Best overall riders in the peloton?
David Kwan
as the best overall riders in the peloton, giving equal weight to
classics, time-trialing, climbing, short stage races, and grand tours?
My ratings
1. Jalabert
2. Armstrong
3. Vandenbroucke
4. Casagrande
Actually, I think only Jalabert and Armstrong have proven results in all
categories. VDB hasn't yet proven himself in a grand tour but I expect he
will in the future. Casagrande isn't a strong time-trialist, plus he
tested positive, which casts doubt on the strength of his natural ability.
Andrew Albright
>
> With Armstrong's astounding performance at the Vuelta, who would you rate
> as the best overall riders in the peloton, giving equal weight to
> classics, time-trialing, climbing, short stage races, and grand tours?
The problem with selecting Armstrong is that he is probably a different
rider than before the cancer...basically he is lighter. I am sure a lot
of this weight lose is muscle mass. So he will do better in the hills,
but to me he will have to prove that he is still a Classics rider.
> My ratings
>
> 1. Jalabert
> 2. Armstrong
> 3. Vandenbroucke
> 4. Casagrande
1. JaJa
2. Vandenbroucke
3. BoogerD
4. Zuelle
5. Armstrong
6. Bartoli..although with one high result would jump to #1
Mark Holland
David Kwan wrote in message ...
>With Armstrong's astounding performance at the Vuelta, who would you rate
>as the best overall riders in the peloton, giving equal weight to
>classics, time-trialing, climbing, short stage races, and grand tours?
>
>
>1. Jalabert
>2. Armstrong
>3. Vandenbroucke
>4. Casagrande
>
Some of these categories are exclusive, inasmuchas being good at one means
not very good at others.
Of current riders, apart from Jalabert I can only think of Berzin and Riis
having won a major tour and a monumental classic. Berzin's Giro and Liege
wins were in the Gewiss super spring of 1994 and he's never been the same
since
Rominger won Lomardy twice, Indurain won San Sebastian in his time and Riis
won Amstel Gold last year.
What about Michele Bartoli? He's like Jalabert 3-4 years back. I watched him
come third in Giro Emila yesterday. He isn't as classy on the bike as, say,
Fondriest or Bugno but has pure brute strength. He sprints, climbs Liege and
Flanders style climbs and had the maglia rosa for a day this year. He is
also one of the few riders going well at this end of the season who did well
early on, Tafi and Jalabert are the others.
My tip for the worlds BTW
ben
>1. JaJa
>2. Vandenbroucke
>3. BoogerD
>4. Zuelle
>5. Armstrong
>6. Bartoli..although with one high result would jump to #1
Bartoli's TT is very modest and while he's unbeatable in 3km climbs,
above that he's in trouble.
Still I think he'll be the UCI N1 rider at the end of this season and
deserves so for 100 %. More so since Jalabert (according to my sources
(09/11)) is considering not to start in the WC (like Ullrich and VDB).
Zuelle is not a classic rider BTW.
David Kwan
> David Kwan wrote:
> >
> > With Armstrong's astounding performance at the Vuelta, who would you rate
> > as the best overall riders in the peloton, giving equal weight to
> > classics, time-trialing, climbing, short stage races, and grand tours?
>
> The problem with selecting Armstrong is that he is probably a different
> rider than before the cancer...basically he is lighter. I am sure a lot
> of this weight lose is muscle mass. So he will do better in the hills,
> but to me he will have to prove that he is still a Classics rider.
Yes, he is much lighter. In 1996, he was 79 kg (174 lbs.). This year he's
74 kg (163 lbs.). Right now he's 158 lbs. But even at 158 lbs, he's still
heavier than most riders of similar height. He's slightly taller (1/2
inch?) than Lemond, and Lemond usually raced at 150 lbs. Jalabert is about
the same height and weight of Lemond. So it's not like he's slimmed down
to a climber's physique. Virenque is the same height as Armstrong and
weighs 143 lbs. It's amazing how Armstrong won Fleche Wallone and the Tour
duPont at 174 lbs. He must have had one of the highest weight to height
ratios in the peloton.
Armstrong has said that almost all of the weight loss has been from his
upper body. I don't think his power has been affected. I still consider
him a top classics rider. And I'm not sure there is a definite link here
with weight. Last year Bartoli was 64 kg; this year he's 62 kg (137 lbs.)
with even better results.
> 1. JaJa
> 2. Vandenbroucke
> 3. BoogerD
> 4. Zuelle
> 5. Armstrong
> 6. Bartoli..although with one high result would jump to #1
Bartoli has said that he wants to be an all-around rider like Jalabert.
John Forrest Tomlinson
<cabell...@no-spamlycosmail.com> writes:
>What about Michele Bartoli? He's like Jalabert 3-4 years back. I
watched him
>come third in Giro Emila yesterday. He isn't as classy on the bike as,
say,
>Fondriest or Bugno but has pure brute strength. He sprints, climbs
Liege and
>Flanders style climbs and had the maglia rosa for a day this year. He
is
>also one of the few riders going well at this end of the season who
did well
>early on, Tafi and Jalabert are the others.
>
>My tip for the worlds BTW
I like Bartoli as well, and have to say that he's got more than
strength -- he's also very aero on the bike. It might not look
"classy", but it's clearly very effective.
JT
Andrew Albright
: Zuelle is not a classic rider BTW.
He's got as much of a result in classic racing than Vandenbroucke or
Boogerd (maybe) has in a GT.
Why don't you post your list, so we can nit pick it.
Andrew Albright