Following on from this post in the “Riders who did badly in types of races” thread, https://forum.cyclingnews.com/threa...-in-certain-types-of-races.36860/post-2652556 I wanted to start one about riders who, really, should have won a particular race in their career, but just never did.
Like how Sagan has never won Milan-San Remo, Despite having 3 2nd places, never finishing worse than 17th, showing up to go for it every year, and seemingly being the perfect rider for it.
A few other examples;
Sean Kelly never won Flanders (3 2nd places)
Greg vanAvermaet, also Flanders (also 2nd 3 times)
Moreno Argentin, Milan San Remo (2nd, 3rd and 4th in his career)
Claude Criquielion, Liege Bastogne Liege (2nd twice, in the winning group at the finish 4 other times).
I’m sure there are several more recent examples.
A few ground rules;
The rider must have a good track record at the race; at least a couple podiums, preferably top 10s in other years too.
Must have won other races of equal or greater stature (so what if Rider X never won Roubaix/Worlds? He never won any monument)
Rider must have actually been trying to win the race throughout his career (eg Merckx didn’t win Paris-Tours, but instead chose to gift the win to a teammate; I don’t think it’s a big deal for him).
Bonus points if the rider has some obvious connection to the race (GvA, arguably the top Flandrien of his generation, never winning de Ronde. Kuiper won almost every other classic, but not Amstel)
Like how Sagan has never won Milan-San Remo, Despite having 3 2nd places, never finishing worse than 17th, showing up to go for it every year, and seemingly being the perfect rider for it.
A few other examples;
Sean Kelly never won Flanders (3 2nd places)
Greg vanAvermaet, also Flanders (also 2nd 3 times)
Moreno Argentin, Milan San Remo (2nd, 3rd and 4th in his career)
Claude Criquielion, Liege Bastogne Liege (2nd twice, in the winning group at the finish 4 other times).
I’m sure there are several more recent examples.
A few ground rules;
The rider must have a good track record at the race; at least a couple podiums, preferably top 10s in other years too.
Must have won other races of equal or greater stature (so what if Rider X never won Roubaix/Worlds? He never won any monument)
Rider must have actually been trying to win the race throughout his career (eg Merckx didn’t win Paris-Tours, but instead chose to gift the win to a teammate; I don’t think it’s a big deal for him).
Bonus points if the rider has some obvious connection to the race (GvA, arguably the top Flandrien of his generation, never winning de Ronde. Kuiper won almost every other classic, but not Amstel)
Last edited:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram