Best Climber (2000's)

[Altitude]

Keep in mind-- this is each rider while in their prime (Rasmussen in '07, Basso in '06). I'm not sure anyone was stonger than Rasmussen was in '07.

*Didn't want any cross-overs, but Piepoli belongs here.

If you vote "other" please say who

 

[The Hitch]

Another big mistake. No Lance Armstrong. I know he belongs in the clinic but then so do half the riders on that list (if not everyone)

And i see a few Italian Giro winners being better climbers than Piepoli. And non giro winners too.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Other - Lance Armstrong.

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

I've gone other with Armstrong

I think Hautacam in 2000 and Alpe D'Huez in 2001 were possibly the best 2 climbing displays of the decade.

 

[Altitude]

Another big mistake. No Lance Armstrong. I know he belongs in the clinic but then so do half the riders on that list (if not everyone)

And i see a few Italian Giro winners being better climbers than Piepoli. And non giro winners too.

Come again?

 

[Bike Boy]

I want to say that Simoni is strong 2nd for me, but number one has to go to Armstrong. Even if he wasn't a pure climber like Simoni or Rasmussen, he still showed extra ordinary consistensy (thanks to Ferrari, but I guees that's irrelevant to this poll).

 

[kuat2770]

Armstrong wasnt a pure climber but he time trialed faster up the mountains than anyone. I wish we had seen him on a crazy climb (Zoncolan, Mortirolo, Angliru etc). Of those listed Rasmussen. But I voted other (Armstrong).

 

[Bike Boy]

Armstrong wasnt a pure climber but he time trialed faster up the mountains than anyone. I wish we had seen him on a crazy climb (Zoncolan, Mortirolo, Angliru etc). Of those listed Rasmussen. But I voted other (Armstrong).

You didn't catch much of Armstrong in the early day's? he did have a decent kick back then.

 

[kuat2770]

With the exception of Sestriere did he ever accelerate more than once? Admittedly he didn't need to accelerate any more but unlike Jiminez or Pantani (to some extent) he didn't accelerate slow down a little and accelerate again all the way up the mountain. He (Armstrong) kicked and just flew up the mountain. His accelerations were somewhat reduced in 2005, but he still did basically the same thing kick then hold the pace all the way up the mountain.

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

With the exception of Sestriere did he ever accelerate more than once? Admittedly he didn't need to accelerate any more but unlike Jiminez or Pantani (to some extent) he didn't accelerate slow down a little and accelerate again all the way up the mountain. He (Armstrong) kicked and just flew up the mountain. His accelerations were somewhat reduced in 2005, but he still did basically the same thing kick then hold the pace all the way up the mountain.

Why does the number of times you accelerate matter? Surely its about the guy who gets up the climbs quickest.

 

[The Hitch]

Come again?

Point is, seemingly a different Italian wins the Giro every year. To add to Basso and Gibo on your list we have during the 2000's Paolo Savoldelli Stefano Garzelli and Danilo Di Luca all won the Giro. Piepoli never really challenged. Sella and Ricco for non Giro winners. Im saying maybe 1 or 2 of these, not all but one or two, are better than Piepoli.

But thats of minor importance.

What is of major importance is the exclusion of Lance. Whats up with that?

 

[Bike Boy]

With the exception of Sestriere did he ever accelerate more than once? Admittedly he didn't need to accelerate any more but unlike Jiminez or Pantani (to some extent) he didn't accelerate slow down a little and accelerate again all the way up the mountain. He (Armstrong) kicked and just flew up the mountain. His accelerations were somewhat reduced in 2005, but he still did basically the same thing kick then hold the pace all the way up the mountain.

Oh! so you do know your history although I think Ventoux 2000 was all about pure climbing abilities as well. Luz ardiden 2003 was also very impressive.
But we are on the same page Simoni, Pantani, Rasmussen etc those are the real climbers

 

[For The World]

As much as i'm not a fan of Contador, i especially liked his riding with Schleck on the final mountain stage of this years TDF, and he seems to be consistent with that kind of riding (when he needs to). Otherwise, I would have voted for Lance.

 

[kuat2770]

Why does the number of times you accelerate matter? Surely its about the guy who gets up the climbs quickest.

What I'm trying to get across (badly) is that your traditional climber (i.e. Escartin, Rasmussen, Pantani etc) would happily launch a series of accelerations to blow away the peleton, but could rarely hold the same pace all the way to the line, likewise they would often attack with several summits to go. Armstrong didn't he got to a point on the final climb and then just time trialled up it faster than anyone else of his time (Pantani was faster on Alp D'Huez in 97 but stage conditions etc were probably more favourable to him than to Armstrong in 04). Thats not saying that he is a "bad" climber, he sure was the fastest by some substantial margin, but that he wasnt what you would call a traditional "climber". He was more a time trialler up mountains.

 

[kuat2770]

Oh! so you do know your history although I think Ventoux 2000 was all about pure climbing abilities as well. Luz ardiden 2003 was also very impressive.
But we are on the same page Simoni, Pantani, Rasmussen etc those are the real climbers

Ventoux in 2000 he just went and dropped all bar Pantani, I think he could have dropped him if he wanted to- look how easily he closed the gap to Pantani that Pantani had laboured to open, but eased off a little. Luz Ardiden was spectacular but that second "surge" was almost certainly due to adrenaline. Still one of the best TDF stages ever tho, I couldnt believe it when he caught back up to the main group only for his pedal to slip, then to attack. Insane.

 

[Bike Boy]

Ventoux in 2000 he just went and dropped all bar Pantani, I think he could have dropped him if he wanted to- look how easily he closed the gap to Pantani that Pantani had laboured to open, but eased off a little. Luz Ardiden was spectacular but that second "surge" was almost certainly due to adrenaline. Still one of the best TDF stages ever tho, I couldnt believe it when he caught back up to the main group only for his pedal to slip, then to attack. Insane.

That's a good question that we will never get an answer to. I think Pantani would have been hard to drop, but Armstrong was stupid to give away the stage, and even more stupid to talk about it.

 

[Bike Boy]

although Mayo faded out he had a very impressive peak. MTT in Libere 2004. His record up ventoux still stands.

 

[Altitude]

Point is, seemingly a different Italian wins the Giro every year. To add to Basso and Gibo on your list we have during the 2000's Paolo Savoldelli Stefano Garzelli and Danilo Di Luca all won the Giro. Piepoli never really challenged. Sella and Ricco for non Giro winners. Im saying maybe 1 or 2 of these, not all but one or two, are better than Piepoli.

But thats of minor importance.

What is of major importance is the exclusion of Lance. Whats up with that?

Winning the GC doesn't make them better climbers. You could make an argument for Ricco, but Savoldelli, Garzelli, and Di Luca were not better climbers than Piepoli.

Same reason I didn't include Indurain in the 90's poll-- I don't consider him a to be a "climber"

 

[kuat2770]

That's a good question that we will never get an answer to. I think Pantani would have been hard to drop, but Armstrong was stupid to give away the stage, and even more stupid to talk about it.

gratuitous video of the the stage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q38Gyjv4EE&feature=related

Makes it look a lot closer than I remember but then it was 10 years ago! having watched that I think Armstrong could have got the stage and probably have gapped Pantani to the tune of 5-10 seconds or so but unlikely to be more. I still think Armstrong loosened the screws after that initial acceleration...
That video makes me remember how much I miss Pantanis style.

 

[Bike Boy]

gratuitous video of the the stage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q38Gyjv4EE&feature=related

Makes it look a lot closer than I remember but then it was 10 years ago! having watched that I think Armstrong could have got the stage and probably have gapped Pantani to the tune of 5-10 seconds or so but unlikely to be more. I still think Armstrong loosened the screws after that initial acceleration...
That video makes me remember how much I miss Pantanis style.

Yeah I can't tell you how many times I've watched it. although you will probably be better of knowing that youtube clibs has it's own thread.

 

[dgodave]

...What is of major importance is the exclusion of Lance. Whats up with that?

Forget about whether youre a fan or not. And forget about whether hes the #1 best. Is just absurd that he doesnt merit consideration as one of the top 9 under consideration.
.

 

[usedtobefast]

i agree about Lance. hate him or just don't like him so much, he is/was an great
bike rider. when the sh=t hit the fan, he was doing major damage.

 

[royalpig180]

Why does the number of times you accelerate matter? Surely its about the guy who gets up the climbs quickest.

To be an effective climber, one must not only be able to climb quickly, but also open up gaps on your rivals. Repeated accelerations are obviously a great way to do this. The poll asks best climber, but I think effective and best are tied together.

 

[jens_attacks]

definitely,armstrong.he dominated the climbs five years in a row.too bad that we couldn't see more from heras and beloki.

 

[Arnout]

although Mayo faded out he had a very impressive peak. MTT in Libere 2004. His record up ventoux still stands.

Between April 2003 and June 2004 he was the best climber of the world no doubt.

Point is that in the Armstrong years no real climber challenged him in the Tour, except for Pantani in 2000 and Mayo in 2003. Especially 2003 proved to be difficult. Pantani was too much in his closing years (sadly) to be a real challenge all the way through. I would've loved to see a battle between the Simoni of the Giro's and Armstrong in his prime, would be interesting. Ultimately Armstrong would win because of his TT, but not because he was the better climber.