Better climber: Igor Anton vs Samuel Sánchez

[Walkman]

Better climber: Igor Anton vs Samuel Sánchez

Who is currently the best climber on the Euskaltel team? Anton or Sánchez?

I know the timing of this thread may not be perfect with regards to Anton's performance on the Zoncolan but please try to be objective.

Edit:
Added a poll.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Depends on the climb.

Potentially I rate Anton higher anyway, before this race even.

 

[The Hitch]

Samu I think. Samu beat Igor on FW. Last year he was clearly the best of the Rest at the Tour.

Anton won today but was far behind Contador on the other stages.

Then again i am a Samu fan

 

[nvpacchi]

Samu I think. Samu beat Igor on FW. Last year he was clearly the best of the Rest at the Tour.

Anton won today but was far behind Contador on the other stages.

Then again i am a Samu fan

Using FW isn't the best comparison IMO.

I love 'em both but I think Anton is better at this point in their respective careers

 

[Arnout]

On the less steep climbs Samu is better I think, on the steeper ones definately Anton. Remember Anton was only building up to the Giro in FW and he started from the back.

 

[Ferminal]

Stylistically, on a once off effort, Anton.

Over 3 weeks, who gets the best time, Samu.

I prefer Anton.

 

[boomcie]

Anton. I don't even see why this poll exists. The guy has more potential on the big climbs [period]

 

[saganftw]

anton no doubt about that,he will win vuelta this year

 

[Jan the Man]

anton no doubt about that,he will win vuelta this year

Nibali v anton in la vuelta will be good!

 

[hfer07]

Chris Horner is the closest one to Contador

 

[gilbertador]

Anton by a very long way, samu is very over rated he was decent at the last tour but Anton has shown in the vuelta and now this giro that he is an absolute class act, samu could never do what anton did today

 

[The Hitch]

Anton by a very long way, samu is very over rated he was decent at the last tour but Anton has shown in the vuelta and now this giro that he is an absolute class act, samu could never do what anton did today

What? Beat Nibali and a taking it easy COntador? I think he could. If he was on peak.

Unfortunately Samu has come to seeing TDF as the only race so we only can see it at the Tour but i think both Antons achievments at the Vuelta and Giro Samu could have emulated.

At the VUelta Anton beat Ezequiel Mosquera, Nibali, Sastre, Rodriguez on Andora.

Samu beat Ezequiel Mosquera at the 2009 Vuelta and he beat Purito on all but 1 climb at the Tour (climb where Samu had a broken wrist).

Personally i believe an on peak Samu would have beaten that field in Andorra like Anton did. With his Col Madeline form I think he could have done it quite easily actually. Or do you guys think Ezequiel Mosquera would have been good enough to come 3rd on the Madeline and beat al and andy on stage 15?

Also we saw that the outputs from the Vuelta were quite low actually.

The Giro is harder but i think it was doable too. Im not one of those that underates Nibali but I do see Samu as a better climber than Nibali. Anton came what, 40 seconds ahead of Nibali. I dont see why Samu could not have done that.

You could look at it the other way and say that he beat Contador by 40 seconds but Contador was imo taking it easy.

Well see at the Tour anyway how Samu does. I think with his focus hell show some super climbing there, but, well maybe he wont.

 

[Havetts]

Personally i believe an on peak Samu would have beaten that field in Andorra like Anton did. With his Col Madeline form I think he could have done it quite easily actually. Or do you guys think Ezequiel Mosquera would have been good enough to come 3rd on the Madeline and beat al and andy on stage 15?

Everytime Samu got remotely close to Andrew & Albert on the Madeleine they made an effort and Samu was 10 milse away again, true he was better than the rest. Plus when he only beat Alberto and Andy on stage 15 cause they went sur place(sp.?) so he and Menchov accelerated.

 

[jens_attacks]

anton because i like him more.and his victory salute too.

 

[Kwibus]

Samu I think. Samu beat Igor on FW. Last year he was clearly the best of the Rest at the Tour.

Anton won today but was far behind Contador on the other stages.

Then again i am a Samu fan

It does seem that Anton is getting better every day. And Samu wasn't able to follow AC as well.

 

[nesocip]

Anton, but only by slightest of margins.

However, Samu is a much better rider overall. I think had he targeted last year's Vuelta instead of Tour, he would have won it by 5 minute margin over Nibali.

No personal bias here, i like them both equally.

 

[Sophistic]

performance wise there isnt much difference between them, its the difference between one of the best and one of the worst bike handlers in the peloton.

 

[XlandaluzeX]

Anton is a pure climber while Samu has become an excellent all-round diesel,, so if its about climbing abbilities (attackin,accelerating,...) Anton is way better i think

 

[K-0tic]

Anton is a pure climber while Samu has become an excellent all-round diesel,, so if its about climbing abbilities (attackin,accelerating,...) Anton is way better i think

I'll think that way too. I mean, Anton is great uphill when he's in form and stays on his bike but Samu is just amazing downhill. Last Vuelta says it all. Anton probably could be aiming on that this year.

 

[GoAndyGo]

This isnt even fair. I feel bad for poor Sammy Sanchez.

 

[greenedge]

Anton by far. Everyone in the poll said he was best climber behind Shleck and AC. However he could maybe have to get a bit of consistency in to his prowess. If Samu was here today and Crostis was i think he would have ended up winning. I think Anton would have gone even better on MT. Baldy, as it's a long haul, favouring climbers ( in form ). Samu is like a Valverde and Scarponi but more intuitve and probably better rounded.

 

[LukeSchmid]

Anton, but only by slightest of margins.

However, Samu is a much better rider overall. I think had he targeted last year's Vuelta instead of Tour, he would have won it by 5 minute margin over Nibali.

No personal bias here, i like them both equally.

I agree. Anton is better, when he is at his best, at going up the side of a mountain, but in all other areas, including consistency, he is significantly worse.

 

[jaylew]

I'm surprised this is so lopsided, though I guess the timing has a little to do with it.

 

[aarnold517]

it could be a lot to do with the timing for my personal opinion, but i seem to remember samu getting dropped by the best climbers a few more times when in form than anton. but i actually think they are pretty equal in terms of climbing ability, even if they have different styles

regardless, i love both of them, and i'll say it here but i think between the two of them they will podium at least 2 of the 3 grand tours this year (not too big a stretch with anton already close to getting one of them )

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sorry Hitch, liked to support you on this one but I think Anton just edges it. A more natural climber and wins more mountain stages than Sammy as well.

Anton is more inconsistent, but when on form he's a better climber than Sammy, undeniable.