Which one was the worst Grand Tour of the last decade?

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I think missing RoboBasso - Vino - Ulrich at the 2006 Tour was the absolute pits. And then the ridiculous Landis affair. You might say it was a total bust.

Absolutely true.

I voted Giro 2012 b/c of the absence of the 06-Tour in the poll. Runner-runner-up is the 09-Tour... The 11-Tour was saved in the last week. Until then it was outrageous.

 

[Sylvester]

The Stelvio stage saved this Giro for me. It still was not good at all, but not the worst GT I've ever seen either.

Tour 2004 and 2009 were especially terrible.

 

[greenedge]

I thought the TDF 2008 was quite exciting. I honestly have no clue as to what is more boring.

 

[Unkown]

2009 Vuelta, but if I wasn't a cheering for Hesjedal in this years Giro I would have probably picked 2012 Giro. For me it was so epic watching a Canadian perform so well that this Giro was so much better for me than alot of other people. I can imagine the Italians are quite enraged with Scarponi/Basso/Cunego not animating the stages enough, at the very least the finales.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

2009 Vuelta, but if I wasn't a cheering for Hesjedal in this years Giro I would have probably picked 2012 Giro. For me it was so epic watching a Canadian perform so well that this Giro was so much better for me than alot of other people. I can imagine the Italians are quite enraged with Scarponi/Basso/Cunego not animating the stages enough, at the very least the finales.

Cunego was very ok. He was at least trying...

 

[Unkown]

Cunego was very ok. He was at least trying...

I would agree if he wasn't on Lampre, what good does it do for Scarponi for Cunego to go in breakaways when really they should be trading off attacks latter in the stage to drop guys.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Actually it helped Scarponi that Cunego was in the break. AFIR, hrotha explained it very good at yesterdays stage....

But more important, he seemed to care, while Scarponi raced not to lose (of which then actually happened ).

 

[Havetts]

Cunego rode an awesome Giro, it was clear to me to he wasnt 100%, because if he was he would/could have won this Giro. One of the few guys that actually dared to take risks, to try and attack.

 

[xmoonx]

None.

Enjoyed them all.

If you really have issues with those you probably have issues yourself, its bike racing things don't always go as planed or the way you like or who you like. Keep them coming is all I want.

I feel the same but if I had to choose it would have been the 2011 Giro which was not a choice. A total snooze fest IMO.

 

[ElChingon]

Well, this Giro just made me angry.

Anger in the belly I see, well that's no way to watch a GT, I'll send you a roll of Tums

 

[Ferminal]

Good laughs in this thread

No love for the 2010 Tour? I guess there were some exciting days, but some farcical things were happening. The Stockeu Slick and Fabian deciding that he runs the race, stopping any excitement which could have happened, gifting Chavanel minutes, and then "AG2R's sprinter Bouet" ruining the neutralisation. Frank Schleck the next day splitting the GC contenders in two. Klöden getting dropped on the first """MTF""", a Cat2. "All those crashes" which "ruined Radioshack's race" and the bunch ride to Avoriaz. Cuddles, capitulating in Yellow the next day. The stage to Gap absolutely horrible, only outdone by the day to Pau. Just about every major name was either dropped or attacked on that day but it meant nothing with 50km flat from Aubisque. Contador allegedly taking a stage win from Vino at Mende. Then we had Chaingate, the Bonascre trackstands, and two best mates riding up a foggy Tourmalet.

Actually, looking back it was quite entertaining, if only for the bizarre events.

I voted for 2009 Vuelta.

 

[luckyboy]

Either this Giro or the 09 Vuelta.
When this route was announced I thought the first two weeks might be a bit boring but even so it felt disappointing. The first five stages were inimitably bad.

Looking forward to the Vuelta being the best GT this year for the first time in quite a few (even if AC will just dominate)

 

[ElChingon]

The Schleckanical made the 2010 tour epic! The Tour lost due to the lamest fail in a race! That alone caused anti-chain-suck devices to have a huge increase in sales and have certain teams switch away from SRAM! They already had a list of mechanical failures to cause a loss in a race this put it over the top (even though it was an ID-10T error )

 

[Boeing]

What about the 2007 tour?

 

[CobbleStoner]

isn't this question like asking which hummer was the worst you have ever gotten, they are all good in some way.
if it's a Grand Tour, enough said

 

[LaFlorecita]

I liked the 2008 and 2006 TdF's. Wiggo's performance was pretty memorable as was the ridiculuous dropping of Kloden by Contador. I also don't hate Lance, so it was interesting to me. Doping or not, Floyd's escape was still exciting and was a great stage.

You do know that was the 2009 Tour right? 2008 is the one Sastre won.

 

[greenedge]

According to Mike Tomalaris: "The 2012 edition of the Giro di'Italia will go down as one of the best."

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentra.../126183/the-giro-is-well-and-truly-on-the-map

For once i don't agree with SBS and i like Mike.
He does however say the Giro shall attract people all over the world to watch it, which is true.

 

[theyoungest]

According to Mike Tomalaris: "The 2012 edition of the Giro di'Italia will go down as one of the best."

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentra.../126183/the-giro-is-well-and-truly-on-the-map

For once i don't agree with SBS and i like Mike.
He does however say the Giro shall attract people all over the world to watch it, which is true.

In Australia really anyone who knows what a bike looks like can call themselves a cycling journalist, can't they?

I miss the 2011 Vuelta on the list above, that was also pretty boring. Except for the Froome-Cobo showdown on Pena Cabarga.

 

[LaFlorecita]

According to Mike Tomalaris: "The 2012 edition of the Giro di'Italia will go down as one of the best."

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentra.../126183/the-giro-is-well-and-truly-on-the-map

For once i don't agree with SBS and i like Mike.
He does however say the Giro shall attract people all over the world to watch it, which is true.

Lol... Is that because an Anglophone won?

 

[Red Rick]

What about the 2007 tour?

How can you say that. That edition was freaking awesome. It had 6 mountain stages, and it was a massacre 5 times. I'd say i was the best Tour in the last 10 years, taking out the dope

 

[Ferminal]

According to Mike Tomalaris: "The 2012 edition of the Giro di'Italia will go down as one of the best."

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentra.../126183/the-giro-is-well-and-truly-on-the-map

For once i don't agree with SBS and i like Mike.
He does however say the Giro shall attract people all over the world to watch it, which is true.

Funny thing is this time last year "Tomo" slammed the Giro.

 

[jens_attacks]

Funny thing is this time last year "Tomo" slammed the Giro.

looking forward to anthony tan's opinion lol

 

[will10]

How can you say that. That edition was freaking awesome. It had 6 mountain stages, and it was a massacre 5 times. I'd say i was the best Tour in the last 10 years, taking out the dope

Bingo. An immense battle. Just a shame we were robbed in the final TT of a potential 4-way battle with Rasmussen having to defend in the last TT. Also McEwen's immense comeback on the first road stage, Cancellara's late attack into Compiègne in the yellow jersey, Soler's win into Briançon, Vino's impossible TT ride, three rounds of Contador v. Rasmussen, and the final TT battle where even Levi nearly pulled himself into yellow.

Yeah, no way is 2007 a candidate for the worst. Possibly one of the best GTs in recent years.

 

[Lanark]

2007 was the best Tour of the last decade with 2003. There can be little doubt about that.

 

[Sylvester]

2003 was better in my book, but probably because I strongly disliked Rasmussen and I couldn't really enjoy his performances.

Does anybody remember the 2001 Giro? I can't possibly have followed it a lot, being in school at the time. I only recall Verbrugghe winning the prologue doing approximately 200 kph, Perez Cuapio's incessant attacking winning him a stage, and Frigo winning a long TT before being taken out of the race after that infamous razzia, probably all of these things happened on a Sunday But looking at the results, it must have been incredibly dull. 4 stages for Cipollini, two for Hondo, two for Quaranta, one for Zanini. A mountain stage cancelled due to the razzia. Montevergine as only MTF before stage 13. Only 3 proper mountain stages. Simoni crushing the field after Frigo's DQ, putting almost 10 minutes into everybody else. Unai Osa making the podium.

Great TT result for Purito here, by the way.