While the subject was debated this week, we decided to ask you to share your point of view on the top 10 best runners of the 21st century. The ranking has been established in relation to the average scale of points that you wish to grant to the races. Note that bonus points have been added for “achieved feats” and manner.
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10e – Peter Sagan ???????? – 7 300 pts
Peter Sagan was an eccentric showman. His versatility allowed him to erase Erik Zabel, T-Mobile monster and reference in world sprinting with his six consecutive green jerseys between 1996 and 2001. The Slovak's consecutive triple crown at the Worlds will remain his greatest achievement and his two small Monuments only, a regret. But Sagan remains one of the most iconic runners of the 2010s.
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9e – Vincenzo Nibali ???????? – 7,570 pts
Vincenzo Nibali has used the maximum of its potential to build an exceptional track record. He won all three GTs and is one of the rare riders to have won the 3GT and at least a Monument. He won two different ones with Milan San Remo (a feat given his profile) and the Tour of Lombardy. Looking back, he couldn't have done better. A leader of the peloton. A regret? Liège-Bastogne Liège and the world title.
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8e – Philippe Gilbert ???????? – 7 850 pts
Gilbert East an anachronism. A runner from another era, who marked the 21st century with rare qualities that we find too rarely today. He is one of the 9 men in the history of cycling sport to have won 4 of the 5 Monuments: the Tour of Lombardy twice (2009 and 2010), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2011), the Tour of Flanders (2017) and Paris-Roubaix (2019). Only Milan-San Remo is missing from its formidable trophy cabinet. But he is simply the only one in this circle in the 21st century. A master of the classics. A regret, not having won Milan San Remo, where Nibali succeeded.
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7e – Fabian Cancellara ???????? – 9 140 pts
It embodies an almost unique complementarity in the 21st century. A true benchmark for solo effort with four world titles and two Olympic time trials, Fabian Cancellara is the 5th best specialist in the discipline in the history of the Tour, with 7 successes. This is obviously thehe best rider of the century. It is also a great cobblestone with 7 Monuments won: 3 Roubaix, 3 Ronde and 1 Milan San Remo. An exceptional track record.
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6e – Tom Boonen ???????? – 9,310 pts
Great sprinter at the start of his career, and KING of the cobblestones and the Flandriennes. Tom Boonen East the most successful man cumulatively between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix (7). He has 122 career victories and a world champion title. Only regret, not having won La Primavera.
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5e – Alberto Contador ???????? – 9,440 pts
For a decade, Alberto Contador left his mark on cycling and stage races. He is still the master currently. He is the only rider to have won all three GTs at least twice each, a unique feat in the 21st century, for the moment. What it clearly lacks is not having existed outside of stage races.
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4e – Primoz Roglic ???????? – 9,620 pts
Primoz Roglic can be surprising to be so high especially since he is missing the Tour de France for a stage race rider. But when we have won 4 Vueltas (tied record), a Giro and 10 World Tour races like Paris-Nice, the Tirreno or the Dauphiné, we are one of the best. He even won a Monument, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and an Olympic title, on the Tokyo time trial. The manner does not work in his favor that is certain, which almost cost him 4th place in relation to the scale.
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3e – Christopher Froome ???????? – 10 030 pts
Froome is the man of the summer ! His feat is obviously to be the Tour de France record holder in the 21st century with 4 victories, which is almost enough to put him in the top 10. He also owes his podium to his victory in the 2018 Giro and to his two Vueltas. But we regret that he didn't weigh as much all year.
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2e – Alejandro Valverde ???????? – 10 465 pts
Valverde, he was ultimately a runner ahead of his time. Present all year round, like Pogacar or Roglic today, and dominant. He played for victory everywhere, even on his only Tour of Flanders, at 39 years old. Exceptional versatility, unique longevity and XXL track record. 9 Ardennaises is the best of the century and the 2nd in history. A Vuelta, a World title, several World Tour races and 133 career victories. No one does better in the top 10 when he wasn't a sprinter. His achievement? Only Pogacar to have won a GT, a Monument and a World Champion title. Regret, a Tour de France that he never managed to win. In 2006 and 2017 it seemed doable but it fell, twice.
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1er – Tadej Pogacar ???????? – 13,690 pts
The Cannibal of the 21st century. No matter the scale, it is first. In his manner, in his domination, in his versatility, he is exceptional. His record is longer than an arm and if he continues, he will surpass Valverde in number of victories with a much shorter career. No debate about his first place.
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