Greatest cyclist of all time?

[Zam_Olyas]

It's a cycling forum. Not a WWII forum. Many cyclists were WWII heroes.




He was a better rider. Ahead of his time with regards to training methods and dietetics. He influenced the further generations.

Already during the war he was much stronger Bartali.

I know. Just pointing out the reason.

 

[Bavarianrider]

You can't compare riders from different eras.
There was so much less competition in the days of Merxc, Coppi and Co.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

As Echoes mentions, Coppi was the better cyclist of him and Bartali and he had a bigger influence on cycling. He was lightyears ahead of his times in regards to training, diet and mechanics.

His impact on the Italian society in the immidiate postwar era was - as in the case with Bartali - also great. Especially his victory in the 1946 Milano-Sanremo had a huge symbolic significance for the Italian people.

When he was later adopted by the Communists and promoted as a Communist hero, his impact on the society didn't decline. On the contrary, as the historian Simon Martin has argued,

"as important as Bartali’s immortalisation by the press was, it was the demonisation of his supposedly Communist rival Fausto Coppi that had arguably the greatest impact"

Additionally, his affair with la "dame bianca" and the subsequent trial even led to changes to the Italian civil Law.

Thanks.

I stand by my view its very difficult to incorporate off bike behavior in ranking cyclists, not because of the things we know, but rather the things we don't know about.

In any case both of these individuals appear to have played an important role in society.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

You can't compare riders from different eras.
There was so much less competition in the days of Merxc, Coppi and Co.

No. I mean, there's a reason why the postwar period is called the golden era. Other than that, I agree that it's hard to compare riders from different eras. It can be fun to discuss nonetheless.

 

[Tonton]

Very true!!!

 

[Ruby United]

His best season was 1975 ...

I have to disagree

 

[sublimit]

I particularly like Indurain because he was prepared to guts it out as a super domestique on the climbs then kick every bodies **** in the ITT's.
Then carried on winning GT's in his own right, so something else that guy.

Kelly is another rider but Merckx is clearly the #1

 

[Martin]

I've voted for Armstrong (other).
Haven't seen such as /*auto-censored*/ in a world of cycling before or after...

 

[Samson777]

How many times did he finish the Tour de France before hooking up with DR.FERRARI?

0

That is probably for the clinic.

But a answer could be:So what? Indurain made the poll..

 

[ebandit]

down

I've voted for Armstrong (other).
Haven't seen such as /*auto-censored*/ in a world of cycling before or after...

why? lance seems rather way down any roll of honour of tour winners..........i think he tied with myself in last place...............nen wins

Mark L

 

[Ruby United]

You can't compare riders from different eras.
There was so much less competition in the days of Merxc, Coppi and Co.

Not necessarily.