Top 10 Cyclists from your country of all time

[beroepsrenner]

Good calls. Would you include Sefton and Wilson in the top 10 or on the alternate list? If in the top 10, who would you replace?

Definately the alternate list. I think I would sneak Wilson into the top ten ahead of Stephens without any disrespect to Neil. Although he won a TDF stage, he was more of a "super domestique". Wilson won a stage of both the Giro and Vuelta and another Italian one day race. Cant remember off the top of my head which one. He was a very good time trialist with good performances in Barrachi Trophy (2 man TT)

 

[Christian]

I am from Luxembourg, here is my list:

1) Charly Gaul
2) François Faber
3) Nicolas Frantz
4) Andy Schleck
5) Fränk Schleck
6) Kim Kirchen
7) Bim Diederich
8) Johny Schleck
9) Benoît Joachim
10) Lucien Didier

I don't know if it's exactly so accurate, it's hard to say. There have been many more riders back in the old days that won stages at the Tour, but I don't remember all of their names. It's of course impossible to compare a François Faber, who won the Tour in 1909 to a Charly Gaul, to an Andy Schleck. But anyways the ones that have won the Tour, in whatever year, are on the top.

 

[lusoboy]

Portugal:

1 - Joaquim Agostinho
2 - José Azevedo
3 - Alves Barbosa
4 - Acácio da Silva
5 - Marco Chagas
6 - Sérgio Paulinho
7 - António Martos
8 - José Martins
9 - José Maria Nicolau
10 - Paulo Ferreira

 

[bikenrunnwt]

Normally a world's TT medal would be enough to get Svein Tuft on my list but frankly he's done nothing to prove that wasn't a fluke in a very weak field. Prove me wrong pal! Oh and BTW how the hell has Jeannie Longo not been included on the French lists?!

I think you need to give Svein his fair due (especially compared to some of those on your list (Hugh Walton-Good Rider, but not of Svein's Quality)!

He had a strong 7th at the Beijing Olympisc in the ITT against a "strong" field. A third overall in the 2008 Tour of Missouri, 1st at the Tour de Beauce, 1st in the 2007 UCI America's Tour against a strong South American Contingent, an Overall win at the Tour of Cuba etc.

If not for his crashes at the begining of the year he would have been at the Tour this year. Anyways, I am sure he will have a strong end of season (as shown with his 2nd place in the ITT in the tour of Austria, just 2 seconds off first).

I do agree that Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli should be on the top ten list of French cyclists. It could be argued that she could be on the top ten list of all time cyclists regardless of country! At 50 + she is still winning against girls more than half her age.

 

[thebigredone]

18 pages and no mention of Michael Wright among any of the British choices!

 

[Escarabajo]

Hi guys. This is my first post in the forum. Here is my list (Colombia):

1. Luis Herrera
2. Fabio Parra
3. Martin "Cochise" Rodriguez
4. Ramon Hoyos
5. Santiago Botero
6. Oscar de J. Vargas
7. Francisco Rodriguez
8. Rafael Niño
9. Oliverio Rincon
10. Alvaro Mejia

Honorable mention:
Martin Ramirez ('84 DL winner)

No problen with those compatriots, but I'll definetely put Patrocinio Jimenez in that list. Maybe replace Oscar de J Vargas. Patrocinio was one of the best.

 

[marinoni]

d'oh!

I think you need to give Svein his fair due (especially compared to some of those on your list (Hugh Walton-Good Rider, but not of Svein's Quality)!

He had a strong 7th at the Beijing Olympisc in the ITT against a "strong" field. A third overall in the 2008 Tour of Missouri, 1st at the Tour de Beauce, 1st in the 2007 UCI America's Tour against a strong South American Contingent, an Overall win at the Tour of Cuba etc.

If not for his crashes at the begining of the year he would have been at the Tour this year. Anyways, I am sure he will have a strong end of season (as shown with his 2nd place in the ITT in the tour of Austria, just 2 seconds off first).

I do agree that Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli should be on the top ten list of French cyclists. It could be argued that she could be on the top ten list of all time cyclists regardless of country! At 50 + she is still winning against girls more than half her age.

Yeah, you're right, I don't know what I was thinking, Svein deserves the spot. Hopefully Rollin over at Cervelo TT will fit into this group soon. As for Longo, it would be interesting to know how many women at the elite level were even alive when she won her first world's medal. An amazing woman. One point about Steve Bauer. Everyone makes a big fuss about his stints in the Yellow Jersey, his 2nd at Paris-Roubaix and whatever else but I've always thought his most impressive achievement was his bronze at the pro world's in 84. He won that on a tough course in blazing heat only a month after turning pro. It still might be the most impressive pro debut I've seen. The funny thing is if he'd beaten Grewal as he really should have, he never would have been at the pro worlds since back then the Olympic champ couldnt turn pro till the following season. Who knows how differently his career might have gone.

 

[SergeDeM]

No problen with those compatriots, but I'll definetely put Patrocinio Jimenez in that list. Maybe replace Oscar de J Vargas. Patrocinio was one of the best.

Oscar de J Vargas finished 3rd in the 89' Vuelta. I think he deserves a spot. I don't know anything about Patrocinio. I only remember his name.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Been avoiding this, as lists can be like piissing contests, but here goes:

1. Greg Lemond
2. Major Taylor
3. Freddie Hoffman
4. Davis Phinney
5. Lance Armstrong
6. Andy Hampsten
7. Connie Carpenter-Phinney
8. Bob Cook
9. George Mount
10. Michael Seacrest

Obviously I tried to look beyond Euro road cycling, and simply winning, and several of those names could easily be shuffled. I also can't seem to find room for Julich, Leipheimer, John Howard, Overend, Tomac, Heiden, Hopkins, Nitz, Gorsky, Stetina, Twigg, Flandis, Boyer, Hamilton, etc.

Scott Moninger won 247 races (though none of them really meant anything) which is a pretty high mark...(I put George Mount on my first list and don't know anything about him).

Phinney is so high on my list because he won more races than any other American in history until Moninger finally beat it. But Phinney won races world wide, including at the Tour, against much tougher competition than Scott. And he could ride stage races, and climb a little, winning the Coors' Classic once. People not old enough don't realize just how damned good Davis was.

George Mount cut the path everyone else followed. Cycling was completely underground, and no one in the US hardly had any idea people raced bicycles until the 1976 Olympics when he was on TV in the winning break, and finished 6th. It was a big seed that put cycling on the map in this country and helped start what I think is the Golden Era of US cycling (which ended IMO with the closing of the 1988 Coors' Classic). He was a hell of a racer, and between about 1975 and 1980 won almost everything there was to race in the US, and he helped get races organized and promoted. He had a much more important impact than Boyer did. Had it not been for George, Greg Lemond would have had a much harder time finding races to even enter.

Hey Aguirre - Thanks for putting Marino Lejarreta on your list. A great racer who many have forgotten. He won a ton of races, and placed very high in GT's many times, including winning the Vuelta. He often entered all three GT's and tried to podium or win them all. Very impressive. Surprised no Spaniards included Jiminez in their list, but many names to choose from.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Hey Aguirre - Thanks for putting Marino Lejarreta on your list. A great racer who many have forgotten. He won a ton of races, and placed very high in GT's many times, including winning the Vuelta. He often entered all three GT's and tried to podium or win them all. Very impressive.

you'll probably like this piece, badly translated ofcourse:

The tireless taciturn

Published: July 1, 2009 10:35
Last changed: July 1, 2009 10:35

What inspired him? That was a big mystery for journalists and fans, but also for his team mates. There was one thing in which he was even better than in cycling: silence.

Marino Lejarreta liked riding all three Grand Rounds in a seasonal cycle. In 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991, he succeeded in getting them all to drive. This is more impressive when you look at the cycling calendars from those years.

At the time, the Grand Rounds as flat sequentially verreden that Lejarreta's performance both physically and practically almost seemed impossible. The Vuelta was the end of April to mid May on the calendar. Lejarreta then had to rush to Italy, to sometimes just three days later in the Giro to start.

Headline

Shortly afterwards came the main goal of his season: the Tour.
Lejarreta did not anonymous ride each year, he finished in 2 of the 3 Grand Rounds in the top 10.

Why did Lejarreta chose every year that terrible series of three trips torture? When a journalist asked him this, Marino responded Taciturne usually smiling his shoulders to pick up. He knew most casual tone in response to formulate: 'Oh, the less I would ride, the more I have to train on my own ... and I think racing is simply more fun than training ... "

Strange

But how could his body that unprecedented rates of days? Was he a wonderful play of nature? It seemed as if he was not tired. The more Lejarreta rode, the fitter he was.

Jammer

In 1989 he was successively, for example in the 19th Vuelta, 10th in the Giro and 5th in the Tour. Every time he roughly halved its class. That year he found it unfortunate that not even one fourth Grand Tour of three weeks there, he immediately had to drive back there. Since then he is mathematically guaranteed a podium spot.

How tirelessly the remarkable engine into the body of Lejarreta was proved he annually in the second season half. Four times he won in August yet the Tour of Burgos. In September and October he picked ereplaatsen often in large markets such as the Grand Prix des Nations and the Tour of Lombardy. And as traditional valve season he won five times on the famous climb race Montjuich.

Fall

Lejarreta probably had in 1992 already three Grand Rounds in his mind. Unfortunately he came in that awful spring to fall. Doctors told him that his injuries the end of his career meant.

He was already 35 years. For athletes it seems that a normal age at which you end your career as a fate can accept. But not for Lejarreta. Months he worked in solitude to his recovery.

Farewell

And so, once he realized something was physically almost impossible. In autumn, the toughest rider that professional cycling squad ever knew, back to the start of a game.

Although his body no longer was able to excellence, it was still the goodbye from cycling, the way he wanted: not lying in a hospital bed, but cycling on the finish of a race which he himself had chosen as a farewell game .

 

[labond]

hmm

1. Bjarne Riis
2. Michael Rasmussen
3. Rolf Sørensen
4. Brian Holm
5. Jesper Skiby
6. Nicki Sørensen
7. Jakob Fuglsang (upcoming star, wath out!)
8. Jens Veggerby
9. Jakob Piil
10. Bo hamburger

Where are; Ole Ritter, Leif Mortensen, Hans Henrik Ørsted, Kim Andersen, Søren Lilholt and more. Its an all time list, not a list for the past two decades.
Here is my all time list:

1. Rolf Sørensen
2. Bjarne Riis
3. Michael Rasmussen
4. Leif Mortensen
5. Kim Andersen
6. Jesper Skibby
7. Jacob Piil
8. Bo Hamburger
9. Hans Henrik Ørsted
10. Ole Ritter

Current names like; M. Breschel, J. Fuglsang have the potential and class, but needs to prove it over a longer period. Names like B. Holm, S. Lilholt, Mogens Frey, Dan Frost, Peder Pedersen, Niels Fredborg, Nicki Sørensen could be in the bottom of my list, but hey, u gotta choose. R. Sørensen is my nr. 1 pick, since he was among the top ten riders in the world for more than a decade, and has won the most victories by any dane(51). Consistency and pure class. B. Riis has by the the biggest single victory among the danish riders. That result alone would earn him the 2nd spot on my list. Had he not been taken out of the TDF07, who knows what he would have achieved???? Mortensen and Andersen, great consistent careers, great TDF riders. Skibby won stages in all the great tours. Piil, great wins, handicapped by injuries. Hamburger, nice TDF results, and some nice wins to his credit. Ørsted, great pursuit rider for more than a decade. Ritter, former 1h world record holder.

A lot mentioned, more forgot

 

[No_Balls]

Basque country

1. Miguel Indurain
2. Marino Lejarreta
3. Jesus Loroño
4. Abraham Olano
5. Iban Mayo
6. Txomin Perurena
7. Julian Gorospe
8. Juanma Garate
9. Haimar Zubeldia
10. M.M. Lasa

pd: Igor Anton to be included in few years

This may fool the uninformed but not me. Is Navarra part of the Basque country now, mr Arana?

 

[Escarabajo]

Oscar de J Vargas finished 3rd in the 89' Vuelta. I think he deserves a spot. I don't know anything about Patrocinio. I only remember his name.

Here is the Palmares for Patrocinio:http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Patrocinio_Jiménez

Strangely enough I found this web page where they do the ranking per Country for the riders. Here is what I found for Colombia:

http://www.cyclingranking.com/rankings/OverallCountry.aspx?country=COL&fyear=1869&lyear=2009

Ranking Colombia 1869 - 2009

Name Birthday Points
1 Luis Herrera 05-Apr-1961 3376
2 Santiago Botero Echeverry 27-Oct-1972 3313
3 Fabio Parra 22-Nov-1959 2926
4 Hernan Buenahora 18-Mar-1967 1977
5 Alvaro Mejia 19-Jan-1967 1972
6 Felix Rafael Cardenas Ravalo * 24-Nov-1972 1803
7 Oliviera Rincon 24-Apr-1968 1785
8 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales * 10-Jul-1974 1671
9 Leonardo Duque * 10-Apr-1980 1144
10 Iván Ramiro Parra Pinto 14-Oct-1975 1103
11 Nelson Rodriguez Serna 16-Nov-1965 985
12 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano * 21-May-1979 966
13 Alberto Camargo 03-Feb-1965 964
14 Omar Hernandez 20-Jan-1962 893
15 Oscar De Jesus Vargas 22-Mar-1964 864
16 Jose Joaquim Castelblanco 15-Dec-1969 841
17 Martin Ramirez 08-Nov-1960 831
18 Francisco Rodriguez 05-Jul-1960 796
19 Pablo Wilches 13-Jul-1956 760
20 Carlos Alberto Contreras Cano 11-Dec-1973 738
21 José Jaime Gonzalez Pico 15-Jul-1966 738
22 Jose Martin Farfan 21-Aug-1965 733
23 William Palacios 27-Mar-1965 710
24 Abelardo Rondon 18-Mar-1964 666
25 Nestor Mora 20-Sep-1963 665
26 Rigoberto Uran * 26-Jan-1987 664
27 Juan Mauricio Soler Hernandez * 14-Jan-1983 655
28 Patrocinio Jimenez 17-Jan-1952 631
29 Henri Cardenas 30-Oct-1965 628
30 Edgar Corredor 24-Feb-1960

Oscar De J Vargas is higher than Patrocinio. But they have other riders higher than the ones you picked. So I don't know what is the criteria anyway. it looks like with the new Pro-Tour system the newer riders can make more points than before (??).

I put Patrocinio for being the first captain of the first amateur team to ever participate in the Tour de France. He placed 16th that year. He could have been a lot higher that year if it wasn't for unfortunate flat in the queen stage to Morzine. he had to wait for 15 minutes for a change. Oscar de J Vargas was non-existant in the Tour de France.

This is the ranking overall for Cycling:

Name Birthday Country Points
1 Eddy Merckx 17-Jun-1945 Belgium 20606
2 Sean Kelly 24-May-1956 Ireland 17470
3 Gino Bartali 18-Jul-1914 Italy 15774
4 Francesco Moser 19-Jun-1951 Italy 14534
5 Erik Zabel 07-Jul-1970 Germany 14486
6 Joop Zoetemelk 03-Dec-1946 The Netherlands 14325
7 Raymond Poulidor 15-Apr-1936 France 13782
8 Jacques Anquetil 08-Jan-1934 France 13594
9 Laurent Jalabert 30-Nov-1968 France 13578
10 Rik van Looy 20-Dec-1933 Belgium 13454
11 Bernard Hinault 14-Nov-1954 France 12471
12 Roger de Vlaeminck 24-Aug-1947 Belgium 12418
13 Davide Rebellin * 09-Aug-1971 Italy 12393
14 Felice Gimondi 29-Sep-1942 Italy 12353
15 Louison Bobet 12-Mar-1925 France 12066
16 Lance Armstrong * 18-Sep-1971 United States 11212
17 Fausto Coppi 15-Sep-1919 Italy 10988
18 Miguel Indurain 16-Jul-1964 Spain 10587
19 Stan Ockers 03-Feb-1920 Belgium 10251
20 Herman van Springel 14-Aug-1943 Belgium 10247
21 Franco Bitossi 01-Sep-1940 Italy 10225
22 Nicolas Frantz 04-Nov-1899 Luxembourg 9833
23 Giuseppe Saronni 22-Sep-1957 Italy 9753
24 Andre Darrigade 24-Apr-1929 France 9746
25 Antonin Magne 15-Feb-1904 France 9699
26 Ferdi Kübler 24-Jul-1919 Switzerland 9613
27 Fiorenzo Magni 07-Dec-1920 Italy 9440
28 Toni Rominger 27-Mar-1961 Switzerland 9424
29 Phil Anderson 20-Mar-1958 Australia 9169
30 Alex Zülle 05-Jul-1968 Switzerland 9050

Here is the link: http://www.cyclingranking.com/Rankings/Overall.aspx

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Peculiar link there. Criteria is...uh...interesting. Especially that Hinault and Coppi are so low. Mario Cipollini isn't even on the list with all his wins, but Erik Zabel is 5th. Some other names really stand out too. David Rebellin, 13th? Greg Lemond 61st? Walter Godefroot 43rd?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Wow, Italy is completely askew. Look at this:

1. Gino Bartali
2. Francesco Moser
3. Davide Rebellin
4. Felice Gimondi
5. Fausto Coppi

11. Francesco Casagrande

29. Mario Cipollini

50. Marco Pantani


Davide Rebellin, the third best Italian rider ever?!?

Francesco Casagrande, 11th??? Above Bugno, Bartoli, Simoni, Petacchi, Cipollini? Garzeli? Pantani?

WTF?

 

[pmcg76]

Peculiar link there. Criteria is...uh...interesting. Especially that Hinault and Coppi are so low. Mario Cipollini isn't even on the list with all his wins, but Erik Zabel is 5th. Some other names really stand out too. David Rebellin, 13th? Greg Lemond 61st? Walter Godefroot 43rd?

That is a very strange list indeed, they must have some complicated calculation system to come up with based purely on wins or something. I wouldnt even have Rebellin in the Top 100.

 

[LastRide]

Welcome to cycling hayleyy. As Beroepsrenner said, there have been a few lists floating around, but no problem bringing the Aussies to the front again! This was my list after some obvious missed riders were pointed out by other Aussie posters. We also had to separate the roadies from the trackies. These lists are always controversial, but we have had some good riders both past and present!

Sir Hubert Opperman
Phil Anderson
Robbie McEwen
Stuey O'Grady
Cadel Evans
Brad McGee
Russell Mockridge
Michael Rogers
Alan Peiper
Neil Stephens

Alternates: Baden Cooke and Simon Gerrans

Leaving out Cookie was difficult as an ex-green jersey winner, but he never really capitalized on that form and hence I've given Brad McGee the nod instead. Simon Gerrans is also difficult to leave out as a stage winner in both the TdF and Giro and winner of the TDU, but I think some of the trail blazers and hard men of yesteryear deserve their dues. I have purposely not included Haussler, just because it is a convenient excuse that he is German this year. I would have otherwise included him, but I would know who to take out! Others current professionals that didn't make it, but deserve honourable mentions include Matt White, Matt Lloyd, William Walker, Nick Gates, Matthew Hayman, Allan Davis, Ben Day, Brett Lancaster, and Mark Renshaw, just to name a few.

More Honourable, honourable mentions and perhaps considerations for top ten?

Clayton Stephenson,
Scott Sunderland (count how many top tens in M-San Remo)

Sansonetti bros. (remo Sal)
Henk Vogels,
John Trevorrow (Giro sprinter numerous top 3 smoking gigarettes during the race),
Jay Sweet (Cmth Games RR)
Darren Smith (RIP who knows what would have happened)

 

[LastRide]

Australia:
1. Robbie McEwan
2. Stuart O'Grady
3. Cadel Evans (if he wins tour he'll go n.o1)
4. Phil Anderson
5. Hubert Opperman
6. Neil Stephens
7. Brad Mcgee
8. Allan Peiper
9.Simon Gerrans
10. Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly? (IRL) Do you mean Shane?

 

[LastRide]

Nice list... I'd only do a couple differently.

1. Sarah Ulmer
2. Tino Tabak (top twenty in the Tour, a Dutch national championship, two podiums at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and a 2nd in the Tour of Flanders are still enviable palmares amongst "Kiwi" cyclists).
3. Paul Jesson (still only Kiwi to win an individual Grand Tour stage - 1980 Vuelta, stage 10. Would have a far greater palmares had it not been for the accident in which he lost his leg).
4. Greg Henderson (track world championship, numerous road wins in the US and only Kiwi to win a ProTour road race gets him ahead of Julz).
5. Julian Dean
6. Hayden Roulston
7. Brian Fowler (remaining amateur counts against him IMO as he was never tested at a truly top level)
8. Graeme Millar
9. Jack Swart
10. Eric Mackenzie

Stephen Swart

You are also forgetting one of the few NZ TDF riders Nathan Dahlberg

 

[SergeDeM]

Here is the Palmares for Patrocinio:http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Patrocinio_Jiménez

Strangely enough I found this web page where they do the ranking per Country for the riders. Here is what I found for Colombia:

http://www.cyclingranking.com/rankings/OverallCountry.aspx?country=COL&fyear=1869&lyear=2009



Oscar De J Vargas is higher than Patrocinio. But they have other riders higher than the ones you picked. So I don't know what is the criteria anyway. it looks like with the new Pro-Tour system the newer riders can make more points than before (??).

I put Patrocinio for being the first captain of the first amateur team to ever participate in the Tour de France. He placed 16th that year. He could have been a lot higher that year if it wasn't for unfortunate flat in the queen stage to Morzine. he had to wait for 15 minutes for a change. Oscar de J Vargas was non-existant in the Tour de France.

This is the ranking overall for Cycling:



Here is the link: http://www.cyclingranking.com/Rankings/Overall.aspx

Your recollection of Patrocinio's story is much more interesting than the list. Thanks for that. I have little knowledge of the time when the Colombian team in Europe was amateur. It might as well be a folk legend

BTW, you might like to read this article from spanish newspaper El Pais, from 1984:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/depo...ine/Libere/elpepidep/19840605elpepidep_7/Tes/

 

[flicker]

Usa best

USA

Armstrong
Lemond
Landis
Hamilton
tinker Juarez
Andy Hamstead
George Mount
Gary Fischer
The Barb
Mike Neel

 

[Escarabajo]

BTW, you might like to read this article from spanish newspaper El Pais, from 1984:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/depo...ine/Libere/elpepidep/19840605elpepidep_7/Tes/

Beautiful. I remember that moment vividly. It is one of the most beautiful moments of my life.


Thanks.

 

[Tugboat]

Stephen Swart

You are also forgetting one of the few NZ TDF riders Nathan Dahlberg

Not forgotten, just no place for either in my top 10. Both had pretty good careers but without many significant palmares. Stephen Swart's biggest result is arguably a third at the Tour du Pont and Dahlberg a stage in the Tour of Switzerland.

 

[hola'seven]

I grew up in South Africa, so...

1) Robbie Hunter
2) John-Lee Augustyn
3) ummm..... thats about it!!

Current top guys: Rob Hunter; John-Lee Augustyn; Darryl Impey; Darren Lill

Past: Ertjies Bezuidenhout; Willie Engelbrecht; Alan van Heerden; Andrew McLean; Ryan Cox; Rudolph Wentzel; Johan van der Berg; Jock Green; Jeremy Maartens

Mentionable: Ian McLeod; David George; Malcolm Lange; Tiaan Kannemeyer; James Perry; Jaco Venter; Jacques Janse van Rensburg

 

[dgodave]

USA

Armstrong
Lemond
Landis
Hamilton
tinker Juarez
Andy Hamstead
George Mount
Gary Fischer
The Barb
Mike Neel

I know he raced a lot... road and dirt. I used to ride with him every week. But was he ever really great?
.