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Which active cyclists would you put in a best of all time list?

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BigPhil3

Sep 21, 2011
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This is a two part question. Which cyclists, if they would retire today, would you put in a best of all time list? Also, for those cyclists who are borderline, what would they have to do to make your all time list?

For example, I would say that Boonen (Classics king, 4x Roubaix winner, 3x Flanders winner, TDF Green Jersey, World Champ) and Spartacus (4x TT World Champ, Olympic TT Champ, 2x Roubaix winer, Most TDF Yellow Jerseys for a non winner) would make my all time list.

For my borderline, I would say if Cav could break the all time TDF stage wins record as well as win either a second Green Jersey or a second World Championship or win the Olympics, would make my list.

Any thoughts?
 
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Nick C.

Mar 11, 2009
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Boonen and Cancellara are on the classics lists.
Cavendish for Grand Tour sprinter.
Contador
If you want to put in US domestic stage racers, Horder, Levi, Mancebo.
Cadel gets a mention for the Worlds/Tour combo.
Gilbert for his 2011 season gets a mention as far as best single season, for that matter Sagan this year with the stage race sprints.
That's it for now.
 
the asian

the asian

Jan 20, 2011
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Cancellara , Boonen & Bertie. Cavendish will join them if he can keep winning sprint stages and win another 2 green jerseys and possibly another WC,and I'll also include Gilbert if he can win MSR and Ronde.
 
User Guide

User Guide

May 21, 2010
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LaFlorecita said:
Yes, no Cav. I find it odd that you apparently haven't noticed that the asian also hasn't picked Cav.

I could just as well say: :eek: begrudgingly; because I don't understand why but hey we all have our opinions.
Click to expand...

Touche... begrudgingly for other forum reasons,that and everyone loving the same type of rider/belittling the diesel types.I want to dislike him but i kind of cant hence grudgingly; absence does make the heart grow fonder(when its ONLY diesel types left)
 
42x16ss

42x16ss

May 23, 2009
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Agree with most on here - Contador, Cav, Cance and Boonen but IMO there is one other.

Oscar Freire - 3 x world champ, 3 x MSR, Maillot Vert, T-A overall and Multiple GT stage wins. That is a palmares that holds up over time.
 
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Marcuccio

Apr 26, 2010
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hmmm tough decision .. probably the same as you guys have. There's always a crop of guys who you think are going to be the next big thing but never become more than average, or promise much, but deliver very little, and never when it counts (AS) or go crazy one year, then fall off the radar the following year (Gilbert), or maybe weren't actually as good as they'd have us believe (Gesink).

It's all subjective, and going by palmares alone, what everyone's said appears pretty accurate, but it depends on what you think makes an excellent cyclist.

If you went over the past 10-15 years you could also include Cipo, Sastre, Ulrich etc..

I give props and love to any of them guys who can back it up day in day out for a 3 week tour, regardless of how their whole career pans out...still more than I could ever achieve..
 
LaFlorecita

LaFlorecita

May 15, 2011
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42x16ss said:
Agree with most on here - Contador, Cav, Cance and Boonen but IMO there is one other.

Oscar Freire - 3 x world champ, 3 x MSR, Maillot Vert, T-A overall and Multiple GT stage wins. That is a palmares that holds up over time.
Click to expand...

True, Freire has a great palmares, might have to add him.
 
Angliru

Angliru

Mar 10, 2009
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42x16ss said:
Agree with most on here - Contador, Cav, Cance and Boonen but IMO there is one other.

Oscar Freire - 3 x world champ, 3 x MSR, Maillot Vert, T-A overall and Multiple GT stage wins. That is a palmares that holds up over time.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. How could so many have forgotten Oscar?
 
ElChingon

ElChingon

Mar 10, 2009
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42x16ss said:
Agree with most on here - Contador, Cav, Cance and Boonen but IMO there is one other.

Oscar Freire - 3 x world champ, 3 x MSR, Maillot Vert, T-A overall and Multiple GT stage wins. That is a palmares that holds up over time.
Click to expand...

Well you do need to add an asterisk.

*As long as he doesn't have a saddle sore.
 
blutto

blutto

Jul 4, 2009
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ElChingon said:
Well you do need to add an asterisk.

*As long as he doesn't have a saddle sore.
Click to expand...

....and a bad back early in his career...and a few major season shortening crashes...and breathing issues...and a team that wasn't designed specifically to help sprinter types...

...with a few turns of fortune his career could have been much more better...

...all that being said, an amazing rider...my fave rider of all time...what can I say, cats are cool...

Cheers

blutto
 
the asian

the asian

Jan 20, 2011
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42x16ss said:
Agree with most on here - Contador, Cav, Cance and Boonen but IMO there is one other.

Oscar Freire - 3 x world champ, 3 x MSR, Maillot Vert, T-A overall and Multiple GT stage wins. That is a palmares that holds up over time.
Click to expand...

Completely forgot about him.:eek: May be, because he should have won more considering his talent. Pity he crashed at the Tour. Will he miss the Olympics?
A Gold medal would be a nice addition.
 
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Carl0880

Jul 6, 2009
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In my opinion, all time greats if they retired today would be Contador, Boonen, Cancellara and Friere.

I consider Contador because he is 1 of 3 cyclist who have won all the Grand Tours, and eventhough it didnt include the tour, he did a rare thing with winning 2 Grand Tours in a year (10 or 11 cyclist have done that). Also, I take into account all the weeklon stage races he wins, including Paris Nice, etc. I have more respect for riders that go to these races to compete, not to "train". These races deserves the respect of being treated as an accomplishment, without them you would have nothing to warm up for the major objectives.


THe closest one to me is one we tend to forget is Petacchi. Even with losing 6 wins from 06 Giro, he has 22 Giro stage wins, 20 Vuleta stage wins, 6 Tour wins, winning the point jersey in each race, and a Milan Sam Remo. the only reason he is not in the list is just could use 1 more single day classic win. A WC, another San Remo, heck even a Gent Wevelgem, HEt Volk or another Paris-Tour would be nice.

OThers that are close

GIlbert- I think everyone thinks of last year, but even before that he already had 2 Lombardia's, Amstel Gold, stage win in Giro and Vuelta (2), 2 Het Volks, 2 Paris Tours, several podium in the monuments. I think another major win or 2 and i would push him into the all time great.

Hushovd- 1 WC, 10 TDF Stage wins, 3 Vuelta stages, 1 Giro, 2 grand tour points jersey, Gent-Wevelegem, 1 Het Niewsublad (I still want to call it Het Volk) Paris-Roubaix podiums. Similiar to Gilbert, 1 more major win or a few more grand Tour stage wins I would push him over.

Rebellin- Yes he is active, eventhough with a smaller team, and of course he has the major wins, and even a 6th in the Giro back in 96. But I think he would need at least 2 major classic wins, which i doubt he will even participate in 2 classics.

Valverde- Because he was recently suspended, we forget what he accomplished. 1 Fleche Wallone, 2 LBL, 2 Dauphines, 1 Vuelta (1 2nd and 1 3rd) numerous podiums in the Ardennes and the WC. He could use another Grand Tour or a couple more hilly classic win or a WC

Evans- This is where I really like the fact he is always competitive no matter what race, like Tirreno-Adriactico, ROmandie, Dauphine, etc. I think another TDF podium, or a successful classic or maybe even winning like Paris Nice and Dauphine Libre could put him there. MAybe even a podium at another grand tour also, I need ot think abotu this a little more.


Somebody mention Jens Voigt, and that is an interesting suggestion, because of his domestique work and he had some nice wins, a couple of TDF stages, 5 Criterium INternationals, 2 Tour Of Germany when it was on the calendar. Instead of all time great, he would would go down as all time teammate. Which in this category the other consideration Hincapie also just because of him riding 9 TDF winners, and always being competitive in the Cobbles.

The next wave of cyclist on this list in no particular order without doing too much moredeep though would be Menchov, Basso, Cunego,
 
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