Top single seasons of all time

[Krzysztof_O]

Giro+Tour + WC + 2 monuments is the best combo of big races ever and therefore I regard 2024 the best season of all time. Obviously Merckx had a few legendary seasons and the sheer number of his wins (in both big and smaller races) makes them good candidates for the title as well. Anyway, Teddy's season entered "God-tier" of seasons, in which only Eddy was represented so far.

 

[Vinther1991]

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.

I don't think that is entirely true, though it will always be a challenge to compare different eras. Rund um den Henninger Turm was big, but not a monument, and Merckx only came second in 1972. I don't think TTT can be considered when comparing individual results. PCS gives more points for small races and secondary results than I would.

 

[Vinther1991]

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

It is close, and it all depends on how one weighs the different wins. The hour record is also important, even though it lies outside of road racing. Winning three monuments in a single season has only happened 4 times, and only by Eddy Merckx, so maybe Tour+Giro+WC+2 monuments isn't so different from Tour+Giro+3 monuments.
I am also not sure the idea of a "triple crown" was so much a thing before Stephen Roche achieved it.

 

[E_F_]

The hour record is also important, even though it lies outside of road racing.

If we include the hour record, and especially the prestige (I expect) it had back then, then that beats the rainbows, doesn't it..?

 

[Sciatic]

The most interesting thing about this discussion is that most (all?) of us never imagined a rider would have a season essentially equivalent to Merckx’s best. Stunning.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The most interesting thing about this discussion is that most (all?) of us never imagined a rider would have a season essentially equivalent to Merckx’s best. Stunning.

It is better not equivalent and this is beyond insane. Now I get why a lot of people were sick of Merckx. Let's imagine 6 consecutive years of 2024 Pogacar? Zero suspense!

 

[Sciatic]

It is better not equivalent and this is beyond insane. Now I get why a lot of people were sick of Merckx. Let's imagine 6 consecutive years of 2024 Pogacar? Zero suspense!

okay, better if you insist—doesn’t change my point at all.

 

[E_F_]

It is better not equivalent and this is beyond insane. Now I get why a lot of people were sick of Merckx. Let's imagine 6 consecutive years of 2024 Pogacar? Zero suspense!

Cool to read about in a history book. Not fun to witness.

 

[Berniece]

It is better not equivalent and this is beyond insane. Now I get why a lot of people were sick of Merckx. Let's imagine 6 consecutive years of 2024 Pogacar? Zero suspense!

According to PCS it’s still not better

 

[Escarabajo]

Giro+Tour + WC + 2 monuments is the best combo of big races ever and therefore I regard 2024 the best season of all time. Obviously Merckx had a few legendary seasons and the sheer number of his wins (in both big and smaller races) makes them good candidates for the title as well. Anyway, Teddy's season entered "God-tier" of seasons, in which only Eddy was represented so far.

He won other races that are kind of important today.

 

[tobydawq]

According to PCS it’s still not better

PCS is wrong.

 

[BigCoward]

He messed up by not going to the Olympics, then we wouldn't have to have this discussion.

 

[Berniece]

He messed up by not going to the Olympics, then we wouldn't have to have this discussion.

Not sure if a silver medal would make much of a difference.

 

[rallybanana]

Merckx worst ever Paris-Tours result was in 1972, 115th. He deserves a lot of credit for achieving his worst ever Paris-Tours result in his best ever season.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I’ve only been watching cycling for 20 years, but to me this is the greatest season of all time. Absolutely shocking dominance across doMinance, something everyone thought was impossible in todays globalized, specialized sport.

Regarding cross-era performance comparisons though, I have to think there is more going on than the new guys just being way better than Pantani, etc. (not a clinic reference). The same thing is happening in track & field - times plummeting. In that case, likely some clinic issues, but also super shoes. Is there anything akin to super shoes that explain this?

 

[andrew_s]

Is there anything akin to super shoes that explain this?

No one thing, but a combination of things that have added up.
a) Aero has come to the road - it's a major factor in the design of the modern road bike, and everyone is racing in skinsuits when the weather allows.
b) Tyres have become wider and softer. It's been realized that there's no point saving 1 W per tyre pumping it up brick hard if that then costs you 5 or 6 W per tyre in the losses involved in shaking the rider about (They are now measuring rolling resistance on an actual bike with a rider on board, rather than just using a wheel on a drum.)
c) Nutrition - carbo intake has more or less doubled.

Another factor that seems to have allowed the very long solo finishes we've seen recently (not just Tadej, but also MVDP at RVV (45 km) and PR (60 km)) is that group 2 dynamics is biting harder, so if you can get away, it's easier to stay away. I blame it on the UCI World Tour promotion/relegtion rankings and the consequent pressure on anyone with a chance of a good finish to get the best result they possibly can.

 

[gunara]

The most interesting thing about this discussion is that most (all?) of us never imagined a rider would have a season essentially equivalent to Merckx’s best. Stunning.

This. I don't even really care about which is better. Some just forget that doing something comparable to Merckx' achievements used to be nearly unthinkable, for a very long time, with all the changes in the sport and all. And some still try to point out what Pog's season is lacking, seriously.

 

[Sciatic]

This. I don't even really care about which is better. Some just forget that doing something comparable to Merckx' achievements used to be nearly unthinkable, for a very long time, with all the changes in the sport and all. And some still try to point out what Pog's season is lacking, seriously.

Exactly!

 

[hayneplane]

This. I don't even really care about which is better. Some just forget that doing something comparable to Merckx' achievements used to be nearly unthinkable, for a very long time, with all the changes in the sport and all. And some still try to point out what Pog's season is lacking, seriously.

In the last 30 years only a handful of riders have even won 1 grand tour and 1 monument in the same year:
Jalabert 1995 (Vuelta/MSR)
Di Luca 2007 (Giro/LBL)
Evenepoel 2022 (Vuelta/LBL)

There may be others I have missed but I can say for sure that no Tour winner other than Pogacar has won a monument the same season they won the tour in the last 30 years.

That puts into perspective how much of a modern outlier Pogacar 2024 is.

 

[Peyroteo94]

In the last 30 years only a handful of riders have even won 1 grand tour and 1 monument in the same year:
Jalabert 1995 (Vuelta/MSR)
Di Luca 2007 (Giro/LBL)
Evenepoel 2022 (Vuelta/LBL)

There may be others I have missed but I can say for sure that no Tour winner other than Pogacar has won a monument the same season they won the tour in the last 30 years.

That puts into perspective how much of a modern outlier Pogacar 2024 is.

You forgot Cunego and Roglic

 

[hayneplane]

You forgot Cunego and Roglic

Good spot.

 

[Jan the Man]

In the last 30 years only a handful of riders have even won 1 grand tour and 1 monument in the same year:
Jalabert 1995 (Vuelta/MSR)
Di Luca 2007 (Giro/LBL)
Evenepoel 2022 (Vuelta/LBL)

There may be others I have missed but I can say for sure that no Tour winner other than Pogacar has won a monument the same season they won the tour in the last 30 years.

That puts into perspective how much of a modern outlier Pogacar 2024 is.

Pogacar also managed the Tour and 2 monuments in 2021.

 

[hayneplane]

Pogacar also managed the Tour and 2 monuments in 2021.

I know. Was just highlighting how vanishing rare such things are for mere mortals.