The further we count down, the more cycling greatness appears. We're entering the all-time cyclist top-50 and are now officially on Legends territory.
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.
54. Bernard THEVENET (FRA) - 2999pts
Tour de France | 1st (1975, 1977) 2nd (1973) 4the (1971) |
Vuelta a España | 3rd (1973) |
World Championship Road Race | 5th (1974) |
Il Lombardia | 2nd (1976) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 2nd (1975) |
Critérium du Dauphiné | 1st (1975, 1976) 2nd (1972, 1973, 1977) 3rd (1971) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (1972) |
Volta a Catalunya | 1st (1974) |
GP des Nations | 3rd (1975) |
4 Jours de Dunkerque | 3rd (1975) |
Critérium International | 1st (1974) |
Midi Libre | 2nd (1977) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1970) 1x (1971) 2x (1972) 2x (1973) 2x (1975) 1x (1977) |
53. Walter GODEFROOT (BEL) - 3009pts
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 1st (1967) 2nd (1968) 3rd (1973, 1975) |
|---|---|
Paris-Roubaix | 1st (1969) 2nd (197) 3rd (1968) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1st (1968, 1978) 2nd (1970) |
Amstel Gold Race | 3rd (1974) |
Bordeaux-Paris | 1st( 1969, 1976) 2nd (1977) 3rd (1973) |
Gent-Wevelgem | 1st (1968) 3rd (1970) |
Paris-Tours | 2nd (1968) |
Züri Metzgete | 1st (1970, 1974) 3rd (1976, 1977) |
E3 Harelbeke | 2nd (1976) 3rd (1972) |
GP Frankfurt | 1st (1974) 2nd (1966) 3rd (1975) |
Milano-Torino | 2nd (1977) |
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 2nd (1966) |
Scheldeprijs | 1st (1969) |
4 Jours de Dunkerque | 1st (1974) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 1st( 1970) 2nd (1968) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1967) 2x (1968) 2x (1970) 1x (1971) 1x (1972) 2x (1973) 1x (1975) |
Giro d'Italia stage win | 1x (1970) |
52. Hugo KOBLET (SUI) - 3065pts
Tour de France | 1st (1951) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1950) 2nd (1953, 1954) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 2nd (1955) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (1953) 2nd (1950, 1951, 1952, 1955) 3rd (1957) |
Tour de Suisse | 1st (1950, 1953, 1955) 2nd (1951) |
Züri Metzgete | 1st (1952, 1954) |
GP de Nations | 1st (1951) |
Tour de France stage wins | 5x (1951) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (1950) 1x (1951) 1x (1953) 2x (1954) 1x (1955) |
51. Nairo QUINTANA (COL) - 3087pts
Tour de France | 2nd (2013, 2015) 3rd (2016) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 1st (2014) 2nd (2017) |
Vuelta a España | 1st (2016) 4th (2015, 2019) |
Paris-Nice | 2nd (2019) |
Tirreno-Adriatico | 1st (2015, 2017) 2nd (2014) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (2016) |
Tour de Suisse | 3rd (2018) |
Volta a Catalunya | 1st (2016) 2nd (2018) |
Vuelta al País Vasco | 1st (2013) 3rd (2016) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 1st (2012) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 1st (2013) 2nd (2015) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (2013) 1x (2018) 1x (2019) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (2014) |
50. Jan JANSSEN (NED) - 3088pts
Tour de France | 1st (1968) 2nd (1966) 5th (1967) |
|---|---|
Vuelta a España | 1st (1967) |
World Championship Road Race | 1st (1964) 2nd (1967) |
Paris-Roubaix | 1st (1967) 2nd (1966) 3rd (1963) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 3rd (1968) |
Paris-Nice | 1st (1964) 3rd (1970) |
Bordeaux-Paris | 1st (1966) 2nd (1969) |
Gent-Wevelgem | 2nd (1967) |
Flèche Wallonne | 2nd (1963, 1964) 3rd (1968) |
Züri Metzgete | 1st (1962) |
4 Jours de Dunkerque | 2nd (1966) |
Midi Libre | 2nd (1963) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 1st (1964, 1965, 1967) 2nd (1969) 3rd (1968) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1963) 2x (1964) 1x (1965) 1x (1967) 2x (1968) |
49. Laurent FIGNON (FRA) - 3145pts
Tour de France | 1st (1983, 1984) 2nd (1989) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1989) 2nd (1984) |
Vuelta a España | 3rd (1987) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1988, 1989) |
Paris-Roubaix | 3rd (1988) |
Paris-Nice | 3rd (1987) |
Flèche Wallonne | 1st (1986) 3rd (1985) |
Critérium International | 1st (1982, 1990) 2nd (1988) |
GP des Nations | 1st (1989) 2nd (1986) 3rd (1988) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 2nd (1988) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 3rd (1983) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 2nd (1984) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1983) 5x (1984) 1x (1987) 1x (1989) 1x (1992) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1984) 1x (1989) |
48. Joaquim RODRIGUEZ (ESP) - 3186pts
Tour de France | 3rd (2013) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 2nd (2012) 4th (2011) |
Vuelta a España | 2nd (2012, 2015) 4th (2010, 2013, 2014) |
World Championship Road Race | 2nd (2013) 3rd (2009) |
Il Lombardia | 1st (2012, 2013) 3rd (2011) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 2nd (2009, 2013) 3rd (2015) |
Volta a Catalunya | 1st (2010, 2014) 2nd (2013) |
Vuelta al País Vasco | 1st (2015) 2nd (2012) 3rd (2010) |
Amstel Gold Race | 2nd (2011) |
Clasica San Sebastian | 2nd (2005) 3rd (2014) |
Flèche Wallonne | 1st (2012) 2nd (2010, 2011) |
Semana Catalana | 1st (2004) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 3rd (2014) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (2010) 2x (2015) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (2012) |
47. Philippe GILBERT (BEL) - 3205pts
Classics specialist Philippe Gilbert is the 8th rider in history to win 4 out of the 5 Monuments (Sanremo, Flanders, Roubaix, Liège and Lombardia) after cycling legends Sean Kelly, Hennnie Kuiper, Louison Bobet and Fred De Bruyne. Rik van Looy, Roger de Vlaeminck and Eddy Merckx triumphed in all 5 Monuments.
World Championship Road Race | 1st (2012) |
|---|---|
Il Lombardia | 1st (2009, 2010) |
Milano-Sanremo | 3rd (2008, 2011) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 1st (2011) 3rd (2010) |
Paris-Roubaix | 1st (2019) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1st (2017) 3rd (2009, 2010, 2018) |
Amstel Gold Race | 1st (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017) |
Clasica San Sebastian | 1st (2011) 2nd (2015) |
Gent-Wevelgem | 3rd (2010) |
Flèche Wallonne | 1st (2011) 3rd (2012) |
Paris-Tours | 1st (2008, 2009) |
E3 Harelbeke | 2nd (2017, 2018) |
Giro del Piemonte | 1st (2009, 2010) |
GP Montréal | 3rd (2011) |
GP Québec | 1st (2011) |
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 1st (2006, 2008) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 2nd (2004) |
Strade Bianche | 1st (2011) |
BeNeLux Tour | 2nd (2011) |
Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde | 1st (2017) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 3rd (2011) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (2011) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (2009) 2x (2015) |
Philippe Gilbert hardly needs any introduction. You could write a book about his magical year 2011 alone. Let me pick 2 moments that illustrate his absurd dominance and explosion of power the most.
The Belgian national championship of 2011 in Hooglede-Gits, 241 km on a pancake flat course. The only obstacle is Gitsberg, a cobblestone climb (not even worthy of the name) of 500m with an average gradient of 3.2% (max 5%). Pretty much impossible to break away from the lead group, let alone drop Tom Boonen who's glued to Gilbert's wheel. Until the Walloon puts the hammer down... This must have been the most humbling defeat in the career of the 4-times Paris-Roubaix winner.
One month (and 1 Tour de France stage) later. After a post-Tour criterium on Thursday and Friday evening, Philippe Gilbert is flown into San Sebastian by private jet at night to make it to the start of the Clasica on Saturday. But those days, the new Belgian champion mocked the laws of cycling. With his trademark 40-second full-out attack, Gilbert left a devastating trail in the streets of San Sebastian; among the victims: Frank Schleck, Joaquim Rodriguez (cfr above), Samuel Sanchez and Greg Van Avermaet.
46. Mario CIPOLINI (ITA) - 3226pts
World Championship Road Race | 1st (2002) |
|---|---|
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (2002) 2nd (1994, 2001) |
Gent-Wevelgem | 1st (1992, 1993, 2002) 2nd (1991) |
E3 Harelbeke | 1st (1993) |
Scheldeprijs | 1st (1991, 1993) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1993) 2x (1995) 1x (1996) 2x (1997) 2x (1998) 4x (1999) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1989) 2x (1990) 3x (1991) 4x (1992) 2x (1995) 4x (1996) 5x (1997) 4x (1998) 4x (1999) 1x (2000) 4x (2001) 6x (2002) 2x (2003 |
45. Alex ZULLE (SUI) - 3227pts
Tour de France | 2nd (1995, 1999) |
|---|---|
Vuelta a España | 1st (1996, 1997) 2nd (1993) 4th (1994) |
Paris-Nice | 1st (1993) 3rd (1995) |
Tour de Romandie | 2nd (1998, 2002) |
Tour de Suisse | 1st (2002) 2nd (1995) |
Volta a Catalunya | 1st (1996) 3rd (1991) |
Vuelta al País Vasco | 1st (1995, 1997) 3rd (1993, 1998) |
Flèche Wallonne | 3rd (1997) |
World Championship Time Trial | 1st (1996) |
Giro del Piemonte | 3rd (1992) |
Milano-Torino | 2nd (1997) |
Critérium International | 1st (1998) |
Semana Catalana | 1st (1992, 1996) 2nd (1995, 1997) 3rd (1998) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 3rd (1995) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1995) 1x (1996) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 3x (1998) |
44. Nicolas FRANTZ (LUX) - 3234pts
Tour de France | 1st (1927, 1928) 2nd (1924, 1926) 4th (1925) 5th (1929) |
|---|---|
World Championship Road Race | 2nd (1929) 3rd (1932) |
Vuelta al Paìs Vasco | 1st (1926) 3rd (1929) |
Paris-Tours | 1st (1929) 2nd (1924) 3rd (1926) |
Paris-Bruxelles | 1st (1927) 2nd (1928) 3rd (1925, 1929) |
Tour de France stage wins | 2x (1924) 4x (1925) 4x (1926) 3x (1927) 5x (1928) 2x (1929) |
43. Claudio CHIAPPUCCI (ITA) - 3242pts
Tour de France | 2nd (1990, 1992) 3rd (1991) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 2nd (1991, 1992) 3rd (1993) 4th (1995) 5th (1994) |
World Championship Road Race | 2nd (1994) |
Il Lombardia | 2nd (1992, 1994) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1991) |
Tour de Romandie | 2nd (1993) |
Volta a Catalunya | 1st (1994) |
Vuelta al Paìs Vasco | 1st (1991) 3rd (1994) |
Clasica San Sebastian | 1st (1993) 2nd (1992) |
Flèche Wallonne | 3rd (1991, 1993) |
Züri Metzgete | 3rd (1990) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 3rd (1993) |
Giro del Piemonte | 1st (1989, 1995) |
Giro del Veneto | 3rd (1993) |
GP Frankfurt | 2nd (1992) 3rd (1989) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 3rd (1992) |
Tour de France Mountains classif. | 1st (1991, 1992) 2nd (1990, 1993, 1995) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1991) 1x (1992) 1x (1993) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1993) |
42. Gianni BUGNO (ITA) - 3248pts
Tour de France | 2nd (1991) 3rd (1992) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1990) 4th (1991) |
World Championship Road Race | 1st (1991, 1992) 3rd (1990) |
Il Lombardia | 2nd (1988) |
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (1990) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 2nd (1995) |
Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1st (1994) |
Critérium du Dauphiné | 3rd (1992) |
Tour de Suisse | 2nd (1992) 3rd (1996) |
Amstel Gold Race | 2nd (1993) |
Clasica San Sebastian | 1st (1991) |
Gent-Wevelgem | 2nd (1988) |
Züri Metzgete | 2nd (1995) |
Giro dell'Emilia | 1st (1992) |
Giro del Lazio | 1st (1992) 2nd (1986) |
Giro del Piemonte | 1st (1986) 2nd (1988) |
Giro del Veneto | 3rd (1988) |
Milano-Torino | 1st (1992) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1988) 2x (1990) 1x (1991) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 1x (1989) 3x (1990) 3x (1991) 1x (1994) 1x (1996) |
41. Mark CAVENDISH (GBR) - 3293pts
Together with Eddy Merckx, Mark Cavendish won the most Tour de France stages ever (34x).
World Championship Road Race | 1st (2011) 2nd (2016) |
|---|---|
Milano-Sanremo | 1st (2009) |
Scheldeprijs | 1st (2007, 2008, 2011) 2nd (2013, 2016) 3rd (2021) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 1st (2011, 2021) 2nd (2009, 2010, 2013) |
Tour de France stage wins | 4x (2008) 6x (2009) 5x (2010) 5x (2011) 3x (2012) 2x (2013) 1x (2015) 4x (2016) 4x (2021) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (2008) 3x (2009) 2x (2011) 3x (2012) 5x (2013) |
40. Stephen ROCHE (IRL) - 3368pts
Stephen Roche is the only rider, apart from Eddy Merckx of course, who won the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and the World Championship in the same year.
Tour de France | 1st (1987) 3rd (1985) |
|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | 1st (1987) |
World Championship Road Race | 1st (1987) 3rd (1983) |
Liège-Bastogne-Liège | 2nd (1987) 3rd (1985) |
Paris-Nice | 1st (1981) 2nd (1984, 1985, 1989, 1990) |
Tour de Romandie | 1st (1983, 1984, 1987) |
Vuelta al Paìs Vasco | 1st (1989) |
Amstel Gold Race | 2nd (1982) |
Giro del Piemonte | 2nd (1992) |
GP des Nations | 2nd (1981) 3rd (1984) |
4 Jours de Dunkerque | 1st (1990) 3rd (1982, 1989) |
Critérium International | 1st (1985, 1991) 2nd (1987) 3rd (1984, 1989) |
Semana Catalana | 1st (1991) |
Tour de France Points classif. | 2nd (1987) 3rd (1985) |
Tour de France stage wins | 1x (1985) 1x (1987) 1x (1992) |
Giro d'Italia stage wins | 2x (1987) |
While two dogs are fighting for a bone, a third runs away with it. Or what makes cycling truly unique. Liège-Bastogne-Liège in Roche's sacred year 1987. The Irishman manages to chase back Claude Criquelion who managed to drop his archnemesis Moreno Argentin, winner in 1985 and 1986, on the Côte des Forges. Roche as well as the Belgian has no sprint. Because of the unpredictable outcome, you wouldn't want to bet money on any of them in a sprint-à-deux. But they managed to make it even worse.
As they enter the last kilometer, with a safe advantage, they start looking at each other and almost come to a standstill. At 300m to go, the chasers, among which Moreno Argentin, are suddenly back in contention! Moreover, the Italian outsprints the 2 leaders to take his third consecutive Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
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