Two great all-around riders who were/are at their best in one day races, but very competitive in stage races and GTs.
King Kelly:
GTs
TDF: 5 stages, 4 points jerseys
Vuelta: 1 overall, 1 other podium, 16 stages, four points jerseys
Shorter stage races
Paris-Nice: 7 consecutive titles
TdS: 2 titles
5 other major stage race wins
Monuments
MSR: 2 wins, 1 other podium
Paris-Roubaix: 2 wins, 1 other podium
Tour of Flanders: 3 podiums
LBL: 2 wins
Lombardia: 3 wins, 1 other podium
Other 1-day races
Gent-Wevelgem
WC: 2 podiums
Bala Verde
GTs
TDF: 1 podium, 4 stages
Giro: 1 podium 1 stage
Vuelta: 1 overall, 6 other podiums, 4 points jerseys, 13 stages
Shorter stage races
Dauphine: 2 wins
14 Spanish stage race wins
Monuments
LBL: 4 wins, 3 other podiums
Lombardia: 4 podiums
Other 1-day races
Fleche: 5
San Sebastian
WC: 1 win, 6 other podiums
Kelly has the edge in monuments, with 9 wins—including every one except Flanders--and 5 other podiums. Valverde has 4 wins, all in LBL, and 7 other podiums. But Valverde has 1 WC and 6 other podiums, to just 2 podiums for Kelly.
Valverde also has the edge in GTs, having podiumed in all three, with one Vuelta win and 6 other podiums, with a combined total of 18 stage wins, and 4 points jerseys, all in the Vuelta. Kelly, like Valverde, won the Vuelta once, with one other podium, 21 combined stage wins and 8 points jerseys in the Vuelta and TDF.
Valverde (Sr. Podium) has a total of 21 non-winning podiums in monuments, WC, and GTs. I wonder if that is a record.
King Kelly:
GTs
TDF: 5 stages, 4 points jerseys
Vuelta: 1 overall, 1 other podium, 16 stages, four points jerseys
Shorter stage races
Paris-Nice: 7 consecutive titles
TdS: 2 titles
5 other major stage race wins
Monuments
MSR: 2 wins, 1 other podium
Paris-Roubaix: 2 wins, 1 other podium
Tour of Flanders: 3 podiums
LBL: 2 wins
Lombardia: 3 wins, 1 other podium
Other 1-day races
Gent-Wevelgem
WC: 2 podiums
Bala Verde
GTs
TDF: 1 podium, 4 stages
Giro: 1 podium 1 stage
Vuelta: 1 overall, 6 other podiums, 4 points jerseys, 13 stages
Shorter stage races
Dauphine: 2 wins
14 Spanish stage race wins
Monuments
LBL: 4 wins, 3 other podiums
Lombardia: 4 podiums
Other 1-day races
Fleche: 5
San Sebastian
WC: 1 win, 6 other podiums
Kelly has the edge in monuments, with 9 wins—including every one except Flanders--and 5 other podiums. Valverde has 4 wins, all in LBL, and 7 other podiums. But Valverde has 1 WC and 6 other podiums, to just 2 podiums for Kelly.
Valverde also has the edge in GTs, having podiumed in all three, with one Vuelta win and 6 other podiums, with a combined total of 18 stage wins, and 4 points jerseys, all in the Vuelta. Kelly, like Valverde, won the Vuelta once, with one other podium, 21 combined stage wins and 8 points jerseys in the Vuelta and TDF.
Valverde (Sr. Podium) has a total of 21 non-winning podiums in monuments, WC, and GTs. I wonder if that is a record.
Last edited: