It's been a while since the last blog post, but let's be clear: nothing will hold us back from finishing the King of the Echelon ranking countdown. Today we'll meet one of the most stylish Italian bike riders ever and his former domestique. But both of them end below their compatriot who figured in one of the most absurd team efforts of all time.
If you prefer to skip the details behind the rider's points total, you can jump right into the ranking here. But what good is counting down without actually counting points? Don't worry, I did the counting already, but I let you take a look at the rider's achievements below. Only the races on which the King of the Echelon ranking is built, are listed. If you're curious about what these are and what the points schema is, you can find out in this blog post.
Please note this is the status on 31 December 2021.
69. François FABER (LUX) - 2703pts
Tour de France | 1st (1909) 2nd (1908, 1910)) 5th (2015) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (1908) |
Paris-Roubaix | 1st (1913) 3rd (1908) |
Bordeaux-Paris | 1st (1911) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 1st (1909) 2nd (1911) |
Paris-Tours | 1st (1909, 1910) 3rd (1908) |
Tour de France stage wins | 4x (1908) 6x (1909) 3x (1910) 2x (1911) 2x (1913) 2x (1914) |
68. Pedro DELGADO (ESP) - 2718pts
Tour de France | 1st (1988) 2nd (1987) 3rd (1989) 4th (1990) |
|---|---|
Vuelta a España | 1st (1985, 1989) 2nd (1990) 3rd (1992, 1994) 4th (1984, 1987) |
Volta a Catalunya | 2nd (1989, 1991) 3rd (1990, 1994) |
Clasica San Sebastian | 2nd (1991) 3rd (1982) |
Semana Catalana | 1st (1993) 2nd (1989) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 3rd (1987) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 2nd (1985, 1989) 3rd (1988) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1985) 1x (1986) 1x (1987) 1x (1988) |
67. Michele BARTOLI (ITA) - 2745pts
World Championship Road Race | 3rd (1996, 1998) 4th (2000) |
|---|---|
Il Lombardia | 1st (2002, 2003) 3rd (1995) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 1st (1997, 1998) 3rd (1995) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1st (1996) |
Tirreno-Adriatico | 1st (1999) |
Amstel Gold Race | 1st (2002) 3rd (1998) |
Cyclassics Hamburg | 2nd (1998) |
Flèche Wallonne | 1st (1999) 3rd (2002) |
Züri Metzgete | 1st (1998) 2nd (1996) |
E3 Harelbeke | 2nd (1998) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 1st (1996, 2002) 3rd (1998) |
Giro del Lazio | 1st (2003) |
Giro del Veneto | 1st (1996) 2nd (1994, 2003) |
GP Frankfurt | 1st (1997) |
Milano-Torino | 1st (2002) |
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 1st (2001) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 3rd (1996, 1998) |
Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde | 1st (1995, 1998) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1994) 1x (1998) |
There are few riders that looked as good on a bike as Michele Bartoli. With his low aerodynamic position and his fluid, almost effortless pedalling style he managed to win 3 out of the 5 monuments. Success in both cobbled and hilly classics, made Bartoli arguably one of the best one-day riders during the turn of the century.
The race I feel Bartoli was at his peak was the 1997 Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The double World Cup winner broke away from the peloton together with Laurent Jalabert and Alex Zülle on the Côte de la Redoute. The Frenchman and the Swiss, being teammates at Once, obviously had a vast tactile advantage. Additionally, we are talking about 2 of the most accomplished riders in the peloton(both top-50 in the KotE ranking).
Although they tried to play the tactical game on the Côte de Sart-Tilman, Bartoli covered all attacks almost effortlessly. The Tuscan finished his masterpiece on the final uphill stretch towards the finish, the Côte de Ans. Taking the lead, he gradually increased the pace until Jalabert's legs exploded. No surprise attack but riding the n° 1 of the world right of his wheel; an incredible display of class and strength.
66. Gustave GARRIGOU (FRA) - 2829pts
Tour de France | 1st (1911) 2nd (1907, 1909, 1913) 3rd (1910, 1912) 4th (1908) 5th (1914) |
|---|---|
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1911) 2nd (1907, 1912) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (1907) |
Paris-Roubaix | 2nd (1912) |
Bordeaux-Paris | 2nd (1911) 3rd (1907, 1912) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 1st (1907) 2nd (1909) |
Tour de France stage wins | 2x (1907) 1x (1909) 1x (1910) 2x (1911) 1x (1913) 1x (1914) |
65. Paolo BETTINI (ITA) - 2832pts
World Championship Road Race | 1st (2006, 2007) 2nd (2001) 4th (2003) |
|---|---|
Olympic Games Road Race | 1st (2004) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (2005, 2006) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (2003) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 1st (2000, 2002) 2nd (2006) |
Tirreno-Adriatico | 1st (2004) |
Amstel Gold Race | 3rd (2004) |
Clasica San Sebastian | 1st (2003) 2nd (2004) |
Cyclassics Hamburg | 1st (2003) 2nd (2004) |
Züri Metzgete | 1st (2001, 2005) 2nd (2002, 2004) 3rd (2003) |
Giro del Lazio | 1st (2002) |
Milano-Torino | 2nd (1999) |
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 3rd (2003) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (2000) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (2005) 1x (2006) |
Paolo Bettini started his career as a domestique of Michele Bartoli at MG and Asics. But as Bettini's star was rising after doing years of leg work at the service of Bartoli, their roads separated. With his typical dynamic style of racing and fighting spirit, the small Italian eventually surpassed his former leader. Bettini is not only part of the select group of double World Champions (Salsburg 2006 & Stuttgart 2007), but also, he's the only rider in history to win the Worlds and the Olympic Road Race (Athens 2004).
Paolo Bettini's most remarkable performance is without a doubt Il Lombardia 2006. Days after his brother's death, he crossed the finish line in tears, winning Lombardia for the 2nd consecutive time.
64. Lucien VAN IMPE (BEL) - 2840pts
Tour de France | 1st (1976) 2nd (1981) 3rd (1971, 1975, 1977) 4th (1972, 1983) 5th (1973) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 4th (1982) |
Vuelta a España | 5th (1979) |
Critérium du Dauphiné | 3rd (1972, 1977) |
Tour de Romandie | 2nd (1972, 1973) |
Tour de Suisse | 2nd (1977) |
Midi Libre | 2nd (1976) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 1st (1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983) 2nd (1976) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1972) 1x (1973) 2x (1975) 1x (1976) 1x (1977) 1x (1979) 1x (1981) 1x (1983) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1983) |
63. Charly MOTTET (FRA) - 2856pts
Tour de France | 4th (1987, 1991) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 2nd (1990) |
World Championship Road Race | 2nd (1986) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (1988) 3rd (1985, 1990) |
Critérium du Dauphiné | 1st (1987, 1989, 1992) 3rd (1988) |
Tirreno-Adriatico | 3rd (1989) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (1990) 3rd (1992) |
Volta a Catalunya | 3rd (1986) |
Paris-Tours | 3rd (1986) |
Züri Metzgete | 1st (1990) 2nd (1993) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 3rd (1991) |
GP des Nations | 1st (1985, 1987, 1988) 3rd (1989) |
Giro del Lazio | 1st (1988, 1989) |
Giro del Piemonte | 1st (1985) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 2nd (1984 |
4 Jours de Dunkerque | 1st (1989, 1991) 2nd (1988) 3rd (1987) |
Critérium International | 2nd (1989) 3rd (1991) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x 1990) 2x (1991) |
62. Charly GAUL (LUX) - 2874pts
Tour de France | 1st (1958) 3rd (1955, 1961) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1956, 1959) 3rd (1960) 4th (1957, 1961) |
World Championship Road Race | 3rd (1954) |
Critérium du Dauphiné | 2nd (1953) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 1st (1955, 1956) 2nd (1958, 1959, 1961) |
Tour de France stage wins | 2x (1955) 2x (1956) 4x (1958) 1x (1959) 1x (1961) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 3x (1956) 2x (1957) 1x (1958) 3x (1959) 1x (1960) 1x (1961) |
61. Giovanni BRUNERO (ITA) - 2890pts
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1921, 1922, 1926) 2nd (1923, 1927) 3rd (1925) |
|---|---|
Vuelta a España | 1st (1982) 2nd (1983) 3rd (1991) 5th (1980, 1986) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (1923, 1924) 2nd (1920) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1922) 2nd (1921, 1925) 3rd (1928) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 1st (1920) 2nd (1921) 3rd (1925) |
Giro del Piemonte | 1st (1921) 2nd (1926) |
Giro del Veneto | 2nd (1923) 3rd (1925) |
Milano-Torino | 2nd (1921) 3rd (1923) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1921) 2x (1922) 1x (1925) 1x (1926) 1x (1927) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1924) |
60. Rik VAN STEENBERGEN (BEL) - 2897pts
Giro d'Italia | 2nd (1951) |
|---|---|
Vuelta a España | 5th (1956) |
World Championship Road Race | 1st (1949, 1956, 1957) 3rd (1946) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1954) 2nd (1959) |
Paris-Roubaix | 1st (1948, 1952) 2nd (1957) 3rd (1951) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1st (1944, 1946) 3rd (1955) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 1st (1950) 3rd (1956) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (1951) 3x (1952) 1x (1951) 4x (1954) 5x (1957) |
Tour de France stage wins | 2x (1949) 1x (1952) 1x (1955) |
59. Gaetano BELLONI (ITA) - 2947pts
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1920) 2nd (1919, 1921) 4th (1925) |
|---|---|
World Championship Road Race | 4th (1927) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (1915, 1918, 1928) 2nd (1919, 1921) 3rd (1920) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1917, 1920) 2nd (1918, 1923, 1924) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 2nd (1924) |
Giro del Piemonte | 1st (1925) 2nd (1919) 3rd (1920) |
Giro del Veneto | 2nd (1924) |
Milano-Torino | 1st (1918) 2nd (1920, 1923) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1919) 3x (1920) 3x (1921) 2x (1922) 2x (1925) 1x (1929) |
58. André LEDUCQ (FRA) - 2953pts
Tour de France | 1st (1930, 1932) 2nd (1928) 4th (1927) |
|---|---|
Paris-Roubaix | 1st (1928) 2nd (1935) |
Vuelta al País Vasco | 2nd (1927, 1928) |
Paris-Tours | 1st (1931) |
Critérium International | 1st (1933) |
Tour de France stage wins | 3x (1927) 4x (1928) 5x (1929) 2x (1930) 1x (1931) 6x (1932) 2x (1933) 1x (1935) 1x (1938) |
57. Primoz ROGLIC (SLO) - 2971pts
Tour de France | 2nd (2020) 4th (2018) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 3rd (2019) |
Vuelta a España | 1st (2019, 2020, 2021 |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 1st (2020) |
Tirreno-Adriatico | 1st (2019) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (2018, 2019) 3rd (2017) |
Vuelta al Paìs Vasco | 1st (2018, 2021) |
Olympic Games Time Trial | 1st (2021) |
Flèche Wallonne | 2nd (2021) |
World Championship Time Trial | 2nd (2017) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 1st (2019, 2021) |
Milano-Torino | 1st (2021) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 2nd (2017) 3rd (2020) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (2017) 1x (2018) 1x (2020) |
56. Moreno ARGENTIN (ITA) - 2980pts
Giro d'Italia | 3rd (1984) |
|---|---|
World Championship Road Race | 1st (1986) 2nd (1987) 3rd (1985) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (1987) 2nd (1981) |
Milano-Sanremo | 2nd (1992) 3rd (1982) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 1st (1985, 1986, 1987, 1991) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1st (1990) |
Flèche Wallonne | 1st (1990, 1991, 1994) 2nd (1985, 1988) |
Paris-Tours | 2nd (1985) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 2nd (1987) |
Giro del Veneto | 1st (1984, 1988) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1990) 1x (1991) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (1981) 1x (1982) 2x (1983) 2x (1984) 3x (1987) 2x (1993) 1x (1994) |
Being the dominant force in the hilly classics during the second half of the 1980's, Moreno Argentin rightfully qualifies as the predecessor of Michele Bartoli (cfr above) and Paolo Bettini ((cfr above). The Italian won Liège-Bastogne-Liège a stunning 4 times (a tie with Alejandro Valverde; Eddy Merckx holds the record of 5 victories). His main competitor in the Ardennes classics, Claude Criquilion, was poised to win his home race, but lacking a sprint against the explosive Italian, the Belgian never managed to do so (ending 2nd to Argentin on two occasions).
Despite numerous classics victories and a world title, Moreno Argentin will always be remembered because of the 1994 Flèche Wallone, the race that unofficially proved that excessive blood doping had become the new norm in cycling. Fueled by EPO, Argentin and his teammates at Gewiss-Ballan, Evgenii Berzin (1994 Giro d'Italia and Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner) and Giorgio Furlan (1994 Milano-Sanremo winner), team-time-trialed away from the peloton on the penultimate ascent of the Mur de Huy with 70km to go, ridiculizing the likes of Lance Armstrong and Claudio Chiappucci.
The team eventually gifted the victory to the 33-year-old Moreno Argentin as a salute to his career. Gianni Bugno was the best of the rest in 4th at 1'14". Only 56 riders finished the race; 67 riders finished outside the time limit!
55. Cadel EVANS (AUS) - 2996pts
Tour de France | 1st (2011) 2nd (2007, 2008) 4th (2006) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 3rd (2013) 5th (2010) |
Vuelta a España | 3rd (2009) 4th (2007) |
World Championship Road Race | 1st (2009) 5th (2007) |
Critérium du Dauphiné | 2nd (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) 3rd (2012) |
Tirreno-Adriatico | 1st (2011) 3rd (2010) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (2006, 2011) 3rd (2002) |
Vuelta al País Vasco | 2nd (2008) |
Flèche Wallonne | 1st (2010) 2nd (2008) |
Critérium International | 1st (2012) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (2011) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (2010) |
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