Top single seasons of all time

[Berniece]

Cycling is a lot more global now. How many of those Merckx victories were essentially nations cup races?

Question was which season was best, based on results, the one from Merckx.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Triple crown with 2 monuments.

 

[Berniece]

Triple crown with 2 monuments.

Because a single WC is worth more than a monument and many more wins?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Because a single WC is worth more than a monument and many more wins?

Look, it's the feat. Triple crown is an emblematic feat but winning Giro-Tour+ 1 monument, it isn't. For example, if Pogacar doesn't win the WC, no one will remember in 20 years, he won Giro-Tour + 2 monuments (or 1 monument), people will only remember Giro-Tour and a bunch of stage wins.
Winning Amstel, FW and Liège is irrelevant unless it is done in the same year. Rebellin is remembered because of that.
Triple crown is the highest feat ever accomplished in a season by a rider. To surpass this feat, only GT treble.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Question was which season was best, based on results, the one from Merckx.

No, question was which season was best, period, the OP even named Gilbert 2011. It‘s not all about results

 

[Berniece]

No, question was which season was best, period, the OP even named Gilbert 2011. It‘s not all about results

My answer was, based on results Merckx. If it’s about feelings then whatever you feel

 

[proffate]

Question was which season was best, based on results, the one from Merckx.

The value of a result is based on the level of competition.

 

[Berniece]

The value of a result is based on the level of competition.

That's not a quantifiable metric, so based on feelings again

 

[houtdffan]

where would Remco's be if he wins Sunday and Lobmardia?

I'd put it below Jalabert 1995. Had he not crashed in the Pais Vasco, he probably bags at least 2 of the Ardennes and maybe Pais Vasco as well

 

[Roku]

Because a single WC is worth more than a monument and many more wins?

At this level it's the great achievements (hence, the most prestigious) what move the needle.

First of all: Giro + Tour + WC + 2 monuments > Giro + Tour + 3 monuments

Secondly, Tadej also won more GT stages (12 vs 10) and won one of the seven historical week-long stage races (0 from Merckx).

The only category in which Merckx is superior are 2nd Tier one day races - He won four (FW, Emillia, Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl) vs two from Pogi (Strade, Montréal) apart from the total victories.

Races like Laigueglia, Vuelta a Andalucía, Le Samyn when... doesn't bring much to the equation when we are talking about GT, WC and monuments.

 

[Berniece]

At this level it's the great achievements (hence, the most prestigious) what move the needle.

First of all: Giro + Tour + WC + 2 monuments > Giro + Tour + 3 monuments

Secondly, Tadej also won more GT stages (12 vs 10) and won one of the seven historical week-long stage races (0 from Merckx).

The only category in which Merckx is superior are 2nd Tier one day races - He won four (FW, Emillia, Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl) vs two from Pogi (Strade, Montréal) apart from the total victories.

Races like Laigueglia, Vuelta a Andalucía, Le Samyn when... doesn't bring much to the equation when we are talking about GT, WC and monuments.

I don't agree with your first of all. No clue why WC is worth more than a monument. Both are 1-day races.

Merckx won 11 stages, not 10. You don't count a TTT, I don't know why.

Fact that Merckx won more in general shows how active he was during the whole season. He also rode more races in general than Pogacar.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I don't agree with your first of all. No clue why WC is worth more than a monument. Both are 1-day races.

Merckx won 11 stages, not 10. You don't count a TTT, I don't know why.

Fact that Merckx won more in general shows how active he was during the whole season. He also rode more races in general than Pogacar.

What?

 

[Berniece]

What?

You are correct, TTT's don't count. Not that it changes anything about the season though. That's not the differentiator.

 

[proffate]

That's not a quantifiable metric, so based on feelings again

Of course it is quantifiable. Have you ever heard of a power meter? Even in the 70s they had stop watches. And common sense tells you that a larger talent pool results in a higher level.

Methinks it is your feelings that are at stake here.

 

[Berniece]

Of course it is quantifiable. Have you ever heard of a power meter? Even in the 70s they had stop watches. And common sense tells you that a larger talent pool results in a higher level.

Methinks it is your feelings that are at stake here.

Feel free to quantify a formula for this then, and show how Pogacar’s season was better

 

[Froome]

Mercx 1972.

 

[rghysens]

Going by procyclingstats, which favors places of honor rather high, Pogačars current season is worth a bit more than 4200 points. If he wins all his remaining races he could get around 5000 points.
Merckx 1972 season is worth over 6200 points, and he has 5 other seasons worth over 5000 points (1970, ´71, ´73, ´74 and ´75). Kelly had some seasons over 4500 points, Jalaberts 1995 is worth 4800 pts.
Strangely enough Hinault had only one 4000+ points season and Coppi none.
Gilberts 2011 is just over 3000pts and Sagans 2016 around 3500.

 

[E_F_]

People are really in this thread rating L-B-L higher than Fleche in 1972... Wrong way around. Only one of them was a Super Prestige Pernod race and it wasn't L-B-L.

 

[maho79]

Hi everybody... some years ago I was able to find ranked list (with all the points) of all time best pro seasons on some website (https://www.procyclingstats.com/ I guess). I'm unable to find it anywhere now. Am I blind, or did it disappear? Please help ;-)

 

[scribers]

At this level it's the great achievements (hence, the most prestigious) what move the needle.

First of all: Giro + Tour + WC + 2 monuments > Giro + Tour + 3 monuments

Secondly, Tadej also won more GT stages (12 vs 10) and won one of the seven historical week-long stage races (0 from Merckx).

The only category in which Merckx is superior are 2nd Tier one day races - He won four (FW, Emillia, Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl) vs two from Pogi (Strade, Montréal) apart from the total victories.

Races like Laigueglia, Vuelta a Andalucía, Le Samyn when... doesn't bring much to the equation when we are talking about GT, WC and monuments.

Three one day races for pog. +emelia

 

[Blanco]

People are really in this thread rating L-B-L higher than Fleche in 1972... Wrong way around. Only one of them was a Super Prestige Pernod race and it wasn't L-B-L.

You're not quite right. They were equal more or less. From 1969 till 1976 one year it was Fleche on SPP, another year it was Liege. Before and after that period they were both included in SPP.
For 1972 you are right though, Fleche was in SPP and Liege wasn't, although both races had strong and I would say quite similar field.

 

[Vinther1991]

Pogacar 2024 vs Merckx 1972
Tour = Tour
Giro = Giro
6 Tour stage wins = 6 Tour stage wins
6 Giro Stage wins >> 4 Giro Stage wins
1 Giro point/KOM < 1 Tour point/KOM
Liege = Liege
Lombardia = Lombardia
Worlds >> MSR
Strade Bianche < Fleche Wallone
Giro d'ell Emilia = Giro d'ell Emilia
Montreal < Scheldeprijs + Brabantse Pijl
Volta a Catanulya (4 stages) >>>> 2nd in Paris-Nice (2 stages)
3rd in MSR > 7th in Flanders + 7th in Roubaix

Even if we give Merckx 1972 a couple of extra points for all the small races he won in addition, I think Pogacar 2024 is the winner.

 

[scribers]

It’s damn close though isn’t it? Plus it’s the hour record year for Merckx, no? There’s something to be said for racing all of those other races Marcos didn’t win. That’s energy spent counting for something

 

[Berniece]

Pogacar 2024 vs Merckx 1972
Tour = Tour
Giro = Giro
6 Tour stage wins = 6 Tour stage wins
6 Giro Stage wins >> 4 Giro Stage wins
1 Giro point/KOM < 1 Tour point/KOM
Liege = Liege
Lombardia = Lombardia
Worlds >> MSR
Strade Bianche < Fleche Wallone
Giro d'ell Emilia = Giro d'ell Emilia
Montreal < Scheldeprijs + Brabantse Pijl
Volta a Catanulya (4 stages) >>>> 2nd in Paris-Nice (2 stages)
3rd in MSR > 7th in Flanders + 7th in Roubaix

Even if we give Merckx 1972 a couple of extra points for all the small races he won in addition, I think Pogacar 2024 is the winner.

Problem is you are comparing what races are important now, and not what was important back then. For example Rund um den Henninger, now known as Eschborn-Frankfurt, was a big race after the classics. Or Trofeo Baracchi (a 2 man TT) was also a big race back then. On top of that he indeed was present all season and not only peaking for big races. That's why he still has a bigger score on PCS, and thus making it a more successful season.

 

[scribers]

The present all season and peaking for big races is the same thing considering the distribution of big races across the entire season