Into the sunset: Zabel to call it quits

[Moishe]

http://www.velonews.com/article/84129/erik-zabel-will-ride-into-retirement-at-sunday-s

Erik Zabel will be calling it quits on a long and respectable career. Although he will forever linked with doping in the early 90's he appeared to ride the rest of his career clean and with solid performances. Zabel was a fantastic all around rider that had the misfortune of spending his best years in the shadow of Jan Ullrich. He and Hincapie are two of my favorite domestiques.

[soccernutter]

Oh, I would not call Zabel a domistique. He was a sprinter, then when the mountains came, tried to help out.

Regardless, he will be missed.

[Twenty26Six]

6x Points Winner at Le Tour.
1996-2001

[Dead Fingers]

I was finishing up the 2001 Ghent-Wevelgem last night and it was interesting to see Erik actually break up chases, as his team mate Steffen Wesemann was in the lead group w/ Hincapie.

Great sprinter.

[Moishe]

Oh, I would not call Zabel a domistique. He was a sprinter, then when the mountains came, tried to help out.

Regardless, he will be missed.

In the classic sense of the word maybe not a true domestique. While it's true he's a solid sprinter, he was imho much better in the mountains than just helping out. Would he have worn Polka Dots? Not a chance but for a pure sprinter and trackie, the man was a very solid climber. Where he carried the label as a domestique was in part from the Telekom days in which he rode for Riis and Ullrich and most recently with Milram where he rode solely for Ale-Jet until Pettachi got popped for doping.

I suppose in the classics he would carry more of a leaders role but in the GC race of a grand tour, he was for the most part outside of points a team guy.:)

[Moishe]

Erik Zabel ends Paris-Tours in seventh place.

[Dead Fingers]

Would people mind if I made one "Professional Peloton" for the news from the world of pro cycling?

[Twenty26Six]

Would people mind if I made one "Professional Peloton" for the news from the world of pro cycling?

Nope, go right ahead, moderator. ;)

[Moishe]

Would people mind if I made one "Professional Peloton" for the news from the world of pro cycling?

Makes perfect sense to me:)