What's the best pro cyclists's name?

Well Pelizotti is quite good.

Then:

Jeremy Hunt (because he's always in the news )

Kenny Van Hummel

Iljo Klesse

Michele Scarponi

Schleck is quite nice to say

As is Cancellara (Especially with a hard c - Can-CH-ell-aara)

(Bike) Ryder Hesjedal.

A list of the names I like

Bauke Mollema
Matteo Montaguti
Gianluca Brambilla
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Mathieu Ladagnous
Wout Poels
Daniel Teklehaymanot
Dennis van Winden
Fumiyuki Beppu

Steve Cummings

That BOY Van Poppel did well

djamolidine abdoujaparov.

Also quite liking ben swift, a bit of nominative determinism there.

Another vote for the Tashkent Terror, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov. The name alone got me into cycling.

I like Alejandro Valverde and Alberto Contador, as long as they're said in an over the top Spanglish accent with plenty of tongue-roll on the 'R'.

Lars Boom is my absolute favourite.

Vladimir Karpets

and it's a retail career when his pro contract ends

I always thought the name Beryl Burton had a ring of Northern gumption about it.

Some of the Basque riders have got great names;
Amets Txurruka, Xabier Zandio and Haimar Zubeldia.

Another favourite is Winner Andrew Anacona of Lampre. His Dad was a fan of the cyclists Peter Winnen and Andrew Hampsten, but made a spelling mistake.

I always love the Italian names. Eros Capecchi, Elia Viviani, Marco Pantani. You can be so expressive with them... Maaaaarrrrco Pantaaaahhhni.

But I think my favourite has to be Lars Boom. BOOM! I hope when he retires he starts a bike company. I want a bike that has BOOM! on it.

My favourites are.....

Jack Bauer (I bet he does whispershouting like Keifer Sutherland)
Columbian rider Atapuma
my namesake and white jersey winner Benoit Salmon

Sammy du Moulin - Always makes me think of Windy Miller from Trumpton

What a great thread!

Ben Swift +1 - you seen what his twitter name is? Swiftybswift - clever eh?!

Jack Bauer is clearly very cool.

However, you all missed the daddy of brilliant names, that used to make my mum laugh when I watching the TdF at my parents house...

Bo Hamburger!

I do love the idea of a bike named 'BOOM!' though.

Yup, my wife used to kick my arse at fantasy TdF simply by going for the comedy names team

Bo Hamburger
Laurent Jellybear
Mr 60% 'Beanu Reeves'from Point Break and Bill and Ted
Vlad Karpets
etc..

...Abdou...!! beat me to it! my (at that time) 4 year old neice could pronounce it perfectly!!

Blel Kadri. I dont know what a blel is but it's cool.

I'll see your Ben Swift and I'll raise you...

Tony Gallopin. A proper sprinters name but only if you pronounce it in an Anglo voice.

Jonathan Castroviejo. Just because it's a great name he clearly has a future in making Roija.

Songezo Jim is in the MTN-Qhubeka squad for Milan-San Remo.
Awesome name and great back story too:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/songezo-jim-living-his-dream-with-mtn-qh...

Kristian House always brings a wry smile

Rigoberto Uran Uran. so good they named him twice.

Another vote for Winner Andrew Anacona. Having a first name of Winner is amazing, but to have the Andrew in the middle of a Columbian name is equally amusing

How could we forget:

MEHDI SOHRABI

The man.

The machine.

The legend.

Thanks for posting, that is indeed some backstory. Hope he does well. How long until he is listed last name first and ends up being referred to as Jim Songezo?

Pippo Pozzato, or maybe Dimitri Champion.

I like Bob Jungels, not sure why

Floyd Landis. I always get mixed up and turn him into Lloyd Flandis.

It's got to be Lars Boom. Or the mighty Thor Hushovd.

I'm going to lower the tone of this thread by drawing attention to Matthieu Sprick.

'Pippo' Pozzato is a good name, but I believe in many European countries 'pippo' has unfortunate connotations.

I've got a soft spot for Nico Eeckhout (aka Rambo). Iljo Keisse rolls off the tongue too.

Bram Tankink (sounds like hes doing really bad)
Ramunas Navardauskas (not after a drink you won't)
Nick Nuyens (sounds like a Marvel character)

Not read all the above, but its quite clearly Bryan Coquard. For English-speakers, probably the funniest-named sportsman in history.

If Steele Von Hoff doesn't turn out to be the hardest man in cycling then nothing makes sense.

edit: Just found out his nickname is 'Stainless'

Steele Von Hoff.

I did a stage race with Steele a few years ago - he came off in the second last stage and landed face first. I think he tore about half his face off. Got up and kept riding, finished the stage then went to the medics. Made Johnny Hoogerland look soft!

Comon, its got to be...

Christian Knees?

Ha!

You lot have got no imagination.
Or no knowledge of your sports history!
THE best name in cycling history has to be
Henk Lubberding who rode for Ti Raleigh in the 80's.
What is it about dutch names we Brits find hilarious?

vincenzo nibali 'aint too bad!

"Made Johnny Hoogerland look soft!"

Surely the best name IS Johnny Hoogerland

Sounds like Johnny hooligan, which makes it almost onomatopoeic!

I gotta go for Lars too... BOOM!!!

It's got to be 'The Tashkent Terror' - Djamolidine Abdoujaparov.

Not a name for the modern age, very Twitter unfriendly!
Great nickname too.

Jelle Vanendert ... makes me grin every time

tony gallopin sounds like a horse

Mine too, it's got me seriously considering a name change...

Heinrich Haussler - got to be a ww2 ss officer with a name like that.

BOOM has to be up there. I also quite like Wilko Kelderman

In no particular order...
Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Lars Boom, Jesper Skibby, Johnny Hoogerland
My other bike is a BOOM!

Johann Tschopp is a great name. Also I'm intrigued by Boy van Poppel. Is Boy a Dutch name? Is it a nickname? Or are his parents really unimaginative and his sister is called Girl van Poppel?

Ryder Hesjedal. If I ever get round to having any kids, it's gotta be Ryder for a boy.

Peter Post - conjured up a picture of the peleton being infiltrated by Postman Pat.

An aside, listening to the final of Brain of Britain 2012 I was shocked when non of the finalists could spell 'Merckx'

NEEEEBLLEEEE (Nibali)

Surprised nobody had picked Joop Zoetemelk. I always think he'd have made a fortune selling his name as an energy drink.

Also I'm very much enjoying: Jarlinson Pantano

Nice idea. Someone should do that. Change your surname to that of a Pro cyclist. It would be the ultimate declaration of being a pro cycling fan.

Love some of the Italian names.

A Frank Goodnight....

Francesco Bongiorno for me I just want to keep saying it.

Daniele Pietropolli (Dani peter chicken)say it fast makes me laugh...

also like the sound of:

Longho Borghini is it a fast car, a silent movie horror star or a huge truck?