Best climber

[goggalor]

Michael Rasmussen?

Nah. Rasmussen struggled to outclimb Contador in 2007, no way he could do it now.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Why is Anton even in the disscussion? It's got to be Contador, but Pozzovivo is pretty damn fast as well. And maybe Ricco.

I'd also question Basso's inclusion. The obvious answer is Contador, b/c he climbs like a demon all year.

But depending on the race and time of year, people might throw in Sella, Ras (as Pantani_Lives suggests), I've seen Ricco a few times, and countless other Italians. There are also a lot of guys like Soler who are one exceptional stage away from being labelled number one--but Contador does it (almost) every time.

So yeah, Contador. How is this guy beatable? I just posted a bold prediction RE Nibali in another thread, and now I'm really thinking about it and realizing that there's no way he'll ever beat Contador in July. (But he will be Schleck one day!)

 

[metaCYCLE]

Contador.

The topic title should be 2nd Best climber...

 

[markene2]

Ricco, he is better than he was before. If his team is allowed in the Vuelta you will se what i mean!

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Ricco, he is better than he was before. If his team is allowed in the Vuelta you will se what i mean!

I think your amazing signature statement at the bottom of your post speaks volumes...

 

[ergmonkey]

No one else rides up cobblestone hills like Boonen and Cancellara.

 

[ergmonkey]

Maybe the OP would like to specify what sort of grade and stage we're meant to be debating?

 

[markene2]

I think your amazing signature statement at the bottom of your post speaks volumes...

Nah... I dont have problems admiting that other riders are better than my favorite riders, i like Contador a lot. But i have seen the races that Ricco have been in this year, and he has beasted everyone. I would say he is better than before.

 

[Sydney Sider]

Floyd has climbed the popularity ladder on this forum at an alarming rate , pretty hard to beat

 

[rhubroma]

Contador on paper and in pure talent. Though I'm convinced that he can be pushed to his limits by a diesel like Basso, at least in a race as hard as this Giro. Contador has more explosive power than anyone, though it would have been interesting to see him in the third week against Basso in this year's Giro.

Probably he'd have attacked in his usual out of the saddle style on the Monte Terminilo and won the stage. He may have even struck an KO'd everyone on the second mountain stage at the end of the second week. But I don't think he would have been able to do the same on the Zoncolan against Basso in the third week. Perhaps I'm wrong, but in the past he seems to have been less dominant in the third week, as at last years Tour. And when he wasn't in top shape, or so he claimed, Riccò out-climbed him at the Giro 2008. Of course he still has 4-5 years for a margin of improvement, and usually that favors an athlete's thrid week performances.

Still I'm curious to see this Basso, if its this Basso, at the Tour against him and Schleck during the third week. Whereas this Giro was all for Contador. What a pity he decided to skip it. I'll bet having heard about this year's race, if not seen some of the key stages, he has a bit of remorse. This Giro was a historic course, and a great champion like Contador would have made it even more spectacular.

 

[Arnout]

Best cycling years are roughly 28 till 32. Contador is 27. Makes you afraid of what's still to come.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'd also question Basso's inclusion. The obvious answer is Contador, b/c he climbs like a demon all year.

But depending on the race and time of year, people might throw in Sella, Ras (as Pantani_Lives suggests), I've seen Ricco a few times, and countless other Italians. There are also a lot of guys like Soler who are one exceptional stage away from being labelled number one--but Contador does it (almost) every time.

So yeah, Contador. How is this guy beatable? I just posted a bold prediction RE Nibali in another thread, and now I'm really thinking about it and realizing that there's no way he'll ever beat Contador in July. (But he will be Schleck one day!)

The thing is, 'clean' Riccò this year has put in much better showings than 'clean' Sella, and we haven't really seen any indication that Sella is as good a climber without the juice. Pozzovivo and Przemyslaw Niemiec have been the top climbers on the Italian calendar so far.

I also offer a couple more - Joaquím Rodríguez, who is about as good as it gets when the road gets really steep, like 20%+. He was the last man to be dropped by Contador on Angliru, and won back to back on Montelupone. And José Rujano. The little guy named himself the third best climber in the péloton and faced ridicule for that, but when the guy is on form, he is pretty incredible, as we saw in the Vuelta a Colombia. Also consider that some of the guys he was leaving for dead there are the same riders that left the péloton for dead in the Vuelta a Asturias this year. Mauricio Ortega, as the leader of the best of the Colombian teams, merits some consideration.

And also Claudia Häusler.

 

[richwagmn]

Like everyone else... Contador. Can anyone climb with this guy when he gets out of the saddle?

Schlecklet can match him seated, but not out of the saddle.

Basso seems like he's more of a seated climber. He can just sort of wear you down by behing 1% faster. But I don't recall seeing anything resembling an attack like Contador.

Agree that Rico might be quite talented too. Though until he gets back (if) to the big show, it's hard to actually know (assuming he's now clean).

 

[Runitout]

Contador. When he first started using the Specialized bike, he said that the extra stiffness would be really good for when he's out of the saddle on a climb. I haven't read anything about it since training camp, but at the time, Contador and his mechanic gave the engineers a lot of useful feedback that they expected to put into a new model for the TdF.

I agree with the first word. After that ... um - you're kidding, right?

Don't drink the koolaid. There's no way that the ****teenth of a percent stiffness advantage will have any real effect on performance. Perhaps at 1300 watts - but not at 500. Contador is the better climber, but it's not because Specialized invented the magic carpet.

 

[Runitout]

But I don't recall seeing anything resembling an attack like Contador.

Ullrich on Arcalis was a sight to behold.

 

[Jan the Man]

Ullrich on Arcalis was a sight to behold.

Those were the days. Der Kaiser in his pomp!!!

 

[Thee_chisa]

bearing in mind that ricco, basso, pelizotti, valverde, etc have been banned, and there is suspicion around contador, armstrong, etc it is difficult to say who is the best climber as they are all on a different playing level

 

[dolophonic]

No it seems they are all playing on the same level.. a higher one!
Rasmussen was pretty good at going up hill, he hung with Bertie(that was a classic TDF stage) Or is this only current riders?