Who is the best climbing pro sprinter?

[Sincitycycler]

While watching the 2003 Vuelta, Phil Liggett remarked that Erik Zabel is a much better climber than his fellow sprinters.

That was 3 years ago. Is Erik still the stronger ascending sprinter these days?

[shaq-d]

um, how about the guy that just won fleche wallone by climbing up a wall/the mur? valverde.

sd

[Sincitycycler]

um, how about the guy that just won fleche wallone by climbing up a wall/the mur? valverde.

sd

Alejandro Valverde. Of course! He was the cover story on Cyclesport USA last month. He is pretty awesome at everything.

Case closed.

[elfemonemo]

Alejandro Valverder was capable of winning the silver medals in cycling world championship in Hamilton 2003 and in Madrid 2006 (both medals were wun in a sprint) and was capable of winning Armstrong in Courchevel (tour 2006).

He is not so good sprinter as Petacchi and not so good climber as Heras, Simoni, etc., but he is capable of compete against theme. (Where was Petacchi in Madrid 2006, and Mcewen, and Zabel)

[merlinextraligh]

uhm,Tom Boonen?

[dolophonic]

Thor Hushold.
A real sprinter who didnt do too bad on some climbs last year in the tdf.
Thats my man .
Valverde is great but not a true sprinter.

[Sincitycycler]

Update: Valverde wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege in a sprint finish. He's hands down the climber/sprinter king!

[theworm86]

I'm going to nitpick here:

Valverde is a climber who can sprint, not a sprinter who can climb.

Erik was/is a sprinter who could/can climb.

So as far as the true sprinters, its a toss up: Hushovd, Freire, or Boonen (I could be missing someone here)

[waltergodefroot]

I'm going to nitpick here: Valverde is a climber who can sprint, not a sprinter who can climb. Erik was/is a sprinter who could/can climb. So as far as the true sprinters, its a toss up: Hushovd, Freire, or Boonen (I could be missing someone here)Word.

I deleted my original post because it was obvious this thread was going far afield the original question. But then I guess I should have expected that.;)

Freire, Bettini, and O'Grady are the best climbing sprinters today. Freire and Zabel are the only pure sprinters who can climb well.

[Veloduo]

Valverde?

No, I guess he's just the best sprinting pro climber...

Watch this guy in July, but

FEAR THE BARBER!

[thunder]

Word.

I deleted my original post because it was obvious this thread was going far afield the original question. But then I guess I should have expected that.;)

Freire, Bettini, and O'Grady are the best climbing sprinters today. Freire and Zabel are the only pure sprinters who can climb well.
agreed, but give Hushovd and Boonen 3 years and they will be almost at the level of Friere.

[Wilchemy]

I think O'Grady is not quite the sprinter he once was, but has made improvements in his climbing etc as he becomes more focussed on the classics. Not someone you want to have in the bunch at the end of a breakaway though:)

[56/12 and 22/28]

Alejandro Valverder was capable of winning the silver medals in cycling world championship in Hamilton 2003 and in Madrid 2006 (both medals were wun in a sprint) and was capable of winning Armstrong in Courchevel (tour 2006).

He is not so good sprinter as Petacchi and not so good climber as Heras, Simoni, etc., but he is capable of compete against theme. (Where was Petacchi in Madrid 2006, and Mcewen, and Zabel)

Woah, 2006? Can you peer into the future? :)

[Cypress]

Thor Hushold.



+88,962

[Artmo]

While watching the 2003 Vuelta, Phil Liggett remarked that Erik Zabel is a much better climber than his fellow sprinters.

That was 3 years ago. Is Erik still the stronger ascending sprinter these days?

Valverde

[thunder]

maybe, just maybe in 3 years time,

Heinrich Haussler.

Gets over the cols as easy a Zabel, maybe better, just needs to find his feet. Is only 21. Won a Vuelta stage in his first pro season lst year and podiumed in the bunch kicks.

Can timetrial, can do it all. Jalabert qualities, in his arsenal, but he needs to maintain a huge improvement curve, because it would be ridiculous to compare them atm. Just comparing the qualities, in his potential arsenal.

[Wilchemy]

Heinrich Hussler is originally from Australia too! :) Born in Inverell I think and left Aus as a teenager.

[56/12 and 22/28]

Oh, man!

I forgot about Hushovd.

He owns pretty hard.

+2.5.

[thunder]

Wilchemy, comes back in the summer too as his parents are here still

[Wilchemy]

Makes sense. Better than training in the snow during the off season.....and mooch off the folks at the same time.