Best All-Rounder Rider Today?

[cineteq]

All-Rounder: A racing cyclist who excels in both climbing and time trailing, and may also be a decent sprinter and descender. He can win Grand Tours as well as Classics.

So who's the best in this department right now?

 

[Kvinto]

it's obviously Valverde, weird question

 

[maltiv]

Valverde, with EBH being pretty close.

That being said, some of your alternatives are quite absurd...incredible that you missed Sagan.

 

[meat puppet]

If we stick onto road racing only, then IMHO Valverde beats Evans in the sprint. Quite literally.

 

[cineteq]

...incredible that you missed Sagan.

How so, care to elaborate?

In short, Sagan does not meet the all-rounder definition.

 

[hrotha]

How can we vote for Valverde when he hasn't raced in a long time and we don't know what his current level is.

 

[Parrulo]

How so, care to elaborate?

In short, Sagan does not meet the all-rounder definition.

and leipheimer does because? of his great classics performances? sprints he won from small groups? daredevil descends?

answer to the thread is easy anyway: Valverde

 

[Walkman]

How can we vote for Valverde when he hasn't raced in a long time and we don't know what his current level is.

I was just about to ask the same thing. Wishful thinking perhaps? Anyway, time will tell.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Seriously, you guys make this too easy for me, and I'm sure you're bored of this by now, but:

 

[maltiv]

How so, care to elaborate?

In short, Sagan does not meet the all-rounder definition.

He meets it much better than your candidates. Sagan can win medium mountain stages, cobbled classics, hilly classics, sprints, prologues and he's a magnificent descender. Although I'd say that EBH is still ahead of him because he can fight with the best in long TT's as well which Sagan hasn't shown yet.

Leipheimer is not an allrounder. Being able to climb and TT is not being an allrounder, that's just a normal GC rider...

 

[maltiv]

Seriously, you guys make this too easy for me, and I'm sure you're bored of this by now, but

The thread creator included a "he" in his post, I don't think Marianne Vos meets that criteria (although that would explain a lot).

 

[Kvinto]

How can we vote for Valverde when he hasn't raced in a long time and we don't know what his current level is.

Well, he has not raced for one and a half year but imo his advantage in the case of all-round before the ban was that huge to say he is still the best all-rounder now.

Seriously, you guys make this too easy for me, and I'm sure you're bored of this by now

your ultimate argument that everybody forgets

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The thread creator included a "he" in his post, I don't think Marianne Vos meets that criteria (although that would explain a lot).

I missed the 'he'.

Maybe that was included specifically to exclude Vos, otherwise she owns the category miles ahead of anybody else.

It's going to reach the point where by the time she's 30 she's entering men's races simply because there is literally nothing left for her to win. They'll be creating races specifically so that she can win them and then let other people have a chance the year after.

 

[El Pistolero]

He meets it much better than your candidates. Sagan can win medium mountain stages, cobbled classics, hilly classics, sprints, prologues and he's a magnificent descender. Although I'd say that EBH is still ahead of him because he can fight with the best in long TT's as well which Sagan hasn't shown yet.

Leipheimer is not an allrounder. Being able to climb and TT is not being an allrounder, that's just a normal GC rider...

No, he can't win any of these. He barely made it in the top 50 of any classic. And he has proven little so far in descending. So he caught Cunego in a descend... Bravo, that's a feat only 80% of the peloton can accomplish

 

[Libertine Seguros]

No, he can't win any of these. He barely made it in the top 50 of any classic. And he has proven little so far in descending. So he caught Cunego in a descend... Bravo, that's a feat only 80% of the peloton can accomplish

Sprints: Tour de Pologne, stage 7
Descents: Vuelta a España, stage 6

 

[El Pistolero]

I missed the 'he'.

Maybe that was included specifically to exclude Vos, otherwise she owns the category miles ahead of anybody else.

It's going to reach the point where by the time she's 30 she's entering men's races simply because there is literally nothing left for her to win. They'll be creating races specifically so that she can win them and then let other people have a chance the year after.

Vos would probably be dropped in junior man races already.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Vos would probably be dropped in junior man races already.

If she literally runs out of things to win, she may as well have a go even if she'd be dropped

 

[Walkman]

Vos would probably be dropped in junior man races already.

And that is relevant because..?

 

[maltiv]

No, he can't win any of these. He barely made it in the top 50 of any classic. And he has proven little so far in descending. So he caught Cunego in a descend... Bravo, that's a feat only 80% of the peloton can accomplish

He can't win sprints? Are you serious? By classics I don't mean monuments only...

Remember the stage 4 liquigas riders descended away from everyone else? Also, Sagan didn't just catch Cunego on that descent, he also flew away from everyone who had been with him in the initial breakaway.

 

[cineteq]

Well, he has not raced for one and a half year but imo his advantage in the case of all-round before the ban was that huge to say he is still the best all-rounder now.



your ultimate argument that everybody forgets

You got it! He cannot be the best all-rounder today, perhaps in 6 months.

 

[cineteq]

If she literally runs out of things to win, she may as well have a go even if she'd be dropped

Libertine, are you hi-jacking yet another thread? No offense to your girls though.

 

[cineteq]

He meets it much better than your candidates. Sagan can win medium mountain stages, cobbled classics, hilly classics, sprints, prologues and he's a magnificent descender. Although I'd say that EBH is still ahead of him because he can fight with the best in long TT's as well which Sagan hasn't shown yet.

Leipheimer is not an allrounder. Being able to climb and TT is not being an allrounder, that's just a normal GC rider...

Fair enough, Leipheimer might not deserve to be there, but neither is Sagan. He can't win GT (yet) and he has a lot to prove in Classics. But make no mistake, I love this guy...he might be on his way to be an excellent all-rounder.

 

[The Hitch]

The only riders that I think can challenge Valverde are EBH and Sagan but both are too young.

I do think Cadel is very good at this, better than probably anyone else in the poll. Im basing that on his Mtb victories, his 1 or 2 great descents, his Strade Bianchi win, and staying with Cancellara, Thomas, Hushovd (though Schleck as well) on cobbles. On top of his very good climbing skills and great tt ability.

Still Valverde due to his amazing sprinting ability for a gt rider, and ability to win on just about any parcors, takes it imo.

Also why is Pisti not complaining that Gilbert isnt in the poll. Hes on record as saying that Gilbert is twice the descender of Nibali, a better sprinter than Valverde and that he thinks he can win a GT.

Doesnt that description present the best all rounder since Mercx?

 

[Kvinto]

You got it! He cannot be the best all-rounder today, perhaps in 6 months.

OK, but who really cares about who is the best in this regard today, when none of races takes place, of course i'm talking about the next season and i thought you meant exactly this creating the poll

 

[cineteq]

OK, but who really cares about who is the best in this regard today, when none of races takes place, of course i'm talking about the next season and i thought you meant exactly this creating the poll

oooookkkk..ah...if you say so LOL!
If that the criteria, some people can make a case for Tony Martin too...