Best Sprinter ever

[Ruby United]

With all the Cav/100 stage wins/best stage sprinter ever hype, lets see who forum users vote for!

 

[Froome19]

Needs a poll

 

[Ruby United]

Needs a poll

Be patient

 

[Ruby United]

Other/Hushovd/Vino

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Abdu will wipp anyone, anytime, anywhere.

There have been so many great sprinters, Hoste, Raas, van Poppel, Fidanza, the buffalo from Carrera [cant get to his name] and so on.

Abdu was great. He was the biggest idiot of them all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt4x3nuzfQ

 

[IndianCyclist]

CAV without doubt

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Abdou was a superior sprinter, the complete package. Fastest too, probably.

 

[Ruby United]

Voted for Cav

 

[Roderick]

Difficult question since the majority of this forum never saw a live sprint of Abdou in his prime, let alone Maertens.

And how are you gonna compare cav against Zabel, two totaaly different sprinters

 

[Inquitus]

Kelly 10char

 

[LouieLouie]

Freddy Maertens won as much in 1976-77 alone as Cav has won in his entire career. Can't remember Cav winning a GT yet, though...

 

[hayzer114]

Would love to say Sean Kelly as the man is a legend and was teak-tough. His green jersey record and classics wins are incredible but it has to be Cav. At the moment he is streets ahead of all the other sprinters with Greipel coming second. Taking this years Giro he looks unbeatable in the sprints. There doesnt seem to be anyone who can realy come close to him at the moment. He showed in his last win that he doesnt depend on a train. I think hes got more raw pace that Sagan who could be perceived as his biggest threat. Goss/Bouhanni/Viviani/Nizzolo not in his league.

 

[Roderick]

Freddy Maertens won as much in 1976-77 alone as Cav has won in his entire career. Can't remember Cav winning a GT yet, though...

But winning a GT has nothing to do with the question who the best sprinter is

 

[SafeBet]

Rik Van Looy.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As an overall rider, Kelly by far. I don't really think he belongs in a list of best sprinters though, as he was a total all-rounder. May as well include Jalabert (though he isn't as good as Kelly of course). Abdou I have a lot of time for as one of very few genuine pure sprinters who could win a mountain stage at the Tour by attacking the break uphill, but Maertens and Cavendish are the obvious choices. I'd still tip the balance in favour of Maertens, but given his age Cavendish has plenty of time to redress that.

I also suggest honorable mentions in the "other" category for those who haven't been mentioned yet for Olaf Ludwig, André Darrigade, Délio Rodríguez and Miguel Poblet.

 

[The Hitch]

Cav by far

 

[mb2612]

The poll says fastest, but the thread is discussing best, which is it?

I think Kittel is faster in a drag race than Cav, but there is no way he's a better sprinter.

As for the best sprinter of all time, I'd probably say Zabel based on his results, but I would be very surprised if in five years time Cav hasn't gone past him.

 

[MellowJohnny]

I can't comment on the older generation but I have big respect for Sean Kelly.

From the current crop its Cavendish and then Sagan.

I predict Alesxander Kristoff to be pretty good though.

 

[burning]

If you say fastest, than a track sprinter is your answer
I think Maertens is definitely better than Cav as he won pretty much everywhere in his good years

 

[King Boonen]

This thread is going to read like listening to a hipster discussing bands...

 

[kingjr]

Dont know who would be the fastest, you would have to take all of them in their prime and do a drag race. In terms of the best I would go for Freddy Maertens.
It's understandable that Cavendish gets many votes but keep in mind that he never raced against any of the other guys in the poll in their prime.

 

[Afrank]

Cav, he's already got the palmares capable of rivaling the other best sprinters of all time. And he's only 28, he's not done winning yet.

 

[cineteq]

I don't see the option: 'Anyone but Canvendish'

 

[Carols]

Fastest or Best???

Fastest = Abdu
Best = Maertens

 

[forumlurker]

This thread is going to read like listening to a hipster discussing bands...

abdoujaparov for best name