Domestiques

[Sheltowee]

Who is the greatest domestique in the history of cycling. I heard a commantator say recently that it was George Hincapie. I see his resoning: 7 Tour wins pulling Armstrong through the high country of France. Then there's Ekimov and Jens Voigt. What do you guys think?

 

[ukpaul]

Gerard Rue was amazing in the 90's working for Indurain. And Neil Stephens was brilliant for ONCE.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Andreas Kloden.

And yes, he WAS a domestique. The only time he ever placed higher than his chubby captain was an accident, and he was only captain at one GT, which was also kind of an accident.

(But I'm a bit biased)

 

[quadsRme]

I would have to say Greg Lemond in the 1985 TDF he basically pushed Hinault to the overall victory. Greg could have won that TDF outright but was ordered by his team to do whatever to assure Hinault a victory.

 

[BikeCentric]

Wilfried Peeters was a damn good Classics domestique for a lot of the greats (Museeow, Tafi, Ballerini).

 

[Dedelou]

The way i remember 1985 Greg who never did a day of helping in his entire cycling life , was mainly his usual whinning and crying self. Wasn't Hinault taken down while wearing the yellow jersey setting up one of his teamate for the sprint? I thought leading out could be called a domestic duties.

 

[Bala Verde]

haven't we walked this thread already in a far away past?

 

[BroDeal]

haven't we walked this thread already in a far away past?

Yup. This seems to be a trend...

And Hincapie the greatest domestique in history? Sounds like a commentator was hittin' the sauce in the broadcasting booth.

 

[ElChingon]

Yup. This seems to be a trend...

And Hincapie the greatest domestique in history? Sounds like a commentator was hittin' the sauce in the broadcasting booth.

Well with all the movie remakes of late I think bringing up the past is on everyone's minds?

As for Hincapie, wasn't he the Disco GC Protected rider in 2006? (I'm laughing extra hard right now, actually having trouble typing this ) So he can't be listed as the best Domestique

 

[BroDeal]

As for Hincapie, wasn't he the Disco GC Protected rider in 2006? (I'm laughing extra hard right now, actually having trouble typing this )

Yup. That was the TdF where the whole Disco team could barely muster the climbing legs to make it over speed bumps, and Leipheimer lost six minutes in the first ITT. Purely by coincidence, I am sure, this happened right after Operation Puerto. Too bad the Spanish did not raid Fuentes main office, which just happened to be on Tenerife.

 

[ingsve]

haven't we walked this thread already in a far away past?

No, that thread was about the best active domestique and this is about the best in history which is MUCh diffrent apparently...

 

[Bala Verde]

Yup. This seems to be a trend...

And Hincapie the greatest domestique in history? Sounds like a commentator was hittin' the sauce in the broadcasting booth.

Haha, that made me laugh. I reckon it has something to do with age here as well (how old was the commentator, 15?) or just being unprofessional with a fairly limited knowledge of cycling history...

No, that thread was about the best active domestique and this is about the best in history which is MUCh diffrent apparently...

Ah, best ACTIVE domestiques v. best domestiques in history of cycling. Yes, I must have misinterpreted the thread then.

Interestingly, the starting point of the best domestique in cycling history is subsequently found in the year 1995...

 

[tifosa]

When I think "domestique", I don't think of a "number two" cyclist or "right hand man" as it were. I think "pack fodder" - cyclists who get lost in the shuffle of the peloton, never have a chance of competing to win in a race. There are many more unknown than known.

My pick is Laurent Lefevre. Not a "super dom" by any stretch of the imagination. He defines "domestique". Also noteworthy: deemed CLEAN in the Festina debacle - and I do not doubt that. Chapeau, Lefevre!

 

[Sheltowee]

When I think "domestique", I don't think of a "number two" cyclist or "right hand man" as it were. I think "pack fodder" - cyclists who get lost in the shuffle of the peloton, never have a chance of competing to win in a race. There are many more unknown than known.

My pick is Laurent Lefevre. Not a "super dom" by any stretch of the imagination. He defines "domestique". Also noteworthy: deemed CLEAN in the Festina debacle - and I do not doubt that. Chapeau, Lefevre!

You strike a note that I find interesting. Aren't the domestiques something like the infantry in military terms: pack fodder = cannon fodder etc. They do the hard slogs of bringing up bottles, chasing down breakaways and all the rest, and at the end of the day we celebrate, or discuss, the greatness of the generals?

 

[BikeCentric]

You strike a note that I find interesting. Aren't the domestiques something like the infantry in military terms: pack fodder = cannon fodder etc. They do the hard slogs of bringing up bottles, chasing down breakaways and all the rest, and at the end of the day we celebrate, or discuss, the greatness of the generals?

Yes, they are pawns.

 

[tifosa]

ed. (domestiques) They do the hard slogs of bringing up bottles, chasing down breakaways and all the rest, and at the end of the day we celebrate, or discuss, the greatness of the generals?

A hard truth, but yes. The discussions are 90% about generals and 10% about warriors. Ah, but to be good enough to be one of those warriors...

Personally, I'd be content as a domestique and revel in clean obscurity. Sure beats the alternative.