Worst cyclist that won a monument

[Richeypen]

Backstedt, Guesdon, Vansummeren and Zaugg would be strong contenders. But I don't like the thread.

This. Every Monument winner deserves respect.

 

[Afrank]

But I don't like the thread.

This. Every Monument winner deserves respect.

+100 to both of these.
I don't like calling a cyclist bad just because they didn't get a lot of great results leading up to or after their monument win.

No matter how a monument was won or who won it, they shouldn't be thought of as bad cyclists IMHO.

 

[Zweistein]

For what concern last 15 years that is more or less since when i'm following regularly i would say Zaugg and Backstedt

Backstedt wasn't bad. He could have easily been a super domestique on a bigger team. The thing that sucked for him was that he wasn't fast enough to sprint with the big boys and was way too heavy for anything with hills. Paris Roubaix was the only race that I beleive he targeted each year.

 

[quiqui]

+100 to both of these.
I don't like calling a cyclist bad just because they didn't get a lot of great results leading up to or after their monument win.

No matter how a monument was won or who won it, they shouldn't be thought of as bad cyclists IMHO.

Maybe they should be called the "least good" cyclist then?

 

[ElChingon]

Maybe they should be called the "least good" cyclist then?

I'd prefer Depreciated.

 

[veganrob]

I'd prefer Depreciated.

Do you mean under appreciated?

 

[86TDFWinner]

I'm not sure if there are any "monuments" devoted to the guy, but Fraudstrong should be right at the top of the list. W/O PEDs/EPO, he's lucky to finish 10th in ANY tour race...this is just my opinion.(but others have kind of backed up that opinion that he most likely wouldn't have won w/o anything).

 

[simo1733]

maechler has quite an impressive palmares besides classics

Bobrik should have been way better considering that he rode for Gewiss

Didn't Columbo ride for the opposition in one edition of MSR

 

[ultimobici]

I'm staggered at the mass lack of understanding of the sport displayed here.

One day wins are not unworthy if they're in gained in a manner unlike Boonen or Cancellara. Chance is an intrinsic part of it, without it you're sunk.

Perhaps the title of the thread is a little unfair. Least likely winner of a Monument would be more appropriate.

For that title, Marc Gomez is one that comes to mind immediately. Another is Dirk Demol's win over a "strangled" Thomas Wegmuller.

But to label either of these riders as "worst" is disingenuous. They weren't the star riders, true. But they were good enough to get paid to ride, and good enough to win that day too.

As for Serse Coppi, he wasn't bad, just had the misfortune to have a brother who was a God.

 

[ultimobici]

Backstedt, Guesdon, Vansummeren and Zaugg would be strong contenders. But I don't like the thread.

What of their track records in Roubaix before and after their wins? It's not like any of them are winners in the Marc Gomez mould.

 

[will10]

What of their track records in Roubaix before and after their wins? It's not like any of them are winners in the Marc Gomez mould.

Zaugg's record in Roubaix isn't too good

 

[Franklin]

Unexpected winners seems the best description.

Zaugg's record in Roubaix isn't too good

And yet I'd argue he's less of a longshot than Demol 15th and 11th in the Vuelta might be forgotten soon, but all in all, it's really not bad. And he finished 8th the next year in Lombardia.

Demol otoh really had nothing to show in big races.

Other names that caught my eye:

Wampers; P-R, Twice Rundum the Henning Turm, which gives him three classics. Not anywhere near a a nobody. He was a genuine contender in the late eighties. After 1989 he drops of the radar, but his palmares is respectable.

Van Lancker; P-R, AGR, Montreal, Wiscanton. The guy wins four classics. Add to that a giro stage, a handful top perfomances in classics, a ton of smaller wins.

Cavendish: Like Cipo he belongs on MSR. Had it been LBL it would be odd, but MSR fits straight in the expectations.

Colombo: Not a star, but: MSR, 3x top 20 in the RvV, 3rd LBL, 10th LBL, 6th MSR, 5th FW. Clearly a classic specialist and certainly not a domestic in those races.

 

[El Pistolero]

Zaugg.

......

Milan-San Remo has the weakest palmares of classics though. Cavendish, Goss, Gerrans, Ciolek.

 

[jens_attacks]

i have no problem if the winner was the strongest of the day(see colombo,bobrik,zaugg). but yes it bothers me when a guy from a lucky breakaway gets it. can't complain though that's cycling.

 

[Viking]

Don't really like referring to riders as the worst, so maybe "one hit wonders" will do.

...

I completely agree with that statement. I just can't consider anyone who won a monument to be a bad cyclist, even if they won by being in a lucky break, went unnoticed because everyone marked big favorites, or anything else. Anyway, Oliver Zaugg stands out is the most surprising winner to me. On the other hand, he rode pretty damned well at last year's Il Lombardia, so maybe it was more about finally getting a shot to go for a win.

 

[Le breton]

Frédéric Guesdon and Paris-Roubaix

1995 : 86e
1996 : 14e
1997 : vainqueur (meilleur français)
1998 : abandon
2000 : 17e (meilleur français)
2001 : 26e
2002 : abandon
2003 : 12e (meilleur français)
2004 : 18e (meilleur français)
2005 : 11e2006 : 7e (meilleur français)
2007 : 25e
2008 : 11e (meilleur français)
2009 : 13e2010 : 19e
2011 : 11e (meilleur français)
2012 : 88e (hors des délais)

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Guesdon has won Paris-Tours as well, by the way. The only pro in recent history to win both French classics. Which alone makes any mentioning of him here ridicilous.

The worst quality of riders - maybe due to the date - is usually to be seen in Lombardy, not MSR. Remember the stellar Top 3 performance of Pablo Lastras? Niklas Axelsson? Hell, even Angelo Lopeboselli managed to podium this race in 2003.

 

[rainman]

Zaug and Van Summeren were unlikely monument winners but both showed just how powerful these super doms can be when given the chance.

 

[rghysens]

Zaugg.

......

Milan-San Remo has the weakest palmares of classics though. Cavendish, Goss, Gerrans, Ciolek.

I don't think Cavendish belongs between names like Goss, Gerrans and Ciolek. if you include him, you should include Cipollini too. It's one of the most talented cyclists ever, but his problem is that diehard cycling fans (and I consider myself to be one of them) don't appreciate his talent.

Besides,
RVV: Cees Bal, Johan Lammerts, Evert Dolman, René Martens
P-R: Johan Vansummeren, Magnus Backstedt, Servais Knaven, Fréderic Guesdon, Dirk Demol,

 

[rghysens]

The worst quality of riders - maybe due to the date - is usually to be seen in Lombardy, not MSR. Remember the stellar Top 3 performance of Pablo Lastras? Niklas Axelsson? Hell, even Angelo Lopeboselli managed to podium this race in 2003.

But despite having a less than stellar line-up, it does have an impressive palmares.

 

[Parrulo]

i think some people are being unfair on JVS, he had been very regular in PR pre 2011 with 2 top 10 performances in 08 and 09 being the final selection in 09 where he finished fifth.

he also finished 9th last year, so while an unlikely winner his win certainly is a "totally shocking and completely undeserved" one.

 

[Franklin]

snip

RVV:
- Cees Bal: Won quite a bit but rode for smaller teams
- Johan Lammerts 1 TdF stage, 1 classic win, 4 other classic top tens, 3 top 20's. Definitely a classics man, master domestique of GL
- Evert Dolman. Olympic champion, Amateur WC, Vuelta stage, Dutch Champion.
- René Martens TdF stage, 1 classic, Bordeaux-Paris.
- Johan Vansummeren. 1 Pr, three other top ten in PR
- Magnus Backstedt. Giro stage, Giro intermediate sprint classification. 1 PR win. 4th in PR
- Servais Knaven TdF stage, PR
- Fréderic Guesdon 2 classics, two other top ten. Many top 20 classifications in classics.
- Dirk Demol Uhm well. PR really.

So of that list only Dirk remains as mediocre pro. Knaven is also an outlier. But everyone else seem to have been above the cut.

The morale really is that nobody's don't win classics. besides the token exception everyone mentioned had more than one big win and/or many top ten showings in classics

 

[Franklin]

i think some people are being unfair on JVS, he had been very regular in PR pre 2011 with 2 top 10 performances in 08 and 09 being the final selection in 09 where he finished fifth.

he also finished 9th last year, so while an unlikely winner his win certainly is a "totally shocking and completely undeserved" one.

I even think unlikely is being a bit harsh. After Boonen, Cancelara and Hushovd (and now Sagan ofc) I would put him in the group of contenders (among Flecha etc.).

 

[Izzy eviel]

No-one has said Lance Armstrong?

 

[screaming fist]

No-one has said Lance Armstrong?

Which monument?