Best TT specialist ever?

[AnatoleNovak]

If the WC time trial existed back then, Eddy probably had around 8 or 9 titles.

The Grand Prix des Nations was the unofficial one. Anquetil started it 9 times and won it 9 times.

Edit: I see that somebody already mentionned it, sorry.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

People referring to the time gaps, don't forget Indurain era and before had much bigger time trials.

Nowadays UCI, ASO, RCS etc ruined TT's by only putting max 40km TT's in, most of the time not even 30km

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think Eddy, Big Mig, Anquetil, Coppi, Hinault, Cancellara and Armstrong in that order.

 

[Pantani_lives]

It's impossible to compare generations; you can only compare how dominant they were within their generation. In chronological order the six main candidates would be Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain, Cancellara and Martin - roughly one a decade.

Spoiler

That's Tony Martin, not Daniel or Guillaume.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Also worth noting Learco Guerra, first world champion in the ITT

 

[The Hegelian]

I can only go from what I've seen - which is from 1990. I think - on the basis of dogma mainly - that a top tt specialist needs to demonstrate their gifts in a GT.

Indurain.

Then, probably Wiggins.

Then Cancellera & Martin - I have them basically equal.

I would make a different category for prologues.

Boardman. Marie. Cancellera again.

 

[SHAD0W93]

This reminds me of the thread like 5 hears ago with the same topic.

They weren't the best but Ullrich and Klöden looked amazing on a TT bike and good TT's as well. I would agree with Pantani but add Ullrich and Armstrong. They were both beasts as well.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

No need for a thread about this. There is only one answer: Fabian Cancellara.

Fabian even continued to win time trials regularly and nearly always podium'ed after he changed his focus to the cobbles.

I consider Anquetil a 2nd from what I have read about him.

 

[42x16ss]

Indurain.

Next question

 

[Singer01]

Cancellara coming back after a few years in the wilderness at Rio was pretty special.

 

[Carols]

Indurain

 

[woodburn]

LeMond.

 

[burning]

Not that I am going to say anyone that has not been mentioned but I think Armstrong is criminally underrated in this kind of threads during his run. His worst finish on a TT was 7th in 2003 prologue, and his second worst was 3rd, that is simply ridiculous and it is not matched even by Indurain during his peak, he had a big dud in 1995 prologue.

On a seasonal basis, 2009 Contador is quite underrated as well, his TT placements were 1st, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 2nd, 1st, and his 5th in Dauphine was a result of clearly him holding back himself.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Its hard for me to get excited about ITT performance. For starters they are almost unwatchable. Then when I see an article about someone "smashing" an ITT and there is a big rocketship nosecone on their ITT bike and I click through and none of the other competitors had one. Same with the skinsuits and all, its interesting technology but its not dramatic sport.

edit: Oh yeah. Greatest alltime? Lemond

 

[Pantani_lives]

LeMond has only won three time trials in the Tour. Admitted, one of those is the most famous ITT in cycling history. In 1986 he lost both ITTs to Hinault. In 1990 he lost to Alcala and Breukink.

 

[klintE]

Ok, but who is the worst. I mean from guys having serious GC interests.
Nowadays, Bardet, Landa...

 

[tobydawq]

Ok, but who is the worst. I mean from guys having serious GC interests.
Nowadays, Bardet, Landa...

105

RODRÍGUEZ Joaquim

Team Katusha

46.846

6:12

While in the lead of the Vuelta.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Ok, but who is the worst. I mean from guys having serious GC interests.
Nowadays, Bardet, Landa...

José Maria Jiménez comes to mind. He was the best climber in the Vuelta several times, but he soon gave up the idea of ever winning a GT, because he always lost many minutes in the time trials.

E.g. In 1999 he lost over six minutes in both ITTs, both 46 km long. That's almost 13 minutes in total. He was only 9.24 behind in the final classification...

 

[klintE]

José Maria Jiménez comes to mind. He was the best climber in the Vuelta several times, but he soon gave up the idea of ever winning a GT, because he always lost many minutes in the time trials.

Just checked. He was 3rd in 1998 LV, winnig 4(!) stages and losing 6+ minutes in ITTs. Must have been frustrating for him.

 

[Leinster]

I’ve often thought the likes of Lucho Herrera must look at Grand Tour routes in the 2010s with <30km of TT and think “I would absolutely smash that.” Instead they had to go out for up to 80km in a single stage and ship time gaps longer than the Channel 4 highlights show.

 

[perico]

Hampsten could put in a decent TT occasionally, but was dependably horrendous in TdF TTs.

 

[houtdffan]

People referring to the time gaps, don't forget Indurain era and before had much bigger time trials.

Nowadays UCI, ASO, RCS etc ruined TT's by only putting max 40km TT's in, most of the time not even 30km

when RCS included a proper length TT in 2015, we had time gaps approaching those of the past. Contador won the race that day, and we havn't seen any TTs since then even approaching that length

 

[Leinster]

when RCS included a proper length TT in 2015, we had time gaps approaching those of the past. Contador won the race that day, and we havn't seen any TTs since then even approaching that length

Don’t forget though, that was the only ITT of the race that year. There was more kms of ITT in 2016 and 2017, and just about equal this year, except spread over 2 or 3 stages each time.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

It’s pretty close between Anquetil and Merckx. 63 ITT victories for JA and 57 for EM.

Remco could be better than both.

Remco at age 19 has so far placed:
3rd San Juan
15th at Romandie
4th at Bâloise Belgian Tour
3rd at Belgian NC
1st at Euro TT

Merckx and Anquetil didn’t win their first TT until they were 23. While the Euro championship isn’t the same as winning a Paris Nice ITT like both Merckx and Anquetil did for their first ITT win it was against fairly strong TT’ers.

If he somehow were to win the World IT ...mind—-> explode

 

[del1962]

Fabian Cancellara for me, if not for injuries he could have one 3 Olympic ITT Gold Medals, and he excelled over very differing lengths