Is a TDF win worth more than a Giro-Vuelta double?
Just came to me that Landa and Aru are going well so far in the Vuelta and both showed well in the Giro.
The gap in the schedule between the Giro and the Vuelta would seem to make them the logical double but I rarely hear talk of it - mind you I'm not as obsessive as some so it may be quite a popular double.
Anyway, is the TDF perceived as being worth more than a Giro-Vuelta double by the pro-peloton? Is this why everyone targets the TDF first and then fits everything else around it?
The gap in the schedule between the Giro and the Vuelta would seem to make them the logical double but I rarely hear talk of it - mind you I'm not as obsessive as some so it may be quite a popular double.
Anyway, is the TDF perceived as being worth more than a Giro-Vuelta double by the pro-peloton? Is this why everyone targets the TDF first and then fits everything else around it?
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the tours field is generally regarded as the cream of the crop, wheras there are often certain "obligations" for Italian riders to do the Giro and spanish teams and riders to do the Vuelta. the depth of talent for the vuelta is staggering this year, but as you've seen re yesterdays stage it looks like a fair few of them have over egged the tour and can't stay the pace with the fresher ex giro and Spring classics riders.
So, yes. in terms of racing though you'll often find the giro and vuelta to be the better spectacle.0 -
That's a yes from me.0
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Anyway, is the TDF perceived as being worth more than a Giro-Vuelta double by the pro-peloton? Is this why everyone targets the TDF first and then fits everything else around it?
Yes. The TDF is not just head and shoulders above the Giro and Vuelta, it's practically in orbit.
You could literally win the Giro and Vuelta every single year for 10 years and not have your name known outside of cycling.
Win the Tour once or even just put in a good performance and you're a household name.0 -
In purely cycling achievement, I'd say Giro + Vuelta > Tour.
But in terms of public and commercial interest it's no contest. I'm not saying I like that, it's just a fact.It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0 -
Depends if you are talking about to the cycling fan or the non cycling fan; specifically British and Americans.
A Giro/Vuelta double > TDFContador is the Greatest0 -
Depends if you are talking about to the cycling fan or the non cycling fan; specifically British and Americans.
A Giro/Vuelta double > TDF
Well the question is 'worth', worth what and to whom? In terms of sponsorship for the teams / riders, then you're still talking about the TDF being worth more than a Giro / Vuelta double.0 -
Depends what he suggests to mean by worth. I wouldn't disagree that from a financial perspective the Tour dominates:
The Tour de France dominates the commercial value of cycling, accounting for nearly four fifths of many WorldTour team's annual exposure.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cyclingnews-presents-the-first-sponsorship-report-on-professional-cycling/
But I am talking of worth more in terms of to a cycling fan.Contador is the Greatest0 -
The Tour de France is the pinnacle of the sport and trumps pretty much everything. It's where the big guns turn up on peak form. If someone does the GV double my first question is why did you miss the Tour?
Similarly in athletics a 100m Olympic gold is worth more than a worlds 100/200 double even though the 100m fields might be identical.Twitter: @RichN950 -
and yet, once you're into multiple wins they all seem to blend together such that we talk a number of GT wins, eg Contador has won 8-10 GTs, not 2-3 TdFs0
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That's just context though, you'll never be able to factor that out
Nibali has won 3 GTs but they ve all been against weakened fields and no one thinks of them that highly. The flipside of 3 GT wins is that he couldnt even beat Chris Horner or Bradly WigginsWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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There is something called the Grand Tour Triple Crown. Brits and Americans have probably never heard of it. For those real cycling fans, it means a huge deal.
The list reads:
Jaques Anquetil
Felice Gimondi
Eddy Merckx
Bernard Hinault
Alberto Contador
Vincenzo Nibali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Cycling
There is a list on that link too for winning two Grand Tours in year. Been achieved only 15 times.Contador is the Greatest0 -
No there isn't. For a start no-one even called them Grand Tours until about 10-20 years ago. And then, in sports, triple crowns and grand slams are done in the same year. The cycling triple crown was always Giro-Tour-Worlds.There is something called the Grand Tour Triple Crown.Twitter: @RichN950 -
There is something called the Grand Tour Triple Crown. Brits and Americans have probably never heard of it. For those real cycling fans, it means a huge deal.
The list reads:
Jaques Anquetil
Felice Gimondi
Eddy Merckx
Bernard Hinault
Alberto Contador
Vincenzo Nibali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Cycling
There is a list on that link too for winning two Grand Tours in year. Been achieved only 15 times.
It's only worthy of mention if they've won more than one in the same year though...0 -
The lists stands regardless Rich, it is used in both ways. Grand Tour Triple Crown or Triple Crown. The second has not had much relevance for a while given it is so rare a GT guy these days will be a contender in the Worlds.
As you know this is Alberto's shoes. It was made for him by an Italian company (ie/. a country who know what they are talking about) after he made the GT Triple Crown live once again.Contador is the Greatest0 -
There is something called the Grand Tour Triple Crown. Brits and Americans have probably never heard of it. For those real cycling fans, it means a huge deal.
The list reads:
Jaques Anquetil
Felice Gimondi
Eddy Merckx
Bernard Hinault
Alberto Contador
Vincenzo Nibali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Cycling
There is a list on that link too for winning two Grand Tours in year. Been achieved only 15 times.
It's only worthy of mention if they've won more than one in the same year though...
Maybe to you but to the vast majority of real cycling fans, winning 3 different GTs regardless of the year they were won is a significant milestone.Contador is the Greatest0 -
The lists stands regardless Rich, it is used in both ways. Grand Tour Triple Crown or Triple Crown. The second has not had much relevance for a while given it is so rare a GT guy these days will be a contender in the Worlds.
As you know this is Alberto's shoes. It was made for him by an Italian company (ie/. a country who know what they are talking about) after he made the GT Triple Crown live once again.
Wow! Soleful picture0 -
There is something called the Grand Tour Triple Crown. Brits and Americans have probably never heard of it. For those real cycling fans, it means a huge deal.
The list reads:
Jaques Anquetil
Felice Gimondi
Eddy Merckx
Bernard Hinault
Alberto Contador
Vincenzo Nibali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Cycling
There is a list on that link too for winning two Grand Tours in year. Been achieved only 15 times.
It's only worthy of mention if they've won more than one in the same year though...
Maybe to you but to the vast majority of real cycling fans, winning 3 different GTs regardless of the year they were won is a significant milestone.
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The answer is that he's posting all the time on here!Is it worth asking again who and where these mythical real cycling fans are?0 -
There is something called the Grand Tour Triple Crown. Brits and Americans have probably never heard of it. For those real cycling fans, it means a huge deal.
The list reads:
Jaques Anquetil
Felice Gimondi
Eddy Merckx
Bernard Hinault
Alberto Contador
Vincenzo Nibali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Cycling
There is a list on that link too for winning two Grand Tours in year. Been achieved only 15 times.
It's only worthy of mention if they've won more than one in the same year though...
Maybe to you but to the vast majority of real cycling fans, winning 3 different GTs regardless of the year they were won is a significant milestone.
Is it worth more than winning say, the Tour twice and the Giro? I think I'd be more impressed by someone who could win the Tour and Paris-Roubaix, or Flanders and the Vuelta, because those require different strengths.
For that matter, is your "triple crown" worth more than the Tour and the hour record and six Olympic golds? :twisted:0 -
It's amazing that in over quarter of a million users, we only have one true cycling fan.
Wiggins beats them all, he has won over various courses and disciplines.0 -
Your OP asks "Worth" and for Financial reasons the answer is yes and very much so because of the worldwide media coverage which comes from it's longer history.
We most of us refuse the Fraudulent wins of armstrong but what he did do was make the TDF very international and this brought the large number of Non Cycling Morons who only know about the TDF.
So, as a former amateur racing cyclist I find the tour is the least exciting GT but I do get carried along with all it's Hype and the excellent organisation and government mandate to supply the Police/Gendarmarie from miles around.
I do love the Dolomites.Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
Born in Belgium but has he ever won a road race there. ??
Wiggins beats them all, he has won over various courses and disciplines.
I am a Wiggo fan though. (well he has raced on proper outdoor tracks)Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
You hardly ever hear a pro say positive things about the TdF fans or about the country but regarding Spain and particularly Italy, you hear a lot.So, as a former amateur racing cyclist I find the tour is the least exciting GT
Real cycling fan talking.Contador is the Greatest0 -
If you could draw up a list of the top, say 30, GC contenders this season - let's imagine for a moment that it's possible to do that with some kind of objectivity - then what proportion of them would you find at each race? That would seem to be a relevant question to me.0
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An alternative question: Can anyone name a World Tour team that didn't turn up to the Tour with their best GC rider?If you could draw up a list of the top, say 30, GC contenders this season - let's imagine for a moment that it's possible to do that with some kind of objectivity - then what proportion of them would you find at each race? That would seem to be a relevant question to me.Twitter: @RichN950 -
An alternative question: Can anyone name a World Tour team that didn't turn up to the Tour with their best GC rider?If you could draw up a list of the top, say 30, GC contenders this season - let's imagine for a moment that it's possible to do that with some kind of objectivity - then what proportion of them would you find at each race? That would seem to be a relevant question to me.
Astana?It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0
