Greatest Rider never to win a Grand Tour
tailwindhome
Posts: 19,436
The doubling up thread got me thinking - who is the greatest rider never to win a Grand Tour?
Obviously I'll have little patience for anyone introducing doping talk or dumb suggestions
We're talking about riders who would be targeting GTs?
Of the current generation ---- J Rod?
Chiapucci with 6 podium finishes?
Obviously I'll have little patience for anyone introducing doping talk or dumb suggestions
We're talking about riders who would be targeting GTs?
Of the current generation ---- J Rod?
Chiapucci with 6 podium finishes?
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
0
Comments
-
Yep, Purito and Chiapucci probably top the list. Purito missing out by 16 seconds
How about Hennie Kuiper? 11 top 10s across GTs, 2 TdF podiums.
Or Beloki - 4 GT top 10s, 4 podiums
Others maybe Sanchez, Virenque, Armstrong...0 -
Yep, Purito and Chiapucci probably top the list. Purito missing out by 16 seconds
How about Hennie Kuiper? 11 top 10s across GTs, 2 TdF podiums.
Or Beloki - 4 GT top 10s, 4 podiums
Others maybe Sanchez, Virenque, Armstrong...
I will never get over Purito losing the Giro. To Hesjedal, of all people 0 -
Surprised, perhaps in a good way that most of the true GC riders, even going way back, did end up with an overall win at some stage in their careers. I think you've pretty much nailed ot tbh. Next up on the current list would be Sammy Sánchez imo, with a couple of podium finishes in La Vuelta.0
-
Surprised, perhaps in a good way that most of the true GC riders, even going way back, did end up with an overall win at some stage in their careers.
Vuelta seems to be a life saver for many...
Incidentally, good piece on Chiapucci in Richard Moore's Etape about his 1992 tour stage win...0 -
I was going to say Poulidor - but luckily checked my facts first. turns out he DID win a GT - the Vuelta in 1964 - but also had 9 GT podium finishes.0
-
-
Kloden. Even Sagan would struggle to finish 2nd to nobody and Pereiro who is essentially nobody.0
-
Roger de Vlaeminck.
No contest. He won 11 monuments, second only to Merckx, stages in all three GTs, and multiple stage races, but never came close to a GT.0 -
Fabs gets a high score, in the PCS rankings at least, but 6 GT finishes out of 18 starts and a best result of 64th says it all - not his target.0
-
Roger de Vlaeminck.
No contest. He won 11 monuments, second only to Merckx, stages in all three GTs, and multiple stage races, but never came close to a GT.
or Van Looy...
37 grand tour stages, 8 monuments, 2 WCs, 1 Olympic gold0 -
There are a few if you go right back - some guy with 3 Tour podiums and a 4th place who never won a grand tour - as has been said though in recent times most of the real contenders other than those mentioned did bag at least one.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
-
If we're talking GC guys then Poulidor, Millar. Bernard
Non- GC guys you'd be here all day: Boonen, De Vlaeminck, Museeuw, Cancellara, Purito, Cavendish, Friere etc etc etc etc"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
-
Roger is a good shout.
But was he ever a GT guy?
A couple from the 80s/90s - Parra, MottetIt's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0 -
Roger de Vlaeminck.
No contest. He won 11 monuments, second only to Merckx, stages in all three GTs, and multiple stage races, but never came close to a GT.
or Van Looy...
37 grand tour stages, 8 monuments, 2 WCs, 1 Olympic gold
+1. It is either Van Looy (only one to win all eight great classics) or De Vlaeminck.
Of modern riders I would pick CancellaraIt's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
Not to everyone's taste I know but Valverde has to be on this list. The guy is pure quality.0
-
Cancellara? Great rider but never been a GC contender in a GT. he's a TT prologue guy.Bianchi Infinito CV
Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
Brompton S Type
Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
Gary Fisher Aquila '98
Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem0 -
Not to everyone's taste I know but Valverde has to be on this list. The guy is pure quality.
He won the Vuelta.0 -
Voeckler? 20 days with the yellow jersey, second only to Fabs of the none TDF winners0
-
Not to everyone's taste I know but Valverde has to be on this list. The guy is pure quality.
He won the Vuelta.
Yeah, won the Vuelta in 2009 and was banned for doping in 2010....
Pissoir Pierre obviously hit the wrong target in the Tour.0 -
Geminiani - 6 podiums, mountains prize in Tour and Giro, 3 top tens in a single year.0
-
As well as the already-named Rodriguez, Beloki, etc, I think Erik Breukink worth a mention. His record was about the same as that of Kuiper, Virenque and Mottet - 2 podiums and 6 top-ten placings.
Hermann Van Springel also deserves a mention, 2 podiums and 4 top-ten placings, but especially because he lost overall victory in the '68 TdF on the very last day, a TT. (So Fignon in ’89 wasn’t the first to experience that).
If non-GT-contenders riders are considered, it has to be Roger De Vlaeminck.0 -
Roger is a good shout.
But was he ever a GT guy?
A couple from the 80s/90s - Parra, Mottet
He won the Tour of Switzerland, and finished 4th and 7th at the Giro.0 -
Robert Millar?0
-
Cancellara for me. Fits the criteria of the question. He hasn't won one. Doesn't say anything about whether they've targeted winning one.
Re Valverde, never been a fan for the reasons of which we'll not speak but, I have begrudgingly had to acknowledge over the last two years that he is an amazing competitor. Not the most gifted (but obviously no slouch) but somebody who gets the absolute most of themselves and a sharp racing mind. Lights up a race. Bah humbug.0 -
Cancellara for me. Fits the criteria of the question. He hasn't won one. Doesn't say anything about whether they've targeted winning one.
Actually it does say just that in the first post.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
B@llocks. That's me toldCancellara for me. Fits the criteria of the question. He hasn't won one. Doesn't say anything about whether they've targeted winning one.
Actually it does say just that in the first post. my bad. In that case, Floyd Landis. 0 -
B@llocks. That's me toldCancellara for me. Fits the criteria of the question. He hasn't won one. Doesn't say anything about whether they've targeted winning one.
Actually it does say just that in the first post. my bad. In that case, Floyd Landis.
We're through the looking glass now. I vote Lance!0
