Best rider other than Lance
- Thread starter derKaiser
- Start date
I have to totally disagree. To find that Lance is the best rider, simply ask if any of these riders would not trade their palmares for Lance's. And the answer is NONE of them would hesitate to win 6 Tours, 1 World Championship, and several other semi-major races.
meb said:
I've always believed that the guy who wins the Tour de France is entitled to call himself the best rider in the world. It's the biggest race with the most prestige where all the biggest names in the sport gather and try their best.
To win the Tour de France 6 times in a row is not only a great cycling feat it's a great sporting achievment. It's rare in any sport that someone can win the most prestigious event in that sport 6 times.
Lance has won World Championships and classic single day road races. Does anyone seriously doubt that he could win these events now if he tried?
I would like to see him compete more as well but if I had nearly died of testicular cancer and was competing in arguably the world's toughest sport, then I too may cut back my schedule to the bare minimum to lessen the stress on my body.
As for the topic, well I think Ullrich is the next best hands down. We have never seen enough of him at his best but he has certainly had a spectacular career.
To win the Tour de France 6 times in a row is not only a great cycling feat it's a great sporting achievment. It's rare in any sport that someone can win the most prestigious event in that sport 6 times.
Lance has won World Championships and classic single day road races. Does anyone seriously doubt that he could win these events now if he tried?
I would like to see him compete more as well but if I had nearly died of testicular cancer and was competing in arguably the world's toughest sport, then I too may cut back my schedule to the bare minimum to lessen the stress on my body.
As for the topic, well I think Ullrich is the next best hands down. We have never seen enough of him at his best but he has certainly had a spectacular career.
Doping accusations aside, and defining "best" as the guy who, at the top of his game, you'd pick to win the TDF (Indy, the Superbowl, and the World Series of Cycling), I'm going with Marco. Pantani was the last guy to win the Giro and the TDF in the same year. Cleaned Ulrich's clock in '98. Not at his peak in 2000, only Armstrong could challenge him in the mountains. That year's Ventoux is still the stage I never tire of watching.
For a munchkin he time trialed well enough to hold his own until the mountains came, and showed great courage on the descents. When the road went up, he was gone, and he didn't need anyone to ride in front of him for most of the climb.
Only guy tougher mentally on the bike was/is Lance. Attack, attack, attack. When he was done...attack some more. AC/DC at a Yanni concert.
Injuries, scandal, mental problems, and ultimately tradgedy kept him from winning more, but when he was on he was remarkable.
And if you had give up everything to see one rider in his prime in this era...is there a better pick?
For a munchkin he time trialed well enough to hold his own until the mountains came, and showed great courage on the descents. When the road went up, he was gone, and he didn't need anyone to ride in front of him for most of the climb.
Only guy tougher mentally on the bike was/is Lance. Attack, attack, attack. When he was done...attack some more. AC/DC at a Yanni concert.
Injuries, scandal, mental problems, and ultimately tradgedy kept him from winning more, but when he was on he was remarkable.
And if you had give up everything to see one rider in his prime in this era...is there a better pick?
Look at the latest world rankings.
Zabel is number 1.
Armstrong is number 6. and likely to drop lower. As O'Grady is one point behind and still has more races to come.
As others have mention Armstrong is the best at the TDF.
To be the best rider in the world he needs to race more.
Zabel is number 1.
Armstrong is number 6. and likely to drop lower. As O'Grady is one point behind and still has more races to come.
As others have mention Armstrong is the best at the TDF.
To be the best rider in the world he needs to race more.
Absolutely, Lance needs to get out and race a few more times, heck, he didn't even show up at this years Olympic Games.derKaiser said:
I voted for Jalabert, but i think Paolo Bettini would have to be one of the best all-rounders. Jalabert could do it all too.
Yeah, agreed. Can't really compare this group. I mean, Zabel and Cipo are (were) great at what they do, but they're not TdF contenders. And Pantani's dead! In terms of second best TdF, you've gotta go with Ullrich, the king od 2nd place.Virenque said:
I thought I had better post because I have a message asking me 'to take the time and post...because I you havn't posted in a few weeks'!!
Lots of support for Ullrich here! Good good!! As my second best is Jan, but is he really that good? I mean he can't get himself healthy for longer than a few weeks, he has weight probs, and has form of the huge mountains in France: up and down all the time! Not to mention he is truely the bridesmaid!! But I like him anyway lol.
This is a bit of topic but I was watching the a replay of the TdF 04 the other day, just bits of it. It was called the "best of" and our spots channel here in NZ run about a 4 hour show going over all the stages etc. And I couldn't help but notice that Jan Ullrich let himself slip down the GC right from the start. And by the time it came for him to 'stand up' he was just to far behind. I know that Basso was even further than Ullrich down the GC but for somebody who wanted to win the TdF isn't it better if you keep up with the leaders? Atleast in the top 10 or so. Like Lance did. It just made me wonder what he was doing letting himself slip that far off the pace before trying to make up time. I would have thought you would try to stay up there! Can somebody let me know what you think of this? Thanks. It's probably just a case of silly Jan.....again!
Lots of support for Ullrich here! Good good!! As my second best is Jan, but is he really that good? I mean he can't get himself healthy for longer than a few weeks, he has weight probs, and has form of the huge mountains in France: up and down all the time! Not to mention he is truely the bridesmaid!! But I like him anyway lol.
This is a bit of topic but I was watching the a replay of the TdF 04 the other day, just bits of it. It was called the "best of" and our spots channel here in NZ run about a 4 hour show going over all the stages etc. And I couldn't help but notice that Jan Ullrich let himself slip down the GC right from the start. And by the time it came for him to 'stand up' he was just to far behind. I know that Basso was even further than Ullrich down the GC but for somebody who wanted to win the TdF isn't it better if you keep up with the leaders? Atleast in the top 10 or so. Like Lance did. It just made me wonder what he was doing letting himself slip that far off the pace before trying to make up time. I would have thought you would try to stay up there! Can somebody let me know what you think of this? Thanks. It's probably just a case of silly Jan.....again!
For me it is Ivan Basso. And down the road look out for Damiano Cunego. in the next couple of years. I have nothing against Lance, But he only concentrates on the Tour. If he were to win a Vuelta or a Giro then we can talk.
sportzgurl said:
He was sick when they first hit the mountains apparently. Blame it on poor preperation or whatever, it would not of been his plan to give time to any of the GC rivals. Maybe also he had planned to peak later in the race during the Alps but he wasn´t letting himself slip, he just could not keep up for whatever reason. This is a guy who has won a tour, a Vuelta, Olympic Gold and Silver not to mention many other accomplishments etc... i dont think hes all that much of a disaster as some people can make out.
