Best All-Rounder Rider Today?

[El Pistolero]

He almost won G-W this year. Last year he was 1 second from winning the prologue in Tour de Romandie. Anyway all I said is that he's more of an all-rounder than Leipheimer or Wiggins...

No, he didn't almost win G-W. Wasn't even the strongest from the breakaway LOL. And that's the easiest classic in cycling. Next year G-W will be 35km longer with more hills added to the final. So it will be a real classic again instead of a glorified Scheldeprijs.

And I don't find Romandie to be a big race. Mark Cavendish won a prologue in it once. Let's name him as best all-rounder shall we

 

[El Pistolero]

I wouldn't call him the best, but Geraint Thomas would in my Top 10 or 5. Good TT'er, future star Classics rider, already showing his talent. Decent sprinter, showed his climbing skills at Tour, finishing in 31. And Amazing Lead-out rider. Some of the pulls he did this year were mind blowing, literally.

Based on what? This Geraint Thomas hype in the classics in the forums is really remarkable as I can think of quite a few better youngsters in the classics. His results in the classics aren't really anything to talk about.

 

[hfer07]

The OP has made clear that by "all rounder" he means climbing and tt and has just thrown in a bunch of names he thinks can climb and tt.

Therefore the fact that Cancellara can descend, ride cobbles, hills and tts, doesnt mean anything, whereas Levis 2nd in the Cali tt and victory on Mt Baldy makes him a champion all rounder.

A good all-rounder rider proves his ability to handle single day races-like the classics-not necessary the cobbles- that's a quality that defines the term named on a rider whose abilities to perform well in all terrains & disciplines excels-regardless if the OP opines different otherwise...... so then again why is LL on the list? BTW Cancellara has won the Tour of Suisse too.....

 

[The Hitch]

A good all-rounder rider proves his ability to handle single day races-like the classics-not necessary the cobbles- that's a quality that defines the term named on a rider whose abilities to perform well in all terrains & disciplines excels-regardless if the OP opines different otherwise...... so then again why is LL on the list? BTW Cancellara has won the Tour of Suisse too.....

As I said, thats how the OP sees the term all rounder.

Of course I wouldnt have Levi or Wiggins or Nibali anywhere near my list, but hey, thats how the Op sees it.

 

[Altitude]

How do you not include Hushovd and Di Luca? Cunego should be there too. Could also make a strong case for Voekler

 

[Gloin22]

Based on what? This Geraint Thomas hype in the classics in the forums is really remarkable as I can think of quite a few better youngsters in the classics. His results in the classics aren't really anything to talk about.

Ymmm.... got 2nd in Dwars behind Nuyens, although should have won it if not his bad tactic and then at Ronde he was working early puling the peleton and later singled handedly caught 8 men group at the front, puling with him likes of Flecha, Hincapie and more without any help and catching the leading bunch. Being a complete domestique at start of the race to get Top 10 was quite something. At PR he was unlucky with punctures. If that's not something that I dunno what is

 

[Gloin22]

How do you not include Hushovd and Di Luca? Cunego should be there too. Could also make a strong case for Voekler

Can Cunego or DiLuca cobble or Time-Trial good ? I don't think so

Hushovd is a definite case, but he inst that brilliant in TT's and the mountains, compared to EBH.

 

[El Pistolero]

Ymmm.... got 2nd in Dwars behind Nuyens, although should have won it if not his bad tactic and then at Ronde he was working early puling the peleton and later singled handedly caught 8 men group at the front, puling with him lieks of Flecha, Hincapie and more. Being a complete domestique at start of the race to get Top 10 was quite something. At PR he was unlucky with punctures. If that's not something that I dunno what is

It's hardly an indication of him being a future classics star. Even Farrar got third(or fourth) once in the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

 

[maltiv]

No, he didn't almost win G-W. Wasn't even the strongest from the breakaway LOL. And that's the easiest classic in cycling. Next year G-W will be 35km longer with more hills added to the final. So it will be a real classic again instead of a glorified Scheldeprijs.

And I don't find Romandie to be a big race. Mark Cavendish won a prologue in it once. Let's name him as best all-rounder shall we

Sagan was also 5th in the Paris-Nice prologue in 2010. In the Tour de Suisse prologue this year he was 3rd. How's that for big races?

 

[Altitude]

Can Cunego or DiLuca cobble or Time-Trial good ? I don't think so

Hushovd is a definite case, but he inst that brilliant in TT's and the mountains, compared to EBH.

They are certainly better all around riders than Wiggins, Froome, and Leipheimer. Di Luca and Cunego can sprint, and both have GT and monument wins. How can you argue with that?

And what about Vino???

 

[Gloin22]

It's hardly an indication of him being a future classics star. Even Farrar got third(or fourth) once in the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

In Mass Sprint, with no selective group, complete different Ronde that this one, not comparable. Well, Thomas is definitely one for me But there's no point arguing the case

 

[Gloin22]

They are certainly better all around riders than Wiggins, Froome, and Leipheimer. Di Luca and Cunego can sprint, and both have GT and monument wins. How can you argue with that?

And what about Vino???

And I agree, I never said Wiggo, Froome or Leipheimer deserved to be on the list ( pool ), I wouldn't pick them in mine, Froome is definite no, he might be though but he still has to prove it in next years. Don't need to say anything about Leipheimer. Wiggo has a small case, he can TT and do good GT's, and he can cobble as he shown in Garmin two years ago and he's good domestique to have for cobbles. He can't sprint for **** though, not even talking about his Ardenes capabilites, seeing he can't cope with such hills. Some of the riders on the author's poll are quite bemusing

Vino is a great shout though

 

[Anonymous]

I would say Valverde purely because he has challenged in the classics, but he was pushed close strangely by Wiggins (who can time trial and climb and has never really tested himself in the classics) and Leipheimer (who can also time trial and climb but hasnt even bothered with the classics).

That said, Martin can climb a bit, time trial a bit, has a half decent sprint on him, and could probably do ok in the classics, but like that Gilbert bloke, and Sanchez who just cant tt. Or even Thomas, good sprint on him, competes in the classics, can certainly time trial, and he proved in the tour he can climb.. But even then hes a long way from being the best all rounder (but i would say hes more of an all rounder than Froome who somehow made the list)

I think your choices are a little strange. Maybe a discussion thread first, and then a poll would have been a good idea.

I think Geraint has the potential, I think Tony Martin, Vino and Phil Gil are the closest to being all rounders at the moment. None of whom are on your list.

 

[The Hitch]

They are certainly better all around riders than Wiggins, Froome, and Leipheimer. Di Luca and Cunego can sprint, and both have GT and monument wins. How can you argue with that?

And what about Vino???

Which reminds me. If one needs to win a gt to be on the list what GTs have Wiggins Froome and Leipheimer won?

And wheres Menchov who is a better climber than all the above and a better tter than 2 and has won many gts.

Does cineteq even pay attention to what he puts in his own posts?

 

[El Pistolero]

Sagan was also 5th in the Paris-Nice prologue in 2010. In the Tour de Suisse prologue this year he was 3rd. How's that for big races?

Let's award him a medal for 5th place then. Big prologues are GT prologues.

The moment Sagan starts competing in the real classics we'll have this conversation again. For now, he doesn't even deserve a mention. He can't climb and can't time trial, that much is for sure after the Vuelta. His uphill sprint isn't anything special as well if we look at the Vuelta.

For now he can sprint, descend and do well in hilly stages of small races

 

[Altitude]

Replace Wiggins, Leipheimer, Froome, Nibali, and Peraud(!?) with Di Luca, Hushovd, Vino, Cunego, and Sanchez. Then you have a competitive poll

 

[El Pistolero]

Replace Wiggins, Leipheimer, Froome, Nibali, and Peraud(!?) with Di Luca, Hushovd, Vino, Cunego, and Sanchez. Then you have a competitive poll

Again, what has Di Luca done this year?

Look at the title. It's not about past potential or future potential, but about current potential. Same goes for Cunego who has become such a mediocre cyclist these days.

 

[Altitude]

Again, what has Di Luca done this year?

Look at the title. It's not about past potential or future potential, but about current potential. Same goes for Cunego who has become such a mediocre cyclist these days.

Then why is everyone voting for Valverde??

 

[Walkman]

Then why is everyone voting for Valverde??

Good question. Will be a lot of fun if he totally bites the dust this year!

 

[El Pistolero]

Then why is everyone voting for Valverde??

Because they think he's a god of some sort.

 

[The Hitch]

Because they think he's a god of some sort.

Because hes the best all round rider in the peloton.

 

[El Pistolero]

Because hes the best all round rider in the peloton.

He's not in the peloton.

If we can vote on people that aren't active, then I vote Eddy Merckx.

 

[nvpacchi]

In Mass Sprint, with no selective group, complete different Ronde that this one, not comparable. Well, Thomas is definitely one for me But there's no point arguing the case

100% agree. Thomas had a masterful Ronde, who was outdone in terms of pure effort only by Cancellara and Chavanel.

When I think of all-rounder I prefer to pick a jack of all trades master of nothing. Not elite at any 1 discipline, but not bad in any 1 either. Vlad Gusev from 4 years ago would be perfect, and he is even a good candidate today (but he has probably lost some of his small group sprint ability).

 

[Walkman]

He's not in the peloton.

If we can vote on people that aren't active, then I vote Eddy Merckx.

I got to give it to you on this one!

+1

 

[The Hitch]

He's not in the peloton.

If we can vote on people that aren't active, then I vote Eddy Merckx.

Hes in the poll. From the poll Valverde is clearly the best all rounder.

Hes missed his last race. Hes got a team, hes got plans for the coming races, hes preparing for next season just like all the other riders, as far as im concerned hes back, and thats why a plurality of cycling fans see him as the best all round rider in the peloton today.