Top 10 male riders of the 21st century.

[Netserk]

Comparing the "sprinters" of the 21st century so far (not counting any results before 2001):

Boonen​	Sagan​	Freire​	Cavendish​	Van Aert​	Zabel​	Petacchi​	Cipollini​
8 big wins (4x Roubaix, 3x Ronde, WCRR) 3x G-W, 5x E3, 2x NCRR, 3x Kuurne, Dwars, 2x Scheldeprijs, 2x P-B Green Jersey 8 GT stages (6 Tour) 4 days in yellow 122 pro wins	5 big wins (Roubaix, Ronde, 3x WCRR) 3x G-W, E3, ECRR, 8x NCRR, Montréal, 2x Québec, Kuurne, Brabantse, TdP 7x Green Jersey 18 GT stages (12 Tour) 4 days in yellow 121 pro wins	5 big wins ( 2x WCRR, 3x Sanremo) G-W, T-A, P-T, 3x Brabantse, Cyclassics Green Jersey 11 GT stages (4 Tour) 60 pro wins	2 big wins (WCRR, Sanremo) 2x NCRR, 2x Kuurne, 3x Scheldeprijs, M-T 2x Green Jersey 54 GT stages (34 Tour) 1 day in yellow 162 pro wins	1 big win (Sanremo) Amstel, G-W, E3, NCRR, Strade, Bretagne, Omloop Green Jersey 9 GT stages (9 Tour) 4 days in yellow 44 pro wins	1 big win (Sanremo) NCRR, Cyclassics, 2x P-T, 2x Frankfurt Green Jersey 12 GT stages (4 Tour) 64 pro wins	1 big win (Sanremo) P-T, Scheldeprijs Green jersey 51 GT stages (6 Tour) 145 pro wins	2 big wins (WCRR, Sanremo) G-W 15 GT stages (0 Tour) 31 pro wins

 

[pmcg76]

Mostly agree with you. Not sure if its the media though, maybe depends upon where you are? Do the British rank Cavendish above Wiggins? Wiggins was Knighted.

As I mentioned, in Australia McEwen isn't rated anywhere near Evans despite McEwan finishing with more than 3 times as many wins. Our non cycling media was accustomed to Australian riders doing well winning sprint stages of the Tour. Stuart O'Grady also briefly woke them up when he won P-R. But when we had a genuine Tour de France contender who finally pulled off the big one our then Prime Minster wondered if we should call a public holiday!

Oh, I would say Cav is well above Wiggins and miles in front of Froome in public consciousness. There is yet another Cav related article on the CN website and I would wager he has featured as frequently, if not more so than any of the top riders in the sport this year, for a rider who won a solitary race all season.

 

[KZD]

This seems like an interesting ranking to update in every offseason. For now, my ranking is the following:

1. Froome
2. Cancellara
3. Contador
4. Pogačar
5. Nibali
6. Valverde
7. Boonen
8. Roglič
9. Sagan
10. Gilbert

For the next season, I see Vingegård entering in this list. Pogačar and Roglič should be able to climb a few positions.

Van der Poel and Evenepoel might enter in the top10 in 2025 or 2026 if they continue with their current career trajectory.

 

[Wyndbrook]

There is a guy who won four Vueltas and also a Brompton world championships, surely worthy of consideration.

 

[iBanesto]

There is a guy who won four Vueltas and also a Brompton world championships, surely worthy of consideration.

Good times.

 

[Netserk]

There is a guy who won four Vueltas and also a Brompton world championships, surely worthy of consideration.

Only three this century.

 

[Squire]

As rough first approximation, I think number of big wins with the Tour worth twice as much works quite well. After that you can correct for non-big wins, big non-wins, dominance and special feats etc.

• 12 | Contador
• 10 | Armstrong, Froome
• 09 | Pogačar
• 08 | Boonen, Nibali
• 07 | Bettini, Cancellara
• 06 | Valverde, Gilbert
• 05 | Freire, Sagan, Roglič, Van der Poel
• 04 | Cunego, Vinokourov, Evenepoel, Vingegaard

In my opinion you pretty much have the top ten guys here (i.e. down to and including six big wins).

It's not easy to make a convincing case for anyone else to take the place of any of the ones included. I agree with those giving Cav a lot of credit, but I don't see who he can replace, and several other riders might have a stronger case anyway.

 

[Netserk]

I think Sagan has the strongest bid, and if he were to enter the top-10 it’d be instead of Gilbert. To make that argument, I think it hinges on his successes in the Tour.

 

[Squire]

I think Sagan has the strongest bid, and if he were to enter the top-10 it’d be instead of Gilbert. To make that argument, I think it hinges on his successes in the Tour.

Agree with this, although I wouldn't put Sagan above Gilbert myself. But I can see why one could put value on his green jerseys. Might just be the Norwegian media overhyping it due to Hushovd being our only star cyclist at the time, but also judging by how many riders that actively attempted it, the jersey seemed to have a pretty high prestige in the 90s, 00s and a bit into the 2010s. It has become somewhat of an afterthought in recent years though.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Only three this century.

I know, helps make a good story.

 

[TrekCyclist]

1. Armstrong (not only the number of Tour wins, but also the competition he had to face for those)
2. Contador
3. Pogacar
4. Cavendish (best sprinter ever)
5. Froome (not higher, because for me, he would have had no chance head-to-head against Armstrong, Contador, Pogacar, Vingegaard)
6. Boonen
7. Vinokurov (him and Pogacar best allrounders)
8. Cancellara
9. Gilbert
10. Nibali

somehow, I couldn find space for Bettini, Valverde, Zabel, Freire, Sagan (couldnt decide between those last 2 and Gilbert)

If Vingegaard takes one more tour win, he kicks out Nibali.