Current top 5 (or 10) Cyclists from your country

[El Pistolero]

The thing with female cycling is that they can't focus 100% on their sport. Most of these female cyclists also have another job because they can't live with "professional" cycling alone. It's hard to call it professional tbh.

And let's be honest here, most people don't watch or care for female cycling.

I wouldn't mind if it got more air time on TV though. More cycling for me

 

[tgsgirl]

The thing with female cycling is that they can't focus 100% on their sport. Most of these female cyclists also have another job because they can't live with "professional" cycling alone. It's hard to call it professional tbh.

And let's be honest here, most people don't watch or care for female cycling.

I wouldn't mind if it got more air time on TV though. More cycling for me

The ones at the very top do live and focus 100% on their sports, and they don't have any other jobs. They are for all intent and purposes professional cyclists.

 

[El Pistolero]

The ones at the very top do live and focus 100% on their sports, and they don't have any other jobs. They are for all intent and purposes professional cyclists.

Which makes it unfair to her competitors don't you think

She's one of the few that can fully concentrate on the sport while many others just can't.

 

[Anonymous]

Which makes it unfair to her competitors don't you think

She's one of the few that can fully concentrate on the sport while many others just can't.

Thats like saying AStana have an unfair advantage over Footon as they have more money etc.

So lets go back into the dark ages and ban women from being full time professionals, that way they can ride in their spare time when they arent tidying the house, raising our children and performing in the bedroom

i think most of the girls in the top level are now full time pro's who no doubt supplement their meagre income by topless modelling, photoshoots and writing cookery books, some of them even write for cycling websites, of course nobody reads what they write, after all, what do women know about cycling anyway.

 

[El Pistolero]

Thats like saying AStana have an unfair advantage over Footon as they have more money etc.

So lets go back into the dark ages and ban women from being full time professionals, that way they can ride in their spare time when they arent tidying the house, raising our children and performing in the bedroom

i think most of the girls in the top level are now full time pro's who no doubt supplement their income by topless modelling, photoshoots and writing cookery books.

I've listened to a couple of female cyclists who suggest otherwise. Most of them were Dutch, it seems the sport(female branch) is bigger there then in other countries.

And there's just a way too huge advantage for the people who can commit them self fully to the sport(the minority) and those who can't(the majority)

Sure these advantages exist in the male sport as well, but the difference is not nearly as big as with woman cycling. Not everyone has the name Oscar Freire you know.

Most of Astana's budget went to the salaries of top cyclists by the way.
What needs to happen is more broadcast time on TV, so more sponsors are attracted and that way they can all start living from their sport. Otherwise I'm just not going to take it as serious as male cycling. And I know that's a vicious circle, but oh well.

Ps: You don't need to return to the dark ages for that. 150 years back in time will do the trick.

 

[Mich78BEL]

Boom should definitly be in it though! cyclocross world champ is a major achievement against the likes of Nys, Wellens, Albert and Stybar

For Belgium: 1. Gilbert
2. Boonen
3. Vandenbroeck
4. Nys(seriously why wasn't he in there in the last list? Great palmares and still the absolute world top in cyclocross; shame his MTB WC was such a downer )

i didn't mention Nys because i consider cyclo-cross and MTB different sports

 

[theyoungest]

Which makes it unfair to her competitors don't you think

She's one of the few that can fully concentrate on the sport while many others just can't.

If they're remotely as good as Marianne Vos, chances are they'll end up being fulltime professionals as well. She wasn't born a pro, you know.

Vos is def. the best dutch cyclist, if not the best dutch athlete (whom is better?).

Sven Kramer maybe, or Yuri "Lord of the Rings" van Gelder? I'd rate Vos above them, but I'm slightly biased

 

[El Pistolero]

If they're remotely as good as Marianne Vos, chances are they'll end up being fulltime professionals as well. She wasn't born a pro, you know.


Sven Kramer maybe, or Yuri "Lord of the Rings" van Gelder? I'd rate Vos above them, but I'm slightly biased

Chances are they'll just never get that chance.

 

[Mich78BEL]

Fair game if you don't know how to rate the female cyclists, but others do. But saying we're not "allowed to" because they happen to be professional cyclists who have breasts, is idiotic and sexist. If you can compare Tom Boonen and Jurgen Vandenbroeck, or Oscar Freire and Alberto Contador - riders who don't have the same specialisations or fight for the same objectives - than you can compare Robert Gesink and Marianne Vos, or Mark Cavendish and Emma Pooley.

i disagree, Boonen en Vandenbroeck can do the same races if they want, sometimes they do, Vos & Gesink never do because one races against/with other women and one races against other men, make a seperate list for women then, nothing sexist about that

 

[theyoungest]

Chances are they'll just never get that chance.

You don't get what I mean. If you're really that good, this won't stay unnoticed.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I don't mean to be condescending (though I may come across as such when I'm irritated), and do I understand if people simply don't know the female cyclists. I've only started following it recently and damnit, it isn't easy with the lack of results. And I don't care if people don't include them in their lists, it's a subjective list after all, but I just think it's stupid if others are told off for including them.

For the record, my list:

1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Tom Boonen
. Grace Verbeke (RVV, Amstel and Belgian ITT champ; all in 2010)
4. Jurgen Vandenbroeck
5. Bjorn Leukemans

Choosing between Leukemans or Devolder isn't easy, and only putting the guy who was fifth in the Tour in fourth place wasn't easy either.

I would put Tom Boonen and Grace Verbeke on seperate places depending on the amount of years as a pro you consider; just compare palmares(boonen: 2 RVV 3 Paris-Roubaixs -World Champ -Belgian champ) Verbeke hasn't reached that yet... If you think only of the last 2 years I could agree with you

 

[tgsgirl]

I would put Tom Boonen and Grace Verbeke on seperate places depending on the amount of years as a pro you consider; just compare palmares(boonen: 2 RVV 3 Paris-Roubaixs -World Champ -Belgian champ) Verbeke hasn't reached that yet... If you think only of the last 2 years I could agree with you

Yeah, I put them at the same spot because it's an ambiguous question. If you just look atnthis year, it's Grace (but then it's also VDB above Tombo probably). If you look in total, it's Tombo. But then again, Grace has only been racing full time for two years, so... argh! It's very much open for debate.

But the World Champ title alone would probably put him higher, agreed. Question then is, if we're taking the full palmares into account, should Boonen be higher than Gilbert? Gilbert's height of his career is a) now or b) yet to come (let's hope it's b). Tombo's shining time was a) 2005-2006 or b) yet to come (but b is less likely, imho). But I think Tom's 2005-2006 would put him higher than Gilbert's 2009-2010. Not sure though.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, I put them at the same spot because it's an ambiguous question. If you just look atnthis year, it's Grace (but then it's also VDB above Tombo probably). If you look in total, it's Tombo. But then again, Grace has only been racing full time for two years, so... argh! It's very much open for debate.

But the World Champ title alone would probably put him higher, agreed. Question then is, if we're taking the full palmares into account, should Boonen be higher than Gilbert? Gilbert's height of his career is a) now or b) yet to come (let's hope it's b). Tombo's shining time was a) 2005-2006 or b) yet to come (but b is less likely, imho). But I think Tom's 2005-2006 would put him higher than Gilbert's 2009-2010. Not sure though.

Well, you don't have to watch at the palmares alone. But I still think people in Belgium(the media) are downplaying Boonen too much in favour of Gilbert. Let's be honest, it's not like Gilbert has won a lot this season...

Boonen 2010(injured for most of the season)

1st Stage 5 Tour of Oman
1st Stage 2 Tirreno–Adriatico
2nd Milan – San Remo
2nd E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
2nd Ronde van Vlaanderen
3rd Overall Tour of Qatar
1st Stage 3
1st Stage 5
5th Paris–Roubaix

Gilbert 2010

1st Stage 3 Vuelta a España
1st Stage 1 Tour of Belgium
1st Amstel Gold Race
3rd Gent–Wevelgem
3rd Ronde van Vlaanderen
3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
5th Brabantse Pijl
6th La Flèche Wallonne
9th Milan – San Remo

---

Gilbert's season is obviously better, but not by that much tbh. Especially if you take into account Boonen's knee. I'm 100% sure that Boonen would have won the green jersey+ 2/3 stages in this year's Tour de France without bad luck(which Boonen seems to have a lot in the Tour if you look at his past)

If Cancellara didn't enter RvV and PR Boonen would be considered a hero again even though his form would have been the same.

Ps: 3 monuments and world champ title in 2 seasons puts you above Gilbert's entire career at the moment. Let's not forget PR > Giro di Lombardia.

 

[tgsgirl]

I'm 100% sure that Boonen would have won the green jersey+ 2/3 stages in this year's Tour de France without bad luck(which Boonen seems to have a lot in the Tour if you look at his past)

I'm fairly to very sure he wouldn't have gotten green, tbh.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'm fairly to very sure he wouldn't have gotten green, tbh.

Well, he probably would have crashed somewhere eventually like he usually does, but without bad luck I think he would've. He's a better sprinter now than Petacchi.

And stage 3 would have been a big win for Boonen... Probably would have taken over the yellow jersey as well as Cancellara couldn't go full out with baby Schleck in his wheel.

 

[theyoungest]

Well, he probably would have crashed somewhere eventually like he usually does, but without bad luck I think he would've. He's a better sprinter now than Petacchi.

And stage 3 would have been a big win for Boonen... Probably would have taken over the yellow jersey as well as Cancellara couldn't go full out with baby Schleck in his wheel.

No he's not. He's a better allround rider, but Petacchi is faster.

 

[tgsgirl]

No he's not. He's a better allround rider, but Petacchi is faster.

Agreed. He also doesn't seem to sprint all that much anymore. I think he would've ended up like Hushovd.

 

[Parrulo]

And stage 3 would have been a big win for Boonen... Probably would have taken over the yellow jersey as well as Cancellara couldn't go full out with baby Schleck in his wheel.

i agree 100% with this

 

[El Pistolero]

Agreed. He also doesn't seem to sprint all that much anymore. I think he would've ended up like Hushovd.

2008 Tour= not allowed to race
2009 Tour= not allowed to race till the last minute. Was sick so couldn't do anything in that Tour.
2010= not able to race.

Giro= never started afaik

Vuelta= He just rides it as a preparation. Won 2 stages in the 2008 Vuelta and never finished the Vuelta in his career.

Do you think it's strange he doesn't seem to sprint all that much any more? It's not like he had the chance... Well, except at Milan- San Remo where he got second this year... And in a bunch of small stage rages where he regularly wins a couple of stages...

 

[Michielveedeebee]

But the World Champ title alone would probably put him higher, agreed. Question then is, if we're taking the full palmares into account, should Boonen be higher than Gilbert? Gilbert's height of his career is a) now or b) yet to come (let's hope it's b). Tombo's shining time was a) 2005-2006 or b) yet to come (but b is less likely, imho). But I think Tom's 2005-2006 would put him higher than Gilbert's 2009-2010. Not sure though.

Most definitly a win for Bom Toonen

 

[Mich78BEL]

Question then is, if we're taking the full palmares into account, should Boonen be higher than Gilbert?

yes, off course, then Boonen is nr 1, few active riders can match Boonen's palmaras

but currently Gilbert is the nr 1 Belgian rider

 

[Arnout]

Well, he probably would have crashed somewhere eventually like he usually does, but without bad luck I think he would've. He's a better sprinter now than Petacchi.

And stage 3 would have been a big win for Boonen... Probably would have taken over the yellow jersey as well as Cancellara couldn't go full out with baby Schleck in his wheel.

Boonen is not an won't ever be a better sprinter than Petacchi. Boonen is able to deliver a sprint after a difficult race, but in a Tour stage, Petacchi will be faster. Boonen also says that himself, that he is not a real sprinter but that he has the pure power to win sprinting stages but that he figures he will not sprint that often in smaller races anymore.

In general, you can look at the sprinting style if you wanna see who's a real sprinter. Guys like Ciolek, Boonen, Boasson Hagen etc are fighting with the bike, while guys like McEwen, Cavendish or Petacchi look a lot more polished in a sprint.

 

[Tugboat]

Top 5 Kiwi's on the road this year....

1. Greg Henderson
2. Julian Dean
3. Hayden Roulston
4. Cath Cheatley
5. Jesse Sergent

 

[simo1733]

Your Gut

At the last world champs, Kristin armstrongs time/kph would have put her inside the top 40 of the mens (based very loosely on kph as obviously the course length and route was different). On that basis I think Pooley would give Sean Yates a run for his money in a tt, and my gut is cav would struggle on a decent climb although his climbing has improved. The only one who would beat the girls in all disciplines is Brad.

Your gut would probably struggle on a decent climb with Pooley not Cav.Anyway it turns out that we can compare her with the men.Emma Pooley just won the National TT and her time would of put her in a very impressive 5th place in the mens race!
The junior mans race that is.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Your gut would probably struggle on a decent climb with Pooley not Cav.Anyway it turns out that we can compare her with the men.Emma Pooley just won the National TT and her time would of put her in a very impressive 5th place in the mens race!
The junior mans race that is.

men junior level = pro women cycling (everyone in Belgium agrees on that). It's logical too; men of 17 and 18 are stronger than almost all women, when these women are pro they're stronger than most women but not than also racing 18 year-olds. In one race this year there was a pro woman(from lotto's ladiesCT) that competed with us; all she did was follow. But she's still faster than most men