It's spring classic time, my favourite time of the year. It's also the time I normally post a heap of crap threads.

Who in your opinion was the pro rider who was best on debut?

I'll nominate a few.

Best first up pro race - Roger de Vlaeminck. Won Het Volk in his first pro race!

Best first pro season - Got to be a toss up between Stephen Roche in 1981 and Jempi Monsere in 1969. Roche won the Tour or Corsica and Paris-Nice in his first 2 months as a pro, plus several other stage races in his debut season. Monsere won the Tour of Lombardy, and it wasn't even his first full pro season - he turned pro late in the year. I also like how Eric Vanderaerden won the Tour prologue in 1983 as a 21yo neo-pro.

Roche is a good pick, but also C. Boardman who won GP Eddy Merckx, plus stages of Midi Libre and Dauphine (presumably TTs) in his first year.

Also consider Abdujaparov as a neo-pro who won Ghent Wevelgem, 2 stages of le Tour and the points jersey, several stages of smaller stage races (Vuelta a Murcia, Catalunya, etc) and some smaller minor Italian classics riding for Carrera.

Nah, sorry mate, abdu had been a pro for a few years with Alfa Lum before he got those results. Nice call on Boardman though.

Steve Bauer got a bronze at the World Championships in his first race as a pro.

Best debut in the TDF is a no brainer as it was the best performance in the TDF ever.

Best Debut in the Grand Tours, I'd have to go with Hinault since he opened with a double.

To my knowledge Hinault had the fastest Vuelta/Giro/Tour treble ever. He won the Giro and Tour in 82 and the Vuelta (which was held in April-May then) in 83 - 11 months. Merckx may have one in a similar timeframe over 72-73, I'd have to check.

Contadors is the fastest first time treble.