Best classic rider

[BahamontesPhantom]

Specifically Roubaix, Flanders and San Remo.
Let’s say Van der Poel, Boonen, Cancellara, Merckx, Pogacar, De Vlaeminck, Coppi and Van Looy are thrown in the mix together over a 10 year period of concentrating on these races.
Could you pick a favourite for best results ?

 

[Panda Claws]

Eric Leman

 

[AlpRaid]

Specifically Roubaix, Flanders and San Remo.
Let’s say Van der Poel, Boonen, Cancellara, Merckx, Pogacar, De Vlaeminck, Coppi and Van Looy are thrown in the mix together over a 10 year period of concentrating on these races.
Could you pick a favourite for best results ?

Why specifically those three?

Whats the point?

But since Merckx has 12 wins in those and no one else even comes close, not sure what we are working on here.

 

[proffate]

Why specifically those three?

Whats the point?

But since Merckx has 12 wins in those and no one else even comes close, not sure what we are working on here.

8 and counting is pretty close to 12. (Not to mention 6 additional podiums.)

It would be interesting to watch, because if you had Pog and Merckx together, they could collaborate to make it too difficult for the likes of Boonen or Mvdp to ever follow on the Poggio.

Mvdp definitely feels like the best Roubaix rider there has ever been. But I wasn't around to watch Merckx era (and even if I were that old, the television pictures were pretty bad I take it). Something tells me that if he were riding, let's face it, crappy old steel bikes he would be at even more of an advantage due to his technical superiority.

 

[BahamontesPhantom]

Why specifically those three?

Whats the point?

But since Merckx has 12 wins in those and no one else even comes close, not sure what we are working on here.

I wanted to compare the ‘ flatter classic’ specialists with the all rounders.

 

[Red Rick]

Boonen and Canc are stone dead outside Roubaix

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The majority of these are/were used to being able to brute force everything, so a huge chunk of who would do best would be dictated by ability to adapt tactically to suddenly having lots of riders of a similar calibre to deal with.

 

[Boes]

Boonen amd Canc are stone dead outside Roubaix

between the 2 of them:
- 6 RVV
- 7 E3
- 5 WC
- 1 green jersey

 

[Netserk]

Boonen amd Canc are stone dead outside Roubaix

which era is the reference ?

what would pogi be able to do if he was born 20 years earlier ? maybe he wouldnt even ride ronde , much less roubaix

 

[AmRacer]

which era is the reference ?

what would pogi be able to do if he was born 20 years earlier ? maybe he wouldnt even ride ronde , much less roubaix

Pogi vs Lance

 

[dercuforever]

between the 2 of them:
- 6 RVV
- 7 E3
- 5 WC
- 1 green jersey

Yes but at same period cavendish was winning MSR. With Pogacar and Merckx in it, no sprinter could hold.

For me it's VDP, but I don't know how the old one played their strengths, so it's biaised.
Pogacar is a strong contender but with all those champions, VDP would profit the most of wheelsto follow.

 

[danielovichdk2]

Bad question since I can't mention Dsjamolidin Abdusjaparov.

 

[Red Rick]

between the 2 of them:
- 6 RVV
- 7 E3
- 5 WC
- 1 green jersey

Weak era.

 

[Red Rick]

which era is the reference ?

what would pogi be able to do if he was born 20 years earlier ? maybe he wouldnt even ride ronde , much less roubaix

2012, when I saw Boonen in one of his best years get dropped on the Muur by a legendary Flandrien by the name of Alberto Contador

 

[Red Rick]

Overall you either have to admit cross era comparisons are entirely useless, or that the current era of riders would roflstomp the rest.

Mauby you could consider Ganna a Cancellara clone but only for Sanremo

 

[BahamontesPhantom]

Overall you either have to admit cross era comparisons are entirely useless, or that the current era of riders would roflstomp the rest.

Mauby you could consider Ganna a Cancellara clone but only for Sanremo

You have to try to compare them, or at least it’s fun to do…Otherwise what’s the point of competition? Pogs first tdf win is almost a different era to now..where do you draw the line ? Why even bother racing at all?

 

[Netserk]

2012, when I saw Boonen in one of his best years get dropped on the Muur by a legendary Flandrien by the name of Alberto Contador

all races after april are only ridden on talent and blow

 

[Blanco]

Merckx, De Vlaeminck and Van Der Poel would be best in those 3 specifically.

 

[BahamontesPhantom]

If Pog had an injury or something or sexy ass exploded and Pog remained with more or less what he has now, how would he be viewed in 20 years ?

 

[Rou]

If Pog had an injury or something or sexy ass exploded and Pog remained with more or less what he has now, how would he be viewed in 20 years ?

I would put him 3rd all time behind Hinault.

 

[vappa]

Merckx, De Vlaeminck and Van Der Poel would be best in those 3 specifically.

De Vlaeminck would drop Pogacar in the Tour as well, probably

 

[vappa]

I would put him 3rd all time behind Hinault.

I would put him over Hinault, what he lacks in GTs he more than makes up for in monuments, overall dominance and changing cycling. Giro-Tour was considered a thing of the past, until he did it. Seriously combining all monuments and GTs, same

 

[Red Rick]

The majority of these are/were used to being able to brute force everything, so a huge chunk of who would do best would be dictated by ability to adapt tactically to suddenly having lots of riders of a similar calibre to deal with.

I think the era you put them in determines everything, and it's basically impossible to how riders would at least physiologically be different in a different era.

For Boonen I would at least say with some confidence he wouldn't hack it today in Sanremo or RVV based on how the dynamics of those races have completely changed, and for the dinosaur era I would think it's a lot more just raw endurance and much less top end and anaerobic watts.

 

[proffate]

Overall you either have to admit cross era comparisons are entirely useless, or that the current era of riders would roflstomp the rest.

Mauby you could consider Ganna a Cancellara clone but only for Sanremo

I guess we don't know what Ganna would do if he didn't have mvdp and Pog in his era but he's only won a single one day race ever I believe.. so not in the same ballpark as canc regardless of what the power meter may say.

Boonen vs Van Aert feels like the closest comparison imo.

 

[Red Rick]

I guess we don't know what Ganna would do if he didn't have mvdp and Pog in his era but he's only won a single one day race ever I believe.. so not in the same ballpark as canc regardless of what the power meter may say.

Boonen vs Van Aert feels like the closest comparison imo.

I have Ganna as weaker on the cobbles and cobbled hills than Cancellara, but honestly higher on 6 minute+ asphalt climbs.

And I think van Aert is miles and miles ahead of Boonen on anything involving hills for me.