The Best Domestique

[Morbius]

Contador in TdF 2010 did a good job for Andy

Further back, Sean Yates was apparently a star amongst domestiques

 

[jsem94]

Kash @ Vuelta 06 comes to mind.

But the best has to be Gadret for Roche in the Tour 11.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Greg LeMond 85 Tour

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador in TdF 2010 did a good job for Andy

¿He wasn't even there?

 

[Magnus]

what about ullrich in 1997? not so many domestiques win the tour actualy...

No doubt about Ullrich being one of the best riders in the last 20 years. But that's not on account of his domestique duties. To be the best domestique you first have to be a domestique. Ullrich was a star.

 

[Wigwan]

Not the best all-time, but Tuft pull the peloton for like 150 km this year in Tirrano, quite impressive.

 

[BillytheKid]

In this era (or the era that's ending), Jens Voigt and Hincapie.

 

[Ferminal]

No Thomas and Pate were both working for Wiggins in Romandie.

It isnt a case of being a domestique but shows his tendency for the role even when it is not necessary.

Wiggins sits in front of Porte for the same reason, doesn't make him a domestique.

 

[ElChingon]

Riis, 1997 and even better in 1998.

 

[Morbius]

¿He wasn't even there?

Exactly. Any while he wasn't there he helped Andy get a good lead over Menchov and co

 

[mastersracer]

No doubt about Ullrich being one of the best riders in the last 20 years. But that's not on account of his domestique duties. To be the best domestique you first have to be a domestique. Ullrich was a star.

not necessarily - there were stars who also were among the best domestiques in certain races. Duclos Lassalle comes to mind in later Tours. Even Bauer, who rode in support of Lemond in many classics and during some Tours (arguably saved the 86 Tour for Lemond by bridging him up to Hinault on one of Hinault's flyers).

 

[Magnus]

Riis, 1997 and even better in 1998.

Not to mention the Fignon period.

 

[williamp78]

I suppose this can depend on your definition of a domestique. Obviously we think of guys who protect the GC contender at grand tours (or often surpass them!!) or jens voigt or george hincapie pulling the peloton along for hundreds of kilometres at a time.

But i suppose you shouldn't forget the water carriers and the riders who shelter their leaders from the wind. Or indeed the lead out men.

I think you could argue that mark renshaw has been a very successful domestique over the past few years leading out cav to multiple sprint victories.

 

[Magnus]

not necessarily - there were stars who also were among the best domestiques in certain races. Duclos Lassalle comes to mind in later Tours. Even Bauer, who rode in support of Lemond in many classics and during some Tours (arguably saved the 86 Tour for Lemond by bridging him up to Hinault on one of Hinault's flyers).

It's true that in general being a star and being a domestique isn't mutually exclusive (at least in a modern non-Desgrangeian interpretation of the terms star and domestique), but in the case of Jan Ullrich they (pretty much) were.

 

[WindLessBreeze]

Too many great anonymous folks

The usual suspects: Hincapie, Jens, Luca Paolini, Tiralongo, Tossato,........Plenty of selfless folks who perform the dirty work of helping out leaders with big contracts, limelight,.........Renkshaw ........

 

[Froome19]

Wiggins sits in front of Porte for the same reason, doesn't make him a domestique.

I was just explaining the mindset which Pate operates at...

Also Wiggins is probably asked to etc Pate never ever said anything about it and it was just something that Thomas picked up afterwards.

 

[infeXio]

Lars Bak in TDF 2011!

 

[mr. tibbs]

Kloden 09?

Kloden always. For whatever reason, he always rides selflessly for his leaders, even if he's arguably better than them (Tours 2004 & 2007).

 

[El Pistolero]

Fabian Cancellara.

 

[DirtyWorks]

sylvain chavanel

Sylvain Chavanel FTW! IMHO His current team situation has him riding for others too much.

Steve Chainel too. Why? He's another Crosser.

 

[norwegian]

EBH for Wiggins in the CdD 2012.....

 

[Libertine Seguros]

In this era (or the era that's ending), Jens Voigt and Hincapie.

José Vicente García Acosta.


In the current péloton (since Txente retired in the offseason), there's Przemysław Niemiec, José Iván Gutiérrez, Sylwester Szmyd, Christian Meier, Marcel Sieberg, Oliver Zaugg, and Niki Terpstra, whose ride was just as important as Boonen's solo in winning Boonen Paris-Roubaix.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

George Hincapie, who at almost 39 has announced his retirement following this season.

 

[Parrulo]

Azevedo in the '05 Tour.

i think you mean 04 when he finished 5th overall and destroyed every1 cept armstrong, basso, kloden and ulrich on the mountain stages.

but ya azevedo was always a fantastic mountain domestic all his career, probably the best of the last decade i would say working both at once and postal.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

i think you mean 04 when he finished 5th overall and destroyed every1 cept armstrong, basso, kloden and ulrich on the mountain stages.

but ya azevedo was always a fantastic mountain domestic all his career, probably the best of the last decade i would say working both at once and postal.

Leonardo Piepoli.