# Cyclist Nicknames



## Noodley (7 Sep 2013)

We'll all know of the Cannibal, The Eagle of Toledo, the Badger...but some cyclists had some bonkers nicknames, and some of them a long list of alternatives:

Carlo Galetti fell into the former, known as The Squirrel of the Canals
Ferdy Kubler fell into the latter, being known as: The Eagle of Adilswil, The Nose, Rabid Ferdy, The Cycling Cowboy, Cyrano, The Mad Cyclist, Ferdy the Stallion, Mr. 100,000 Volts, The Magnificent One

I've been left at home with nothing but an old cowboy movie and the internet for company....


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## raindog (7 Sep 2013)

Boredom's a bugger right enough

"Poupou" for Raymond Poulidor
and "_l'Ange de la montagne" _for Charly Gaul


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## byegad (7 Sep 2013)

Mine appears to be 'Hoy! You!' from people who know me or 'Warrgghamabam' from WVM as he passes me on the road.


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## Dayvo (7 Sep 2013)

Mine's Cannon, to do with my surname, not my road bike.


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## Dayvo (7 Sep 2013)

2639485 said:


> Ball?



If my surname was Ball, I think my mates would have come up with something far more embarrassing.


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## ufkacbln (7 Sep 2013)

The MOD has a department whose entire function is to name warships......... Perhaps the UCI could do something similar?


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## Noodley (7 Sep 2013)

Dayvo said:


> Mine's Cannon, to do with my surname, not my road bike.


 
This is a cyclists nickname thread, not a nickname for nobbers thread...


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## BJH (7 Sep 2013)

2639728 said:


> What is LA's current nickname?



Toss Pot ????


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## Hip Priest (7 Sep 2013)

Wiggo, Froomey, Cav, G.

Yes, the Brits are rubbish at nicknames.


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## ufkacbln (7 Sep 2013)

2639528 said:


> When you say department, do you mean 2 people?


... *and* a tea lady.

This is Whitehall


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## Noodley (8 Sep 2013)

Hip Priest said:


> Cav


 
aka The Manx Missile.


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## steve52 (8 Sep 2013)

i have been called canal leg steve! due to my climbing ability


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## Noodley (8 Sep 2013)

The Professor seems to be a well used nickname - Jean and Louison Bobet, Lauren Fignon and Jan Janssen


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## Noodley (8 Sep 2013)

You can find your own cycling nickname here:
http://www.bigtrip.blogspot.co.uk/funandgames/nickgen.html

I am "piernas del granito" - Granite Legs


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## Noodley (8 Sep 2013)

And yes, I have been left home alone again today...


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## SWSteve (8 Sep 2013)

> http://www.bigtrip.blogspot.co.uk/funandgames/nickgen.html



'The Cobra'
I've heard this from the ladies as well 

The Badger (Hinault) is a pretty good nickname


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## rich p (8 Sep 2013)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> 'The Cobra'
> I've heard this from the ladies as well
> 
> The Badger (Hinault) is a pretty good nickname


 Riccardo Ricco used to be known as The Cobra until he got busted and became known as Il Nobbio Dickheadio


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## Kiwiavenger (8 Sep 2013)

My "cyclist nickname" ciaran 'The Terminator' tsangari lol


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## Dayvo (8 Sep 2013)

Noodley said:


> You can find your own cycling nickname here:
> http://www.bigtrip.blogspot.co.uk/funandgames/nickgen.html



The Astronaut - hmmm!


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## oiljam (8 Sep 2013)

RoboCoppi.....whats that all about??


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## Saluki (8 Sep 2013)

Noodley said:


> You can find your own cycling nickname here:
> http://www.bigtrip.blogspot.co.uk/funandgames/nickgen.html
> 
> I am "piernas del granito" - Granite Legs



The leopard  Do you think that its the spots?


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## byegad (8 Sep 2013)

Apparently Pedlomaniac is my new nick name. Better than guy at the back I suppose!


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## Milzy (8 Sep 2013)

I'm Chiseled Whippet, had it before Boris stole it.


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## Hip Priest (8 Sep 2013)

Noodley said:


> aka The Manx Missile.



Oh yes, of course.

Filipo Pozzato is the Nobber of the North.


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## oiljam (8 Sep 2013)

I think they make great usernames. I'm thinking RoboCoppi might make an appearance somewhere


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## subaqua (8 Sep 2013)

according to the link posted I am puddle monkey or urban gorilla depending on wht i think best cycle computer feature is


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## The Couch (8 Sep 2013)

Noodley said:


> You can find your own cycling nickname here:
> http://www.bigtrip.blogspot.co.uk/funandgames/nickgen.html


"Clockwork" ?!?

I seem to call Francis De Greef "idiot" often, does that count as nick?


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## Kies (8 Sep 2013)

kies 'Piernas del Granito'


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## Noodley (8 Sep 2013)

Kies said:


> kies 'Piernas del Granito'


Snap


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## lukesdad (8 Sep 2013)

"Mountain goat" FFS at least it wasn t mounting sheep


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## Tim Hall (8 Sep 2013)

2641273 said:


> Adrian "The Natural"


It seems to have omitted the final word, so we'll have to guess what it is. "Optimist" perhaps.


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## ColinJ (8 Sep 2013)

If it were not for the risk of being lynched by illiterate vigilantes, I reckon _'Pedalphile_' would be rather good!


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## Crackle (9 Sep 2013)

La Mariposa and is it legal to allow Noodley to be left on his own, there ought to be a law about that.


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## KEEF (9 Sep 2013)

Velocitron is it a word


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## The Couch (9 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> If it were not for the risk of being lynched by illiterate vigilantes, I reckon _'Pedalphile_' would be rather good!


How do I report the disgusting and inappropriate usage in this message?!?

(I believe everyone will agree .... that avatar picture with the dark sunglasses is just inappriotiate )
(but I do like the nickname )


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## oldroadman (9 Sep 2013)

Anyone who confesses their nickname when it maight be a bit, er, embarrassing, is looking for comment of the micky taking kind. It can vary with which team you are with. Non-English speakers can pick up on a word and it sticks. Can be very funny, or not, as the case may be!
No confessions


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## AndyRM (9 Sep 2013)

Michael "Bling" Matthews


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## Mad Doug Biker (16 Sep 2013)

Noodley said:


> You can find your own cycling nickname here:
> http://www.bigtrip.blogspot.co.uk/funandgames/nickgen.html
> 
> I am "piernas del granito" - Granite Legs



I am, somewhat unimaginatively called (due to my weight):
Douglas The Feather ***** (my second name there).

'The Feather' - I like it!! (it's better than the other two possible choices too!)


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## Toshiba Boy (16 Sep 2013)

2641273 said:


> Adrian "The Natural"******



+2


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## threebikesmcginty (23 Mar 2014)

Just reading about Kubler the other day, not a bad career. He retired 57 years ago in his late 30s, at 94 he's the oldest living winner of the Tour! Although his nickname, The Cowboy, came from his penchant for Stetson hats I couldn't find a pic of him wearing one. There were some good racing photos though.


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## Louch (23 Mar 2014)

Mile eater - they must have heard of my unwarranted reputation for over consumption of gels every mile


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## Sharky (23 Mar 2014)

threebikesmcginty said:


> Just reading about Kubler the other day, not a bad career. He retired 57 years ago in his late 30s, at 94 he's the oldest living winner of the Tour! Although his nickname, The Cowboy, came from his penchant for Stetson hats I couldn't find a pic of him wearing one. There were some good racing photos though.




Is that a good old "double clanger" on the bike?


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## Crackle (23 Mar 2014)

Sharky said:


> Is that a good old "double clanger" on the bike?


Those two front rings are nearly the same. If I recall they half the gear. I had a Campag one on an old Rotrax I bought off the bloke who once raced it.


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## Sharky (23 Mar 2014)

Crackle said:


> Those two front rings are nearly the same. If I recall they half the gear. I had a Campag one on an old Rotrax I bought off the bloke who once raced it.



It was the front changer I noticed. A hand operated rod front changer. I had one on one of my early bikes and every time you changed the front gear, it used to "clang".

In these days of indexed and electric gears, can you imagine what they had to use.


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## raindog (24 Mar 2014)

threebikesmcginty said:


> ..... Stetson hats I couldn't find a pic of him wearing one.


http://cyclingart.blogspot.fr/2011/12/chapeau-ferdi.html


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## rich p (24 Mar 2014)

Can't be sure but I think the one on the right is Lance Armstrong - he used to be a TdF winner


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## Dogtrousers (30 Mar 2014)

Sharky said:


> It was the front changer I noticed. A hand operated rod front changer. I had one on one of my early bikes and every time you changed the front gear, it used to "clang".
> 
> In these days of indexed and electric gears, can you imagine what they had to use.


I've got a Cyclo Benelux rod operated front changer as a desk ornament. It's beautiful. I used it for years - with a cable lever. I always thought it was a bit funny but I rigged up some cabling for it to work, and it worked really well. I only discovered that it was an antique (and originally rod operated) recently when I broke the bike up. One of my early bikes from the 70s was a proper racing bike (as in used for racing, not just a "racer") - quite old at the time, probably cost me a fiver. Unfortunately it got badly smashed up in an accident (broken frame & forks) and the only salvaged part was that mech.


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## Flick of the Elbow (29 May 2017)

It seems that Dumoulin's nickname is 'The Butterfly of Maastricht'. How bizarre. The Cycling Podcast are noting that he hates it and the Dutch press are suggesting that he be called 'The Doctor' instead, reflecting that before giving it up for cycling he started medical studies. The Cycling Podcast reckon this is a terrible idea given cycling's troubles but I quite like it, shades of Laurent Fignon 'The Professor'.
Apart from the pantomime wrestling, what other sports love their nicknames so much ?


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## SWSteve (29 May 2017)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> It seems that Dumoulin's nickname is 'The Butterfly of Maastricht'. How bizarre. The Cycling Podcast are noting that he hates it and the Dutch press are suggesting that he be called 'The Doctor' instead, reflecting that before giving it up for cycling he started medical studies. The Cycling Podcast reckon this is a terrible idea given cycling's troubles but I quite like it, shades of Laurent Fignon 'The Professor'.
> Apart from the pantomime wrestling, what other sports love their nicknames so much ?



El Niño plays football


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## Flick of the Elbow (29 May 2017)

The other ones I can think of currently in the peloton are the Gorilla, the Terminator (not to be confused with the Tashkent Terminator), and the Shark of Messina. If Quintana was to have one it would surely be The Assasin ?


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## SWSteve (29 May 2017)

American Football nicknames:
Megatron
Legatron
The Fridge
Fitzmagic
Shady


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## SWSteve (29 May 2017)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> The other ones I can think of currently in the peloton are the Gorilla, the Terminator (not to be confused with the Tashkent Terminator), and the Shark of Messina. If Quintana was to have one it would surely be The Assasin ?



Don't forget that the Shark was sired by il Lupo (The Wolf)


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## brommers (29 May 2017)

Obviously there is Cav: 'The Manx Missile'


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## Sharky (29 May 2017)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Don't forget that the Shark was sired by il Lupo (The Wolf)


I should have known that


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## Pro Tour Punditry (29 May 2017)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> The other ones I can think of currently in the peloton are the Gorilla, the Terminator (not to be confused with the Tashkent Terminator), and the Shark of Messina. If Quintana was to have one it would surely be The Assasin ?


I thought it was Tashkent Terror?


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## Flick of the Elbow (29 May 2017)

Marmion said:


> I thought it was Tashkent Terror?


Perhaps it was. A long time ago.

Also, Panzerwagon - Tony Martin


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## Aravis (29 May 2017)

"The Butterfly" for Dumoulin is absolutely terrible. It suggests a lightweight climber who has the ability to vanish up a mountain without his rivals quite realising what's happened. Pedro Delgado, 1988/89 vintage?

Perhaps more than anyone who's come along since, Dumoulin's style reminds me of Eddy Merckx. The name that stuck with Merckx was "The Cannibal", so maybe Dumoulin could be "The Headhunter".


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## SWSteve (29 May 2017)

Sharky said:


> I should have known that



I don't know if il Lupo was a cyclist - but I doubt you get to the Shark's level without some family influence


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## dragon72 (29 May 2017)

Not forgetting El Pistolero Contador & Purito Rodríguez, but they've probably been mentioned upthread a number of years ago.


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## MiK1138 (29 May 2017)

not having the best sense of direction I reckon mine should be WheresMik


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## dragon72 (29 May 2017)

Aravis said:


> "The Butterfly" for Dumoulin is absolutely terrible. It suggests a lightweight climber who has the ability to vanish up a mountain without his rivals quite realising what's happened. Pedro Delgado, 1988/89 vintage?
> 
> Perhaps more than anyone who's come along since, Dumoulin's style reminds me of Eddy Merckx. The name that stuck with Merckx was "The Cannibal", so maybe Dumoulin could be "The Headhunter".



My suggestions are all scatological in nature
Pitstop Tom,
the Defecator,
Du-poo-lin, 
Thr'p'nies, 
"il cagatore", 
the "Manure Meister from Maastricht" might be a bit of a mouthful


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## Flick of the Elbow (29 May 2017)

Mine would be The Procrastinator


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## ColinJ (29 May 2017)

There are quite a few who should be known as _The Wheelsucker_!


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## Flick of the Elbow (30 May 2017)

I've long reckoned that Fabio Aru should be Metal Guru. Whenever I hear his name mentioned in commentary, there's Marc and the boys singing in my head.


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## Toshiba Boy (30 May 2017)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> Mine would be The Procrastinator


Have you finally decided on that?


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## brommers (30 May 2017)

T. Dumoulin = Tom Tit?


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## oldroadman (31 May 2017)

Noodley said:


> We'll all know of the Cannibal, The Eagle of Toledo, the Badger...but some cyclists had some bonkers nicknames, and some of them a long list of alternatives:
> 
> Carlo Galetti fell into the former, known as The Squirrel of the Canals
> Ferdy Kubler fell into the latter, being known as: The Eagle of Adilswil, The Nose, Rabid Ferdy, The Cycling Cowboy, Cyrano, The Mad Cyclist, Ferdy the Stallion, Mr. 100,000 Volts, The Magnificent One
> ...



Was Ferdi also known as "le pedaleur de charme", or was that someone else back in the 40s/50s?


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## oldroadman (31 May 2017)

Marmion said:


> I thought it was Tashkent Terror?


Or "the loony" for his sprint antics?


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## Dec66 (1 Jun 2017)

Surely, as anybody who's seen American Pie will tell you, Dumoulin's nickname should be "Sh!tbreak"?


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## Flick of the Elbow (1 Jun 2017)

A spot of googling has just found me this...
http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/riderhistories/cyclist-nicknames.html


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## Flick of the Elbow (1 Jun 2017)

oldroadman said:


> Was Ferdi also known as "le pedaleur de charme", or was that someone else back in the 40s/50s?


Hugo Koblet according to the list I've just posted


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## mjr (7 Jun 2017)

Tim Declercq - The Tractor - http://www.quickstepfloorscycling.com/en/news/detail/meet-tim-el-tractor-declercq/2997

Roundup of 13 - how many can you get before you look at http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/13-of-the-strangest-nicknames-in-cycling-196995 ? Some have already appeared above:
The Butterfly of Maastricht
Der Panzerwagen
The Second Best Climber in the World
The Seagull
Cash Register
The Yoyo
Mr 100,000 Volts
The Watchmaker of Avila
Moncoucou
Barbie
The Condor of Varsseveld
The Squirrel of the Canals/The Human Stopwatch
Dr Teeth
plus the ones from the comments that I've seen before:
Yogi
Cuddles
Vader


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## brommers (8 Jun 2017)

Here's one from today's stage of the Dauphiné

The race is approaching La Clayette where Edvald Boasson Hagen won stage 3 of the 2012 Critérium du Dauphiné in a bunch sprint after a long breakaway by a Spanish duo formed of the "Andalucian lynx" Luis Angel Maté and Basque rider Egoi Martinez.


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## normgow (9 Jun 2017)

Jean Robic was allegedly known as "the Hobgoblin of the Brittany Moor".


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## Pro Tour Punditry (2 Jul 2017)

Imerio Massignan was "the Spider of the Dolomites", which I discovered whilst reading a book* by Herbie Sykes about Franco Balmamion, "the Eagle of the Caravese" 

* it's a very good book, well worth reading, not your usual biography as it covers a number of rider's stories and not just Balmamion.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (13 Jul 2017)

It was linked to earlier in a "list", however I think it worth highlighting in itself.

I am re-reading a book about the Classics and found this one in the chapters about Flanders:

Henri Van Lerberghe - The Death Rider of Lichtervelde


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## Dayvo (14 Jul 2017)

Marmion said:


> Imerio Massignan was "the Spider of the Dolomites", which I discovered whilst reading a book* by Herbie Sykes about Franco Balmamion, "the Eagle of the Caravese"
> 
> * it's a very good book, well worth reading, not your usual biography as it covers a number of rider's stories and not just Balmamion.



I'll have it after you, then, please.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (14 Jul 2017)

Dayvo said:


> I'll have it after you, then, please.


Aye, PM me your address and I'll get it sent


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## Aravis (18 Jul 2017)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> A spot of googling has just found me this...
> http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/riderhistories/cyclist-nicknames.html


I came across one today which doesn't seem to be on that list - a fairly recent TDF King of the Mountains for anyone who wants to hazard a guess:

The Buffalo from Medellín.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (18 Jul 2017)

Aravis said:


> The Buffalo from Medellín.



Is it Romain Bardet?

Thought not...


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## Tim Hall (18 Jul 2017)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> I've long reckoned that Fabio Aru should be Metal Guru. Whenever I hear his name mentioned in commentary, there's Marc and the boys singing in my head.


Fabio Aru should have his surname pronounced inna Warren Zevon stylee and is therefore (Aru) Werewolf of London. I think I saw him at Trader Vic's just the other day


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## rich p (19 Jul 2017)

Aravis said:


> I came across one today which doesn't seem to be on that list - a fairly recent TDF King of the Mountains for anyone who wants to hazard a guess:
> 
> The Buffalo from Medellín.


Carlos (who ate all the empanadas) Betancur?


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