The Most Memorable Second Place Finishers

[Frankschleck]

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

Cunego's second place stilll haunts me in that Tour de Suisse. He deserved better.

Will throw in Dillier's second place in Roubaix. '
Chavanel and Cancellera's second and thrid place in 2011 Flanders is another one that really sticks in my mind.
And of course Shleck and Roglic losing the tour.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Peter Sagan, 2017 Milano Sanremo

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Steve Bauer in 1988 WCRR had he not been DQed lol

Nice shout, reminded me of Freddy Maertens in the 1977 Ronde van Vlaanderen, since he was also DQed from 2nd.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Diego Rosa in Il Lombardia 2016.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Wout van Aert, Roubaix 2022. Liked his aggressivness and he was damn strong after Covid. Great ride by Wout, but he keeps coming up short unfortunately.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Aru 2015 Giro

 

[Põhja Konn]

Speaking of riders finishing second, only to be disqualified later, Alaphilippe in LBL 2020 comes to mind first. Not to mention it being among the most high profile entries in the mistimed celebrations thread, his actions dominated the finale to an extent that Roglic' eventual win almost felt like a footnote to the main story.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

How about Nairo Quintana in the Aramón Formigal stage in 2016?

 

[Valv.Piti]

How about Nairo Quintana in the Aramón Formigal stage in 2016?

"It was all Contador !! !"

 

[Davesta]

Quickstep in the 2015 Omloop het Nieuwsblad

 

[tobydawq]

Joaquim Rodriguez at the 2013 WCRR.

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

And all Purito had to do was to keep it together for a sprint for Valverde to win.

 

[Big Doopie]

Merckx TDF 1975
Poulidor TDF 1974
Fignon TDF 1989
Robert Millar Vuelta 1985
Freddy Maertens WC 1973
Merckx P-R 1975

 

[gunara]

Aru 2015 Giro

That's not too bad, but the race might actually win the Most Memorable 3rd place finisher prize

 

[gregrowlerson]

That's not too bad, but the race might actually win the Most Memorable 3rd place finisher prize

Beat me to it

 

[SHAD0W93]

That's not too bad, but the race might actually win the Most Memorable 3rd place finisher prize

Memorable in that the rider has brought us disappointment.

 

[Mosul]

Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle holding off a charging Delgado for 2nd at the Luz Ardiden stage of the 1988 Tour de France. For many years I'd completely forgotten that it was Cubino who actually won that stage.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Robert Millar Vuelta 1985

Oh, that's an excellent call.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

That's not too bad, but the race might actually win the Most Memorable 3rd place finisher prize

Surely that one has to be Hirschi in the Laruns stage of the 2020 Tour?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Surely that one has to be Hirschi in the Laruns stage of the 2020 Tour?

I would argue the most memorable 3rd place would be Raymond Poulidor on stage 20 in 1964 at Puy-de-Dôme. Most people forget Julio Jiménez and Federico Bahamontes were up the road fighting over the GPM, and Anquetil deliberately did not respond to their attacks to mean time bonuses were less of a factor.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Lance Armstrong Hautacam 2000.

Kind of fully confirmed that the nightmare was real.

 

[Alexandre B.]

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.

Fignon's 2nd place outshined his own victories at the Tour, even his dominant 1984 win against Hinault. That's the beauty of it.

 

[YavorD]

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

Seems like Tadej was paying a very good attention when studying this masterpiece..

 

[tobydawq]

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.

Also, five second places on Tour stages that year and no victories was getting a little bit frustrating...

 

[Gigs_98]

Diego Rosa in Il Lombardia 2016.

Great shout. That was his moment in the spotlight and had he not been used as Aru's helper for most of the race he would likely be a monument winner today.

Another one I came up with (although memorable might be the wrong word) is Simon Gerrans in the 2014 WC RR. Someone bitching about his group not catching the leader has never been sweeter.

 

[will-10]

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.

If you weren't on the forum back then, it's worth looking up the race thread for this one.