The battles we never got to see

[jamiephillips]

^ Perhaps Roche could have had a say in the '86 Tour if it wasn't for the knee injury?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

would be interesting to see Pantani (in his prime ofc) vs an Contador in top form up alpe d`huez

 

[The Hitch]

would be interesting to see Pantani (in his prime ofc) vs an Contador in top form up alpe d`huez

I think Pantani up Alpe is the absolute pinnacle of cycling and wont be beaten.

But a better place for such a duel to take place would be the 2011 Giro of course.

I'd like to see the Schlecks have a massive falling out and take their feud into races. But that's never going to happen.

Frank Schleck would overnight become the most popular rider on CN forums.

Some would say Andy might even win the Tour this way.

The 1998 Festina Team vs the rest of the teams at le Tour!

Gilbert vs Evans vs Valverde in the Ardennes 2011

Good ideas.

 

[scullster46]

Armstrong not falling in 2010 so he would still be in contention and he could get properly embarassed on la madeleine by Contador and Schleck

 

[danjo007]

I think Pantani up Alpe is the absolute pinnacle of cycling and wont be beaten.

But a better place for such a duel to take place would be the 2011 Giro of course.

i agree.
pantani attacked at the bottom - who does that now?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

^ Perhaps Roche could have had a say in the '86 Tour if it wasn't for the knee injury?

Or 1988.

. . .

 

[rides like a girl]

Armstrong not falling in 2010 so he would still be in contention and he could get properly embarassed on la madeleine by Contador and Schleck

Went to France to follow the race in 2010 hoping to see Alberto beat, embarrass Lance on a MTF. Never materialized. Would have been real sweet as was traveling with bunch of Lance fans.

As someone else stated, an at their best sprint between Cipo, Ale Jet & Cav, just add no lead outs.

Also as commented before all the GC contenders who crashed in 2011 vs Evans.

Sorry lacking original thought, brain has misfiled the TDF from 1999 to 2005.

 

[will10]

i agree.
pantani attacked at the bottom - who does that now?

Some bloke called Alberto did this year.

 

[Richeypen]

Some bloke called Alberto did this year.

And Sastre in 08

 

[Walkman]

And Sastre in 08

Actually Menchov did, just to crash and be counterd by Sastre.

 

[will10]

Actually Menchov did, just to crash and be counterd by Sastre.

Menchov didn't crash on the Alpe, that was on Prato Nevoso.

 

[Walkman]

Menchov didn't crash on the Alpe, that was on Prato Nevoso.

Are you sure? I was ceratin it was on the Alpe, but I guess I was wrong then.

 

[will10]

Are you sure? I was ceratin it was on the Alpe, but I guess I was wrong then.

Yep 100% sure. Menchov attacked and had a gap on Prato Nevoso, then slipped off on a greasy corner. On the Alpe, Sastre attacked at the bottom, Menchov went with him, but Sastre's 2nd acceleration caused Menchov to blow big time and it was a good few kms before Menchov got back to the favourites group (marshalled by the Schlecks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl4eCCa1pJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoRcmCTKDMs&feature=related

 

[Nick C.]

Surprised no one has said these two:

LeMond vs. Roche in 1987
LeMond vs. Delgado in 1988

Agree on Pantani-LA in 1999, also 2000.

Good ones. That '87 Tour had a first long TT that was @ 2 hours must have been over 70K. If ever a course was made for Lemond or Roche for that matter that was it.

 

[Walkman]

Yep 100% sure. Menchov attacked and had a gap on Prato Nevoso, then slipped off on a greasy corner. On the Alpe, Sastre attacked at the bottom, Menchov went with him, but Sastre's 2nd acceleration caused Menchov to blow big time and it was a good few kms before Menchov got back to the favourites group (marshalled by the Schlecks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl4eCCa1pJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoRcmCTKDMs&feature=related

Man, Sastre was truly ripping it during that stage! You don't happend to remember his time up Alpe?

 

[Angliru]

i agree.
pantani attacked at the bottom - who does that now?

Ummm... well someone attacked this year a long, long way from the bottom. I'll let you do the leg work to figure out who.

 

[luckyboy]

Would've been interesting to see Ricco in the Tour this year.

 

[will10]

Man, Sastre was truly ripping it during that stage! You don't happend to remember his time up Alpe?

I don't remember, but google can be helpful in such circumstances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpe_d'Huez#Ascent_times

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Would've been interesting to see Ricco in the Tour this year.

nah, not the tour, an Ricco in 100% shape for the giro 11 would have been awesome

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

Frank Schleck would overnight become the most popular rider on CN forums.

So true

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

would like to see an honest fight between Vino, Kloden and Ullrich in the 2000 olympic

 

[Tank Engine]

Good ones. That '87 Tour had a first long TT that was @ 2 hours must have been over 70K. If ever a course was made for Lemond or Roche for that matter that was it.

Almost 90k. That was the one stage Roche won. I was then impressed by Delgado (9th or 10th) and Millar (11th) who lost less than 3 minutes (pretty good for "climbers"). Shame that Bob went downhill after the Pyrenees. Delgado's time trialling seemed to step up a gear the year after though. The course was long, almost 4 weeks, starting in Berlin and pretty mountainous too (especially in the Alps).

 

[SHAD0W93]

would like to see an honest fight between Vino, Kloden and Ullrich in the 2000 olympic

I think it would have been the same result.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Man, Sastre was truly ripping it during that stage! You don't happend to remember his time up Alpe?

It was a thirty-nine something, maybe 39:40? Not as fast as 2006, 2004, etc. The other guys were only around the high 41's

 

[AngusW]

Tour de France:

1947: Robic vs Bartali (Italians were not invited)
1958: Gaul vs Geminiani if Gem was on the French National team, rather than a regional team
1965: Poulidor vs Gimondi vs Anquetil
1968: Van Springel, Janssen and others vs Poulidor (had he not crashed out)
1973: Merckx vs Ocana
1977: Thevenet vs Pollentier (winner of Giro & Tour de Suisse that year)
1980: Zootemelk vs Hinault
1999: Zulle vs Armstrong without the time gain from Passage du Gois