Over a century of breathtaking Grand Tour moments has given us some of the most accomplished road riders in history. Professional cycling is where one’s speed, strength and endurance is put to the test, and there have been many who met these standards with utmost excellence. We’ve seen the best cyclist ever in one of them.
Here’s a list of the most robust legs to have ever pedaled the concretes of Europe, those who have been blessed with the skill and willpower to race towards the finish notwithstanding the immense physical pain.
Felice Gimondi
Being the only Italian to win every Grand Tour and every race he’s lined up for is enough reason for Gimondi to be included in the hall of fame. And on top of that, he is among the three riders in the history of cycling to win the Tour de France, the Vuelta e Espana, Paris Roubaix, Giro d’Italia and the World Road Championships in his career.
Jacques Anquetil
Needless to say, Anquetil had a spectacular run on the world of cycling. The french cyclist was the first in history to bag five GC titles at the Tour De France and the first to win all three Grand Tours including two Giro d’Italia titles. He once predicted before the 1969 Tour de France that he would lead all 23 stages of the race from start to finish, and his confidence did not fail him.
Fausto Coppi
Coppi, known as “Campionissimo” or the Champion of Champions is one of the most established names in the business. Many, not only his fans, consider him the best cyclist ever for still pushing through with his cycling career despite not being able to compete in the wake of World War II. He won the World Road Championships, Paris Roubaix, Milan-San Remo (three times) and the Tour of Lombardy five times for a total of nine victories in the one-day Classics.
Bernard Hinault
Known for his aggressive take on cycling and showing no sign of weakness or restraint on the road, Bernard Hinault aka “The Badger” is a close second to cycling history’s most prominent figure. He has 250 professional victories, 52 time-trial wins, 10 Grand Tour titles and 5 wins in one-day Classics under his name. He’s one of the most respected icons in the Tour de France.
Eddy Merckx
It would be hard to top the iconic career of the best cyclist ever. Tagged as “The Cannibal” for devouring his opponents’ hopes of defeating him, Eddy Merckx is a five-time Tour de France champion, five-time Giro d’Italia champion, has 11 Grand Tour victories, and the only Giro d’Italia and Road World Championships winner to complete the triple crown. Need I say more? He is without a doubt the greatest Grand Tour cyclist and the greatest one-day Classics rider we’ve ever seen.
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