Cancellara's record or GP des Nations?

[ak-zaaf]

Every media report about Cancellara's 4th win mentions his new record of 4 World titles.

Now I always thought in the past the Grand Prix des Nations was sort of the accepted unofficial World Champs for time trials.

Well, this jaw dropping list of prominent winners kinda says it all:
Magne '34 '35 '36
Coppi '46 '47
Koblet '51
Bobet '52
Anquetil '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 '61 '65 '66
Bracke '52
Poulidor '63
Gimondi '67 '68
Van Springel '69 '70
Ocana '71
Merckx '73
Schuiten '74 '75
Maertens '76
Hinault '77 '78 '79 '82 '84
Mottet '85 '87 '88
Kelly '86
Fignon '89
Rominger '91 '94

I think the UCI should recognize this race's past results and count them as World Championships. Let Canc sweat for 6 more years...

 

[roundabout]

And have 6 more years of domination?

No thanks.

 

[rghysens]

And have 6 more years of domination?

No thanks.

richie porte will win from 2012 on

 

[The Bald Eagle]

As we all know Jacques Anquetil's string of record breaking victories in the Grand Prix Des Nation's are tainted. And with this being a doping free forum I will say no more. My apologies.

 

[ultimobici]

As we all know Jacques Anquetil's string of record breaking victories in the Grand Prix Des Nation's are tainted. And with this being a doping free forum I will say no more. My apologies.

FFS!? There wasn't even a list until 66!

 

[Mambo95]

richie porte will win from 2012 on

You're forgetting Taylor Phinney, who is already amongst the top ten greatest cyclists of all time.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

The GP des Nations used to be a great event, but the last years it has steadily declined in reputation and the field of riders that compete.
It used to be the unofficial WC of the ITT's, but now it is simply a way for riders who had a disappointing year to get some result at the GP where not many 'great' Time Triallers take part.

 

[Mich78BEL]

As we all know Jacques Anquetil's string of record breaking victories in the Grand Prix Des Nation's are tainted.

no they're not, not any more then any other cycling result from that time

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

No more posts on doping from here on out. Next person that makes one in this thread gets an infraction. Got it?

 

[Le breton]

As we all know Jacques Anquetil's string of record breaking victories in the Grand Prix Des Nation's are tainted. And with this being a doping free forum I will say no more. My apologies.

GP DES NATIONS 1961: Versailles-París 100 km
1. Jacques ANQUETIL en 2h17'38"
2. Gilbert Desmet + 9'07"
3. Aldo Moser + 10'03"

In 1961, Anquetil's manager, "Mickey" Wiegant, wanted to show everybody that Maître Jacques was very far above everybody else.
So, he gave Anquetil wrong information on his progress, making him believe that Desmet and/or Moser were on his heels or ahead of him.
Wanting to win at all cost Anquetil dug even deeper than normal to win by this extraordinary margin.
I don't know of any 1961 "tainting" product that could explain such a margin over the opposition.

After that event Anquetil never allowed Wiegant in the follow car and distanced himself from "Mickey".

 

[roundabout]

GP DES NATIONS 1961: Versailles-París 100 km
1. Jacques ANQUETIL en 2h17'38"
2. Gilbert Desmet + 9'07"
3. Aldo Moser + 10'03"

In 1961, Anquetil's manager, "Mickey" Wiegant, wanted to show everybody that Maître Jacques was very far above everybody else.
So, he gave Anquetil wrong information on his progress, making him believe that Desmet and/or Moser were on his heels or ahead of him.
Wanting to win at all cost Anquetil dug even deeper than normal to win by this extraordinary margin.
I don't know of any 1961 "tainting" product that could explain such a margin over the opposition.

After that event Anquetil never allowed Wiegant in the follow car and distanced himself from "Mickey".

I'm going to be "kicked" for this but this sort of result makes me really wonder why Anquetil was the weak link in the Trofeo Baracchi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQWNcB2Y0jY

1 minute into the video

 

[ultimobici]

I'm going to be "kicked" for this but this sort of result makes me really wonder why Anquetil was the weak link in the Trofeo Baracchi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQWNcB2Y0jY

1 minute into the video

No kicking!

http://bikeraceinfo.com/riderhistories/Anquetil-part-2.html

Anquetil had a particularly low point at the end of 1962. His training had tapered off after the Tour and by the end of October he was far from his best form. But the contract for the Tropheo Baracchi had been signed; there was no ducking the obligation. The Tropheo is a two man time trial and in eight attempts Jacques had never won it. Something about the change in tempo while alternating the lead was unsettling to him.

His partner was Rudi Altig, a formidable rider from Germany. (For example, Altig beat Eddy Merckx in the opening time trial of the 1969 Tour de France.) Rudi set the pace from the start-just under 47 kph! The closest team was over rive minutes in arrears, but the young German didn't back off for a second.

After 70 kms. Jacques couldn't take it anymore. It took all his enormous talent just to hold Rudi's wheel. Forty kms, almost an hour of purgatory remained. For twenty kms. Rudi continued at his infernal pace. Then, suddenly, he sensed Jacques slipping out of his draft. Altig pulled to the side, let Jacques ride past, and then Rudi sprinted up to Jacques, pushed him back up to speed (all this on 52X13) before resuming his place at the front, all the while shouting encouragement. The more Altig sensed that victory might be lost the more crazed he became. He pushed Anquetil dozens of time. It was truly superhuman.

Anquetil never dreamed of quitting. "I was in a fog." he admitted later. "I could only distinguish vague forms. All I cared about was getting the maximum protection on Altig's wheel."

At the entrance to the velodrome for the finish it was necessary to enter the track through a tunnel under the stands and then turn onto the track. Jacques never made the turn. He plowed straight into a telephone pole. Fortunately, times were taken at the track entrance. The watch showed that Altig-Anquetil had won comfortably, but what Jacques won that day, not to mention his fans and adversaries, was an appreciation of his full capabilities.

 

[nicholaaaas]

Every media report about Cancellara's 4th win mentions his new record of 4 World titles.

Now I always thought in the past the Grand Prix des Nations was sort of the accepted unofficial World Champs for time trials.

Well, this jaw dropping list of prominent winners kinda says it all:
Magne '34 '35 '36
Coppi '46 '47
Koblet '51
Bobet '52
Anquetil '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 '61 '65 '66
Bracke '52
Poulidor '63
Gimondi '67 '68
Van Springel '69 '70
Ocana '71
Merckx '73
Schuiten '74 '75
Maertens '76
Hinault '77 '78 '79 '82 '84
Mottet '85 '87 '88
Kelly '86
Fignon '89
Rominger '91 '94

I think the UCI should recognize this race's past results and count them as World Championships. Let Canc sweat for 6 more years...

well then let's award a sprinter's rainbow jersey for the winner on the Champs. They'll wait till Fabian is next to retired al-la Boardman