The Greatest Road Racing Cyclist Of All Time

[markrosen]

As my photo profile reflects.....hands down Eddy Merckx!

 

[Angliru]

@ultomici
In defense of Indurain, he did win the Tour and Giro in the same season twice so to say that his focus was entirely on the Tour and lump him in the same sentence with Armstrong was a bit unfair. Additionally he did take the time to contest the hour mark.

 

[El Pistolero]

There can only be made an argument for Fausto Coppi. But he lost GTs as well against others, Merckx never did untill his downfall.

 

[Big Doopie]

As my photo profile reflects.....hands down Eddy Merckx!

interesting that your photo choice is of merckx in 1977 when he was no longer...well...merckx.

i venture a guess that the pic was taken at the tour de flandres that year. merckx tried to go from like 150 km out. was later joined by both devlaeminck and maertens (if i recall) and eventually abandoned. he thought he could repeat his feat of 1975 when he rode away with only verbeeck for "wheelsucking" company for the last 100 km -- still dropping the wonderful v-man 5 km from the finish.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Anquetil: "The ideal cyclist? You take the legs of Merckx, the head of Merckx, the muscles of Merckx, the heart of Merckx and the victory drive of Merckx."

#2 is always a fun Coppi vs. Hinault discussion.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

That there is even one vote for someone else is amazing to me. Get real people, it's not even close, not by orders of magnitude.

ugh you flemish chauvinists make me sick. you do know that cycling in europe was unglobal until the 80s and 90s right?? merckx always rode against the same guys and has been caught on doping no less than twice during his career

 

[jens_attacks]

the canibal no doubt

 

[Barrus]

some people actually didn't vote for the Cannibal ?

Well, I can at least undertand WOnderlance his motivation, as well as Scott Lemond his motivation, as to the rest I am as flabbergasted as yourself

 

[Echoes]

ugh you flemish chauvinists make me sick.

Merckx is not Flemish.

you do know that cycling in europe was unglobal until the 80s and 90s right??

Yeah and cycling was not epoïzed either. Globalization and EPO came up at the same time. Not my fault.

merckx always rode against the same guys

Yes because these same guys were the best in history. They could race classics, GT's, cross, track, sprint, ITT, etc.

and has been caught on doping no less than twice during his career

Lol I thought it was three times.

Are you referring to the Savona conspiracy or the Lombardia syrup?

 

[ak-zaaf]

some people actually didn't vote for the Cannibal ?

It's like a poll asking what color is yellow?
-blue
-yellow
-red

Why answer seriously? ;p

 

[ultimobici]

ugh you flemish chauvinists make me sick. you do know that cycling in europe was unglobal until the 80s and 90s right?? merckx always rode against the same guys and has been caught on doping no less than twice during his career

You need to check your geography chap!

When asked on one occasion whether he considered himself Flemish or a Walloon, Eddy Merckx famously answered, “I’m a Belgian,” and left it at that. In doing so, he may have avoided a civil war between Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern half of the country, and Wallonia, the French-speaking south. Both were anxious to claim the great champion, who hailed from Brussels suburb Woluwe-St. Lambert. The capital city straddles the line between the two regions and afforded Merckx his diplomatic, if ambiguous, answer.

Cycling has been global for decades too. Just because no one across the pond took note until Lance won the Tour doesn't mean there weren't many non-europeans racing at the highest level before the 90's.

Look up Hubert Opperman, Tom Simpson, Phil Anderson, Jock Boyer and Mauro Ribero. Oh and check out Major Taylor and the origins of the name of the Madison. Some countries just neglected their cyclists to the detriment of fans and riders alike.

 

[hfer07]

Bartali, Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx & Hinault are the only ones who should be on the short list.

+1000
Only the best of the best won tours, giros, vueltas & classics-they didn't care about the length, the terrain, the location, the weather, the competition, or any other barrier in their path. they just conquered....
1-) Merckx
2-) Hinault

 

[The Hitch]

lol. People are actually wasting their votes on Merckx. Duh hes the best cyclist. Use your votes productively.

How is Bartali not getting any votes. Have people forgoten yesterdays thread already?

In my opinion if GOD were a cyclist he would have been Eddy Merckx. JB

If Eddy Merckx didnt exist it would be necessary to invent him.

Bartali, Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx & Hinault are the only ones who should be on the short list.

And de Vlaemnick. And Mercx should be listed as a tag team with Noël van Tyghem.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

It's like a poll asking what color is yellow?
-blue
-yellow
-red

Why answer seriously? ;p

so you voted wrong for jokes
but would The Hitch do so as well? I don't think so

 

[AngusW]

@ultomici
In defense of Indurain, he did win the Tour and Giro in the same season twice so to say that his focus was entirely on the Tour and lump him in the same sentence with Armstrong was a bit unfair. Additionally he did take the time to contest the hour mark.

True. Further, unlike some Tour-centric riders, he did not end his season in July during his Tour-winning years. He contested the world champs regularly (finishing in the top 3 three times in the road race and winning the TT once) even when they were moved to October. He was also Olympic champion.

As to the poll, a case can be made for Coppi being second ahead of Hinault due to the number of competitive years he lost in WW2. Only two votes for Lance Armstrong as the greatest cyclist of all time. Maybe Flicker and Eddy Merckx voted for Lance?

 

[Angliru]

True. Further, unlike some Tour-centric riders, he did not end his season in July during his Tour-winning years. He contested the world champs regularly (finishing in the top 3 three times in the road race and winning the TT once) even when they were moved to October. He was also Olympic champion.

As to the poll, a case can be made for Coppi being second ahead of Hinault due to the number of competitive years he lost in WW2. Only two votes for Lance Armstrong as the greatest cyclist of all time. Maybe Flicker and Eddy Merckx voted for Lance?

...and in one of his podium placings in the WC road race in Colombia, he pretty much gave the win to Olano so that Pantani wouldn't get it, although Olano earned it by riding the final few km's on a flat tire all while Indurain was shadowing Pantani. If not for Indurain Pantani would've been a world champion!

 

[blutto]

...and in one of his podium placings in the WC road race in Colombia, he pretty much gave the win to Olano so that Pantani wouldn't get it, although Olano earned it by riding the final few km's on a flat tire all while Indurain was shadowing Pantani. If not for Indurain Pantani would've been a world champion!

...and how exactly was Pantani going to beat Indurain?...he certainly wasn't going to outclimb him on that course at that point in the race...and given the opportunity Mikey was a very very good sprinter ( see his performance in Olso where he beat Ludwig for the silver ) so a sprint victory was out of the question especially considering what a powerhouse, or is that powerless, sprinter Pantani was ( not ! )...

Cheers

blutto

 

[avanti]

I always liked Anquetil as a rider (but not his views on women in cycling). His wins included eight grand tours, nine Grand Prix des Nations, five Paris-Nice, and held the one-hour track record, and he won my favorate one-day race of all time - the Bordeaux-Paris (550 km) in 1965.

 

[ustabe]

Should be minus Merckx, or at least debate who is 2nd.

(otherwise there is no debate).

Right. 2-10 makes a more interesting discussion.

Regarding the guys who got no votes, they're more deserving than some who got votes--Anquetil, now remembered only for being the first 5-time Tour winner; Bartali, who could beat Coppi when the stars were right, and would have won more races were it not for WW2; and Gimondi, who had the bad luck to be hitting his stride just as the Merckx juggernaut was starting, but was always classy and competitive. And Hinault is, without reservation, runner-up to Merckx. If it's not enough for his being an arrogant and tenacious ****, his palmares are still way ahead of everyone but Merckx.

Interestingly, Anquetil and Armstrong had very similar results--5 and 7 Tour de France victories and little for the rest of the season.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yes because these same guys were the best in history. They could race classics, GT's, cross, track, sprint, ITT, etc.

uhh, no. back then there was no specilaisation so all riders rode all races so the natural fittest oners came on top. that doesn't make you the best cyclist ever, especially not when 90% of the world wasn't racing in europe back then.

 

[Angliru]

...and how exactly was Pantani going to beat Indurain?...he certainly wasn't going to outclimb him on that course at that point in the race...and given the opportunity Mikey was a very very good sprinter ( see his performance in Olso where he beat Ludwig for the silver ) so a sprint victory was out of the question especially considering what a powerhouse, or is that powerless, sprinter Pantani was ( not ! )...

Cheers

blutto

Relax. My point was that had Indurain not been there, Pantani was the next strongest rider there. Indurain had already won the TT WC so had he chosen to compete in just the TT and not the road, considering the course and Pantani's form at the time, he would've been the likely WC.

 

[blutto]

uhh, no. back then there was no specilaisation so all riders rode all races so the natural fittest oners came on top. that doesn't make you the best cyclist ever, especially not when 90% of the world wasn't racing in europe back then.

...there is thankfully a benchmark that spans the various eras that helps make comparisons...the hour record...and yes Boardman, a specialist, did beat Merkx's time, but by the slimmest of margins, and on a bike that was, while nominally similar, much more advanced ( stiffer more efficient frame and wheels..) as well as having more aerodynamic clothing, better training techniques, better nutrition...and I'll mention drugs because of the potential use but in Boardman's case I really have no idea and I'll leave that to people with greater knowledge/insight on the subject...

...the bottom line is that as an athletic effort on a bike I believe Merkx's performance was the greatest hour record performance ever...and solidifies his place as the greatest ever...

Cheers

blutto

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

boardman beat merckx' time while boardman was long past his prime in his career. even a guy like sosenka was stronger than mercks so out goes your ridiuclous argument.

 

[Kwibus]

Relax. My point was that had Indurain not been there, Pantani was the next strongest rider there. Indurain had already won the TT WC so had he chosen to compete in just the TT and not the road, considering the course and Pantani's form at the time, he would've been the likely WC.

Not long ago I watched that race again and if they would've reeled Olano back in then I'm 100% sure Indurain would've won. He was controlling the entire race. It was obvious that he and Olano agreed that Olano would go first and if he didn't make then Indurain would finish it. By far the strongest rider that race.

 

[blutto]

boardman beat merckx' time while boardman was long past his prime in his career. even a guy like sosenka was stronger than mercks so out goes your ridiuclous argument.

...does the following bit refer to the same sosenka you mentioned...

He was excluded from the 2001 Peace Race after failing a hematocrit test prior to the event.[1][2]

In June 2008 he tested positive for the banned stimulant methamphetamine and its metabolites during his national time trial championships, he now faces a suspension which will mostly likely end his career[3


Cheers

blutto