Guys always give each other nicknames. And if you don’t have one, then you secretly wish that you did and you give yourself your own one. So that when you’re fighting your way over Ou Kaapse Weg, in your head you shout at yourself using your nickname. Come on Bullet, come oooon.

I wonder if girls do this.

I’m not sure how many SA pros have nicknames?

Burry Stander?

David George?

Kevin Evans?

Lynette Burger?

Yolande Speedy? Although hers is built in it has to be said.

Anyway, if you don’t have a nickname and you’re looking for ideas, here are some from the Pro peloton, these are the cool guys (well maybe not Cadel so much):

Cadel Evans – “Cuddles”
The 2011 Tour de France winner, his nickname is one of those where it means the opposite. Get it?

Eddy Merckx – “The Cannibal”
His nickname came from his insatiable appetite for victories, he won virtually every important race, most multiple times. I think it’s because he looks like he is going to eat you. Fairly sure he holds the record for most stage wins in the Tdf though. I think he ate all his opponents.

Fabian Cancellara – “Spartacus”
The man with the doped up bike. He holds the record of  four World Time Trial Championship titles.

Alberto Contador – “El Pistolero”
Ironic nickname at the moment given that he seems to be the man in everyone’s sights. For most of the wrong reasons.

Thor Hushovd – “The God of Thunder”
You can only have one nickname with the name like that. Winner of 2 stages at this year’s Tdf and built bigger than the normal cyclist, the Norwegian carries his nickname well.

Alessandro Petacchi – “Ale-Jet”

Bernard Hinault – “The Badger” (“Le Blaireau”)
Nicknamed “The Badger” because of his fighting style when cornered, Hinault was a complete rider like Merckx who could climb, sprint, and time trial with the best. I also think it’s because he looks like a badger.

Lance Armstrong – “The Boss”
It says it all really. 7 times winner of the Tour de France.

Jan Ulrich – “Der Kaiser”

Fausto Coppi – “Il Campionissimo” (The Champion of Champions)
One of the absolute legends of the sport and one of my favourites, the Italian Fausto Coppi dueled with Gino Bartali post WWII to try and win the hearts of Italy, not too mention everything he entered.

Miguel Indurain – “Miguelón” (Big Mig)
Big Mig was a bit of a hero of mine in the early days when I was discovering the Tdf. I always remember he was known for having a ridiculously low resting heart rate of 28 BPM.

Marco Pantani – “Il Piratá”
Just type his name into Google Images and see why he got his name. One of the sports most enigmatic figures, he died through a drug overdose in 2004.

Mark Cavendish – “Manx Missile”
From the Isle of Mann and people from there are called Manxmen apparantly. He is also the fastest man in the peloton. You see where this is going.

Mario Cipollini – “Super Mario”
Man, is that guy cool or what. I definitley have a min man-crush. Wore crap cycling kit though.