Best TTers past or present?

[El Pistolero]

"When I became a pro in 1994 new doping products were of course in the peleton, introduced by the so-called pioneers. That sure, everybody knows. Furlan, Berzin, Argentin … at a given moment ten miles per hour faster than the rest. I have never had an opportunity to be a pioneer for a new kind of doping, the first to try. The interviewer thought Frank regretted that he had not been a “pioneer “But of course, they had the chance to try out a new treatment. Unfortunately I never had that chance. Yes I had class. Yes, I was born to win and take prizes. In 1994, when I was just nineteen,I won a stage of the Tour of the Mediterranean Sea beating Davide Cassani and Berzin. Those guys had a hematocrit value of 60. Mine was 42! That I won was incredible! My greatest achievement was not the victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, but that on Mont Faron. Because then I fought with unequal resources. They were prepared by doctor Michele Ferrari and Luigi Cecchini while I raced on bread and water."

 

[Bavarianrider]

"When I became a pro in 1994 new doping products were of course in the peleton, introduced by the so-called pioneers. That sure, everybody knows. Furlan, Berzin, Argentin … at a given moment ten miles per hour faster than the rest. I have never had an opportunity to be a pioneer for a new kind of doping, the first to try. The interviewer thought Frank regretted that he had not been a “pioneer “But of course, they had the chance to try out a new treatment. Unfortunately I never had that chance. Yes I had class. Yes, I was born to win and take prizes. In 1994, when I was just nineteen,I won a stage of the Tour of the Mediterranean Sea beating Davide Cassani and Berzin. Those guys had a hematocrit value of 60. Mine was 42! That I won was incredible! My greatest achievement was not the victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, but that on Mont Faron. Because then I fought with unequal resources. They were prepared by doctor Michele Ferrari and Luigi Cecchini while I raced on bread and water."

Who said that?

 

[El Pistolero]

Who said that?

Frank Vandenbroucke.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Frank Vandenbroucke.

Thanks.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

How do people explain Indurains miraclous performance increase in TTes after turning 26?
Before that, he didn't even have Top 10 finishes in Tour TTes. At age 26 he then got a Top 10 rider. With 27 he became a winner and dominant.

While Indurain certainly did get a lot better around 1990, I think you're exaggerating his improvement. He actually showed decent results earlier on as well.

At least get your facts straight. He top 10'ed a Tour time trial at the age of 23.

1985:

Prologue: 100th

1986:

Prologue: 17th
Stage 9 (62 km): 13th

1987:

Prologue: 8th
Stage 10 (87 km): 14th
Stage 18 (37 km): 147th
Stage 24 (38 km): 6th

1988:

Prologue: 11th
Stage 6 (52 km): 38th
Stage 13 (38 km): 101th
Stage 21 (46 km): 130th

1989:

Prologue: 7th
Stage 5 (73 km): 12th
Stage 15 (39 km): 3rd
Stage 21 (24.5 km): 17th

1990:

Prologue: 8th
Stage 7 (61.5 km): 2nd
Stage 12 (33.5 km): 3rd
Stage 20 (45.5 km): 4th

 

[Nick C.]

While Indurain certainly did get a lot better around 1990, I think you're exaggerating his improvement. He actually showed decent results earlier on as well.

At least get your facts straight. He top 10'ed a Tour time trial at the age of 23.

1985:

Prologue: 100th

1986:

Prologue: 17th
Stage 9 (62 km): 13th

1987:

Prologue: 8th
Stage 10 (87 km): 14th
Stage 18 (37 km): 147th
Stage 24 (38 km): 6th

1988:

Prologue: 11th
Stage 6 (52 km): 38th
Stage 13 (38 km): 101th
Stage 21 (46 km): 130th

1989:

Prologue: 7th
Stage 5 (73 km): 12th
Stage 15 (39 km): 3rd
Stage 21 (24.5 km): 17th

1990:

Prologue: 8th
Stage 7 (61.5 km): 2nd
Stage 12 (33.5 km): 3rd
Stage 20 (45.5 km): 4th

1988 seems more of an outlier than the others, which at least trend upwards.

 

[Angliru]

Again, i just say that Indurain isn't the undisputed god. Of course he was great, maybe the ebst. but not the godlike status he has.

Who is giving him god-like status? Many believe he was one of the best if not the best same as you believe in Jan and Tony Martin. I'm personally a big fan of both Indurain and Jan but I'd have to give the edge to Indurain. Jan was quite impressive in his own right too but Indurain sustained his dominance for many more years and held the hour record, something Jan never pursued. I would've loved to see him take a stab at it at his peak.

 

[rghysens]

1988 seems more of an outlier than the others, which at least trend upwards.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that his team captain (Delgado) Won that tour?
Btw, Indurain also was second in the prologue of the 1985 Vuelta.

 

[Nick C.]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that his team captain (Delgado) Won that tour?
Btw, Indurain also was second in the prologue of the 1985 Vuelta.

I wasn't even thinking along those lines. I thought maybe he was injured. His early palmares are littered with TT wins in smaller races.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that his team captain (Delgado) Won that tour?
Btw, Indurain also was second in the prologue of the 1985 Vuelta.

I don't really know why he did so badly this year. It shouldn't have anything to do with Delgado winning the Tour, as he was second in 1987 and third in 1989, for instance. It is a bit strange indeed.

Edit: and as the user above me mentioned, he had a lot of other great time trial results, I only focused on the tour.

 

[Dedelou]

I don't really know why he did so badly this year. It shouldn't have anything to do with Delgado winning the Tour, as he was second in 1987 and third in 1989, for instance. It is a bit strange indeed.

Edit: and as the user above me mentioned, he had a lot of other great time trial results, I only focused on the tour.

I have trouble including prologues from grand tours because most of the time, GC candidates who intent to be on the podium at the end make a point of not winning in order to avoid to have to defend the leader jersey too early. Also because Tours before a certain period had ITT instead of prologues

 

[movingtarget]

Who is giving him god-like status? Many believe he was one of the best if not the best same as you believe in Jan and Tony Martin. I'm personally a big fan of both Indurain and Jan but I'd have to give the edge to Indurain. Jan was quite impressive in his own right too but Indurain sustained his dominance for many more years and held the hour record, something Jan never pursued. I would've loved to see him take a stab at it at his peak.

I think it's hard to separate Indurain, Eddy, Anquetil and even Armstrong had an impressive record. Hinault was no slouch either. As for the hour record, there has been so many changes to the rules with equipment etc........I would not even bother taking it into account. Moser ?