I don't think you can mention great riders in the tour without adding Indurain and Joop Zoetemelk. Zoetemelk rode 16 tours ('70-'86) and finished everyone. His lowest place was 30th ('84) and in his first 12 Tours he never finished lower then 8th. He only managed 1 win ('80) but also had 6-2nd places (2 against Merckx and 3 against Hinault). He also collected 10 stage wins. All in all one of the tour greats.
Of course Merckx gets my vote for best Tour rider, besides the five overall wins, 34 stage wins: 8 in '70 and '74 and 6 in '69 and '72. The only man to win Yellow, Green and Polka Dot in the same year('69).
Tim (I'd rather be riding then moving) Carter Amherst (soon to be Belchertown) MA
PS Merckx and Zoetelmelk rode classic lightweights!
> And Gino Bartali won in 1938 and 1948, his prime years stolen by WWII.
I've
> often thought that if not for the war, Bartali would have won 5 or 6 times
and
> would be ranked up there with Merckx, Coppi, Anquetil, and Hinault, where
he
> belongs. I thought it was outrageous the low ranking Cycle Sport gave
Bartali
> a while back in their "all-time greats" issue.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos