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What is the best Grand Tour of the year?

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What was the best GT this year


  • Total voters
    140
Okay let's say 2.

Plenty of GTs with 2 great stages that aren't rated this highly a few years later.

Stage 11 was legendary.

Stages 17 and 18 were great.

There were also very nice action in stage 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 19.

But now I remember that you don't like Van Aert so further discussion is impossible given that his shenanigans made for a lot of the entertainment.
 
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I note some have mentioned 2003. I agree that was the most exciting TdF other than 1989.

The "bad guy" came to the 2003 TdF as the hot favorite after steamrolling everyone in the previous three editions yet for moments it looked like the unthinkable could happen - he might lose. Vino earned his fan club in that TdF. Then there was Beloki's horrible crash and Armstrong's running across the field to rejoin was an epic moment. There was also the fall climbing Luz Ardiden and Jan asking the GC group to ride easy (tranquille?) until Lance rejoined before he stomped away again. Yeh I know he's a d*bag but at the time it was incredible. 2022 simply does not rate.

And since 2022 was really just one or two great stages, you'd have to rate 2011 more highly as well. That edition had epic action on stages 16, 18 and 19 thanks to the incomparable Contador together with Andy, Cadel and even Frank and Samu Sanchez. Lest we forget.
 
I note some have mentioned 2003. I agree that was the most exciting TdF other than 1989.

The "bad guy" came to the 2003 TdF as the hot favorite after steamrolling everyone in the previous three editions yet for moments it looked like the unthinkable could happen - he might lose. Vino earned his fan club in that TdF. Then there was Beloki's horrible crash and Armstrong's running across the field to rejoin was an epic moment. There was also the fall climbing Luz Ardiden and Jan asking the GC group to ride easy (tranquille?) until Lance rejoined before he stomped away again. Yeh I know he's a d*bag but at the time it was incredible. 2022 simply does not rate.

And since 2022 was really just one or two great stages, you'd have to rate 2011 more highly as well. That edition had epic action on stages 16, 18 and 19 thanks to the incomparable Contador together with Andy, Cadel and even Frank and Samu Sanchez. Lest we forget.

How is 2022 only "one or two great stages"?

What on Earth needs to happen on stages for you guys to be entertained?
 
No, it didn't have "it all".

It had a first week consisting of one prologue, one TTT and five bunch sprints, four of which were won by the same rider who then abandoned.

I really think that for all the "recency bias" some people criticise fans of the 2022 Tour for having, people have forgotten all the tedious stages of past races and only remember the GC battle.

Which could have been much better in 2003, if the guy who looked like he could beat the tyrant didn't crash out - albeit spectacularly.

It even had the bad guy winning in the end.havi
It had drama for green, CLOSE GC racing until the final TT, CSC throwing the kitchen sink even with Hamilton's injury, good mountain stages... My only issue with it was the final GC.

This was a very very good tour, probably the best since 2003, only 2007 comes close IMO
 
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How is 2022 only "one or two great stages"?

What on Earth needs to happen on stages for you guys to be entertained?
Comparisons made to that dark era have alot to say about fan expectations. Money paid for a higher level of performances for riders that faded soon after the pressure forced them to stop what made them "better". I like Nascar occasionally but dull old F1 is racing and strategy matched with the best talent. It isn't filled with crashes and constant passing excitement.
There are many that miss the Nascar days of cycling, I guess.
 
How is 2022 only "one or two great stages"?

What on Earth needs to happen on stages for you guys to be entertained?
It’s my personal opinion and I can’t say more in this forum. I simply regard Pogi as a far superior talent and was displeased with JV’s treatment of Roglic. I will never be a fan of Vingo.

I also don’t subscribe to the it’s entertainment and that’s all that matters camp. It also needs to be credible.

Just sharing my personal opinion and I am fine if people disagree with me
 
Blame BigMig! He could have won 5-6-7 straight Vueltas. Something that is stellar, legendary. Merckx didn't do it, Hinault didn't do it...instead he chose Giro-Tour until Berzin became the New Remco before he was not. Lance iced the cake. It's all about Le Tour.

Il Giro and La Vuelta have to change their model, again, only fools argue for them. Even a poorly TdF design did it in '22. Not because Le Tour is so great, but because the best riders show up. It's all about Le Tour:
 
Blame BigMig! He could have won 5-6-7 straight Vueltas. Something that is stellar, legendary. Merckx didn't do it, Hinault didn't do it...instead he chose Giro-Tour until Berzin became the New Remco before he was not. Lance iced the cake. It's all about Le Tour.

Il Giro and La Vuelta have to change their model, again, only fools argue for them. Even a poorly TdF design did it in '22. Not because Le Tour is so great, but because the best riders show up. It's all about Le Tour:
It's also about the riders....as it's been said thousands of times.
 
I think Vuelta is not that bad. We had several great editions in the past ten years, this one didn't go anywhere near that, but still not so much below average.

It's the Giro that was extraordinarily disappointing this year, although it's not too easy to make good measurement as how much percentage went to bad racing and how much to the new level awful coverage.

The Tour wins it easily of course.
 
It’s my personal opinion and I can’t say more in this forum. I simply regard Pogi as a far superior talent and was displeased with JV’s treatment of Roglic. I will never be a fan of Vingo.

I also don’t subscribe to the it’s entertainment and that’s all that matters camp. It also needs to be credible.

Just sharing my personal opinion and I am fine if people disagree with me

But 2003 was credible?
 
Blame BigMig! He could have won 5-6-7 straight Vueltas. Something that is stellar, legendary. Merckx didn't do it, Hinault didn't do it...instead he chose Giro-Tour until Berzin became the New Remco before he was not. Lance iced the cake. It's all about Le Tour.

Il Giro and La Vuelta have to change their model, again, only fools argue for them. Even a poorly TdF design did it in '22. Not because Le Tour is so great, but because the best riders show up. It's all about Le Tour:
A poorly design? The route was very good this year, I think..
 
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Tdf: 9
Vuelta: 5
Giro: 0.5

Tell us what you really think.

I'll go Tour 8.5, Vuelta 6, Giro 4.

Like many, I haven't been able to take to Vingegaard much, and the massive gaps almost create a 97 vibe, but it was fascinating to see a king dethroned unexpectedly (in his prime) and stage 17 was McNuts.

Very happy for Remco and his fans, and taking ninety seconds on the majority of his rivals on a MTF was pretty awesome I reckon.

Blockhaus was more enjoyable for me than most, and how often do you get as action packed a medium mountain stage as that week 2 one? Possibly would put stage 19 as most disappointing GT stage of the year though. An epic climb, and nothing happened!

Pretty good year for GT's overall.
 
Giro underrated this year and Tour overrated.

Vuelta was terrible.

Tour had a great stage 11 but otherwise was a thermonuclear clown show with zero suspense or interesting developments

Giro was tense and suspenseful. I am biased because I am Landa fan and therefore there was the constant possibility of Landa attacking and winning the Giro. But it was the one I most enjoyed, as normal

Giro has the most soul. Please vote the Giro guys
 
No, it didn't have "it all".

It had a first week consisting of one prologue, one TTT and five bunch sprints, four of which were won by the same rider who then abandoned.

I really think that for all the "recency bias" some people criticise fans of the 2022 Tour for having, people have forgotten all the tedious stages of past races and only remember the GC battle.

Which could have been much better in 2003, if the guy who looked like he could beat the tyrant didn't crash out - albeit spectacularly.

It even had the bad guy winning in the end.havi

I think that at the time of the race itself, we want the majority of stages to at least provide some interest, whereas as the years go on we remember a grand tour for mainly just a few stages.

Hence, in theory, a grand tour could have fifteen of the most boring stages in cycling history (perhaps 2006 is a good example), but if it has a few truly classic stages then it may eventually be more memorable than a grand tour that has more consistent day to day interesting racing.

First week of 2022 is well ahead of 2003, of course. But how much does that matter?

Goliath is slayed: Advantage 2022.

GC action from long range: 2022.

Threatening moments to the leaders retention of the yellow jersey during the second half of the race: 2003

Competitiveness of any other contenders outside of the two main protagonists: 2003

What else? Beloki and Roglic, both pretty strong contenders, crashed out. Beloki was more memorable, for it was more dramatic (and tragic in terms of level of injury)....his GC death was instant. Roglic was more of a slow death....there wasn't really a precise moment where we went, he's definitely gone, at least not all at once. Make of all of that what you will. I'm not really sure of what to make of it, but both riders added something to both races, in a way.

Armstrong crossing the field equals Vingegaard bike changing fiasco, possibly.

Weird factor of Ullrich not riding for Telekom (also gave Vino freedom).

A big thing is that after being challenged (in the middle ITT), Armstrong then also had moments where he lost the wheel of Ullrich. Late on AX3 Domaines, up the Tourmalet, and even later on that same stage where he crashed. Although those gaps didn't amount to anything, they clearly added suspense for fans. Whereas, when Vingegaard was panicking in the north of France, we all thought Pogacar was destined to win anyway. If he'd had that sort of moment in week 3, then that adds to the memorableness of the race in an entirely new way.

Buy you're right, the bad guy still won. It needed a Pogacar 2020 PDBF from Ullrich in the final ITT to make it clearly ahead of 2022. As it is I'd probably pick 2003, but nostalgic bias....it was the first Tour that I really loved.
 
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Giro underrated this year and Tour overrated.

Vuelta was terrible.

Tour had a great stage 11 but otherwise was a thermonuclear clown show with zero suspense or interesting developments

Giro was tense and suspenseful. I am biased because I am Landa fan and therefore there was the constant possibility of Landa attacking and winning the Giro. But it was the one I most enjoyed, as normal

Giro has the most soul. Please vote the Giro guys
If you're begging for our vote bring some banners and billboards
 
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Every GT has its indelible moments and a strong story line, even if the actual racing is lacking a bit. This year I really enjoyed Hindley's redemption at the Giro, the dethroning of Pogacar at the Tour, and Remco's revenge on the haters. So all in all a pretty good GT year.
Well put. Storywise it was pretty good, I agree. The racing in the Vuelta and especially Giro was very meh though. I can't remember seeing such a terrrible Giro. And I'm a really big Giro fan :(
TdF was excellent. Only two exciting stages like someone said? Well if you're only interested in GC I guess.
As for credibility: we'll learn about that in a decade or so but being the selfish *** that I am: I was thouroughly entertained and that's all that matters in the end.
 
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On a 1-10 scale, this has to be the first year in ages that the Tour was at least 2-3 points better than both the Giro and the Vuelta. But I disagree on the Vuelta being better than the Giro. The latter was medicore, but at least it had some excitement on who would win until the last mountain stage, and it had a 10/10 stage with the Torino stage.

In the Vuelta the only stage where you could say there were some uncertainty whether Remco would win or not was the Pandera stage. Otherwise there where very little excitement for the victory. And none of the stages was better than perhaps a 8/10. In 10 years from now, I will certainly remebmer the Torino stage. That doesn't apply to any of the stages of this Vuelta.
 
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but at least it had some excitement on who would win until the last mountain stage,
For the wrong reason.

It's like saying the typical Scheldeprijs at least has the excitement on who will win until the last 100 m, unlike Roubaix which is usually settled long before that.

All races will be settled at some point or another. It doesn't matter much exactly when, but far more for how long it took to settle it. Scheldeprijs is usually settled during a minute or even less, Roubaix usually takes far longer.
 

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