Rough Attempt at an All-Time Ranking

[Squire]

Here's another overview that might interest people. It shows the best road cyclist of the year since 1946 according to this point system. When there's a close second or third (less than ten points behind) I mention him between brackets. When the original winner was disqualified I also mention him between brackets.

Spoiler: Best Road Cyclist 1946 - 2023

1946 Coppi
1947 Coppi
1948 Bartali
1949 Coppi
1950 Koblet [Kübler]
1951 Magni [Kübler]
1952 Coppi
1953 Coppi
1954 Bobet
1955 Bobet
1956 De Bruyne
1957 Anquetil
1958 Baldini
1959 Van Looy
1960 Nencini
1961 Anquetil
1962 Planckaert [Altig, Van Looy]
1963 Anquetil
1964 Anquetil
1965 Anquetil
1966 Anquetil
1967 Merckx
1968 Merckx
1969 Merckx
1970 Merckx
1971 Merckx
1972 Merckx
1973 Merckx
1974 Merckx
1975 Merckx
1976 Maertens
1977 Maertens
1978 Hinault
1979 Hinault
1980 Hinault
1981 Hinault
1982 Hinault [Saronni]
1983 Saronni [Kelly]
1984 Kelly
1985 Hinault
1986 Kelly
1987 Roche
1988 Kelly
1989 Fignon [LeMond]
1990 Bugno
1991 Induráin [Bugno]
1992 Induráin
1993 Rominger [Induráin]
1994 Rominger
1995 Jalabert
1996 Zülle [Museeuw]
1997 Jalabert
1998 Pantani
1999 [Armstrong] Ullrich
2000 [Armstrong] Ullrich
2001 [Armstrong] Zabel
2002 Cipollini
2003 [Armstrong] Simoni
2004 Cunego
2005 Boonen
2006 Bettini
2007 Contador
2008 Cancellara [Contador]
2009 Contador
2010 Cancellara
2011 Gilbert
2012 Wiggins
2013 Froome
2014 Valverde [Contador, Nibali]
2015 Froome
2016 Froome [Sagan]
2017 Froome
2018 Thomas
2019 Roglič [Bernal]
2020 Roglič
2021 Pogačar
2022 Evenepoel
2023 Pogačar

This list is a good indicator that your points system is rather good, I think. Nothing really seems out of place here, as far as I can tell. A bit GT heavy maybe, but cycling lore is very GT heavy.

If I was to make such a points system, I would maybe bring the points for 2nd & 3rd places closer together (mostly by lowering 2nd place points a bit more, maybe), and make a bigger distinction between the podium spots and 4th place onwards in GTs. Also it's a bit hard to categorize race when the prestige levels have shifted a bit over the years, but I think you make a pretty good job of it.

 

[CyclistAbi]

I always like original content that takes some elbow grease to get produced. Especially on the internet and in this age of AI getting all the credit without attributing the original authors.

Thanks for keeping the raking updated.

 

[houtdffan]

Here's another overview that might interest people. It shows the best road cyclist of the year since 1946 according to this point system. When there's a close second or third (less than ten points behind) I mention him between brackets. When the original winner was disqualified I also mention him between brackets.

Spoiler: Best Road Cyclist 1946 - 2023

1946 Coppi
1947 Coppi
1948 Bartali
1949 Coppi
1950 Koblet [Kübler]
1951 Magni [Kübler]
1952 Coppi
1953 Coppi
1954 Bobet
1955 Bobet
1956 De Bruyne
1957 Anquetil
1958 Baldini
1959 Van Looy
1960 Nencini
1961 Anquetil
1962 Planckaert [Altig, Van Looy]
1963 Anquetil
1964 Anquetil
1965 Anquetil
1966 Anquetil
1967 Merckx
1968 Merckx
1969 Merckx
1970 Merckx
1971 Merckx
1972 Merckx
1973 Merckx
1974 Merckx
1975 Merckx
1976 Maertens
1977 Maertens
1978 Hinault
1979 Hinault
1980 Hinault
1981 Hinault
1982 Hinault [Saronni]
1983 Saronni [Kelly]
1984 Kelly
1985 Hinault
1986 Kelly
1987 Roche
1988 Kelly
1989 Fignon [LeMond]
1990 Bugno
1991 Induráin [Bugno]
1992 Induráin
1993 Rominger [Induráin]
1994 Rominger
1995 Jalabert
1996 Zülle [Museeuw]
1997 Jalabert
1998 Pantani
1999 [Armstrong] Ullrich
2000 [Armstrong] Ullrich
2001 [Armstrong] Zabel
2002 Cipollini
2003 [Armstrong] Simoni
2004 Cunego
2005 Boonen
2006 Bettini
2007 Contador
2008 Cancellara [Contador]
2009 Contador
2010 Cancellara
2011 Gilbert
2012 Wiggins
2013 Froome
2014 Valverde [Contador, Nibali]
2015 Froome
2016 Froome [Sagan]
2017 Froome
2018 Thomas
2019 Roglič [Bernal]
2020 Roglič
2021 Pogačar
2022 Evenepoel
2023 Pogačar

Contador was not DQed in 2008

 

[Netserk]

Contador was not DQed in 2008

Read the post: "When there's a close second or third (less than ten points behind) I mention him between brackets."

 

[houtdffan]

Read the post: "When there's a close second or third (less than ten points behind) I mention him between brackets."

my mistake

 

[CyclistAbi]

Page 9 - Top 10 male riders of the 21st century.

Page 9 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

forum.cyclingnews.com

 

[CyclistAbi]

Just read the article:

All time ranking changes in 2023

www.procyclingstats.com

Metric being:

Summation of points in level 1 races and higher. Only the points of the top-10 are considered, in stages the top-3. The points are computed according to the following formula: (PCS Points) / result / 10 . If a rider received 100 points for 2nd place, it contributes 100/2/10 = 5 points to his all time total. A rider winning the final GC in the Tour de France contributes 500/1/10 = 50 points to this total. A rider needs at least 50 points to make it to the ranking.

By this metric Roglič is currently leading in the GC category, active riders. Pogačar is getting close, the rest still long way to go, bar Froome. But realistically Froome would need to improve substantially to catch Roglič again.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Just read the article:

All time ranking changes in 2023

www.procyclingstats.com

Metric being:



By this metric Roglič is currently leading in the GC category, active riders. Pogačar is getting close, the rest still long way to go, bar Froome. But realistically Froome would need to improve substantially to catch Roglič again.

Oh lord sweet baby Jesus.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Oh lord sweet baby Jesus.

Yeah, you got to love the guy.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Now that the spring classics are over it's time to have a look at the changes in this ranking.

This is the top 4 of this spring:

1. Van der Poel 65
2. Pogačar 55
3. Philipsen 42
4. Pedersen 30

What does this mean for the all-time ranking?

*Tadej Pogačar enters the top 15 of all time, leaving Froome and Contador behind.
*Mathieu Van der Poel jumps over Van Aert and Evenepoel, to become the third of the "Big Six".
*Mads Pedersen enters the top 200!

(021) 015. Tadej Pogačar 669
(024) 022. Primož Roglič 601
(085) 057. Mathieu Van der Poel 339
(063) 058. Remco Evenepoel 338
(064) 062. Wout Van Aert 334
(098) 086. Jonas Vingegaard 274
(130) 126. Richard Carapaz 207
(/////) 168. Mads Pedersen 169

 

[hayneplane]

@Pantani_lives would a Giro-Tour double be enough to put Pogacar into the top 10 by season end?

 

[rghysens]

@Pantani_lives would a Giro-Tour double be enough to put Pogacar into the top 10 by season end?

The tour-giro double as such not (100 extra points, so 769 points), but since it´ll probably come with some stages, it´s very likely he will.

 

[Pantani_lives]

@Pantani_lives would a Giro-Tour double be enough to put Pogacar into the top 10 by season end?

Not sure. If he wins the Tour or the Giro he'll gain two more places. The bad news is that the gaps get bigger in the top 12. If he would win the Giro and the Tour he'd enter the top 12. Perhaps he won't break the top 10 this year, but he's on schedule to do it next year.

 

[Roku]

It's a pleasure seeing this ranking and comparing it to useless ones like PCS who have nobodies like Giacomo Nizzolo and Pascal Ackermann as part of the 300 best all time cyclist.

 

[SHAD0W93]

It's a pleasure seeing this ranking and comparing it to useless ones like PCS who have nobodies like Giacomo Nizzolo and Pascal Ackermann as part of the 300 best all time cyclist.

Nobody can win and not win like Nizzolo at the Giro though. That easily makes him top 300.

 

[KenFiamingo]

An update from my side (kingoftheechelon.com).

A similar pattern to what @Pantani_lives posted:

• Pogacar jumping from 26 to 23, passing Roglic, Nibali and Maertens. A Giro win would mean top-20 and passing Froome as the highest ranked active rider.
• A huge leap by MvdP from 154 to 102. For the record, WvA climbed to 73.
• Vingegaard entered the all-time top-100 on spot 91.
• REV's 2nd place in Paris-Nice took him to the 132nd spot.
• Pedersen (278th) and Philipsen (252) both entered the top-300.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

So what I’m seeing is this forum underrates Roglic and Wout

 

[tobydawq]

Not sure. If he wins the Tour or the Giro he'll gain two more places. The bad news is that the gaps get bigger in the top 12. If he would win the Giro and the Tour he'd enter the top 12. Perhaps he won't break the top 10 this year, but he's on schedule to do it next year.

What if he also wins the WCRR and Lombardia? I think that's very plausible.

 

[tobydawq]

An update from my side (kingoftheechelon.com).

A similar pattern to what @Pantani_lives posted:

• Pogacar jumping from 26 to 23, passing Roglic, Nibali and Maertens. A Giro win would mean top-20 and passing Froome as the highest ranked active rider.
• A huge leap by MvdP from 154 to 102. For the record, WvA climbed to 73.
• Vingegaard entered the all-time top-100 on spot 91.
• REV's 2nd place in Paris-Nice took him to the 132nd spot.
• Pedersen (278th) and Philipsen (252) both entered the top-300.

Van Aert above Van der Poel? How?

 

[tobydawq]

It's a pleasure seeing this ranking and comparing it to useless ones like PCS who have nobodies like Giacomo Nizzolo and Pascal Ackermann as part of the 300 best all time cyclist.

Lol, that's ridiculous

 

[KenFiamingo]

Van Aert above Van der Poel? How?

Easy, because of math .

No seriously, any points-based ranking that looks beyond 1st places will likely end up putting Van Aert in front of MvdP because of the sheer amount of top results (without wins) in a broader range of races. In my ranking, WVA has 34 results vs 22 for MvdP (ergo 50% more).

It's a typical flaw in these type of rankings due to the impossibility to correctly value first place vs 2nd / 3rd spot or across race types. Emphasizing on monument wins could e.g. put Peter van Petegem in front of Van Aert which everybody would deem very weird as well.

This flaw is now even exacerbated to the extreme because of MvdP's unique ability to win career-defining races with surgical precision on the one hand and Wout's unique ability to collect a gazillion podiums in the biggest races on the other hand.

Needless to say anyone of us would pick Mathieu's palmares if we had the chance.

 

[Pantani_lives]

What if he also wins the WCRR and Lombardia? I think that's very plausible.

Don't worry. Valverde is safe for at least another year.

 

[AmRacer]

Easy, because of math .

No seriously, any points-based ranking that looks beyond 1st places will likely end up putting Van Aert in front of MvdP because of the sheer amount of top results (without wins) in a broader range of races. In my ranking, WVA has 34 results vs 22 for MvdP (ergo 50% more).

It's a typical flaw in these type of rankings due to the impossibility to correctly value first place vs 2nd / 3rd spot or across race types. Emphasizing on monument wins could e.g. put Peter van Petegem in front of Van Aert which everybody would deem very weird as well.

This flaw is now even exacerbated to the extreme because of MvdP's unique ability to win career-defining races with surgical precision on the one hand and Wout's unique ability to collect a gazillion podiums in the biggest races on the other hand.

Needless to say anyone of us would pick Mathieu's palmares if we had the chance.

Wout shouldn't had gifted those wins to his teammates. 😁

 

[KenFiamingo]

Wout shouldn't had gifted those wins to his teammates. 😁

Or he should have won that damn sprint in 2020.

 

[rghysens]

What if he also wins the WCRR and Lombardia? I think that's very plausible.

Tour+ giro+some stages+lombardia+wc = 9th place