Greatest Roadies of all times

[fritman]

Sure to spark a debate. Saw this online http://www.thevirtualmusette.com/. Seems a pretty good list to me and not much I would change.

[Slammin]

I've always thought Merkx to be the best there ever was and maybe ever will be. He rode all year and contested all major euro races, the guy was prolific. But is he as good as riders he never raced against? Lance? Indurain? We'll never know....

A Rhetorical question but if you had a time machine and put all these riders at their peak in the same road race/grand tour who would win? Now that would be worth watching!!

[fritman]

So many ifs and buts. One thing that is hard to take into account is team. lance had a sensational team which was really strong and would deliver him to the end for him to finish it off with ruthless efficiency, amazing to watch. Riders like Pantani, lemond, fignon never had great teams around them and would still win. They had good teams that would shelter them but never be sitting in a line 4 or 5 deep at the bottom of the last climb like US Postal/Disco. Banesto with Big Mig started to relly define the art of the team delivering a rider but lances crew took it to a whole new level. Bring on the time machine, imagine the pirate v the cannibal v the eagle on massive mountain stage.

[BOMA]

One on one... I'd pick Indurain over Lance.

Overall... Merckx record will never be bettered.

Barring a confirmation of doping or a serious injury, Contador will crack the top 20 before he is done.

Good to see Zulle in there; for some reason he always stood out for me watching the Tour in the summer with his funny hexagonal glasses!!