The best climbers in the world?

[El Pistolero]

Ryo is dutchie...
Je suis CH'tis
But since You support Andrew is my duty to attack you in a personal way...

So why the love for Spanish cyclists if you're from nord pas de calais/picardië?

 

[Christian]

The rest you pick up if you participate in threads on the forum - not just the Andy Schleck ones

Not very nice Hitch ... but if you were familiar with my posting history you would know that I participate in F. Schleck and used to ( ) participate in Kim Kirchen threads as well. I look forward to participating in Ben Gastauer and Bob Jungels threads in the future ... so joke's on you I guess.

Ryo is dutchie...
Je suis CH'tis
But since You support Andrew is my duty to attack you in a personal way...

Wow, would have never guessed that you're French. I think partly it's also due to your nickname which sounds latin-american.

(Sorry I had to remove the smileys from your posts, otherwise I would have been above the limit)

 

[The Hitch]

You are French Ryaguas

I thought the name Ruben Dario was as Spanish as they come.

 

[Galic Ho]

Hmm... its difficult after the first 2.

I would say 3: Basso, 4: Rujano, 5: Anton.

Guys like Sanchez and Valverde are obviously more consistent than Rujano and Anton, but I wouldn't really call them climbers. I can't recall either of them winning a mountain stage in a GT after attacking or dropping the opposition, which has to be a basic qualification for any list like this. Same goes for Nibali, Menchov, Evans etc.

Tour 2005. Valverde beat Armstrong. On a big, big hill, where everyone else dropped away. Valverde sprinted away from him at the finish.

Last years Tour. Samu won the first mountain top finish. Outpaced Andy Schleck, who was really peeved he was beaten.

 

[The Hitch]

Tour 2005. Valverde beat Armstrong. On a big, big hill, where everyone else dropped away. Valverde sprinted away from him at the finish.

Last years Tour. Samu won the first mountain top finish. Outpaced Andy Schleck, who was really peeved he was beaten.

Other way unfortunately. Samu got cramp and was helpless to watch Schleck edge past him.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You are French Ryaguas

I thought the name Ruben Dario was as Spanish as they come.

Lots of names shift around though with generations apart from displaced people. Take this sport that we love.

Thomas Voeckler = German name, French cyclist.
Jérôme Baugnies = Walloon name, Flemish cyclist.
Tony Martin = Anglophone name, German cyclist.
Szmyd = (Polonised) German name, Polish cyclist.

 

[Galic Ho]

Nibali was still 7th and also behind such excellent GT riders as a Lance Armstrong passed his peak and Bradley Wiggins, in a Tour where they mostly softpedaled.

I'm absolutely convinced Gesink is a better climber than Nibali, it showed at almost every time they met.
Ofcourse Nibali has a better palmares, he is also 2 years older and 2 years longer professional. If we take Nibali's timeline. Gesink still has till the Vuelta 2012 to win his first GT to be on par with Nibali at that age. And Gesink showed at younger age that he can podium a GT (vuelta 09 without a whole in his knee that blew the final mountain) and finish top 6 in the Tour (also 1 year younger then when Nibali did that.

Gesink is a natural climber, much more like Nibali who has to work for it. Gesink wins mountain stages by being the best uphill. Nibali has won a mountainstage by being the best downhill. Solid difference there

This is the problem with comparing riders. They don't always race the same events.

As for the Vuelta 09, this has been done to death, mostly because you drag it up. Gesink dropped off the pace. Till he gets that podium, it's not fair to state he has shown he can do it. He falls off his bike all the damn time. Crash here, crash there and then it's used as an excuse for why he didn't get the podium he was destined to claim. I'm yet to see him light the road up in a GT. Granted he did well in 09 at the Vuelta and was a Super Domestique at last years Tour for Menchov, Nibali by far has a better record. When he's been team leader, he's delivered pretty well.

Are you in essence suggesting is that if Gesink were riding this current Giro, being in your opinion better than Nibali, would he be in 3rd place on GC? I don't think he would. I have no reason to suggest he'd be higher than Menchov. That in itself is suggestive enough. It comes down to the same thing I hear from Aussies about our nations young riders. Till they do it on the road against big names, I refuse to talk them up.

 

[Galic Ho]

Other way unfortunately. Samu got cramp and was helpless to watch Schleck edge past him.

I stand corrected. I swore Samu won that stage. Meh, doesn't matter. Come to think of it, I remember cramps being mentioned. Didn't Samu win a stage in the 08 and 09 Vuelta?

 

[El Pistolero]

I stand corrected. I swore Samu won that stage. Meh, doesn't matter. Come to think of it, I remember cramps being mentioned. Didn't Samu win a stage in the 08 and 09 Vuelta?

5 stages at the Vuelta. One of them a time trial, also won a stage on the descend.

 

[icefire]

I stand corrected. I swore Samu won that stage. Meh, doesn't matter. Come to think of it, I remember cramps being mentioned. Didn't Samu win a stage in the 08 and 09 Vuelta?

Nope. He did it in 2007. Three times. He threw Cadel Evans out of the podium that year.

 

[Angliru]

So why the love for Spanish cyclists if you're from nord pas de calais/picardië?

Hey I'm from Michigan and I have been a fan of the Spanish speaking cyclists since Delgado. The more I read about them, via a recently found history of the Vuelta, the more I am a supporter and fan. I've always loved the climbers and the Spanish, since I've started following the sport, were stereotyped as being one-dimensional, that dimension being excelling when the roads pointed up.

 

[El Pistolero]

Hey I'm from Michigan and I have been a fan of the Spanish speaking cyclists since Delgado. The more I read about them, via a recently found history of the Vuelta, the more I am a supporter and fan. I've always loved the climbers and the Spanish, since I've started following the sport, were stereotyped as being one-dimensional, that dimension being excelling when the roads pointed up.

Yeah, but most people of nord pas de calais usually are big fans of the cobbled races

 

[Angliru]

That is correct, although I am back in Luxembourg for a couple of months now. Where is Ryaguas from? I assumed Colombia because of his resemblance to Ryo Hazuki, but then again Ryo Hazuki seems to personnally know D_T so maybe he's a Colombian living in the Netherlands.

Anyhow I merely pointed out (not comment) a counter-performance of a certain rider, I don't see what the big fuss is about or what it has to do with Andy Schleck? Is Anton a protected rider now on the forum?

Christian, you know that everyone for the most part has their fav's or riders they support and often times we all touch sensitive nerves with our posts that result in small wars breaking out between the nations! Anton is no more supported than Armstrong, Gilbert, Cancellara, Cavendish and even the Schleck's! My own support can be blinded by my favoritism but that's just part of being loyal.

 

[Angliru]

Tour 2005. Valverde beat Armstrong. On a big, big hill, where everyone else dropped away. Valverde sprinted away from him at the finish.

Last years Tour. Samu won the first mountain top finish. Outpaced Andy Schleck, who was really peeved he was beaten.

Actually Andy won, due in most part because Samu cramped up near the finish, allowing Andy to pass. Samu was quite upset that he lost because he had it in the bag considering Andy isn't much of a sprinter.

Edit: Slow on the draw again. Someone beat me to correcting you.

 

[Galic Ho]

Porte ended up 7th in the Giro after a long breakaway, so are you saying it's not a valid way to gain time?

Not at all. He even won a stage as well last year. Three Aussies wins in 3 days. Four if you count Mark Webber. Porte did well LAST year.

This year? He lost 40 minutes on Sunday to Nieve. On the Aussie SBS cycling website, people talked him up as Contador's best domestique before the race started and just before the mountains. I don't think it's fair nor warranted to start talking up guys by taking their good performances out of context, especially when they are young and new to the sport. If you get time from a breakaway, good on you. If you are on the podium because of a break and then hold on through to the finish, more kudos. Last years Giro had lots of breakaways. Porte was in one. Even made it to the Maglia Rosa for a few days.

I don't all of a sudden think he's the next big rider to come out of Australia. He isn't, not at least till he backs it up. Hasn't done so once since last years Giro. Is that bad? Not at all, but coming 7th in a GT because of a breakaway should always be placed in the correct context.

 

[Parrulo]

Nah some of us just break Ruben's balls because he gave us his real name - Ruben Limpe World BMX champion or some such

ruben lampre (oh ya creepy good memory ) funny enough i found a certain ruben lampre riding for skill shimano on my 2010 database for pcm 2009

a decent punchy rider

did you add yourself D_T? tbh i could add myself but i don't think you can go lower then 50 so it would be unfair as i would be hyping myself even without wanting too

 

[Galic Ho]

Sure it's a valid way of gaining time, but the topic was on climbers - not GC performances. Noone in their right mind would argue that Porte was the 7th best climber last year just as noone would argue that Pereiro Sio was among the best climbers when he won TDF in 2006.

On Stage 17, arguably one of the greatest spectacles in cycling history, after Floyd annihilated everyone, Sastre was next best, then surprisingly Oscar was the third best performer. All the heads of state were wiped clean that day. That was why Pereiro came second.

 

[Galic Ho]

I like this pick... match 95% of my picks but I still dont get why ppl put Andrew in 2nd place... You have to be always on the top everytime an stage finish in a MTF... That's why Alberto is the best... He is always the best and always drop everyone or finish with the bests... Andrew can only perform in LBL or Le Tour...
I think that the 2nd must/could be Riccó... He was always or most of the time with the top climbers when the road went uphill...

I don't like putting Schleck in second for the very reasons you listed. I do so, mostly because when he is in form, well he's really good and closer to Contador than most other have come, but as you say, he's so selective on where he actually tries (gives more than 50%) it's embarassing to watch him ride. It's why I don't like him. Don't mind his big brother though.

You know, if AC doesn't race in July, someone might actually embarass Schleck. I've long believed if he had to lead on his own, he'd be lost. I've never seen him do it. Every other time it was chasing Contador or shepherding his team captain. Didn't watch the 2007 Giro, but one good breakaway and I think he's vulnerable. Why? I've never seen him willingly drop his brother. Always has someone hold his hand. I guess it's his mindset and attitude that peeve me. Chaingate for one is an eloquent example. In a Tour without Contador, if Schleck doesn't win overall, he looses then no.2 IMO.

 

[Galic Ho]

Nope. He did it in 2007. Three times. He threw Cadel Evans out of the podium that year.

Aussie here. I find that to be hilarious. I like Evans, but I like Samu more. So funny. That was the Vuelta Menchov won legit. I didn't watch it. First Vuelta I saw more than a fleeting glance at was the 2009 edition. Hence why I asked. Knew he had wins, just not when. Cheers to you and El Pistolero.

 

[Parrulo]

tbh schleck always seems to blow it at some point.

in 2008 he had a bad day and lost his winning chances early on (second week iirc)

in 2009 there was a fall on the first week that was forgiven and everybody waited for him.

in 2010 on stage 2(thats like the first motherfre@king chance he had to blow it) he was 5 minutes behind due to a fall and everybody waited for him again. and then he blew it one last time on the chain gate incident when contador rightfully attacked.

if this year no1 forgives his mistakes like they should, andy could reach the first mountain stage 5 minutes back on some1 like samu or basso (i am even going to assume that contador isn't there) and i can't see andy taking that much time on guys like them, mostly on basso

 

[nvpacchi]

Lots of names shift around though with generations apart from displaced people. Take this sport that we love.

Thomas Voeckler = German name, French cyclist.
Jérôme Baugnies = Walloon name, Flemish cyclist.
Tony Martin = Anglophone name, German cyclist.
Szmyd = (Polonised) German name, Polish cyclist.

I think Danilo Hondo takes the cake

 

[killswitch]

Andy is wasting his talent IMO. Cyrille Guimard compared him to Fignon and to come second in the Giro at his first GT only 21 years old was great. Since then Andy has only one LBL to show and no stage race wins. When he's actually arsed (like on Sierra road) he can be up there, but most of the time just softpedalls to the finish.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think Danilo Hondo takes the cake

Kreuziger is another Slav with a German name, on the other hand Grischa Janorschke and Patrik Sinkewitz both have names that are clearly Germanised versions of Slavic names.

 

[Altitude]

Where is the Horner quote? He's second best because he dropped an out of form Schleck and Vande Velde? Give me a break.

 

[Galic Ho]

tbh schleck always seems to blow it at some point.

in 2008 he had a bad day and lost his winning chances early on (second week iirc)

in 2009 there was a fall on the first week that was forgiven and everybody waited for him.

in 2010 on stage 2(thats like the first motherfre@king chance he had to blow it) he was 5 minutes behind due to a fall and everybody waited for him again. and then he blew it one last time on the chain gate incident when contador rightfully attacked.

if this year no1 forgives his mistakes like they should, andy could reach the first mountain stage 5 minutes back on some1 like samu or basso (i am even going to assume that contador isn't there) and i can't see andy taking that much time on guys like them, mostly on basso

Nicely put. It's why I think he hasn't shown true leadership grit. He always goofs something up and hopes Spartacus will hold his hand and get him through it. Worse, he cries when someone pounces, like AC did last year, at his own mistake.