greatest champion?

[VamP]

I am not sure if he is the greatest (or how you define that) but I really rate Bernard Hinault. Finished 1st or 2nd in every single TdF that he has entered. That is hard to credit.


My favourite t-shirt has a pic of Bernard Hinault climbing to Alpe'd Huez in 1986.

 

[asterix]

For me the greatest champions are the earliest ones whose task was much harder than the modern day riders. And there is the memorable but unlucky Christophe.

 

[pubrunner]

Eddy Merckx, by a mile.

During his peak years Merckx had a 35% win ratio. That is absolutely phenomenal in road cycling, no one else has even come close.

Merckx was a wonderful cyclist; but he was caught for having used drugs a few times ??? Doesn't that taint his record ?

 

[pubrunner]

Beryl Burton, not many men could beat her, in the 25 mile National Time Trial for instance she won it 26 times from 1958 - 1986 but only won the 50 TT 24 times and the 100 mile 18 times. Quite unbelievable.

+1

Beryl Burton won everything (repeatedly) that was available at the time (she missed out on the chance of Olympic medals, because female cycling wasn't included in the Olympics until 1984 and she was too old by then). She won the World Championship 7 times, despite the fact that they never held time trials in her day, which was her speciality.

 

[yello]

Merckx for me too, for the broad range of his palmares as much as the sheer number of his successes.

 

[kips]

how about this man

 

[david k]

what about him kips?

 

[lukesdad]

Just had a flick through road cyclings hall of fame, and their top 25. interesting reading Merckx sits at the top. No surprise there, and the multi winning grand tour riders following on then single tour winners etc. What astounds me is there is no place for De Vlaeminck 3 paris roubaix 3 milan san remo and a host of other classics, and all won in the era of merkx surely some mistake.

 

[4F]

Merckx gets my vote as well

 

[HLaB]

Merckx was the best in the world. I'm a little biased though and would say the best in Britain was either Obree or Robert Millar.

 

[raindog]

Just had a flick through road cyclings hall of fame, and their top 25. interesting reading Merckx sits at the top. No surprise there, and the multi winning grand tour riders following on then single tour winners etc. What astounds me is there is no place for De Vlaeminck 3 paris roubaix 3 milan san remo and a host of other classics, and all won in the era of merkx surely some mistake.

It all depends what criteria are used and who makes the list up.

here are three different ones

Cycle Ranking

Merckx
Kelly
Bartali
Joop
Moser
Gimondi
Poulidor
Hinault
de Vlaeminck
Anquetil

Virtual Musette

Merckx
Hinault
Coppi
Bartali
Anquetil
Van Looy
Kelly
de Vlaeminck
Moser
Armstrong

Cycling Hall of Fame

Merckx
Hinault
Armstrong
Anqeutil
Coppi
Indurain
Bartali
Bobet
Gimondi

There are three vids on youtube showing the "Top 30 Cyclists Of All Time" from 30 down to 1st - everyone has their own list but they're good fun.
Here's the first - the other two are there on the side somewhere

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLhp5c79xuY&feature=player_embedded

 

[seadragonpisces]

For me:

Mario Cipollini and Miguel Indurain

 

[Paulus]

I would say Eddie Merckx. I was 13 when he won the TDF for the first time and he grabbed my attention. His Palmares far outweighs most others. He used to race from the start of the season to the end, week in, week out.

 

[lukesdad]

Thats better raindog

As a kid I can remember the world of sport coverage when they used to show the classics in between the horse racing. Got me hooked on cycling, and de Vlaeminck was the star.

 

[kips]

what about him kips?

just think sean kelly would be up there, maybe not the greatest grand tour rider,
but plenty great races he won!!