Procycling top 50 riders for 2009

iainf72
iainf72 Posts: 15,784
edited November 2009 in Pro race
Dan, Cam etc, forgive me if I'm a bit moany but I've had a rubbish week at work. :wink:

Right, this top 50. Contador #2, Cavendish #1. No issues with that. I would've swapped them but hey ho.

#3 Edwald Boasson Hagen? W.T.F? I like Eddy and all but he's won Gent-Wevelgem and Giro stage. Fair enough. But a lot of his other victories were in lesser races and he didn't even finish the Giro. He definately deserves a spot in the list but third?

Cancellera should've been higher up. Bad classics campaign but he crushed it in the Tour and Worlds.

Kloden above Basso? I know Ivan upset Procycling but c'mon

Anyone else have any thoughts?
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
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Comments

  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    Totally agree.

    Cancellara at 12 is a joke. Tyler Farrar ahead of him in 8th!!

    Couldn't really see why Lance was in 9th. Again Cancellara surely had a better year than Lance.

    EBH is flavour of the month so kind of expected him in the top few places. Personally would have placed him a few places lower.
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    What about Gilbert?
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    iainf72 wrote:
    [EBH] didn't even finish the Giro.
    What difference does that make? Btw, he did.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    micron wrote:
    What about Gilbert?

    Sixth

    The Top Ten, pop-pickers:

    10) Valverde
    9) Lance
    8) Farrar
    7)Greipel
    6) Gilbert
    5) Evans
    4) A Schleck
    3)EBH
    2) Contador
    1) Cav


    I, personally, am a bit sniffy about the fact that neither Deignan, Roche nor Martin made the list.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    How is Devolder 33rd?!?! :shock:

    Surely winning a monument should get you into the top 20 at least.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    iainf72 wrote:
    Dan, Cam etc, forgive me if I'm a bit moany but I've had a rubbish week at work. :wink:

    Right, this top 50. Contador #2, Cavendish #1. No issues with that. I would've swapped them but hey ho.

    #3 Edwald Boasson Hagen? W.T.F? I like Eddy and all but he's won Gent-Wevelgem and Giro stage. Fair enough. But a lot of his other victories were in lesser races and he didn't even finish the Giro. He definately deserves a spot in the list but third?

    Cancellera should've been higher up. Bad classics campaign but he crushed it in the Tour and Worlds.

    Kloden above Basso? I know Ivan upset Procycling but c'mon

    Anyone else have any thoughts?

    One thing i did notice I dont like the way the cobbled classics are kinda being devalued here , you can have views on how Boonen and Devolders seasons went but winning Rouxbaix and Flanders surely counts for something. For the likes of Wiggins,Haussler,Gerrans,Armstrong Kloden,Nibali to name a few to finish above those two is ridiculous imo.Agree with you about EBV third does seem exceptionally high given his results last year.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    LangerDan wrote:
    micron wrote:
    What about Gilbert?

    Sixth

    The Top Ten, pop-pickers:

    10) Valverde
    9) Lance
    8) Farrar
    7)Greipel
    6) Gilbert
    5) Evans
    4) A Schleck
    3)EBH
    2) Contador
    1) Cav


    I, personally, am a bit sniffy about the fact that neither Deignan, Roche nor Martin made the list.

    You could maybe make a case for Deignan but the other two ?
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    How could you say that Farrar, Gilbert or EBH are ahead of Cancellara?

    1st UCI Road World Championship Time Trial
    1st National Road Race Champion
    1st, Stage 1, Tour de France (ITT)
    Held Maillot Jaune from Stages 1-6
    1st Stage 1 (ITT) Vuelta a España
    1st Stage 7 (ITT) Vuelta a España
    Held Jersey Oro for Stages 1-4 & 7
    Held Maillot Combinada from Stages 1-3
    1st, Prologue, Tour of California
    1st, Overall, Tour de Suisse
    1st, Prologue
    1st, Stage 9 (ITT)
    1st, Points classification
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    donrhummy wrote:
    How could you say that Farrar, Gilbert or EBH are ahead of Cancellara?

    1st UCI Road World Championship Time Trial
    1st National Road Race Champion
    1st, Stage 1, Tour de France (ITT)
    Held Maillot Jaune from Stages 1-6
    1st Stage 1 (ITT) Vuelta a España
    1st Stage 7 (ITT) Vuelta a España
    Held Jersey Oro for Stages 1-4 & 7
    Held Maillot Combinada from Stages 1-3
    1st, Prologue, Tour of California
    1st, Overall, Tour de Suisse
    1st, Prologue
    1st, Stage 9 (ITT)
    1st, Points classification

    I agree on Farrar and EBH, but Gilbert ahead of Fab is more defendable - Gilbert was, after all the most consistent rider in the classics throughout the season, and doing the Paris-Tours and Lombardy double is a massive achievement.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    Moray Gub wrote:
    LangerDan wrote:

    I, personally, am a bit sniffy about the fact that neither Deignan, Roche nor Martin made the list.

    You could maybe make a case for Deignan but the other two ?

    Martin actually had a better year than Deignan - the fact that he had a poor Vuelta colours things slightly. All three had a more successful year than several of the Top 50.

    I wasn't looking for all 3 to be there but one could make a reasonable case for any one of them.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • maltiv
    maltiv Posts: 34
    iainf72 wrote:
    Dan, Cam etc, forgive me if I'm a bit moany but I've had a rubbish week at work. :wink:

    Right, this top 50. Contador #2, Cavendish #1. No issues with that. I would've swapped them but hey ho.

    #3 Edwald Boasson Hagen? W.T.F? I like Eddy and all but he's won Gent-Wevelgem and Giro stage. Fair enough. But a lot of his other victories were in lesser races and he didn't even finish the Giro. He definately deserves a spot in the list but third?

    Cancellera should've been higher up. Bad classics campaign but he crushed it in the Tour and Worlds.

    Kloden above Basso? I know Ivan upset Procycling but c'mon

    Anyone else have any thoughts?
    He didn't finish the Giro? In fact, he was 3. in the last stage (ITT).
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    maltiv wrote:
    He didn't finish the Giro? In fact, he was 3. in the last stage (ITT).

    I don't know what kind of idiotic search I did but I missed that. Sorry fans :)
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    ok cav won milan san remo but otherthan that there is no reason he should be any higher than cancellara so how farar and griepel are ahead of fab is beyond me, btw i am not saying cav shouldn't be top 3 as he is clearly awesome but he does get lots of results thanks to his team whereas most of cancellaras are all on his own
  • maltiv
    maltiv Posts: 34
    I don't think you should care too much about this list, as it's clearly made by someone who has no clue whatsoever. Cancellara not in top 10, while Lance is, is indeed hilarious.
  • maltiv
    maltiv Posts: 34
    edited November 2009
    edit: wups, double post.

    I just don't think a guy who hasn't even been close to winning anything at all should be above a lot of those people on the list. Had it not been for the TTT, Armstrong would've had a much worse placing on the GT.

    This list is about the best cyclists through the whole year, and Armstrong being completely invisible in both the spring season and fall doesn't exactly qualify for a spot in the top 10 imo. I also find it quite surprising that they don't have Thor Hushovd on the list, who is one of the only sprinters this year to beat cavendish a few times, as well as his impressive performances in the mountains to get the points jersey in the tour. He also got 3. in Paris-Roubaix, 3. in Milan-Sanremo etc.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    maltiv wrote:
    I don't think you should care too much about this list, as it's clearly made by someone who has no clue whatsoever. Cancellara not in top 10, while Lance is, is indeed hilarious.[/quote

    coming 3rd in TDF off a 4 year break at 38 is not worth a mention? Forgot all the livestorng stuff and LA spin-i dislike most of what he says and does too..the exploitation of the health issue for a political career and so...BUT you should purely look at the athletic aspect...it's an impressive return and that is why is is there.....for those following in the 1980s...it's like seeing Hinault back at the TDF 1990 after retirnment in 1986 and racing Chiapucci and Indurain,....you woud all have said that was incredible had Hinault done it and come 3rd...why is LA's 3rd place so hilarious? Also, if you late 30s...it shows you can still race the young guys at whatever level you compete at...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    The following are a much better indication of reality in my opinion.

    CQ Top 10

    1. VALVERDE
    2. CONTADOR
    3. EVANS
    4. CAVENDISH
    5. GILBERT
    6. BOASSON HAGEN
    7. SANCHEZ
    8. CANCELLARA
    9. FARRAR
    10. GREIPEL

    UCI Top 10

    1 Contador
    2 Valverde
    3 Sanchez
    4 Schleck
    5 Evans
    6 Boasson Hagen
    7 Kreuziger
    8 Cavendish
    9 Gilbert
    10 Gesink
    Contador is the Greatest
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    How the heck is Valverde not one of the top three. He, Contador and Cav should be untouchable in any form of ranking.

    Also winning Paris Roubaix oughta be better than monstering stages in Poland and the Tour Down Under

    Armstrong deserves his place. Top 3 in the Tour at his age has to be top 10 for the season. Dave's Hinault comparison is a good one.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    frenchfighter wrote:
    The following are a much better indication of reality in my opinion.

    CQ Top 10

    1. VALVERDE
    2. CONTADOR
    3. EVANS
    4. CAVENDISH
    5. GILBERT
    6. BOASSON HAGEN
    7. SANCHEZ
    8. CANCELLARA
    9. FARRAR
    10. GREIPEL

    UCI Top 10

    1 Contador
    2 Valverde
    3 Sanchez
    4 Schleck
    5 Evans
    6 Boasson Hagen
    7 Kreuziger
    8 Cavendish
    9 Gilbert
    10 Gesink

    Cav being behind EBH and Sanchez and Kreuziger is an absolute nonsense.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    1. MARK CAVENDISH (GB - Columbia HTC) - 3193
    2. Alberto Contador (Esp - Astana) - 3065
    3. Alejandro Valverde (Esp - Caisse d'Epargne) - 2723
    4. Fabian Cancellara (Sui - Saxo Bank) - 2175
    5. Philippe Gilbert (Bel - Silence-Lotto) - 2123
    6. Tom Boonen (Bel- Quick Step) - 1818
    7. Cadel Evans (Aus- Silence-Lotto) - 1665
    8. Denis Menchov (Rus- Rabobank) - 1630
    9. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor- Columbia HTC) - 1570
    10. Andre Greipel (All- Columbia HTC) - 1540

    europsorts rankings based on top 10 placings and top 20 at gt i think it is th ebest so far
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Dave_1 wrote:
    maltiv wrote:
    I don't think you should care too much about this list, as it's clearly made by someone who has no clue whatsoever. Cancellara not in top 10, while Lance is, is indeed hilarious.[/quote

    coming 3rd in TDF off a 4 year break at 38 is not worth a mention? Forgot all the livestorng stuff and LA spin-i dislike most of what he says and does too..the exploitation of the health issue for a political career and so...BUT you should purely look at the athletic aspect...it's an impressive return and that is why is is there.....for those following in the 1980s...it's like seeing Hinault back at the TDF 1990 after retirnment in 1986 and racing Chiapucci and Indurain,....you woud all have said that was incredible had Hinault done it and come 3rd...why is LA's 3rd place so hilarious? Also, if you late 30s...it shows you can still race the young guys at whatever level you compete at...

    Dave you have to understand a lot of posters in here seem to be incapable of putting personal dislike of Lance to one side when passing comment on his results
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • maltiv
    maltiv Posts: 34
    So 3. in tour de france and nothing else is worth 9., while 4. in Tour de France (which would be 3. if not counting the TTT) + actually winning something else is worth a 20th? Hmm.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Oh, I wouldn't worry about Moray. He's just bored and baiting, again.
    Likes to drop Lance into his every sentence, so he can accuse others of being obsessive!

    Talking of which, I'm surprised that no one has passed comment upon the little piece in PC, that's on page 58. Its a little tidbit in the article on Contador in the Top 50 list.
    Would go well with the "Twitter War", on the Astana/Contador thread. :wink:

    Where is Ivan Basso on said list, I would ask?
    Surely, a guy who has finished 2 GT's in the top 5, should also make the cut?
    Eurosport's ranking looks to be more balanced, IMO.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    I think Roche should've got an entry for his great riding this year. His ride in this years tour was fantastic... so glad to see Gerrans in there, he's been outstanding this season..
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    It's a shame Cavendish has no real opposition apart from on his own team :wink: It's a little bit quantity over quality.

    I have to agree with a comment MG made earlier in the thread re: the way certain results are weighted. Yet again the overwhelming emphasis is on the GTs and not enough recognition given to the quality of the racing in the Classics.

    Gilbert and Cancellara behind EBH is a joke, though - I presume he ranks highly now he's the Sky poster boy? Not deriding him, as he's clearly a huge talent but 2 minor Tours and a semi-Classic v a late season Classics double, a Giro stage and top 5 plaings in 3 of the Classics? But it seems stage races, however minor, rank more highly than the RvV and LBL - shame.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    micron wrote:
    It's a shame Cavendish has no real opposition apart from on his own team :wink: It's a little bit quantity over quality.

    That's the curse of the truly great sportsman - they're so good that everyone thinks that the opposition is weak, when in reality they're the same level as usual (see also Tiger Woods, Michael Johnson, Ed Moses, Roger Federer (before another true great came along), etc, etc)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    edited November 2009
    maltiv wrote:
    So 3. in tour de france and nothing else is worth 9., while 4. in Tour de France (which would be 3. if not counting the TTT) + actually winning something else is worth a 20th? Hmm.

    Look its is as simple as this Lance finished ahead of Wiggins in the Tour irrespective of how he acheived it or whatever, there is an old saying if my auntie had baws she would be my uncle think that applies in this case.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Oh, I wouldn't worry about Moray. He's just bored and baiting, again.
    .

    For baiting read.............having alternative opinions to the forum sheep.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    micron wrote:
    IClassics? But it seems stage races, however minor, rank more highly than the RvV and LBL - shame.

    And the daddy of them all.......Roubaix
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Oh, I wouldn't worry about Moray. He's just bored and baiting, again.
    Likes to drop Lance into his every sentence, so he can accuse others of being obsessive!

    Talking of which, I'm surprised that no one has passed comment upon the little piece in PC, .

    Seems to me like someone is probably


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    Gasping - but somehow still alive !

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