Good bye Nico

Aside from all the big days in the saddle, will miss the diaries, and his insights into the tactics of the races.

A great, and immensely underrated rider. I feel he particularly shipped a lot of unwarranted criticism when he turned himself into one of the top domestiques in the world tour (which he was for a few years) and then road captain. As opposed to a lot, it was when he was so focused on GT GC that he probably sacrificed the most opportunities in my opinion, in week long stage races.

Anyway, a very solid career, and I'll miss rooting for him.

Link

To me a very underrated rider who could and probably should have won more but as pointed out above going for GT placings in his early years didn’t fit with chasing GT stages.

He started and finished a GT every year between 2007 and 2021. He kept cycling interesting for me for a long time. I always wish he’d won a stage in the TdF but that won’t happen now. I loved his diaries, especially when he had a go at Gadret over his refusal to give him a wheel in 2010.

I hope he has a good retirement and we see him on Eurosport and in a team car

Imagine an Ireland cycling team that had Nico for a coach!

It’s not too late to pull out Nico