Cycling Avengers

I'vebeen playing with this in my head for a while, and I want to publish it now, so I can get feedback. Now that The Avengers has become a huge summer blockbuster, and an amazing movie too, I want to re-cast the superheroes with cyclists. Here's what I came up with, let me know what you would change:

Thor, God of Thunder

Thor's abilities include: "Superhuman strength, speed, agility, and endurance, healing factor, and longevity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_(Marvel_Comics)).

There is only one man known as The God of Thunder in the peloton:

Thor Hushovd:

This one was the easiest for me. As much as I don't think any explanation is needed, I will give you one anyway. Hushovd "...is known for sprinting and time trialing and is the 2010 Norwegian and world road champion. He is the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France, and first Scandinavian to win the road race in cycling world road championship. He is also the Scandinavian with the most stage wins in Grand Tours." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Hushovd)

The Incredible Hulk

The Hulk's abilities include: "Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, immunity to diseases & viruses, involuntary transformation, regenerative healing factor, resistance to mind control, underwater breathing, and vast leaping" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulk_(comics))

I was looking for a current rider to cast as The Hulk, but I couldn't think of anyone. So, thinking back a few years, I thought of the perfect cyclist:

Jan Ullrich:



Okay, so I had to go back quite a few years to find the perfect cyclist to be cast as The Hulk, but Ullrich really fits the role. Ullrich "...was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to take five second places and a fourth in 2004...He is considered the best time-trialist in the history of the sport...Ullrich won a gold and a silver in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also won the 1999 Vuelta a España." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Ullrich)

Captain America

Captain America's abilities include: "peak physical & mental conditioning, expert acrobat, tactician, marksman, master martial artist, excellent field commander, wields his vibranium-steel alloy shield with hyperkinectic-senses." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_America)

Captain America has to be cast as an American (duh!), and although I don't pay too much attention to American cyclists, one man stands out in my head:

David Zabriskie:

Zabriskie's "...main strength is individual time trials and his career highlights include stage wins in all three Grand Tour stage races and winning the US National Time Trial Championship seven times" including this year! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Zabriskie) Heck, he even had a Captain America bike:

Ironman



Ironman's abilities include: "genius-level intellect, cyberpathic link with a prior version of his powered armored suit, superhuman strength, supersonic flight at Mach 3, energy repulsors, missiles, durability and regenerative life support" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Man)

I was trying to stay with the current peloton in choosing the Avengers, so I picked the overall best rider I could think of:

Fabian Cancellara:

Cancellara is "a time trial specialist...a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist. He is also a winner of Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix (twice), Milan – San Remo, Tirreno–Adriatico, Tour de Suisse, Strade Bianche (twice), and four prologues of the Tour de France." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Cancellara)

However, since I went back a few years with Jan Ullrich as The Incredible Hulk, if I were to do that again, then there is another man who I would cast as Ironman - hands down!

Lance Armstrong:

With SEVEN Tour de France titles, Armstrong is the true Ironman, especially after winning a fight with testicular cancer! I may not be a big American cyclist fan, but Armstrong wins the overall Ironman title in my opinion. (I don't need Wikipedia for those facts!)

Hawkeye

Hawkeye's abilities include: "Master archer, uses a variety of trick arrows, superb athlete, martial artist, and acrobat." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkeye_(comics))

There is are quite a few cyclists that always hit their target when ever they aim, but there is only one I think of right away:

Mark Cavendish:

Cavendish was "originally a track cyclist specialising in the madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines...competed on the road since 2006, rising to prominence as a sprinter. He is the 2011 Road World Champion and winner of the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. On the track Cavendish won gold in the madison at the 2005 and 2008 World Championshps, with Rob Hayles and Bradley Wiggins respectively and in the scratch race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games riding for Isle of Man. As a road cyclist he achieved eleven wins in his first professional season, equalling the record held by Alessandro Petacchi. Cavendish has won a total 20 Tour de France stages putting him joint 6th on the all-time list with Nicolas Frantz and 10th on the all-time list of Grand Tour stage winners with 33 victories. Other notable wins include the 2009 Milan – San Remo classic and the points classification in both the 2010 Vuelta a España and the 2011 Tour de France." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cavendish)

I'm going to skip Black Widow since I don't follow Female Cycling.

Loki

Loki's abilities include: "superhuman strength & durability, genius-level intelligence, mystical powers, telepathy, flight, shapeshifting, teleportation, longevity" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki_(comics))

I know Loki isn't in fact one of the Avengers, but every good guy (or guys in this case) needs an arch nemesis, so I choose to include Loki. Villians never win, they always come in second, no matter how hard they try. So, who is the best choice for Loki?

Andy Schleck:

Schleck has "been the runner-up at the Tour de France three times - in 2009, 2010 and 2011." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Schleck) Need I say more?