Best Rider Never to Win World Pro/Elite Road Race

[ultimobici]

richar virenque deserved at least a win .

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!
One dimensional cry-baby. Less real talent in his whole body than in LA's remaining nut.

 

[Signor Corleone]

Signor Corleone

You are totally correct. What I meant was more that they are less focused on the WCs than the classics riders, look at recent history: Contador, Lance, Levi, Klodi, Ullrich, Basso, Sastre to rattle off a few barely bother. You are right tho the guys like Cadel who actually try other than in May or July can be counted on to be in the WCs. For all we know one day a Schleck brother could win.

The trouble nowadays the World Championships seem to have been devalued somehow,
with many riders winding down after "Le Tour". There have been far less talented riders
than the Schleck brothers, who have won the title
Many of you around my age,65, will remember Harm Ottenbros of the Netherlands,
outsprinting Belgian Julien Stevens to win the 1969 race. People were saying 'who is this
guy?" He was just a reasonable rider who hit it lucky on the day.

 

[Signor Corleone]

Signor Corleone

richar virenque deserved at least a win .

Do you mean before he was caught for EPO, or afterwards when apparently
riding clean?

 

[El Pistolero]

It's either Kelly or De Vlaeminck. Either choice is good.

The likes of Indurain, Bartali and Anquetil deserve consideration, but ultimately they didn't build their reputation on one-day races*, which is what the WC is.



(*Yes I know Bartali won the Italian monuments several times)

Indurain got 2 second placings and one third at the Worlds. He didn't have a reputation on one day races, but that doesn't mean he wasn't good at them. People will always praise GTs over Monuments.

 

[For The World]

The Eternal Second - Raymond Poulidor.

Hell, the guy came second to Merckx in 1974. The fact that he was racing when he was 40 years old and STILL hadn't won the worlds, makes me rather sad for him.