Cancellara is back! How about Spartacus?

[Netserk]

Obviously Boonen. They could win a couple more big races or none at all.

 

[Echoes]

Obviously Cancellara. They could win a couple more big races or none at all.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Probably depends how much you value ITT wins.

 

[Netserk]

Probably depends how much you value ITT wins.

In a stage race an ITT win is a stage win just like other stage wins. Obviously the WC ITT isn't anywhere near the RR.

 

[Echoes]

ITT's are the ultimate test in cycling. You can't cheat in ITT's. There's a reason if Charly Mottet considers the GP des Nations as his biggest win.

All the greatest riders in history had one thing in common: the ITT! Whether they be classic riders (Kelly, Moser,...) or stage racers (Merckx, Gimondi, ...)


Boonen is like Made in Japan. Very good but overrated.

 

[Netserk]

How's Freire, Pantani, Contador and Boonen's ITT?

Surely you will tell me that they aren't among the greatest riders...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

That might have been true in the past, but not so anymore.
ITT has become a speciality, as is riding on cobbles. Something you need to train for specifically several hours a week.

 

[kingjr]

How's Freire, Pantani, Contador and Boonen's ITT?

Cancellara is a better cyclist than all of those with the exception of Contador.

 

[sagard]

Cancellara is a better cyclist than all of those with the exception of Contador.

And he's better than Contador at almost everything!

 

[damian13ster]

And he's better than Contador at almost everything!

Yeah. Contador is a one trick pony. He is just a climber

We did enter an era of specialists, and a rider that is great at 2, nevermind 3 things is truly special.

 

[Echoes]

Of course he's better than Contadull. How can anybody think the opposite? How many Paris-Roubaix did Contador win? Cancellara can do everything (or could). The best rider since Kelly!

And I still stand by what I said. ITT is the ultimate test. The best riders should have an ITT in the bag. IITT is mano a mano, you can't draft wheels. Even if you need to prepare specifically for it, as it long has been the case already.