Tour de France winners with panache?

[thehog]

Contador, Hinault, Fignon, LeMond, Lance.... who else?

 

[movingtarget]

Ocana, Merckx and Pantani.

 

[JA.Tri]

Certainly agree with Fignon, LeMond and Contador.

Not able to "fairly" comment on winners prior to 1983.

 

[the asian]

Contador, Hinault, Fignon, LeMond, Lance.... who else?

Definitely Merckx ,Pantani & Delgado would join the list. You could also add Sastre. He had to attack in the mountains in order to win.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I agree with names suggested so far. Some are more obvious than others. Since we have a few names that only won it once (Pantani, Delgado, Ocana), I am offering Cadel last year, who really showed grit.

But that's for the overall GC. Can we expand this to the Green jersey and Polka Dot jersey competition? If we do, there are a lot of balsy guys who light it up in just the last kms, but like lightning bolts!

 

[UpTheRoad]

I agree with names suggested so far. Some are more obvious than others. Since we have a few names that only won it once (Pantani, Delgado, Ocana), I am offering Cadel last year, who really showed grit.

But that's for the overall GC. Can we expand this to the Green jersey and Polka Dot jersey competition? If we do, there are a lot of ballsy guys who light it up in just the last kms, but like lightning bolts!

True. He rode a terrific race and showed a lot of guts and determination. However, he didn't animate the race. His "Tour winning move" was chasing Andy on the Galibier. Don't think that qualifies a tour win with panache.

 

[the asian]

I agree with names suggested so far. Some are more obvious than others. Since we have a few names that only won it once (Pantani, Delgado, Ocana), I am offering Cadel last year, who really showed grit.

But that's for the overall GC. Can we expand this to the Green jersey and Polka Dot jersey competition? If we do, there are a lot of balsy guys who light it up in just the last kms, but like lightning bolts!

Cadel having won with Panache What race were you watching last year? He showed grit as you mention but grit doesn't mean panache.

 

[slowoldman]

Coppi and Bartali.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

In my life, Merckx, Hinault and Fignon seem to stand out. Contador and LeMond aren't far behind. Pantani, Landis and Roche follow. Lance, Delgado, Sastre after that.

I don't remember Ocana, Joop or Thevenet much. Cadel won outright last year, but I don't think of him when I think of the others listed above. Mig and Jan were TT experts who limited their losses in the mountains. Props to Mig anyway though, he gave it all in the TT's and is perhaps the most humble champion of all.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cadel having won with Panache What race were you watching last year? He showed grit as you mention but grit doesn't mean panache.

Panache: Flamboyant, courageous confidence of style or manner.

I think his rides up the Galibier last year showed that but so did Andy and AC and they didn't win. In general saying someone who has Panache is subjective but I think it is reasonable to say that Panache has only really been shown by Thibaut Pinot and maybe Voeckler. They really had to fight their victories out.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Landis deserves a mention.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Landis deserves a mention.

Strangely, I actually agree but some will say he is not the winner now.

 

[the asian]

Landis deserves a mention.

He isn't an official winner.

 

[42x16ss]

Love him or hate him, Virenque showed some real style with a few of his stage and Mountain Classification wins.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Easier to show panache when doped to the eyeballs. Who would have demonstrated such "admirable" riding style if they were clean?

 

[the asian]

Easier to show panache when doped to the eyeballs. Who would have demonstrated such "admirable" riding style if they were clean?

This is not the clinic.

 

[Netserk]

All the obvious ones have been mentioned, and I totally agree about Landis, though Riis also showed quite some panache IMO

 

[nesocip]

When did Landis win a Tour?

In the tours i watched it was Pantani and Contador, and Armstrong on 1 or 2 occasions, but i hope soon ill be able to ask "when did Armstrong win a Tour?".

 

[Netserk]

When did Landis win a Tour?

In the tours i watched it was Pantani and Contador, and Armstrong on 1 or 2 occasions, but i hope soon ill be able to ask "when did Armstrong win a Tour?".

The winner is the one standing in Paris on the top of the podium

 

[the3verB]

When did Landis win a Tour?

In the tours i watched it was Pantani and Contador, and Armstrong on 1 or 2 occasions, but i hope soon ill be able to ask "when did Armstrong win a Tour?".

Maybe in 10 years, Contador and Pantani would be "officially" stripped of their titles too..(officially the little Boss won the 2010 Tour)

But as it has been said, the real winner is the man in yellow on the Champs Elysees. IMO

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Wiggins, assuming he finishes the job. Poetry in motion on a TT bike.

 

[greenedge]

Merckx, Pantani, Fignon, Coppi, Kubler and Hinault are the 6 that most spring to my mind. All those solo attacks were just amazing.

Contador rides with great panache as well- he just needs another win in my view to be up along the rest.

 

[HL2037]

You could also add Sastre. He had to attack in the mountains in order to win.

Sastre on Alpe d'Huez: Resolved on conquest or a glorious fall. He has panache!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Merckx, Pantani, Fignon, Coppi, Kubler and Hinault are the 6 that most spring to my mind. All those solo attacks were just amazing.

Contador rides with great panache as well- he just needs another win in my view to be up along the rest.

Uhm, "Tour de France winners with panache", does it matter how many times someone won?

Even if someone wins only once but showed great panache he belongs in this thread.

 

[T-Rav.]

Wiggins, assuming he finishes the job. Poetry in motion on a TT bike.

Just my opinion, but following teammates up and down mountains and then crushing the individual time trials may be a winning recipe in the Tour, but it doesn't seem to me to qualify as panache.

To non-Britons, the only memorable things about Wiggins' TDF victory will be his ITT and the overall strength of Team Sky. And in 10 years, I can't see people going "Hey, you remember that amazing set of ITTs Wiggins did back in 2012? Wasn't that one of the most incredible things you've ever seen in the Tour?"

Hopefully Wiggins can be challenged more in future Tours and be put in a position where he'll have to display panache to win.