I think Joop was the only man to win the Tour on a Raleigh, perhaps the only man to win on an English bike. Anyone know better?
Tom Adams in dreary Kansas City.
-----Original Message----- From: Tim & Jen <ktpr@mediaone.net> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Date: Friday, October 27, 2000 10:21 PM Subject: Re: [Classicrendezvous] Le Tour history
>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