Best GT of 2015

[Gigs_98]

Generally this was the best GT year I have seen completely (Before 2011 I didnt watch all three gt's)
For me the giro was clearly the best. Hardly any boring stages and although the fight for the gc wasnt that interesting there were countless epic moments (Kreuziger in the break on stage 3, Contador's attack on the first mtf, Contador's first crash when everyone said he should abandon, Porte's mechanical, Aru loosing much time on the easy uphill finish, Alberto loosing time after a crash right before 3 km mark, Contador destroys the ITT, Landa stronger than Aru in Madonna, THE WHOLE MORTIROLO STAGE, Contador's revenge, Aru's revival, Alberto fading on the finestre) and I'm sure I forgot some.
For me it was hard to say if Tour or Vuelta were better but at the end I choose the Vuelta because of the better gc fight. The last week was absolutely awesome, the mtf's on stage 2 and 9 too and the Andorra stage was also entertaining although it would have been clearly better before a rest day. However the rest of week 2 was very very lame (hardly any action on 3 mtf's in a row) so it was only a little bit better than the tour.
The first week of the tour was good for tour circumstances, the LPSM was objectively probably also not that bad (although I hated it) and Mende also was okay. The third week would have been great if Nairo was a little bit closer to froome, because I never really had the feeling Froome could be in danger (although as we saw on stage 20, Nairo almost did the turnaround)

 

[dpm1991]

G>V>T

Giro. I had more heart attacks in span of those 3 weeks than ever. Even more than Giro '08 (cheering for Contador) or Giro '10 (cheering first for Evans, then Arroyo). On Sestriere and Mortirolo stages I was almost rage-quitting. Just too much tension for my health. Besides, breakaway win on the parade stage = instant classic. What I didn't like is the tactics of Astana. I thought that any of the chess-like moves could not work against Contador but after the yesterdays stage I begin to have some small doubts. I think they could rode at least slightly better.

Vuelta. I sadly missed a couple of stages, but I didn't missed anything interesting. I will remember this Vuelta thanks to the Navacerrada stage (not that far away from the Fuente De brilliancy), the tension around Tom Doumulin and of course Majka's podium - first one after Jaskuła's TdF '93 one. I didn't like the now usual for Vuelta organisation problems and Nibali's case. Besides, some of the stages were pretty boring.

Tour. The best moment: Valverde (or as I call him Walduś) at last having his beloved TdF podium. He was fightning for it for 10 years, sometimes being very short of it. I'm glad that TdF '14 didn't broke him mentally and he got himself into this Tour with one of the the best forms he ever had. The Zeeland storm stage was very nice. They still had some luck as I was observing this storm and it fall apart just as they hit it. 30 mins to 1h before and they could deal with more severe weather. Overally the first week was pretty fine. Nibali's win was fine, even if it was overblown by some posters.

Offtop. Is he really a tactical genius? He was winning when he was strong - Giro '13, Tour '14. The cobbles stage was more about raw power than tactics. Before 2013 he was prone to some questionable decisions - Giro '11. The case of Vuelta '15 doesn't help him either. Only Vuelta '10 was quite fine from him if I remember correctly and I consider this win as a more lucky one (Rodriguez, Anton).

Back to Tour. PSM was Ax3 2.0. Alpine stages were quite tense, but Froome's lead was not in danger. I think Movistar could rode better. At least they tried something on Croix de Fer and L'Alpe. The second week was meh. Only Froome sprinting from Quintana for 1 sec. in Mende was hilarious, he looked like an ADHD bull on viagra.

Summary. Giro is first because Giro. Vuelta edges out Tour because of the Navacerrada stage and Tom Doumulin's odd Vuelta win threat. Tour had some nice moment with first week and Alpes being fine but overally it was pretty meh.

 

[Ramon Koran]

The Giro was without a doubt the best, however the Tour was IMO far better than the Vuelta, the first week was great with the favorites already battling out, the crosswinds, the pave, the TTT wich was decided by a second. The second week was a dissapointement for sure, mainly because of PSM. But the third week was fantastic, Sagan in the break every day, the young French riders showing fighting spirit and of course Quintana who could have won had he played his tactics better. The Vuelta was only interesting because of the close time gaps and yesterda's stage, other than that it was a massive dissapointement mainly due to Nibali and Froome going out early, and nobody really attacking and going all-in. So I will go with Giro-Tour-Vuelta.

 

[malakassis]

vuelta > tour > giro

because the GC battle is all i care. aru turning things on the last day and lots of changes of red jersay were great! and it had the best route. giro was closed after 60k ITT. tour was better as quintana got stronger in the alps.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

The Giro was without a doubt the best, however the Tour was IMO far better than the Vuelta, the first week was great with the favorites already battling out, the crosswinds, the pave, the TTT wich was decided by a second. The second week was a dissapointement for sure, mainly because of PSM. But the third week was fantastic, Sagan in the break every day, the young French riders showing fighting spirit and of course Quintana who could have won had he played his tactics better. The Vuelta was only interesting because of the close time gaps and yesterda's stage, other than that it was a massive dissapointement mainly due to Nibali and Froome going out early, and nobody really attacking and going all-in. So I will go with Giro-Tour-Vuelta.

I couldn't have written/expressed my opinion any better than you just did. Thanks Ramon!

 

[Pippo_San]

Its been a very good year overall, there were lots of dramas going on in every GT. The Tour being the weakest as always.
Actually you can hate on Astana all you want, but most of the dramas nowadays surround them, and it's all quite a show.

The Giro had some crazy moments, with the breakthrough of Landa and the hardships of Contador. There were definitely some epic moments in the last week, and even Sky provided some funny drama with the Porte Wheelgate.

The Tour, it had a great start, awesome Zeelande stage, but then there was Pierre Saint Martin, and it was a total bummer Armstrong-era like. There you know it was over. Still there were some interesting things, with Nibali freaking out, and then winning in an epic fashion, the Van Garderen breakthrough, the constant relentless attacking of the frenchies. Big disappointment in Moviestar tho, and really Froome had almost zero competition.

The Vuelta was crazy, unpredictable, lots and lots of dramas solved only in the last stage. A rollercoaster ride, and whole lot of fun.

 

[DBotero]

Tour>Vuelta>Giro

 

[Red Rick]

Right, accidentally made it possible to change votes, changed that back now, so you're stuck with the choices you made

 

[djpbaltimore]

Tour > Giro > Vuelta.

Overall, it was a really good year for GTs. I would've rated the Giro higher, but I never felt the GC was under threat after the TT. If not for overblown commentary about chaingate, the Tour would've been an easier answer for me because it felt like the lead was under threat up until the final battle on Alpe D'Huez. The Vuelta is usually the most competitive, but that does not equate to best GC in my book. The route was too repetitive and the finale, while entertaining, was pretty much over for all intents and purposes once Dumoulin failed to bridge.

 

[deValtos]

Wowza why is the Giro winning ?

I'm sure people just vote for the Giro every year to make a statement about how bad the Tour is without actually giving any proper thought to what happened.

Tour or Vuelta was the best for sure.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

cobbled classics>tour > vuelta > giro>ardennes>everything else

 

[Põhja Konn]

Giro - while GC-battle was decided after the TT, racing itself was fantastic. Contador in Mortirolo stage was just superb and breakaway taking a parade stage concluded the race in a most suitable manner.

Vuelta - not much separating it from the Tour, but closer GC-battle and epic penultimate stage together with the emergence of a completely unexpected GC-conteder just about shades it for me. Though stage 16 screamed out for a shallower final climb. Also can't underestimate a fact that Vuelta is much fresher in the memory.

Tour - despite being last in the list, it was not a bad Tour at all. Very good first week with different kinds obstacles riders had to overcome.Sadly for the GC-battle, pre-race favorite came out on top, but it still remained very open. But then came the abomination that was stage 10 to Pierre Saint Martin. It was the biggest anticlimax of the year and effectively ruined most of the remainder of the Tour. Although GC fight came back alive in the third week, with Froome fading faster than expected, Movistars waiting game ensured he remained in the driving seat until the end.

Overall a good year in terms of GT-s.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

cobbled classics>tour > vuelta > giro>ardennes>everything else

I have watched races like Pais Vasco, Paris-Nice and Dauphiné with more pleasure then LBL and Amstel.

 

[hrotha]

Giro>>>>Tour>>Vuelta

Anyone who doesn't pick the Giro as the best GT of 2015 pretty much doesn't like cycling.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Wowza why is the Giro winning ?

I'm sure people just vote for the Giro every year to make a statement about how bad the Tour is without actually giving any proper thought to what happened.

Tour or Vuelta was the best for sure.

No, they do it because the Giro is actually the best of the GT's almost every year. Last time the Tour was the best was... Maybe 2007

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Vuelta-Giro-Tour for me only because whilst enjoying the Vuelta and not so the the Tour I sadly missed Giro due to a house move. I also have a soft spot for Vuelta due to usual lack of expectations, the following of a poor tour and being the final of the year, this year it certainly didn't disappoint.

You cannnot vote then, if you haven't watched all the GT's you've no right to vote.

 

[Miburo]

Hating on the Tour has become a fad, I enjoyed it the most. The Giro had some good stages but the GC fight was a bore.

The tour was worse in terms of GC battle.

In the giro there was the stage of mortirolo where there was some kinda exctiment and then contador's collapse on firenze. The tour had nothing of danger for GC.

Some of you need to rewatch the giro

 

[Sciocco]

Always the Giro, it is untouchable. Transitional stages in week one of the Giro are consistently more exciting than the mountain stages in week three of the tour, and the Vuelta is always weird with their stages and the order of their stages.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Giro>>>>Tour>>Vuelta

Anyone who doesn't pick the Giro as the best GT of 2015 pretty much doesn't like cycling.

No. It simply means they have a different opinion than you do.

 

[Red Rick]

Can someone list all the exciting things that happened in the Tour? All I remember is

Prologue, Dennis takes yellow
Windy stage, good action
Mur de Huy, yellow jersey crashes out
Cobbles sucked, apart from Martin winning
Havre, yellow jersey crashes out
Couple of sprints
Mur de Bretagne, which was less exciting than any of the Vuelta uphill finishes
TTT on a ridiculous moment in the race
PSM, got the max action the stage could get with 8km
Quintana and Froome holding hands for the rest oif the pyrenees stages.
Sagan gets a bunch of second places
Froome and Quintana hold some more hands
Nibali wins a stage, whilst Quintana and Froome hold hands until 5km to go
Quintana attacks Froome when the hardest part of the CdF is over, drops him on AdH but its too late

Most of the things I listed are actually negative or non-events here

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

No. It simply means they have a different opinion than you do.

That's preposterous.

 

[The Hitch]

Re:

The Vuelta had a good battle for GC, the Giro had a meh one and the Tour a poor one, but the importance level of the races mediates the entertainment and tension they can provide, and the Tour is a grand slam compared to the masters 1000 feel of the Vuelta and the Giro.

But the grand slam effect works both ways. It makes it more interesting when it's good but even more disappointing when it just straight up blows.

 

[djpbaltimore]

Re:

Can someone list all the exciting things that happened in the Tour? All I remember is

Prologue, Dennis takes yellow
Windy stage, good action
Mur de Huy, yellow jersey crashes out
Cobbles sucked, apart from Martin winning
Havre, yellow jersey crashes out
Couple of sprints
Mur de Bretagne, which was less exciting than any of the Vuelta uphill finishes
TTT on a ridiculous moment in the race
PSM, got the max action the stage could get with 8km
Quintana and Froome holding hands for the rest oif the pyrenees stages.
Sagan gets a bunch of second places
Froome and Quintana hold some more hands
Nibali wins a stage, whilst Quintana and Froome hold hands until 5km to go
Quintana attacks Froome when the hardest part of the CdF is over, drops him on AdH but its too late

Most of the things I listed are actually negative or non-events here

Gimme a break, someone who writes that can't be taken seriously.

Also Mende was really a great stage with GC action and a great duel between the breakaway riders. There were so few boring stages in the tour this year.

 

[jens_attacks]

Giro by far
Then vuelta because of stage 20
Tour, last...booo unzueee

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Giro by far
Then vuelta because of stage 20
Tour, last...booo unzueee

The Jens has spoken