Best Tour De France riders in history?

[Smokin Joe]

The top three contenders for best Tour rider of all time are;

1/ Eddy Merckx
2/ Eddy Merckx
3/ Eddy Merckx

No one else comes close.

 

[djmc]

If you want characters who were exemplary both on and off the bike, how about Gino Bartali who as well as winning the TDF in 1938 and 1948, during the Second World War was engaged in an operation issuing forged papers for Jews and enemies of the Fascists at great risk to his own life. This only emerged after he died. Then François Faber who won the tour in 1908u3. he fought in the first world war was killed when he went over the line to rescue an injured fellow soldier. One of the resumés of the riders of the tour that I have describes him as "A giant of a man in every way".

 

[Alessandro Petacchi]

The top three contenders for best Tour rider of all time are;

1/ Eddy Merckx
2/ Eddy Merckx
3/ Eddy Merckx

No one else comes close.

Can't argue with that,mind you Hinault was a hard barsteward also.

 

[hennbell]

If you are talking just the Tour de France and none of the other grand tours or classics then only one name need be mentioned and it should be named seven times.

Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !


If you are talking best cyclist ever, then others enter the competition.

 

[Bicycle]

All those in the linked article look good.

Most are before my time, so they are just reported legends....

I liked Big Mig in his day just for being a sort of clockwork monster who could destroy other riders when he needed to.

Because of my age (perhaps) I just loved it when Marco Pantani won the tour and I loved some of his exploits in years when he didn't win. He was just absolute mustard going up big hills.

Zabel and (sp?) Abdujaperov impressed for their ruggedness.

Fignon was always the one who looked as if he'd shown up for the wrong event but still did a pretty fabutastic job.

Who was the guy out of the East German sports academies who always looked as if he was climbing in the big ring and didn't care? he was good value too.

 

[Bicycle]

The top three contenders for best Tour rider of all time are;

1/ Eddy Merckx
2/ Eddy Merckx
3/ Eddy Merckx

No one else comes close.

I think your three nominations are all members of the same family.

Under Rule 14 Paragraph 7, it clearly states that you can't nominate three members of the same family.

Apart from a Schlek.

 

[Chris.IOW]

Marco Pantani would be good value to include, great climber/rider and an interesting story away from cycling too.

How about though, instead of writing about the Winners, who always get mentioned, why not write about the nearly men of the Tour, people like Jan Ulrich who never managed to get past Armstrong for a win.

 

[Bicycle]

Jan Ullrich... That's the guy!

He's the big German I mentioned in my post but I forgot his name.

 

[Smokin Joe]

If you are talking just the Tour de France and none of the other grand tours or classics then only one name need be mentioned and it should be named seven times.

Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !
Lance Armstrong !


If you are talking best cyclist ever, then others enter the competition.

I wouldn't agree with that.

Armstrong won seven tours because he turned from a professional cyclist to a professional Tour de France rider. He rode little else for much of his career and what he did ride was in preperation for the tour. The likes of Merckx and Hinault rode, and rode to win, from March to October. When they lined up for the start every July they were carrying the stresses and strains from hard fought classics and stage races in their legs.

If Merckx had had Armstrong's racing program he'd still be winning tours now.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Yup ! i believe Greg is still walking around full of lead shot today !!

You have to choose between the obvious "greats" Merckx/Anquetil/Hinault/Indurain/Armstrong or writing about lesser riders with a more interesting story. Indurain was a great all round rider, fast time trialler and climbed fantastically for a big man but does not have a very interesting back story.

I'm very interested in the heart condition he had as a child? If anyone can shed anymore light on this then I would be pleased. Imagine it must be due to having an abnormally low heart rate...

 

[johnr]

What about concentrating on Cavendish? As you're finding out, it is very hard to discuss 'greats' in cycling without drugs references. There's an article in another part of the forum about how this year's tour was slower up the Alps - but was better (drugs free) for it.

Cavendish is in mid-career, but destined to be one of the best of all. Like Cadel Evans, he's generally accepted to be drugs-free. There is plenty on the internet about how he got to the top, and how he stays there.

We may be moving into an era when we can trust cycling results. If so, Cavendish will have spanned the end of one period and set the highest standards for next. Well worth celebrating. He'll be getting his place in the house of lords about the time you leave college.

Good luck with the essay, whatever you choose.

 

[Chris.IOW]

He did win it in 1997 and was runner up to his team leader Bjarne Riis the year before.

Oh yes, forgot about 1997.

Memory issues, does anyone have a dunce hat? I'll be sat in the corner.

 

[Trickydicky]

Jonny Hoogerland

 

[lukesdad]

For best entertainment value the French still rate Kelly, as do I and would add Lucien Van Impe to the list of candidates.

 

[monnet]

Raymond Poulidor is one of the best, in my book. He had a very long career for a pro rider and consistently finished second, which is still pretty good. He just had the misfortune to happen to be racing at the same time as Anquetil.

And then Anquetil retired and he had the misfortune to ride against Merckx! Unluckiest rider in Tour history?