TdF vs Paris Roubaix
- Thread starter Dreggsy
- Start date
Good question: I think in the cycling community Paris-Roubaix stands above everything as the toughest one day challenge. But the fact is you anyone at the top level can win it with a bit of luck on the day. I don't mean this to undermine the race at all, its bloody hard epic racing.. that requires everything to go right and a cyclist who can hurt himself baaad.
Tour de France - you have to be the good everyday, but maybe not the best everyday. However, Le Tour without a doubt stands alone in the wider world as THE cycling event. Second place is a truly amazing result and something that Cadel will be proud of forever.
Tour de France - you have to be the good everyday, but maybe not the best everyday. However, Le Tour without a doubt stands alone in the wider world as THE cycling event. Second place is a truly amazing result and something that Cadel will be proud of forever.
If your talking about a stage finish I say this, If it was a typical sprint finish vs Paris Roubaix, then Paris Roubaix I would think would be more highly regarded.
But if your talking about Paris Roubiax vs say a classic HC mountain top finish, well then that mountain top finish would win.
I would hold O'Grady's Roubiax win above both of Gerran's mountain top finish's in the TDF and the Giro as they weren't a HC climb.
I think this a more suitable talking point.
As for 2nd place overall in the TDF vs Paris Roubiax, then TDF wins without any doubt. Come to think about a 2nd place in any of the 3 grand tours would be more highly regarded than a Roubaix win.
But if your talking about Paris Roubiax vs say a classic HC mountain top finish, well then that mountain top finish would win.
I would hold O'Grady's Roubiax win above both of Gerran's mountain top finish's in the TDF and the Giro as they weren't a HC climb.
I think this a more suitable talking point.
As for 2nd place overall in the TDF vs Paris Roubiax, then TDF wins without any doubt. Come to think about a 2nd place in any of the 3 grand tours would be more highly regarded than a Roubaix win.
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Lanky Love
Likes Dirt
Pretty sure evryones going to say TDF. The tour is pretty much the only race people in Australia know about unless they are actualy in to cycling, so every body sees the tour as the only big race. The attitude in Europe (from what I can tell) is a lot different though, but I still dont know which would be more highly regarded. IMO if O'grady won again that will be a bigger deal than Evans getting 2nd twice. As someone mentioned earlier, alot of winning Paris Roubaix is about luck, you need to be one of the best riders in the field, but you aslo need everything to go well on the day. But no one gets that lucky twice, so if you can win it twice, you really are a great rider.
In the broadest possible terms, a 2nd in the TDF is bigger than a P-R win. That said, they are totally different types of race. No one who gets close to GC in TDF will ever win P-R. I think a better question would be Green Jersey vs. P-R.
I respect O'Grady more as a rider than Cadel. Cadel rides smart, but O'Grady rides hard; Cadel can climb and TT better than all but a handful, which is where the TDF is won, but O'Grady isn't a prick. O'Grady is one of the hardmen of the peleton and I just respect that much more than a top tier GC guy. O'Grady, to boot seems like a really nice guy; I saw him hang around for 3hrs signing autographs and talking to kids at one of the first Tour Down Unders.
I also think that Paris-Roubaix tops any stage win on a grand tour, FWIW, except the gutsiest of solo breakaways.
I respect O'Grady more as a rider than Cadel. Cadel rides smart, but O'Grady rides hard; Cadel can climb and TT better than all but a handful, which is where the TDF is won, but O'Grady isn't a prick. O'Grady is one of the hardmen of the peleton and I just respect that much more than a top tier GC guy. O'Grady, to boot seems like a really nice guy; I saw him hang around for 3hrs signing autographs and talking to kids at one of the first Tour Down Unders.
I also think that Paris-Roubaix tops any stage win on a grand tour, FWIW, except the gutsiest of solo breakaways.
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mtb1611
Seymour
It's apples vs oranges, as the two events are entirely different types of racing; and in the case of Roubaix I think it's different again given the individual nature of that particular race, with the cobblestones and generally miserable weather conditions that so often plague it. One day classics and stage racing are entirely different beasts and it may be fair to say that, given their respective durations, it's like asking which is harder, a 100m sprint or a marathon? Success in either requires an enormous amount of hard work and dedication, but different talents.
As to which result is more prestigious, in terms of public perception most would say TDF because they've never probably heard of Paris-Roubaix (in Australia at least). The same may be the case within the cycling fraternity too; which result would garner more sponsors and media? I'd say 2nd in the TDF, but personally I love the P-R. It's all a matter of perspective I suppose.
As to which result is more prestigious, in terms of public perception most would say TDF because they've never probably heard of Paris-Roubaix (in Australia at least). The same may be the case within the cycling fraternity too; which result would garner more sponsors and media? I'd say 2nd in the TDF, but personally I love the P-R. It's all a matter of perspective I suppose.
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