Professional Cycling - 1st time riders of the tour question

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gregg-o
07-13-07, 10:04 AM
What is the highest a 1st time rider has finished the tour in the modern era, I am just wondering.


Thanks,
Gregg

gregg-o
07-13-07, 10:08 AM
thanks
merlinextraligh
07-13-07, 10:19 AM
IIRC, Merckx was in his first TDF when he won in 1969.

Lemond finished 3rd in his TDF debut; Hampsten finished 4th in his first TDF.

It's not unprecedented for first year riders to do well.

Keith99
07-13-07, 11:01 AM
What is the highest a 1st time rider has finished the tour in the modern era, I am just wondering.


Thanks,
Gregg

Every rider who has won all 3 tours won the TDF on their first try. Anquetil, Gimondi, Merckx and Hinault. Bernard Hinault won each of the three major tours on his first entry.

Edit: A few months ago I started a thread on which riders won in their first tour. By the time it ended we had them all and had eliminated some that the official TDF site made look like they won on hteir first try and had not. (Several riders won the first time they finished but not the first time they entered, especially in the early years). You can likely find the thread if you use the search features.
acathi_cyclist
07-13-07, 11:50 AM
ok, that was easy, but who was the youngest rider to win?
Keith99
07-13-07, 12:28 PM
ok, that was easy, but who was the youngest rider to win?

I always forget his name. Look up any winner listing. He won the second Tour.
Keith99
07-13-07, 12:40 PM
Here is the link to the previous thread on first try winners:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=202090

Easiest way to have found it was to go into my profile and then click on threads started. Guess I had an advantage there. I mentioned earlier I started the thread, but I also knew I don't start all that many threads.

I'm rather proud of that thread. Of course it was a set-up to show off, but I learned some things and it stayed so friendly even though there were several times peopel were pointing out other peoples (or sites) errors or omissions.

BTW that thread has a reference to a pretty good reference site.