Better Cobblestone rider: Boonen or Cancellara?

[Dazed and Confused]

Should two races be used to measure the worth of a rider? I don't know, but to paraphrase American renaissance man and part-time Shamus Jeff 'The Dude' Lebowski, "yeah, well that's just my opinion, man".

Best cobbles rider?
What race would you like to add? LBL, MSR or some of the preparation stuff?

 

[Panda Claws]

That's fine you know. We weren't arguing about who was better, but about the 8 days thing. Glad it's sorted out.

Would like to remind you that it isn't just 2 races though:

Omloop Nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne: well it has cobbles and if the weather is right it's an interesting race.
Dwars door Vlaanderen
E3 Prijs Harelbeke
Gent-Wevelgem
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Paris-Roubaix.

Cancellara's team never rides those first 3 races if I recall correctly though.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Would like to remind you that it isn't just 2 races though:

Omloop Nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne: well it has cobbles and if the weather is right it's an interesting race.
Dwars door Vlaanderen
E3 Prijs Harelbeke
Gent-Wevelgem
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Paris-Roubaix.

Sure, but this isn't about what races are interesting etc. We are dealing with two top cobbles riders. They know what the targets are.

 

[El Pistolero]

Cancellara's team never rides those first 3 races if I recall correctly though.

He has ridden Omloop het Volk a few times. 2008 was one of them I think. Has also ridden in Dwars door Vlaanderen, he helped Matti Breschel win in 2010.

Sure, but this isn't about what races are interesting etc. We are dealing with two top cobbles riders. They know what the targets are.

Gent-Wevelgem and E3 Prijs Harelbeke are a bit comparable for cobbles riders to what Paris-Nice or Pais Vasco is like to Contador. Tour is the main goal, but it's nice to win a stage race like that.

 

[trompe le monde]

Best cobbles rider?
What race would you like to add? LBL, MSR or some of the preparation stuff?

I'm just judging them on what they, and what the cycling world, would value most out of the cobbled races, Flanders and Roubaix. I'm not discrediting races like Omloop or Gent Wevelgem, just think they should be judged according to the highest level of competition, of which most serious cobbled classics racers would latch their dreams onto winning one of Roubaix or Flanders.

Let's take European football for an example. Would you say that winning the Europa Cup is just as prestigious as winning the Champions League? They're both nice achievements, but the Champions League is certainly more prestigious and much harder to win. For me, Roubaix and Flanders are like the Champions League and the other cobbled races are like the Europa League. It's not that big a stretch to make such an anology.

Am I wrong to think to this? No, at least I hope not.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Gent-Wevelgem and E3 Prijs Harelbeke are a bit comparable for cobbled riders to what Paris-Nice or Pais Vasco is like to Contador. Tour is the main goal, but it's nice to win a stage race like that.

Well yes, racing to win is always nice, but should Contador fail to win a GT in '13, his season will likely be called a failure. Big stars, big target etc.

My point is should one of the cobbles riders outshine the other in the RVV + P-R campaign next year a follow up poll will likely go in the direction of who ever came out with the best results in these two races.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I'm just judging them on what they, and what the cycling world, would value most out of the cobbled races, Flanders and Roubaix. I'm not discrediting races like Omloop or Gent Wevelgem, just think they should be judged according to the highest level of competition, of which most serious cobbled classics racers would latch their dreams onto winning one of Roubaix or Flanders.

Let's take European football for an example. Would you say that winning the Europa Cup is just as prestigious as winning the Champions League? They're both nice achievements, but the Champions League is certainly more prestigious and much harder to win. For me, Roubaix and Flanders are like the Champions League and the other cobbled races are like the Europa League. It's not that big a stretch to make such an anology.

Am I wrong to think to this? No, at least I hope not.

Think we are on the same page, misunderstood you.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'm just judging them on what they, and what the cycling world, would value most out of the cobbled races, Flanders and Roubaix. I'm not discrediting races like Omloop or Gent Wevelgem, just think they should be judged according to the highest level of competition, of which most serious cobbled classics racers would latch their dreams onto winning one of Roubaix or Flanders.

Let's take European football for an example. Would you say that winning the Europa Cup is just as prestigious as winning the Champions League? They're both nice achievements, but the Champions League is certainly more prestigious and much harder to win. For me, Roubaix and Flanders are like the Champions League and the other cobbled races are like the Europa League. It's not that big a stretch to make such an anology.

Am I wrong to think to this? No, at least I hope not.

Well yes, racing to win is always nice, but should Contador fail to win a GT in '13, his season will likely be called a failure. Big stars, big target etc.

My point is should one of the cobbles riders outshine the other in the RVV + P-R campaign next year a follow up poll will likely go in the direction of who ever came out with the best results in these two races.

Think we are on the same page, misunderstood you.

The thing is, Boonen is also a record holder in all the races I posted besides Omloop het Volk and Dwars door Vlaanderen. That includes the big ones.

If we're talking about best cobbles rider these other races should also be taken into account.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The thing is, Boonen is also a record holder in all the races I posted besides Omloop het Volk and Dwars door Vlaanderen. That includes the big ones.

If we're talking about best cobbles rider these other races should also be taken into account.

Personally voted Boonen this time, but mostly because of his results in RVV and P-R and his performance this year. Should Cancellara come back in '13 and crush Boonen in RVV and P-R perhaps I will vote differently. Dunno. Again my point is which way the majority will vote.

 

[El Pistolero]

Personally voted Boonen this time, but mostly because of his results in RVV and P-R and his performance this year. Should Cancellara come back in '13 and crush Boonen in RVV and P-R perhaps I will vote differently. Dunno. Again my point is which way the majority will vote.

Topic is about 2002(Boonen's first podium in a major classic)-2012 though. If Cancellara beats Boonen next year than so be it, but it won't change my opinion that in the period mentioned here Boonen was the better of the two most of the time.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Topic is about 2002(Boonen's first podium in a major classic)-2012 though. If Cancellara beats Boonen next year than so be it, but it won't change my opinion that in the period mentioned here Boonen was the better of the two most of the time.

we all know your opinion will never change

 

[Echoes]

I think FC has more raw horsepower than does Boonen and I think they both know it. FC rides like he can do anything he wants, anytime he wants. Boonen rides to conserve until its time to race, which is smart.

About what I said earlier. Cancellara has more power but Boonen is technically better.

Actually, Cancellara is Merckx and Boonen: De Vlaeminck (and that's kind to Boonen, lol).


For the readers, I'd like to mention that De Vlaeminck does not give a damn about his record being tied. He's 65 and a 65 year old has many other things to care about than this.

I think Boonen is the smarter one on the cobbles. Not to mention he has a better team built around him than Cancellara has.

On the cobbles it's everyman for himself anyway. (Says De Vlaeminck lol)

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

About what I said earlier. Cancellara has more power but Boonen is technically better.

Actually, Cancellara is Merckx and Boonen: De Vlaeminck (and that's kind to Boonen, lol).


For the readers, I'd like to mention that De Vlaeminck does not give a damn about his record being tied. He's 65 and a 65 year old has many other things to care about than this.



On the cobbles it's everyman for himself anyway. (Says De Vlaeminck lol)

then you clearly don't know de vlaeminck

 

[El Pistolero]

About what I said earlier. Cancellara has more power but Boonen is technically better.

Actually, Cancellara is Merckx and Boonen: De Vlaeminck (and that's kind to Boonen, lol).


For the readers, I'd like to mention that De Vlaeminck does not give a damn about his record being tied. He's 65 and a 65 year old has many other things to care about than this.



On the cobbles it's everyman for himself anyway. (Says De Vlaeminck lol)

I'd say the gap between RDV and Boonen is a lot smaller than the gap between Merckx and Cancellara.

Roger de Vlaeminck only won the Ronde van Vlaanderen once in 1977 and had to pay Freddy Maertens to tow him to victory... Not a very decent victory and he knows it.

 

[Echoes]

Those Dutchies.

Always know everything better than anyone else ...

 

[ElChingon]

So where do we go from here? Do we continue on to the next rider and have a VS thread per rider till the new season starts?

 

[Afrank]

So where do we go from here? Do we continue on to the next rider and have a VS thread per rider till the new season starts?

That is exactly what we should do. Got to get through the off season somehow.

Only question is who is next? Pinot vs. Quintana? Contador vs. Froome? Valverde vs. Purito?

 

[The Hitch]

That is exactly what we should do. Got to get through the off season somehow.

Only question is who is next? Pinot vs. Quintana?

Dude, that was like 1 week ago. I can understand if you missed it though since its that annoying guy who thinks anyone under 22 is guaranteed to win a gt, giving it some confusing title.

Personally the ones i like best are Cancellara vs Cav on 200km flat, or navy seals vs pro cyclist etc.

 

[Afrank]

I know, just throwing out some examples.

 

[Scott SoCal]

So it's settled then. Cancellara is the more robust, powerful and better rider on the famed pave.

What else can we talk about?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

So it's settled then. Cancellara is the more robust, powerful and better rider on the famed pave.

What else can we talk about?

who will be the better brewer or who can consume more beer between Boonen and F Canc?

 

[Bushman]

who will be the better brewer or who can consume more beer between Boonen and F Canc?

That's got to be Boonen. He is Belgian

 

[Kwibus]

Those Dutchies.

Always know everything better than anyone else ...

Ofcourse. All dutchies are the same...

What I know of De Vlaeminck is that he's quite a bitter man usually. Wether he cares about his record or not I do not know.

 

[Angliru]

"Tom is the best spring rider of the last 20 years. But now he needs to try and win Milan-San Remo and the Giro di Lombardia like I did."
Roger De Vlaeminck in Het Niewsblad after Boonen equalled his record of four wins in Roubaix

This was pulled from the 2012 Year in Review Issue of Cycle Sport magazine as one of their quotes of the year.

 

[The Hitch]

That's got to be Boonen. He is Belgian

Wasn't there a picture from after cobbled classics 2010 with cancellara stacking beer cans on a table sitting on a team bus.