2014 Tour de France

[Xplora]

However, probably no medals in the personality stakes

Is personality a criteria of assessment for these honours?

I'd argue that personality IS a criteria for a knighthood. If Rolf Harris had not been given anything before, do you think they'd give him anything now?

Anyways, Nibali won, Astana has awful colours and Porte needs to find another level if he expects to succeed in the GTs.

[sogood]

Is personality a criteria of assessment for these honours?

I'd argue that personality IS a criteria for a knighthood...

This is not a point of argument. The question was, is personality an assessment criteria for British knighthood?

[Xplora]

Google is your friend, if you want facts. Endless conjecture - you don't have to leave the padded walls of BNA at all

[sogood]

No more so than uninvited argument. It's a forum!

[Dirty32]

Just that you seemed to be annoyed by a small symbol of his English-ness. Maybe it's part psychological denial of his father, who knows?

I don't mind a bit of individuality myself, even within a team. It seems to work for Wiggo, anyway.

Not at all... I am English / British myself.

I actually like Wiggo. I like his persona, his individuality and what he seems to have brought to the sometimes insipid and sterile world of cycling (from the outside looking in, of course)... I personally much prefer him to Froome and many others that just seem very clinical and lack a bit of personality.

As I said earlier, perhaps its a branding & marketing thing, ala David Beckham, Christiano Ronaldo, Lebron James or various other sporting Megastars, that will continue to sell merchandise long after they retire. Perhaps he just likes it... I dont know. Cavendish has his own line of kit / colours, Griepel has his little Gorilla thing going on... I am sure that there are many others that have their own little mascot / trademark to differentiate themselves a little, in the industry. I just find that the Mod Motif that Wiggo uses lacks a bit of originality, is all.

Up the Gunners!!
Another point in his favour.

Oh, thats it. We're done here... We are just not going to get along.
Up the Lily Whites! #COYS!!

[cyclotaur]

Hahahaha - that explains a fair bit! :)

[GAV!N]

However, probably no medals in the personality stakes

Is personality a criteria of assessment for these honours?

I'd argue that personality IS a criteria for a knighthood. If Rolf Harris had not been given anything before, do you think they'd give him anything now?

Anyways, Nibali won, Astana has awful colours and Porte needs to find another level if he expects to succeed in the GTs.

Porte had a pretty terrible lead up to the tour and suffered a viral infection through the tour which no doubt affected his performance. I agree he probably needs to find another level, but I wouldn't say this tour was his perfect tour. Problem is with Team Sky it's unlikely he'll get another chance for at least a few years...not in the tour anyway, Giro or Vuelta maybe...but will Sky let him?

[Xplora]

Virus schmirus, Quintana was sick and won the Giro

The other level includes all that. You can't really rely on perfect conditions for a 12 month preparation. You have to work out how to win despite adversity. Now this is deeply unreasonable on Porte who was domestique, not team leader. And he did better than Froome. And Contador. And Cadel. But he also did better than Mercx and Xplora too while not winning, so beating people who didn't race the Tour don't really count.

I hope OGE can lift next year but I think targeting the Giro was a better plan. We will see!

[Joel Bohorquez]

I have no suspicions about Nibali's performance. With the demise of Froome and Contador he has not been challenged at all, in the way that a fit and in form Froome or Contador could challenge, and so he still looks fresh - fresh enough to power home comfortably and win the hardest stages.
Valverde has done nothing but go backward, and the young guns were only ever competing for a spot in the podium, completely psyched out by Nibali no doubt. Porte may as well have stayed at home.
Team Astana has performed well and is one of the few teams which still have a full complement of riders, despite Fulsang's crash. And Nibali has gotten the most out of every one of them and has only had to do the finishing.

And not to forget that Nibali has previously won both the Giro and the Vuelta and has a more impressive palmares than any rider in the tour.

Something I find rather surreal is how some seem to find credible the performance of the 41 year old who beat Nibali in last years Vuelta.

Just like the Giro, it's been a most refreshing tour.

Fourth Astana rider turns in doping positive

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/11/ ... ive_353629

In the news today. UCI is reviewing Astana license.

-----------------------------------
Watching the Tour I thought that Nibali won clean.
After recently reading "A Clean Break" from Christophe Bassons and reading all these names like Bjarne Riis (Tinkoff Saxo General Manager) and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana General Manager) denying being doping and lying all the time during their pro years until proved otherwise. It just makes me think that sadly Cycling is still in a doping era only more sophisticated.
Now in retrospective, watching Nibali won the Tour so effortlessly, even though it is true that Froome and Contador were not there to challenge him, and his performance in the Criterium du Dauphine and his jump in performance in the Tour de France just make me be really suspicious along with the news today.