Freire is a superb rider but I don't think he won enough real bunch sprints to be in contention for this title (for me he is more like the rider you don't want to face in the finale of a classics in a small group rather than the ultimate sprinter).
Hushovd is in the same category but wins major classics with much less consistency (though he might be a little more versatile).
I was a great fan of McEwen in his prime, the intelligence, consistency and skill with which he chose the right wheel was truly unmatched. The amount of wins he amassed without a lead out train is truly outstanding, so he absolutely deserves a mention here, yet I still don’t rate him as the best ever as he never was as dominant as others on the list.
Kelly and Maertens are much more than simple sprinters, their versatility was truly outstanding, kind of like Jalabert more recently, and even though their speed was probably their biggest asset, I don’t picture them as sprinters but rather as all-rounders.
Abdoujaparov is not a sprinter I know very well but his palmares speaks for him. However, his period at the top is somewhat shorter than the others on the list and he lacks outstanding results in the sprinter-friendly classics, so I don’t think he can be qualified as the best ever (still is one of the best for sure).
Petacchi, great rider, incredible longevity, superb palmares and while not as fast as he once was, still managed to beat Cavendish on a relatively regular basis. One of the best ever without any contestation possible.
Zabel had just a crazy consistency. Each time there was a sprint, he finished on the podium. He would have been a worthy winner of the title, especially when you look at his record in the classics such as Milan-San Remo but his victories lack the inevitable aspect that comed with those of Cipollini or Cavendish : Zabel was always expected to top3, not necessarily to win.
That is why I would personally rate Super Mario just above Zabel (well there’s
thisalso
).
As for Cavendish, we will have to wait until the end of his career before rating him in this list though he already deserves his place along those prestigious sprinters. Will he be the best ever ? Only time will tell. Well that’s not entirely true, I find
this example telling enough (he didn’t even seem to reach top speed
).
It’s a shame that there was not more older riders included (Darrigade for example deserved a mention) as now the list seems to be about the best sprinter of the last 20-30 years rather than the best ever.
I also loved how Boonen sprinted (sadly it is now the past tense that needs to be used), what incredible power (don’t worry I am not asking for him to be integrated to the list, he was a great sprinter but no greater than any of those ten).
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