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Greatest British Cyclist

TheBigBeanTheBigBean Posts: 11,494
edited May 2018 in Pro race
It has been discussed on here before, but I could only find separate threads for men and women. Anyway, this is Matt Slater's top 10.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/33663653

Not sure I agree as I think he has overvalued TTs and track, but it is an interesting discussion. Personally, I'd have Cavendish as number 1 (no mention of MSR). Froome has the potential to surpass him, but he'd need a few more GTs.

Edit - should probably list them.

10. Laura Trott
9. Tom Simpson
8. Robert Millar
7. Sir Chris Hoy
6. Chris Boardman
5. Beryl Burton
4. Nicole Cooke
3. Chris Froome
2. Mark Cavendish
1. Sir Bradley Wiggins
«13456789

Posts

  • jezzpalmerjezzpalmer Posts: 389
    Still Wiggo for me, Froome has potential if he diversifies a bit or does a double.
  • mrushtonmrushton Posts: 5,182
    Wiggins has an extensive palmares but when you consider that Burton was a champion for years in a sport that didn't really recognize women and Cooke was almost persona non grata at British Cycling then they should have been higher. Simpson rode in 'The Foreign Legion' those riders who took a chance on being able to ride at the highest levels in Europe in a 'sink or swim' mode
    M.Rushton
  • TurfleTurfle Posts: 3,762
    This question gets harder each year. Just going over the recent 3 contenders:

    2 time Tour de France winner, 3(?) other GT podiums, plus assorted stage wins, plus assorted stage race wins.

    vs Tour de France winner, 2 other GT podiums, World TT Champion, Olympic TT champ, 3 (?) time Olympic champ on the track, countless world track medals, Hour Record.

    vs 26 Tour stage wins, 1 green jersey, 15 Giro stages (1 red jersey). 3 Vuelta stages (1green jersey), MSR, World RR champ.

    Palmares wise I gotta go for Wiggo still. However, head to head in the Tour I'd be going Froome the whole way.
  • ProssPross Posts: 24,960
    Laura Trott in the top 10? WTF? Even if he wanted another woman in there I would have chosen Pendleton or Armistead above her. Also, it's a tough choice but I'd have Beryl as the best woman over Cooke - different eras though so Burton probably got less chance to race the world's best.
  • andyracandyrac Posts: 498
    The list just mentions British cyclists - and leaves off any of the successful MTB Downhillers...pretty poor really.


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  • robnewcastlerobnewcastle Posts: 214
    Wiggins if you look at cycling across the board. Froome has now won two and is likely to win more and probably either the Vuelta or Giro at some point. Definitely up there as a true great British sportsman but I doubt he'll get the recognition with the general public like Wiggins did.
  • cal_stewartcal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    Simpson only 9? Got to be number 6 for me, also burton 2nd maybe even first for me.
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  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 6,250
    For my money Simpson is head and shoulders above Boardman and Robert Millar.

    Not sure about comparing track sprinters to road riders but if Hoy is there Pendleton has to be too. If we are going to have track sprinters what about downhill mountain bike and BMX though ?

    Trott's inclusion is a bit of a puzzle.
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  • Karlos69Karlos69 Posts: 107
    No mention of Jimmy Saville
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  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 10,080
    Slightly weird list.

    It's strange to have both men and women in it, mainly because the opportunities for competition are so different. Women don't even have chance to win a Tour de France, unfortunately.

    It's also hard enough to measure stage winning sprinters against GC winning riders, let alone mixing track into it. It begs the question of which disciplines should be included.

    Personally, the most impressive, inspiring rider I can think of is Tommy Goodwin, but that would really be comparing apples to pears to oranges to grapes to bananas.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

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  • dolan_driverdolan_driver Posts: 821
    1. Wiggins.
    2. Froome.
    3. Cavendish.
    4. Millar (Robert).

    DD.
  • takethehighroadtakethehighroad Posts: 5,686
    I always found Matt Slater a bit of an censored , and he's proved it with this list.

    As mentioned above, including Trott is weird. Plus, I heart Cav, so he has to be number one
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  • mfinmfin Posts: 6,724
    Top 10s like this are complete censored anyway and there's no debate to be had really. Even the article's preamble serves for not much but for the guy to acknowledge this.
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    The telegraph scraped the barrel of wde eyed hyperbole yesterday and proclaimed thatFroome now bears comparison to Merckx. The only valid comparison I can see is that both their surnames have six letters.

    Presumably the purpose was to introduce their MAMIL audience to Eddy Merckx.
    "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'"

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  • Richmond Racer 2Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19666595#p19666595]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:
    The telegraph scraped the barrel of wde eyed hyperbole yesterday and proclaimed thatFroome now bears comparison to Merckx. The only valid comparison I can see is that both their surnames have six letters.

    Presumably the purpose was to introduce their MAMIL audience to Eddy Merckx.


    WHAT?? Ridiculous stuff
  • mamba80mamba80 Posts: 5,086
    Nicole Cooke should be number one or Cav
    As for Froome as much as i admire him, he isnt British, he is African, born in Kenya, rasied in SA.
  • fnb1fnb1 Posts: 591
    so to be clear, the greatest British cyclist was born in Belgium to Anglo Australian parents and the 3rd place goes to a Kenyan?
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  • top_bhoytop_bhoy Posts: 1,421
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19666632#p19666632]fnb1[/url] wrote:
    so to be clear, the greatest British cyclist was born in Belgium to Anglo Australian parents and the 3rd place goes to a Kenyan?
    You forgot to include that no.2 on the list was born overseas as well :lol:
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  • CYCLESPORT1CYCLESPORT1 Posts: 471
    What if we said "The Best English Cyclist" ?
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19666699#p19666699]CYCLESPORT1[/url] wrote:
    What if we said "The Best English Cyclist" ?

    Define English
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • Wallace and GromitWallace and Gromit Posts: 1,561
    Top four seems reasonable to me. I think you could put Cav, Cooke and Froome in any order 2-4. Wiggo wins by dint of variety and longevity. When Froome wins a bunch sprint I might re-assess things!

    I don't think Burton can be sensibly compared to current riders given the way the sport has changed since her day.
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19666632#p19666632]fnb1[/url] wrote:
    so to be clear, the greatest British cyclist was born in Belgium to Anglo Australian parents and the 3rd place goes to a Kenyan?
    Indeed. First generation "expat" kids do have the right though to think of themselves as the same nationality as their parents don't they? I know I would if I was born anywhere else but England and my parents and grandparents etc were all English. Try telling that nonsense to the children of Irish or Scottish kids born in England. So Froome is English stop pretending he is not.
  • hypsterhypster Posts: 1,183
    I remember a time not too long ago when you would struggle to compile a list of ten top British cyclists!

    Pointless journalistic nonsense as you can't compare different disciplines and eras at all and it all becomes very subjective anyway. They do it all the time with all sorts of sports just to fill column inches.
  • FocusZingFocusZing Posts: 4,416
    "Froome was born on 20 May 1985 in Nairobi , Kenya, to mother Jane and father Clive, a former hockey player who represented England at under-19 level. His mother's parents emigrated from Tetbury , Gloucestershire, England to Kenya to run a crop farm."

    Granted Chris Froome lives in Monaco now. That's why have a lot of respect for Sir Bradley Wiggins, very proud of Olympic wins and lives here. I still have respect for Chris Froome though, his choice.
  • symosymo Posts: 1,743
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19666878#p19666878]FocusZing[/url] wrote:
    "Froome was born on 20 May 1985 in Nairobi , Kenya, to mother Jane and father Clive, a former hockey player who represented England at under-19 level. His mother's parents emigrated from Tetbury , Gloucestershire, England to Kenya to run a crop farm."

    Granted Chris Froome lives in Monaco now. That's why have a lot of respect for Sir Bradley Wiggins, very proud of Olympic wins and lives here. I still have respect for Chris Froome though, his choice.

    Wiggins yes pays his taxes in UK, but Froome, wants to have the UK support without contributing back his taxes.
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  • EnacheVEnacheV Posts: 235
    Imo there is no competition

    2 x TDF , 1 x 2nd TdF , 2 x 2nd Vuelta , lots of other 1 week races and stages

    Froome is the best british cyclist ever by a huge margin.

    Remember that the other british TdF victory was by Wiggins when Froome was not allowed to compete for win.
  • milton50milton50 Posts: 3,892
    1. Froome
    2. Simpson
    3. Wiggins

    Any questions?
  • Richmond Racer 2Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19667032#p19667032]Milton50[/url] wrote:
    1. Froome
    2. Simpson
    3. Wiggins

    Any questions?


    Is it a poll of the greatest performer in Grand Tours? Then Froome

    Otherwise, no.

    When Froome has a stripey jersey, then lets talk.
  • milton50milton50 Posts: 3,892
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19667037#p19667037]Richmond Racer 2[/url] wrote:
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19667032#p19667032]Milton50[/url] wrote:
    1. Froome
    2. Simpson
    3. Wiggins

    Any questions?


    Is it a poll of the greatest performer in Grand Tours? Then Froome

    Otherwise, no.

    When Froome has a stripey jersey, then lets talk.

    No, just best overall cyclist. Actually I should have put Cavendish ahead of Simpson. World TT is beneath all of the monuments in my eyes.
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Wiggins 2012 has to be the best single season by a British cyclist of all times.
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
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