montac

Ah look, it has to be Sean Kelly.
He is the main reason I have loved the sport for so long.

sean_d

Easy - Sean Kelly, for starring in this pic:

a neverending inspiration to go out in the rain, hail, snow, mud and push through those extra few kilometres that make the difference between 1st and 2nd place.
If you look hard enough, it almost looks like he's enjoying it, as we should too

Fanattic New Image

I would say my favorite cyclist must be this guy I took a photo of during the An Post Sligo Cycle Race on Ox Mountains last Sunday.

My reasons? Cause he's just so darn yummy and gave the nicest smile to a tired lady who had been photographing tons of brave, fit people for the last 2 hours.




Don't know his name, sorry, but he's worth a mention.

Thanks to all the other brave cyclists who shouted 'That's my bad side', smile and waved. Also to the one I scared as he came over the hill... hope you recovered after spotting me sitting in the ditch...lol.

Irishwonkafan

I always liked Moreno Argentin (yes, going back a bit, I know) but he just sat on the bike and rode...no messing around.
As a close second it has to be Djamolidine Abdoujaparov. Anyone remember him crashing in the last 100mtrs of the Tour some years back and still gets up to walk across the finish line in the green jersey.

Alkers

Would have to say Irishman Glyn O'Brian for coming 3rd in the '03 Red Bull Rampage. You can see some of his run here but the sound is messed up for some reason.

BAMO

Sean Kelly also gets my vote. Was watching the end of the Milan San Remo 1992 race again recently on YouTube. If this doesn't get your heart rate up, nothing will.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jC6vGMEVXU

mloc123

Getting in here first...

E@gle.

Greatest cyclist of all time "The Cannibal" Eddy Mercyx

scholesy

Has to be a close one between Sean Kelly,Stephen Roche or Greg Le mond. in an era of non doping,less sport science and riders personal'Doctors',one cannot but admire all 3.Roche,completing that famous 3 in 1987,Lemond the first American to win the Tour De France. But its really Kelly for me. His consistency in grand tours,his record of stage wins,one day classics etc. is fascinating. I have never seen a rider so courageous in the sport.A man mountain..:)

mloc123

scholesy wrote: »

in an era of non doping

:P

spoonface

Sean Kelly coz he put Irish cycling on the map.

snollup

Have to go for Gene Mangan just cos I grew up on the same road as him and he really introduced me to cycling.

keithraymond

Lance Armstrong is my favourite cyclist of all time, some of you might say he's the obvious answer but for me he is actually my number 1 sporting hero in the world.
Heres why:

At 25 he was on his way to the top of the cycling world if not already on top of it. he was diagnosed with grade 3 testicular cancer the most advanced stage of the cancer. He had 20% chance to live never mind hold onto any kind of athleticism.
He survived, months of painful sickening chemotherapy.
When I watch videos of him and see him in his bed with no hair, the hair stands on the back of neck when I watch them. Since recovering he trained himself back up and won 7 tours in a row. It is absolutly unreal. What a legend.
He founded livestrong to start a world fight against cancer. He didnt only get cancer and survive it but now he is doing everything he can to fight it. What a man. I respect him so much, he is the one I think of when i am struggling over a mountain. He is the one that makes me live my life the way I do. Heres a video that I watch at least two times a week. I cant write everything on here but they are only some of the reasons he is my favourite cyclist of all time on and off the bike.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54u1s_yivljenska-zgodba-lance-armstrong-2_sport

blorg

Irishwonkafan wrote: »

I always liked Moreno Argentin (yes, going back a bit, I know) but he just sat on the bike and rode...no messing around.
As a close second it has to be Djamolidine Abdoujaparov. Anyone remember him crashing in the last 100mtrs of the Tour some years back and still gets up to walk across the finish line in the green jersey.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1tls0_chute-abdoujaparov-tour-de-france-1_fun

He had the points for the green jersey despite the result on that sprint but as he had to "finish" he had to be lifted onto his bike with a broken collarbone and rode to the finish with medical staff on either side.

Lumen

Fanattic New Image wrote: »

I would say my favorite cyclist must be this guy I took a photo of during the An Post Sligo Cycle Race on Ox Mountains last Sunday.

...

Don't know his name, sorry, but he's worth a mention.

I'm pretty sure his name is Fred.

Beasty

I believe Fencer/TimAllen is going to nominate Magnatom as his favourite cyclist:D

Hermy

Paul Kimmage for Rough Ride!

RobFowl

My Favorite is Hubert Opperman



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Opperman

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

My Favorite is Hubert Opperman



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Opperman

Opperman died on an exercise bicycle

- aged 91 - nice way to go:)

(Who will you be taking with you in the An Post team car if you win, Rob?)

kensutz

Ciaran Power gets another vote for me. Great rider and a gent who will take time out to give any beginners advice and training techniques. Also a fellow Waterford man.

shaungil

My favourite sporting moment of all time still remains the point Roche appeared around the corner on La Plagne in '87. I can still hear Phil Liggets commentary in my head.
Remember exactly where I was and with whom and as I think of it I still get the shivers. An Irish guy who I had given up on and no word for what seemed like an eternity had come back out of nowhere and snuck around the corner to keep the gap down. My favourite spoting moment of all time (followed by Geordan Murphy kicking the ball dead last year).
I understand why more go for Kelly and his results put us on the map and no doubt pushed Roche to greater things but for that moment of him appearing Roche has to be my favourite cyclist.

damoz

John James 'Sean' Kelly

Grand Tour record
1978 - Tour de France: 34th GC; Stage 6 win
1979 - Tour de France: 38th GC
1979 - Vuelta a España: Stages 1 and 5 wins
1980 - Tour de France: 29th GC; Stages 19 and 21 wins; 2nd Points class
1980 - Vuelta a España: 4th GC; Points class winner; Stages 1, 2, 14, 17 and 19 wins; Sprints class winner
1981 - Tour de France: 48th GC; Stage 17 win
1982 - Tour de France: 15th GC; Points class winner; Stage 13 win
1983 - Tour de France: 7th GC; Points class winner;
1984 - Tour de France: 5th GC; 2nd Points class
1985 - Tour de France: 4th GC; Points class winner;
1985 - Vuelta a España: 9th GC; Points class winner; Stages 2, 9 and 15 wins
1986 - Vuelta a España: 3rd GC; Points class winner; Stages 10 and 13 wins; Mixed class winner
1987 - Tour de France: DNF
1987 - Vuelta a España: DNF; Stages 1 and 3 wins; held Gold Leaders Jersey for 4 stages
1988 - Tour de France: 46th GC; 3rd Points class
1988 - Vuelta a España: Overall Winner; Points class winner; Stages 11 and 20 wins; Mixed class winner
1989 - Tour de France: 9th GC; Points class winner
1990 - Tour de France: 30th GC
1991 - Tour de France: DNF
1992 - Tour de France: 43rd GC

'Monument' classic victories (9)
Milan-Sanremo 1986, 1992
Paris-Roubaix 1984, 1986
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 1984, 1989
Giro di Lombardia 1983, 1985, 1991 (also won amateur version in 1976)
Note: tied 3rd in All-time list of Monument wins

Other 'classic' victories
Blois-Chaville (Paris-Tours) 1984
GP Plouay 1984
Gent-Wevelgem 1988
Grand Prix des Nations 1986
Tour du Haut Var 1982
Criterium des As 1984, 1985, 1986
GP d'Isbergues 1983
Paris-Bourges 1984
[edit] Stage race victories (24)
Vuelta a España (1988)
Paris-Nice (1982-1988) (7 consecutive wins, a record)
Tour de Suisse (1983, 1990)
Volta a Catalunya (1984, 1986)
Vuelta al País Vasco (1984, 1986, 1987)
Critérium International (1983, 1984, 1987)
Setmana Catalana (1988)
Three Days of De Panne (1980)
Nissan International Classic (1985, 1986, 1987, 1991) (4 wins, a record)

Series victories (4)
UCI Road World Cup Season Champion (1989)
Super Prestige Pernod International (1984, 1985, 1986)

Nuff said.

Captain Havoc

I think it has to be Mockler for a) being so brash to think he could beat El Tonto using a mountain bike and b) for actually beating him.

Seriously though having seen the Shay Elliott story my vote goes to him. He sounds like the ultimate team mate, a man who probably won more races for other people than himself.

The two scots Millar and Obree are also particular legends. Both were a bit mentally unstable but both strived for total perfection and did it their way.

DirkVoodoo

Daniele Bennati for pure style:



Also showing that sometimes bad luck and injury can hamper an otherwise talented cyclist, but people shouldn't forget the talent *cough*.

SubLuminal

For me, its these guys: Justin Silverman and Ibrahim Wafula.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOG83-TwIuM
Justin changed the way I think about cycling, sort of. I never met him, but I used to ride really agressivley, get annoyed at the traffic, ride really 'hard' - after watching his video, it gave me pause for thought about the reasons I cycle, is it really just to get places, fast? Or is it because I like how it makes me feel, I like the fact that it's healthy and green, I like that I can smile at people walking past, talk to other cyclists, feel the sun on my face..

Every cycle doesn't have to be a race, Cycling can and should be for everyone to enjoy. The answer to my questions came in the new enjoyment I found taking my time a bit more, enjoying the sights and sounds of being on a bike, having a chat with other cyclists at the traffic lights..

Its a whole new world out there when you take the time to see it.

And while every cycle ride doesn't have to be a race, some can be. When the rest of the world was getting excited about Lance Armstrong taking part in the LeadVille 100, another chap, unknown mostly in cycling circles, was taking on an adventure of his own. The video does more justice than anything I'll write, so for brevitys sake here is a link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4mXZ9e5fFU - basically whenever I ride I try to find some of their passion and excitement, their simple pleasure at being on two wheels, and definitely, it's improved my life, not to mention my riding manners!

LCD

Going to go with Greg Lemond.

Why is he the greatest, where do I start?

• Came over from the US to Europe back when was a lot harder (no internet, text messages).
• Won the Tour while on the same team as Hinault, even been able to ride alongsode his giant ego and think about winning is an achievement.
• Enjoyed his life, played golf on rest days (will over look the golf)
• Innovator - Look pedals, aero equipment, tri bars, Oakley Sunglasses, wind tunnels
• Road the classics (Like a bag of spanners though!)
• Very strong anti-doping stance
• Ethics before monetary gain (giving out about Armstrong even though it ruined the Lemond/Trek business deal)
• 3 * Tour
• 2 * World Championships
• Speaks his mind
• Z Jerseys were legend
• Won the tour while on ADR....who??
• Got shot
• Once he stopped winning didn't quit straight away like Indurain, rode on for a few more years
• Ant why he is the best, 1989 asked before the final TT when Fignion had a 50second advantage & was he worried, replied "50seconds is a good advantage, but he won't beat me by 50 seconds" He packaged & sold self belief

Only downside his in 1990 he got a big apperance fee for the Nissan Classic and packed it on the first day. As a kid going to watch my hero race was gutted

Signal_ rabbit

Could nominate Kimmage, now that would put the cat amongst the pigeons!

There are plenty of cyclists I could nominate for several different reasons, but the one that has kept me entertained for the longest is Phil Liggett .......does that count. Failing that I nominate Blorg just for the cycling footwear!

Hermy

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Could nominate Kimmage, now that would put the cat amongst the pigeons!

Done.;)

D1976

My all time favourite has to be this m.u.p.p.e.t.

uberwolf

My favourite?

It was Lance - the whole story at the time when I was really falling into cycling swept me up. Everyone knows the back story, and it is extraordinary. I really appreciated cycling being brought main stream, as it helped justify the hours I was putting into this bizarre solitary existence. The first few years of his tour wins were captivating viewing, I took days off work to sit in front of Eurosport. I bought the bike, the jersey, the helmet.

It has all been spoilt. It is implausible. The sheer dominance. The former team mates, the drip of speculation, the rumours via former staff that can't be published.

Like watching Landis for the whole stage that day, jaw hanging open, but you just knew. You didn't need to wait for the tests, and whilst you watched wanting to believe, thinking you just might be watching one of those days that 30 years later would still bear telling. You knew you weren't though.

Cycling is built on those legendary feats, epic rides, lone pursuits. Chris Boardman fits that bill. His failings suggest his honesty, his successes competing against dopers suggest his quality. He inspired others and British cycling has a lot to thank him for now. World Champion, Olympic Champion, yellow jersey and TdeF stage winner

ciaglen

Im not going to say Sean Kelly im afraid it has to be my lovely boyfriend who cycles into work every day to avoid getting in the car wit me Conversely, cars tend to be the place where relationships rapidly deteriorate: “You said take a left, A LEFT!”

Dav

Final day to get your entries in for this folks, we'll be picking a winner tomorrow (20th) morning as we need to make sure we have time to take care of the logistics etc.

Great response so far, many thanks folks.

Until tomorrow...

Dav

peter1991

bradley wiggins, as he has made such a transformation from the track

Junior

Any word on who won this ?

Savage_Henry

Maris Strombergs
Cos hes the first BMX olympic gold medalist and also my fellow countryman.

Gaspode

Eddie Merckx. for no other reason than I had an 'Eddie Merckx' branded bike as my first decent racer!

Dav

Sorry for the delay in posting this folks - I was waiting to hear from the winner to confirm they could still take the prize etc.

So, I am delighted to announce the winner picked by An Post is: SubLuminal for this post.

Thank you very much everyone for entering.

Dav