Ranking classics cyclists 2000-2023

[yesdanielbryan]

Hi, I tried to rank the best classics cyclists of the period 2000-2023. I considered the 5 monuments.

I gave the following points:
100 for every win
35 for second
25 for third
15 for fourth
10 for fifth

I also gave points bonus for cyclists who have won different classics, so a cyclist who won 1 Milano Sanremo, 1 Ronde, 1 Paris-Roubaix, 1 LBL receives more points than a cyclist who won for example 4 Milano Sanremo.
These are the point bonus:
250 (wins in all 5 monuments)
175 (wins in 4 monuments + 1 podium in the other)
150 (wins in 4 monuments)
130 (wins in 3 monuments + 2 podium in the others)
115 (wins in 3 monuments + 1 podium)
100 (wins in 3 monuments)
90 (wins in 2 monuments + 3 podium)
80 (wins in 2 monuments + 2 podium)
70 (wins in 2 monuments + 1 podium)
60( wins in 1 monument + 4 podium)
50 (wins in 2 monuments)
35 (win in 1 monument + 3 podium)
25 (win in 1 monument + 2 podium)
15 (win in 1 monument + 1 podium)

So, for example, Valverde receives 15 point bonus (he only won LBL + podium at Giro di Lombardia), while Gilbert 175 (he won 4 different monuments + 1 podium).

This is the top 40 of the ranking (includes cyclists who got at leat 150 points)

1 CANCELLARA 1110
2 BOONEN 1000
3 GILBERT 840
4 BETTINI 675
5 VALVERDE 670
6 POGACAR 665
7 VAN DER POEL 645
8 SAGAN 485
9 NIBALI 465
10 KRISTOFF 415
11 TERPSTRA 370
12 FREIRE 355
13 VAN PETEGEM 350
14 D. MARTIN 345
15 CUNEGO 340
16 J. RODRIGUEZ 335
17 REBELLIN 325
18 VAN AVERMAET 325
19 VAN AERT 320
20 ALAPHILIPPE 315
21 ZABEL 305
22 MUSEEUW 295
23 DEGENKOLB 395
24 DI LUCA 285
25 FUGLSANG 280
26 BALLAN 255
27 POZZATO 250
28 GERRANS 250
29 VINOKUROV 225
30 DEVOLVER 200
31 EVENEPOEL 200
32 KWIATOKWSKI 190
33 PETACCHI 185
34WESEMAN 175
35 S. SANCHEZ 170
36 VAN BAARLE 165
37 BOODGERD 155
38 A. SCHLECK 155
39 CIPOLLINI 150
40 DEMARE 150

 

[hayneplane]

Chapeau for the work done to compile this list.

Looking at the points tally Pogi and MVDP should move up to 4th and 5th easily by the end of 2024 but their order could change.

Sagan and WVA look like the biggest underachievers on the list relative to their talent.

 

[Blanco]

If your goal is to measure the most succesfull riders in biggest one-day races, you need to add Worlds and Olympics road races.
This way it is only a monuments rankings.

Edit: I did some quick maths. With these two races things would be a little different. It would be:
1.Cancellara, Boonen
3.Bettini
4.Gilbert
5.Valverde
6.Sagan
7.Van Der Poel
8.Pogacar
9.Freire
10.Zabel

But without bonuses (which I think you give way too much points for), things are even more different:
1.Cancellara
2.Boonen
3,Bettini
4.Valverde
5.Gilbert
6.Sagan
7.Freire
8.Van Der Poel
9.Zabel
10.Pogacar

 

[yesdanielbryan]

If your goal is to measure the most succesfull riders in biggest one-day races, you need to add Worlds and Olympics road races.
This way it is only a monuments rankings.

Edit: I did some quick maths. With these two races things would be a little different. It would be:
1.Cancellara, Boonen
3.Bettini
4.Gilbert
5.Valverde
6.Sagan
7.Van Der Poel
8.Pogacar
9.Freire
10.Zabel

But without bonuses (which I think you give way too much points for), things are even more different:
1.Cancellara
2.Boonen
3,Bettini
4.Valverde
5.Gilbert
6.Sagan
7.Freire
8.Van Der Poel
9.Zabel
10.Pogacar

It was only about monuments my ranking. About bonus I gave many points because I thought, for example, about Gilbert and Valverde; with no bonus Gilbert has 665, Valverde 655, but Valverde won only LBL, with podium at LBL and Lombardia, Gilbert won 4 different monuments + podium at MSR, this aspects make, IMO, Gilbert's monument career a lot better than Valverde's.

However I thought about also World and Olympics, but in an other ranking, and also add Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Vallonie, Paris-Tours, Strade Bianche, San Sebastian. When I will make this ranking I will not consider bonus because it's more difficult to consider them.

 

[Bolder]

I would definitely include WCRR and Olympics with monuments. But nice lists, regardless!

 

[yesdanielbryan]

I would definitely include WCRR and Olympics with monuments. But nice lists, regardless!

It's in programme that, including also Amstel, Fleche, Strade Bianche, Paris Tours, San Sebastian

 

[Blanco]

It's in programme that, including also Amstel, Fleche, Strade Bianche, Paris Tours, San Sebastian

Paris-Tours lost significance after departure from World Tour in 2010, it's way better to add Gent Wevelgem for example...

 

[scribers]

I wouldn’t put the Olympics anywhere on this list

 

[scribers]

What is it, December??? All of this talk of cycling has me excited for late winter in Northern Europe

 

[Berniece]

From the moment you start adding something besides a monument, you are going to get long discussions about races that should or shouldn't be added. And eventually you end up with adding everything and you have cqranking or pcs ranking

 

[Gigs_98]

From the moment you start adding something besides a monument, you are going to get long discussions about races that should or shouldn't be added. And eventually you end up with adding everything and you have cqranking or pcs ranking

And at some point in the middle Valverde fans will start discussing with Nibali fans how many Gran Premio Miguel Indurain wins equal one Lombardia.

 

[yesdanielbryan]

Paris-Tours lost significance after departure from World Tour in 2010, it's way better to add Gent Wevelgem for example...

Yes, also Gent

 

[scribers]

San Sebastian should be worth 1000 domination points for Remco. No matter who else might win it!

 

[KenFiamingo]

These are the things that get me through the winter.
I published my all-time ranking a few years ago on kingoftheechelon.com (counting podiums for one-day races and top-5 for the WC).
Narrowing it down to monuments, monuments+WC+Olympics and all significant one-day race, I came to the following results:

Monuments:

1​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	1806​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR
2​	BOONEN, Tom	1554​	4x PR; 3x RVV
3​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	1140​	4x LBL
4​	GILBERT, Philippe	1110​	2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL
5​	VAN DER POEL, Mathieu	912​	2x RVV; 1x PR; 1x MSR
6​	BETTINI, Paolo	846​	2x LBL; 2x GDL; 1x MSR
7​	POGACAR, Tadej	810​	3x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x LBL
8​	NIBALI, Vincenzo	702​	2x GDL; 1x MSR
9​	RODRIGUEZ, Joaquim	612​	2x GDL
10​	ALAPHILIPPE, Julian	594​	1x MSR

Monuments + Worlds + Olympics

1​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	2061​	1x WC; 4x LBL
2​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	1976​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR
3​	BOONEN, Tom	1871​	1x WC; 4x PR; 3x RVV
4​	BETTINI, Paolo	1675​	2x WC; 1x OLY; 2x LBL; 2x GDL; 1x MSR
5​	GILBERT, Philippe	1335​	1x WC; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL
6​	SAGAN, Peter	1303​	3x WC; 1x RVV; 1x PR
7​	VAN DER POEL, Mathieu	1137​	1x WC; 2x RVV; 1x PR; 1x MSR
8​	FREIRE, Oscar	1052​	2x WC; 3x MSR
9​	ALAPHILIPPE, Julian	1044​	2x WC; 1x MSR
10​	VAN AERT, Wout	1042​	1x MSR

All prestigious one-day races

1​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	3600​	1x WC; 4x LBL; 5x FW; 2x CSS; 1x LAZ
2​	BOONEN, Tom	3322​	1x WC; 4x PR; 3x RVV; 3x GW; 5x E3H; 2x SS; 2x PB
3​	GILBERT, Philippe	2901​	1x WC; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL; 4x AGR; 2x PT; 1x FW; 1x CSS; 2x PIEM; 2x OHV; 1x STRBI; 1x GPQ
4​	SAGAN, Peter	2567​	3x WC; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 3x GW; 2x GPQ; 1x GPMON; 1x E3H
5​	BETTINI, Paolo	2514​	2x WC; 1x OLY; 2x LBL; 2x GDL; 1x MSR; 2x ZUR; 1x HEW; 1x CSS; 1x LAZ
6​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	2474​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR; 3x STRBI; 3x E3H
7​	REBELLIN, Davide	2198​	1x LBL; 3x FW; 1x AGR; 2x EMIL; 1x VEN; 1x RHT
8​	VAN AVERMAET, Greg	2164​	1x OLY; 1x PR; 1x PT; 1x GW; 2x OHV; 2x GPMON; 1x E3H
9​	VAN AERT, Wout	1850​	1x MSR; 1x GW; 1x AGR; 2x E3H; 1x STRBI; 1x OHV
10​	KRISTOFF, Alexander	1724​	1x RVV; 1x MSR; 1x HEW; 1x GW; 4x RHT; 2x SS

The main conclusion is that Mathieu van der Poel does not rank among the best one-day riders

 

[proffate]

From the moment you start adding something besides a monument, you are going to get long discussions about races that should or shouldn't be added. And eventually you end up with adding everything and you have cqranking or pcs ranking

Nah I think it's safe to include worlds and Olympics without risking a slippery slope to Brabantse Pijl. If ever the world's number one racer targets it as an A race then it can be on the list. That rules out pretty much everything not among these 7 races. Of course the list can change. Monuments weren't always monuments and the Olympics wasn't always important to cyclists. Strade Bianche might get there some day but so far it's still a B race for MVDP types.

 

[gregrowlerson]

These are the things that get me through the winter.
I published my all-time ranking a few years ago on kingoftheechelon.com (counting podiums for one-day races and top-5 for the WC).
Narrowing it down to monuments, monuments+WC+Olympics and all significant one-day race, I came to the following results:

Monuments:

1​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	1806​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR
2​	BOONEN, Tom	1554​	4x PR; 3x RVV
3​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	1140​	4x LBL
4​	GILBERT, Philippe	1110​	2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL
5​	VAN DER POEL, Mathieu	912​	2x RVV; 1x PR; 1x MSR
6​	BETTINI, Paolo	846​	2x LBL; 2x GDL; 1x MSR
7​	POGACAR, Tadej	810​	3x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x LBL
8​	NIBALI, Vincenzo	702​	2x GDL; 1x MSR
9​	RODRIGUEZ, Joaquim	612​	2x GDL
10​	ALAPHILIPPE, Julian	594​	1x MSR

Monuments + Worlds + Olympics

1​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	2061​	1x WC; 4x LBL
2​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	1976​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR
3​	BOONEN, Tom	1871​	1x WC; 4x PR; 3x RVV
4​	BETTINI, Paolo	1675​	2x WC; 1x OLY; 2x LBL; 2x GDL; 1x MSR
5​	GILBERT, Philippe	1335​	1x WC; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL
6​	SAGAN, Peter	1303​	3x WC; 1x RVV; 1x PR
7​	VAN DER POEL, Mathieu	1137​	1x WC; 2x RVV; 1x PR; 1x MSR
8​	FREIRE, Oscar	1052​	2x WC; 3x MSR
9​	ALAPHILIPPE, Julian	1044​	2x WC; 1x MSR
10​	VAN AERT, Wout	1042​	1x MSR

All prestigious one-day races

1​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	3600​	1x WC; 4x LBL; 5x FW; 2x CSS; 1x LAZ
2​	BOONEN, Tom	3322​	1x WC; 4x PR; 3x RVV; 3x GW; 5x E3H; 2x SS; 2x PB
3​	GILBERT, Philippe	2901​	1x WC; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL; 4x AGR; 2x PT; 1x FW; 1x CSS; 2x PIEM; 2x OHV; 1x STRBI; 1x GPQ
4​	SAGAN, Peter	2567​	3x WC; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 3x GW; 2x GPQ; 1x GPMON; 1x E3H
5​	BETTINI, Paolo	2514​	2x WC; 1x OLY; 2x LBL; 2x GDL; 1x MSR; 2x ZUR; 1x HEW; 1x CSS; 1x LAZ
6​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	2474​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR; 3x STRBI; 3x E3H
7​	REBELLIN, Davide	2198​	1x LBL; 3x FW; 1x AGR; 2x EMIL; 1x VEN; 1x RHT
8​	VAN AVERMAET, Greg	2164​	1x OLY; 1x PR; 1x PT; 1x GW; 2x OHV; 2x GPMON; 1x E3H
9​	VAN AERT, Wout	1850​	1x MSR; 1x GW; 1x AGR; 2x E3H; 1x STRBI; 1x OHV
10​	KRISTOFF, Alexander	1724​	1x RVV; 1x MSR; 1x HEW; 1x GW; 4x RHT; 2x SS

The main conclusion is that Mathieu van der Poel does not rank among the best one-day riders

Nice list, but not sure how WVA gets in over MVDP without a RVV or PR, and without dominating anything like Valverde.

 

[scribers]

When you add the Olympics it appears in none of the top riders palmares. I don’t think the riders even care much for it

 

[Panda Claws]

When you add the Olympics it appears in none of the top riders palmares. I don’t think the riders even care much for it

I haven't posted in months but just had to now because it is such an odd take.

Olympics 2021: 2nd WVA, 3rd Pogacar. Both clearly wanting to win.
Olympics 2016: 1st GVA, Nibali crashed out. Parcours was deemed to difficult for most of the top classic riders of that time.
Olympics 2012: Awful flat parcours. Gilbert still tried and Cancellara was in a winning position before he crashed. Kristoff was 3rd.
Olympics 2008: Difficult profile. Cancellara still grabbed a medal, Kolobnev and Rebellin both featured.
Olympics 2004: Won by Bettini. Top-10 has Zabel and lesser cycling stars.
...

Olympics have been a hotly contested race for decades now. Basically as soon as it entered the fray it came with such a wealth of historic value that people immediately wanted to win it.

Riders appearing in the Top-10 in KenFiamingo's post that got on an olympic podium:
- Greg Van Avermaet
- Paolo Bettini
- Alexander Kristoff
- Fabian Cancellara
- Davide Rebellin (disqualified)
- Wout Van Aert

That is 6 out of 10!

And that is with only 25% of the editions of the other races.

 

[scribers]

Depending on the parcours you can exit the prime of your career unable to contest the race. It’s not an equitable race to weigh accomplishments of riders. Even if they care to race for it, like this year.

 

[KenFiamingo]

Nice list, but not sure how WVA gets in over MVDP without a RVV or PR, and without dominating anything like Valverde.

WVA's wins in non-monuments and a sheer amount of podiums in a very diverse range of races.
In these types of points based rankings, quantity often beats quality. Which is the proof that all of this has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[Winnen]

Great effort by everyone who made a ranking!

I might be a little bit old-school, or maybe just an exception, but the criteria would be different for me:
1. Only wins count, podium, or top 10 doesn't matter. Someone who never wins but manages to gather a lot of second places should be low on this list.
2. Olympics don't count. I am not sure, but in my memory, the Olympics in cycling were never that important. Reading this forum, things seem to have changed.
3. Worlds definitely count! It gets you the best jersey!

Out of curiosity, how many points would Merckx have in your system?

 

[Sciatic]

Great effort by everyone who made a ranking!

I might be a little bit old-school, or maybe just an exception, but the criteria would be different for me:
1. Only wins count, podium, or top 10 doesn't matter. Someone who never wins but manages to gather a lot of second places should be low on this list.
2. Olympics don't count. I am not sure, but in my memory, the Olympics in cycling were never that important. Reading this forum, things seem to have changed.
3. Worlds definitely count! It gets you the best jersey!

Out of curiosity, how many points would Merckx have in your system?

The Olympics have only had a full pro field starting in ‘96, so that means there have only been 7 editions (7 golds awarded). If it was a yearly race that just started 7 years ago, we wouldn’t give it the same status as a 100-year-old monument.

 

[Winnen]

The Olympics have only had a full pro field starting in ‘96, so that means there have only been 7 editions (7 golds awarded). If it was a yearly race that just started 7 years ago, we wouldn’t give it the same status as a 100-year-old monument.

This explains why I don't value the Olympics as the Worlds or a Monument. Thank you! Never realized that it is such a young discipline in the Olympics.

 

[KenFiamingo]

Great effort by everyone who made a ranking!

I might be a little bit old-school, or maybe just an exception, but the criteria would be different for me:
1. Only wins count, podium, or top 10 doesn't matter. Someone who never wins but manages to gather a lot of second places should be low on this list.
2. Olympics don't count. I am not sure, but in my memory, the Olympics in cycling were never that important. Reading this forum, things seem to have changed.
3. Worlds definitely count! It gets you the best jersey!

Out of curiosity, how many points would Merckx have in your system?

I have a quite simple take on dealing with the changing value of races. Cycling is built on the history it has made. But as already mentioned races disappear, new races are born, and others lose importance. I still value Paris-Tours as if it was a world cup race and it has little to no effect on the overall ranking as the current winners of Paris-Tours are 2nd tier riders that'll never collect sufficient results to make it to the ranking.

From that perspective, it also doesn't matter that relatively new races contribute retroactively. Whether it's the Olympics, Strade Bianche or the Canadian races: surprise or 2nd tier riders winning the early editions will be "forgotten" in the cracks of cycling history. What counts is that, over time, these races have gotten a top-quality field (and preferably keep it like that). You can say all you want about Montreal or Quebec, but apart from the monuments, the level of competition is one of the highest of the year.

Merckx does what he always does: crushing the competition.

Monuments

1​	MERCKX, Eddy	3630​	7x MSR; 5x LBL; 3x PR; 2x RVV; 2x GDL
2​	DE VLAEMINCK, Roger	2538​	4x PR; 3x MSR; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x LBL
3​	KELLY, Sean	1890​	3x GDL; 2x PR; 2x MSR; 2x LBL
4​	GIRARDENGO, Costante	1854​	6x MSR; 3x GDL
5​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	1806​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR
6​	COPPI, Fausto	1758​	5x GDL; 3x MSR; 1x PR
7​	MOSER, Francesco	1620​	3x PR; 2x GDL; 1x MSR
8​	VAN LOOY, Rik	1608​	3x PR; 2x RVV; 1x MSR; 1x LBL; 1x GDL
9​	MUSEEUW, Johan	1584​	3x RVV; 3x PR
10​	BARTALI, Gino	1554​	4x MSR; 3x GDL

Monuments + Worlds + Olympics

1​	MERCKX, Eddy	4465​	3x WC; 7x MSR; 5x LBL; 3x PR; 2x RVV; 2x GDL
2​	DE VLAEMINCK, Roger	2682​	4x PR; 3x MSR; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x LBL
3​	VAN LOOY, Rik	2406​	2x WC; 3x PR; 2x RVV; 1x MSR; 1x LBL; 1x GDL
4​	KELLY, Sean	2194​	3x GDL; 2x PR; 2x MSR; 2x LBL
5​	MOSER, Francesco	2133​	1x WC; 3x PR; 2x GDL; 1x MSR
6​	COPPI, Fausto	2075​	1x WC; 5x GDL; 3x MSR; 1x PR
7​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	2061​	1x WC; 4x LBL
8​	BINDA, Alfredo	2051​	3x WC; 4x GDL; 2x MSR
9​	GIRARDENGO, Costante	1998​	6x MSR; 3x GDL
10​	CANCELLARA, Fabian	1976​	3x RVV; 3x PR; 1x MSR

All prestigious one-day races

1​	MERCKX, Eddy	6406​	3x WC; 7x MSR; 5x LBL; 3x PR; 2x RVV; 2x GDL; 3x GW; 3x FW; 2x AGR; 2x OHV; 1x SS; 1x RHT; 1x PIEM; 1x PB; 1x EMIL
2​	DE VLAEMINCK, Roger	4938​	4x PR; 3x MSR; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x LBL; 1x ZUR; 1x FW; 2x OHV; 2x MTO; 2x LAZ; 1x VEN; 1x SS; 1x PIEM; 1x PB; 1x EMIL; 1x E3H
3​	VAN LOOY, Rik	3990​	2x WC; 3x PR; 2x RVV; 1x MSR; 1x LBL; 1x GDL; 3x GW; 2x PT; 1x FW; 4x E3H; 2x SS; 2x PB
4​	MOSER, Francesco	3625​	1x WC; 3x PR; 2x GDL; 1x MSR; 1x ZUR; 1x PT; 1x GW; 1x FW; 3x LAZ; 2x EMIL; 1x VEN; 1x PIEM; 1x MTO
5​	VALVERDE, Alejandro	3600​	1x WC; 4x LBL; 5x FW; 2x CSS; 1x LAZ
6​	GIRARDENGO, Costante	3585​	6x MSR; 3x GDL; 5x MTO; 5x EMIL; 4x VEN; 3x PIEM
7​	MUSEEUW, Johan	3445​	1x WC; 3x RVV; 3x PR; 2x ZUR; 1x PT; 1x HEW; 1x AGR; 2x OHV; 2x E3H
8​	BOONEN, Tom	3322​	1x WC; 4x PR; 3x RVV; 3x GW; 5x E3H; 2x SS; 2x PB
9​	GILBERT, Philippe	2901​	1x WC; 2x GDL; 1x RVV; 1x PR; 1x LBL; 4x AGR; 2x PT; 1x FW; 1x CSS; 2x PIEM; 2x OHV; 1x STRBI; 1x GPQ
10​	RAAS, Jan	2884​	1x WC; 2x RVV; 1x PR; 1x MSR; 5x AGR; 2x PT; 1x GW; 3x E3H; 1x PB; 1x OHV

 

[BigCoward]

T

Great effort by everyone who made a ranking!

I might be a little bit old-school, or maybe just an exception, but the criteria would be different for me:
1. Only wins count, podium, or top 10 doesn't matter. Someone who never wins but manages to gather a lot of second places should be low on this list.
2. Olympics don't count. I am not sure, but in my memory, the Olympics in cycling were never that important. Reading this forum, things seem to have changed.
3. Worlds definitely count! It gets you the best jersey!

Out of curiosity, how many points would Merckx have in your system?

Totally agree on the first point, any ranking that has WvA above VdP is perverse.

However I'd imagine 90% of the peloton would rather win the Olympics than the 2 'lesser' monuments. And many would probably have it above any of them. The Olympics is huge in a way that day to day road cycling isn't for the average person (TdF excluded).