The Most Memorable Second Place Finishers

[gregrowlerson]

Andreas Klöden's 2nd into Le Grand Bornand 2013 (I guess unforgettable second places happen behind Rui Costa).

Shout out to Alberto Contador's overall results in Paris-Nice 2016 & 17, obviously.

Mader's being stomped more recently.

And Roglic being left gobsmacked at PDBF.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Off the top of my head, Laurent Jalabert at Sierra Nevada in 1995, and Raymond Poulidor in the Tour de France.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Laurent Fignon has something to say about that.

 

[Red Rick]

Andreas Klöden's 2nd into Le Grand Bornand 2013 (I guess unforgettable second places happen behind Rui Costa).

Shout out to Alberto Contador's overall results in Paris-Nice 2016 & 17, obviously.

Mader's being stomped more recently.

And Roglic being left gobsmacked at PDBF.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Fignon against Lemond.
Boonen at 2016 paris roubaix
Kolobnev and the money bag
Haussler at 2009 Milan San Remo
Pogacar going thermonuclear against Roglic at PDBF.

 

[Red Rick]

Off the top of my head, Laurent Jalabert at Sierra Nevada in 1995, and Raymond Poulidor in the Tour de France.

Marianne Vos when she got like 5 consecutive 2nds at the WCRR.

Actually weren't there 6?

 

[gregrowlerson]

Like joking about Valverde, somehow this never gets old.

And like Alejandro himself too, God bless his agelessness.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Fignon against Lemond.
Boonen at 2016 paris roubaix
Kolobnev and the money bag
Haussler at 2009 Milan San Remo
Pogacar going thermonuclear against Roglic at PDBF.

Vino; "It's in the bag."

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Urán in London and Samu three times in Lombardia as well as losing sprints to Andy Schleck and Klöden in France. Markus Fothen in the youth classification in the 2006 TdF.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Zabel at the 2004 Sanremo.

 

[Gigs_98]

While most of the 2nd places mentioned so far were indeed memorable, I feel like some of them, like Roglic or Fignon, only are because these riders were at the short end of a battle with an even more memorable winner.

I think the best picks for this thread are the ones where you don't even know who won anymore, because the 2nd place was iconic all on its own.

 

[Red Rick]

Joaquim Rodriguez at the 2013 WCRR.

All Alejandro had to do is ride for 2nd place.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Lemond and Hinault's swapsies in the 1985 & 86 tours
Does Froome in the 2011 Vuelta still count as a 2nd?

I guess Pogacar at the Ronde will be the most memorable 4th for some time.

 

[gregrowlerson]

AVV 2021 ORR.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Vincenzo Nibali at Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2012.

 

[gunara]

Domenico Pozzovivo, Roma Maxima 2014.

Oh wait...

But seriously can a 2nd place be more commanding than Froome's 2012 Tour. It still haunts me.

 

[RedheadDane]

Domenico Pozzovivo, Roma Maxima 2014.

Oh wait...

What was it; Fifth in a two-man sprint?

 

[Gigs_98]

Contador's insane series of 2nd places in 2017 deserves a mention. He finished 2nd in the gc of Andalucia (by 1 second), Paris Nice (by 2 seconds), Catalunya (by a minute) and Pais Vasco (by 17 seconds). Moreover he got 4 2nd places in the stages of these races. He hadn't won a single race that season before he won at his absolutely last opportunity, stage 20 of the Vuelta. Before that he finished as the first rider of the gc guys another 4 times but was always beaten by the break, including once when he dropped everyone else in Las Machucos by over 30 seconds but still only got 2nd because known doper Stefan Denifl finished half a minute in front of him after only losing a minute on the climb meaning he was faster than for example eventual Vuelta winner Chris Froome. If he hadn't won on Angliru this would have been so bitter.

 

[Ricco']

Which was the season when we had Peter 2agan racing? Was it 2015?

I seem to remember a season where we was "mocked" by his run of second places but now that I look into it it doesn't seem so bad as he counted 9 wins (even more when comparing with recent seasons). But with 19 2nd places it must have been that year.

 

[Bonimenier]

Van Aert at Amstel 2021

 

[gunara]

What was it; Fifth in a two-man sprint?

Yes, in a convincing fashion

 

[jsem94]

Suprised no one has mentioned this, but Cunego at Tour de Suisse 2011. Leipheimer getting away with the win is one of the greatest travesties of this century in the sport.

Jose Rujano at the 2005 Giro maybe?

Steve Bauer in 1988 WCRR had he not been DQed lol

 

[Forever The Best]

I enjoyed these rides a lot:
Sylvain Chavanel Ronde van Vlaanderen 2011
Fabian Cancellara Milano-Sanremo 2012
Vincenzo Nibali Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2012
Joaquim Rodriguez World Championship Road Race 2013
Tom Boonen Paris-Roubaix 2016
Alberto Contador Paris-Nice 2016
Alberto Contador Paris-Nice 2017
Vincenzo Nibali Giro di Lombardia 2018

Not second but this was very memorable too:
Fabian Cancellara's 3rd at Ronde van Vlaanderen 2011.

All these riders came very close to winning with exception of Nibali 2018, which was also a bit of a sentimental pick because of return from injury.

 

[Scarponi]

Slightly different one here . Cadel
Evans 2010 Giro Zoncolon, clearly wasn’t there for top form. Up against Robo Basso and held on for ages

 

[SHAD0W93]

Klöden getting caught on the line by Armstrong and barely losing to Weening.

Vino in 2000 Olympics RR and Ullrich in the TT.

Contador second to Froome in 2013 TdF TT and that head shake he does after seeing Froome’s time.

Cavendish barely losing 3 GT points classifications.

Tony Martin second to Gárate in 2009.

Not second but Boonen third in 2016 WCRR.

Purito’s second at 2012 Giro

Valverde second at 2012 Vuelta after losing 59” in the controversial crash and Sky setting the pace stage.

When GVA was still called Greg Van Average before 2016.

Andy Schleck and what could have been if he didn’t drop his chain in 2010.