Best All Rounder of the past 20 years

[CobbleStoner]

if that is the list we have to choose the best all-arounder from, how can it be anybody except Sean Kelly? looking over to see him on the start line (in his prime) of any race, from PR to a TdF stage, is more intimidating than anybody else on that list

 

[auscyclefan94]

Why is Sammy Sanchez or Lance Armstrong in the poll?

 

[Echoes]

Edwig Van Hooydonck, Charly Mottet, Frans Maassen, Eddy Bouwmans or Gilles Delion.

Or perhaps Sammie Moreels too.

 

[vladimir]

To be considered an all rounder you should be able to climb, sprint and also be reasonable at TT. From currently active riders I would certainly include Gilbert and Cancellara ahead of Samu (even if I like Samu better). I voted for Bettini btw. But in five years time there will only be one contender for a poll like this, and that is of course EBH

 

[Swabian Lass]

I voted for Kelly, but Jalabert came close for me.

I really, really like Samu, but best all-rounder? Please!

 

[Old School]

I voted Kelly, only because he was on the list.

Jalabert or Buno in the last 20 for sure.

 

[jordan5000]

Armstrong: won a classic, world champion, 7 time tour champion, 22(?) stage wins. The best tter of his era and only Pantani could match his climbing ability in 099 and 2000. You could make an argument for Indurain too, and I think he's pretty even with him but he wasn't the best climber of his era and was much too conservative and did he win a classic?

 

[scullster46]

Armstrong: won a classic, world champion, 7 time tour champion, 22(?) stage wins. The best tter of his era and only Pantani could match his climbing ability in 099 and 2000. You could make an argument for Indurain too, and I think he's pretty even with him but he wasn't the best climber of his era and was much too conservative and did he win a classic?

He won San Sebastian in 1990, and was also 2nd i believe in the 1995 Duitama Worlds. I included him on the basis of his TT and GC skills, but also due to the fact that he showed that he had some one day potential, and from what I heard he had a fairly good sprint as well.

To everyone else: I get it, I shouldn't have included Samu in the poll, and there are other changes people might want to. You don't need to point this out again. Please just debate on the other names on the list, and add others such as Di Luca or Bartoli to the discussion.

 

[Nick C.]

Kelly even though his best was > 20 years ago. He is the best of the listed men.

 

[The Hitch]

He won San Sebastian in 1990, and was also 2nd i believe in the 1995 Duitama Worlds. I included him on the basis of his TT and GC skills, but also due to the fact that he showed that he had some one day potential, and from what I heard he had a fairly good sprint as well.

He also came 2nd in the 1993 worlds.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

jalabert, although it would've been vdb if he had a longer career

 

[El Pistolero]

He also came 2nd in the 1993 worlds.

And was undoubtedly stronger than Armstrong there.

 

[El Pistolero]

jalabert, although it would've been vdb if he had a longer career

I said this before, but put Armstrong's mind in VDB's body and he'd still have won a lot of Tours and god knows how many classics.

 

[jordan5000]

And was undoubtedly stronger than Armstrong there.

If he was stronger he would have won, no excuses, no crying the better man won that day. Remind me, how many mountain stages did the Big Mig win?

 

[El Pistolero]

If he was stronger he would have won, no excuses, no crying the better man won that day. Remind me, how many mountain stages did the Big Mig win?

Lol, you don't understand cycling if you really think that is the case. The strongest doesn't always win. No one had heard of Armstrong in 1993, so they didn't react to when he attacked. If Big Mig attacked they'd have all been on his wheel right away. No way was Armstrong the strongest there Besides, Big Mig's world medal table speaks for it self. It's better than that of Armstrong's.

Guess what, Big Mig was also the strongest in 1995 when he got second behind Olano

 

[hrotha]

Lol, you don't understand cycling if you really think that is the case. The strongest doesn't always win. No one had heard of Armstrong in 1993, so they didn't react to when he attacked. If Big Mig attacked they'd have all been on his wheel right away. No way was Armstrong the strongest there Besides, Big Mig's world medal table speaks for it self. It's better than that of Armstrong's.

Guess what, Big Mig was also the strongest in 1995 when he got second behind Olano

Armstrong was the US champ and had won a stage of the Tour that year, among other good results. People definitely knew him back then, although you're right, he wasn't a favourite and Indurain was probably the strongest that day.

 

[mr. tibbs]

RE Armstrong not being the best all-rounder, it's worth noting that he wasn't ever a truly dominant all-rounder. He went from one day races to GTs, but never did both extremely well at the same time, in the same season.

Contrast with Kelly's '84 season:
1st Paris-Roubaix
1st LBL
5th TdF; 2nd points classification

I think that's what a real all-rounder looks like: stones, Ardennes, GT. I'm not saying guys like Armstrong (and The Cricket and Ulle) couldn't get results of Kelly's calibre in all types of races all year long in the same season, but I am saying that he (they) didn't.

 

[Angliru]

If he was stronger he would have won, no excuses, no crying the better man won that day. Remind me, how many mountain stages did the Big Mig win?

The proper question(s) would be how many did he try to win and how many did he gift?

 

[El Pistolero]

Armstrong was the US champ and had won a stage of the Tour that year, among other good results. People definitely knew him back then, although you're right, he wasn't a favourite and Indurain was probably the strongest that day.

Bit of an overstatement on my side. But It remains true that they didn't see Armstrong as a threat, so they gave him some free time. A little bit too much free time, but it wouldn't be the first time that happened in cycling

If Indurain made the same move as Armstrong everyone would have been on his wheel.