Who is the greatest non-champion TDF podium finisher?

[scott42138]

Cadel is famous for second place at The Tour after finishing second twice. Jan Ullrich (4) and Joop Zoetemelk (6) both were famous for second although they both got a first. Kloden has 2 second places. Beloki had three podium finishes.

My vote is Claudio Chiappucci. He was a three time podium finisher in The Tour and The Giro but never one. In 1990 he wore the yellow for the entire tour except the first and last day.

 

[Anonymous]

you may as well have a "who is the greatest ever australian called cadel evans" competition around here...

 

[rghysens]

Cadel is famous for second place at The Tour after finishing second twice. Jan Ullrich (4) and Joop Zoetemelk (6) both were famous for second although they both got a first. Kloden has 2 second places. Beloki had three podium finishes.

My vote is Claudio Chiappucci. He was a three time podium finisher in The Tour and The Giro but never one. In 1990 he wore the yellow for the entire tour except the first and last day.

Raymond Poulidor?
Herman Van Springel?
Tony Rominger?
Gianni Bugno?
....
Richard Virenque :-D

 

[issoisso]

you may as well have a "who is the greatest ever australian called cadel evans" competition around here...

You're severely overrating Evans there. He's nowhere near a legend of the sport, like some who fit the original poster's description are.

There are a few candidates, but Poulidor takes the cake. He's one of the all time greats, so insanely talented and with such a tremendous palmarés, yet he never won and never spent a single day in yellow. Not a single one.

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

Poulidor takes the cake. He's one of the all time greats, so insanely talented and with such a tremendous palmarés, yet he never won and never spent a single day in yellow. Not a single one.

Poulidor and Zoetemelk -- both were misfortunate enough to have their (very long) careers overlap those of TWO legends: Anquetil/Merckx and Merckx/Hinault.

 

[issoisso]

Poulidor and Zoetemelk -- both were misfortunate enough to have their (very long) careers overlap those of TWO legends: Anquetil/Merckx and Merckx/Hinault.

Zoetemelk won the Tour, so he doesn't qualify

 

[pmcg76]

Poulidor and Zoetemelk -- both were misfortunate enough to have their (very long) careers overlap those of TWO legends: Anquetil/Merckx and Merckx/Hinault.

Zootomelk managed to win once so undoubtedly Raymond Poulidor is the greatest non winning podium finisher.

Evans has a long way to go before he becomes a 'Great' Tour rider, he doesnt animate a race enough.

 

[Echoes]

Poulidor lost the Tour de France in 1964 because of the unsportsmanship of his opponents in the Toulouse stage. In my opinion he's the winner.

So I'd go with Van Springel or Schotte.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I would say Raymond Poulidor, but Cuddles might be well on his way to achieving similar results.

With Contador and Schleck both still so young and much stronger, he's probably looking at no better than third. Contador and Schleck will battle it our for years to come, but I digress....

 

[eleven]

Is there really much debate? Poulidor seems like a painfully obvious (but correct!) choice.

 

[franciep10]

definitely poulidor, my father used to tell me so many stories of the battles that poulidor and anquetil had in 64 tour.

 

[Moondance]

I hate to be a parrot here, but it is Poulidor without a doubt. Three 2nd places, five 3rd places with 8 or 9 stage wins. Never wore the yellow jersey either. In the '73 Tour he finished 2nd in the prologue (held that year in the Netherlands), less than 1 second behind Joop Zoetemelk. Closer than that is hardly possible

 

[luckyboy]

Nobody going for Rumsas on this one then?

But seriously, Poulidor

 

[ruamruam]

Has to be Poulidor

 

[Anonymous]

You're severely overrating Evans there. He's nowhere near a legend of the sport, like some who fit the original poster's description are.

There are a few candidates, but Poulidor takes the cake. He's one of the all time greats, so insanely talented and with such a tremendous palmarés, yet he never won and never spent a single day in yellow. Not a single one.

I know.. and yes poulidor springs to mind.. i was just poo whipping more than anything... been one of those days..

i was also allowing for the fanboy element who cant name a tour rider prior to 1999...



wow... my excrement stirring comment has been replaced with poo whipping...

 

[skidmark]

Haven't looked at any responses, so I don't know if anyone's mentioned this yet, but the Frenchman Raymond Poulidor springs to mind. He rode in the 1960s and 70s, overlapping the careers of Anquetil and Merckx, and finished on the podium 8 times, without ever winning or wearing yellow.

But I guess Cadel got second twice... and by less than a minute each time... well, maybe I'll have to think about it some more.

 

[scribe]

dibs on Poulidor

 

[The_Z_man]

Rominger had awesome battles with Big Mig, and boy do I remember Chiappucci in 1990, but Poulidor takes the cake. The guy is still revered in France right behind Hinault and Anquetil.

 

[Galic Ho]

You're severely overrating Evans there. He's nowhere near a legend of the sport, like some who fit the original poster's description are.

There are a few candidates, but Poulidor takes the cake. He's one of the all time greats, so insanely talented and with such a tremendous palmarés, yet he never won and never spent a single day in yellow. Not a single one.

Maybe that's why Cadel said in recent days he wants to win the Tour. Other perpetual seconds at least got a win (Zootemelk and Ullrich) maybe he thinks he should as well for historical purposes. But Cadel in my opinion was only third in 2007. Without a doubt Poulidor. 1964 he should have won after the battle on the Tourmalet. He held back and Anquetil recovered. Then 1965 he was a shoe in and Gimondi popped out of Italy and took that from him. Wasn't he at the winners presentation a few years back? Great racer and equally loved by the French as names like Anquetil and Hinault. Anyone else is overestimating their appeal if they think they equal him.

 

[Rbudman]

Just to ad a little variety to the conversation, I am going to break a little from the premise and nominate a guy who never stood on the tour podium but can definitely be in the conversation for greatest all around rider not to win the tour or great grand tour rider to never ride great in the tour. Francesco Moser rode the tour once, 1975, and didn't really perform at all. However, his overall resume is second to none even if you include grand tours. 6 podium finishes in the Giro, including a win in front of fignon in '84; 4 points jerseys in Italy.
The rest of his resume speaks for itself. Hour record, 3 wins in Roubaix, 2 other podium finishes. 6 wins in other classics and a world championship.

I know he doesn't exactly meet the paramaters laid out but I wanted to ad a little flavor to the conversation

 

[ak-zaaf]

Guerra, Ockers, Poulidor