'Pro' racers VS Weekend 'Warriors'

[rpok]

You had it coming since a long time man. You have been provoking a lot of people on many occasions. From you saying things like ''i think the team jumped the gun by going with the sponsorship, the media'', to ''roopak is a great guy but he's yet to beat me'', to trying to teach me on FB of who amateurs in your Italy are, to making fun of me months back publicly on FB in Oct BBCh race when you said ''roopak you got dropped faster than a Paris Hilton's panties''.

It all started on 1st April when you started taking digs at my team constantly like ''If you want to be professional athlete move to the subcontinent. No resume req'd, No results req'd''. Past few days you've been posting similar ignorant remarks about my team on this thread things like ''BBCH and HCC as resumes'', ''no results at national champsionships''. I tried to clear the air very patiently once and for all today even speaking most of our results, but it continued with making fun of a team member who's highly respected - Darren, mocking him as ''becoming pro at 35 years - only in India''. I again tried to clear that he's been racing as UCI pro for many years and he started racing when he was 12 and he has even raced against Robbie McEwen in Australia. He's been part of Rapha CX teams, won Japanese Cyclocross National Championships, been part of Trek Marco Polo and many other professional teams. Again this is not digestable by Rnair and he comes back with ''i know 50 year old guys who can drop Darren''.

You like to prove that you know what's the best out there, what a pro team should have "A team should have 10 Cat Pro level riders ( Mind you not even Cat 1 ) to get this in USA and EU or even Australia", what a pro rider should be expected to do and what undeserving other riders are there in our team ''Even your hero Cat 1 from Aussieland will not get this deal if he rode back in Aussieland today".
You forget that Specialized sponsors a lot of regional and domestic pro teams as well with equipment.

Then you also again come and hit us with a completely ignorant blanket statement like ''i'll call them pro once they're racing on the wheels of Tom Boonen''. I didnt' expect this statement to come from you. Going by this rule only 600 odd World Tour Pro riders are pro. I've clarified with everyone in the thread earlier that there are levels of being pro. In the end, if calling us elite, gives you a better night's sleep, go ahead - i dont care.

Few days back you even started saying ''Anyone who calls himself a pro will not get invited into TFN". You should know that there are other people attached to TFN and that its a big brand and that making such statements will hurt TFN's future only. I agree that having any race fights in any race/tour is not tolerable, but not allowing riders to race coz they are professionally sponsored? Isn't that again a blanket statement?

You sit on the internet and this is what you do daily and you provoke people with your supposed acts of wisdom and your show of superiority! That's all. You like to show that you're superior to everyone else around in knowledge, in your cycling wisdom and even in cycling. And if you can't drop any one, you will come out with a defeated argument saying ''i know who can drop you''. How can that be called any mature.
Are you trying to kid our innocence? What did Specialized sponsoring one of the Indian cycling teams do any wrong to you? There is no hug all community which we live in. We're struggling cyclists and we're trying to grow.

But if this constant internet ridicule keeps happening, this is one of diversions. I'm the only team mate who even reads all these forums, coz i've been part of this forum since a long time and i care for what others say especially abt me or my team.

I personally do not even care whether you can drop me or not. Even if i did drop you i wouldn't brag to everyone on FB and BZ about it like its some achievement. For me you're a 38 year old cyclist that i once used to respect and had 2 days of riding, but i never knew those 2 days you were trying to gather your superiority complex over Roopak Suri which you could then share on the internet over next few years to come!

And lastly i'd like to share what you're being called in Bangalore cycling circles nowdays - FIGJAM - its an acronym for ''f^<k i'm Good (God), Just Ask Me''

This is my last post and no matter what you say on this thread, i dont have the time or energy to reply or defend. Truth is you will continue to come back and i have many other committments including a lot more cycilng to sit on BZ whole day and trying to defend what you say against me or my team or try to clarify the air.
I've been told by my team earlier as well to not reply because it leads to endless debates, but for the purpose of everyone viewing this and wondering how the personal attack started and what was the reason for it, i'm saying this.

[RNair]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/

This is a site where people read news, opinions and reports about cycling, teams and athletes. It is fine to talk about cyclists. If you read my comments carefully I have never questioned anyone's character or personal life. It leasts interests me. You are still taking a dig at me personally. I squarely focused on cycling. There is absolutely nothing wrong in writing or talking about cycling or cyclists. If you don't like it then quit and stay with your job.

You like to be a pro but you don't like people talking about you or your rides or results or your team. Next what your team is going to put a gag order on the public and we are all forbidden from discussing anything? You want the media, you want the limelight, you want the support but no one should ever say anything that you don't like? I am confused.

Grow up. And you keep coming up with these long justifications when I am not asking for it. No one here is asking of it. You are just cheapening yourself and your good team.

A lot of those things you wrote or rather quoted me in the last post was in good gesture or humor in times when I thought you were a friend. I guess I was wrong.

[RNair]

I read your post thrice and you keep jumping at me consistently while quite honestly I don't even care to know your justifications. Not sure why you feel you should "clear some air"? You can call yourself whatever you want, race where ever you want. I don't need to hear about all these explanations. Back in DC we had 4 teams like yours and we often spoke about them and their cyclists. It was considered routine. They never came to any forum to provide such lengthly explanations or resumes. If one races then people talk. It is natural. Remember I don't belong to Bangalore or Hyderabad and my thinking is a little different and so is my influence. People maybe forget that. Like you said I am almost 40 year old amateur who rides so I can stay in good health. I am not bound to any sponsors or team gags or orders.

[SexJihaad9/11]

Btw not sure why you took that bait! It was not yours.

Obvious troll is obvious.

[cheewachai]

Woow Roopak : You replied at 1:30am ... No training on Thursday mornings ?

[photon]

I think that the 'fat bellied' expression is a manner of speaking. I dont think it is derogatory towards the rest, but like Rajesh said it's a mock at 'pro's' building resumes from these races.

I think it has been taken out of context, but hey just my opinion.

Absolutely Doctor, I saw Rnair's message in the same light as well. Venkat and Shankar please do not get offended.

Regards
Aravind S

[sumitpal]

Woow Roopak : You replied at 1:30am ... No training on Thursday mornings ?

He trains in the evenings. How many hours do you get though, SSR?

[SexJihaad9/11]

I thought you were a friend. I guess I was wrong.

Awwww....

Now you've gone and made him cry..

[raknair]

Katti Ho Ya Batti, Barabaje Bhatti !!!!

[brijnair]

Sitting way out here, I'm not going to comment on the incident. But I can say this, that I HATE those posts that go: Come on guys, let us think of the humanity, let us make this world a better place and just leave this issue alone. No more, let's move on.

Moving on isn't about pretending everything is okay and hoping it'll all work itself out in the end. This is the huge problem with a passive-aggressive culture. People are either smiling and hugging (even if not sincerely), or they're screaming, name-calling and generally getting very very upset. There's no space in between given for people to politely, but firmly, disagree with each other, or express contradictory views without being treated as if they are troublemakers or negative influences.

Happens in families all the time as well.

completely agree, I guess we all need to read this 2-3 times there is an ounce of medicine for everyone here thanks Minkey!

[rookie_ryder]

You guys are unbelievable! If this is what happens on a friggin internet forum, I'm not surprised by what happened at the race!

[wanderingwheels]

You guys are unbelievable! If this is what happens on a friggin internet forum, I'm not surprised by what happened at the race!

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[hitanshu]

You guys are unbelievable! If this is what happens on a friggin internet forum, I'm not surprised by what happened at the race!

Is this the first thread you've followed in almost 2 years?

[deepakvrao]

You guys are unbelievable! If this is what happens on a friggin internet forum, I'm not surprised by what happened at the race!

Actually, it's easier to fight on the net. Mostly people that you don't *really* know and sometimes nuances are not well communicated with only text.

[wanderingwheels]

IMHO this whole thing is ugly - what they say happened at the race and the discussion that took a bad turn.

If I was the organizer, I would ban folks involved in the fights - those who exchanged blows (not the ones who instigated it) - for rest of the year, and the teams for a race. That's what happens in sports - when you start doing things you are not supposed to do, you get thrown out. Examples: Zidane, Mike Tyson... the list is endless.

When you wake up early morning and get your behind out there to ride, you ride. You don't try to knock others off, you don't try to salvage your hurt ego; you ride! Well, if things were so simple, there wouldn't have been two world wars. Enjoy!