My criteria for judging the best TTers past or present is their success in Tour time trials given the quality of the opposition, although the nature of Grand Tour racing means that all things are not equal. The minimum requirement is for 10 TT wins or more. Here are the results in no particular order:
Miguel Indurain: 10 Tour TT wins from 12 starts. Other significant wins: World and Olympic TT wins, Giro TT wins. Won all Tour time trials in 1992.
Jacques Anquetil: 10 TT wins from 8 starts. Other significant wins: 9 GP des Nations wins, Giro TT wins (maybe Vuelta TT win).
Lance Armstrong: 11 TT wins from 13 starts. Other significant wins: 1 GP des Nations win. Won all Tour time trials in 1999. Won prologues, mountain TTs and long TTs.
Eddy Merckx: 16 TT wins from 7 starts. Other significant wins: 1 GP des Nations win, TT wins in Giro and Vuelta. Won all Tour time trials in 1972. Won 4 out of 5 time trials in 1970.
So it would seem Merckx once again is the best at time trialing. Then I looked up Bernard Hinault's results:
Bernard Hinault: 20 TT wins from 8 starts. Other significant wins: 5 GP des Nations wins, TT wins in Giro and Vuelta. Won all Tour time trials in 1981. Won 4 out of 5 time trials in 1979 Tour. Won more Tour prologues than anyone else (5). Won prologues, mountain TTs, intermediate TTs and long TTs.
Based on those results, Hinault is my pick for best TTer past or present.
And yes, he is not in your poll. <sigh>
EDIT: forgot to mention that Hinault is the only rider to have won at least one time trial in every tour that he started.
Miguel Indurain: 10 Tour TT wins from 12 starts. Other significant wins: World and Olympic TT wins, Giro TT wins. Won all Tour time trials in 1992.
Jacques Anquetil: 10 TT wins from 8 starts. Other significant wins: 9 GP des Nations wins, Giro TT wins (maybe Vuelta TT win).
Lance Armstrong: 11 TT wins from 13 starts. Other significant wins: 1 GP des Nations win. Won all Tour time trials in 1999. Won prologues, mountain TTs and long TTs.
Eddy Merckx: 16 TT wins from 7 starts. Other significant wins: 1 GP des Nations win, TT wins in Giro and Vuelta. Won all Tour time trials in 1972. Won 4 out of 5 time trials in 1970.
So it would seem Merckx once again is the best at time trialing. Then I looked up Bernard Hinault's results:
Bernard Hinault: 20 TT wins from 8 starts. Other significant wins: 5 GP des Nations wins, TT wins in Giro and Vuelta. Won all Tour time trials in 1981. Won 4 out of 5 time trials in 1979 Tour. Won more Tour prologues than anyone else (5). Won prologues, mountain TTs, intermediate TTs and long TTs.
Based on those results, Hinault is my pick for best TTer past or present.
And yes, he is not in your poll. <sigh>
EDIT: forgot to mention that Hinault is the only rider to have won at least one time trial in every tour that he started.