Erik Zabel, the real Iron Man

by The Team Chef on Nov 8, 2008 9:40 PM EST

The November issue of Cycle Sport mentioned that Erik Zabel had completed all three Grand Tours this year. Somehow, amidst all the end of the season hoopla (and The Second Coming), I overlooked this amazing accomplishment. Once again, another reason to admire the recently retired legend. The magazine also pointed out that "Ete" had completed 23 of the 25 Grand Tours in which he started. Wow! So, here is the burning question of the day - does this make Zabel the record holder for most completed Grand Tours in a career? I can't seem to find the answer anywhere. Please, someone tell me they know the answer to this one or else I'm going to lose sleep over this unresolved bit of trivia.

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Good question

Joop Zoetemelk was 16/16 in GT’s. But not sure if anyone else has completed 23. Zabel will be missed for sure. What a consummate pro, and just all around good guy. Would have liked to see him take Paris Tours once more, but it wasn’t in the cards.

by Peter Fontecchio on Nov 9, 2008 6:13 AM EST reply actions

I don't know

but, oh my…he passed a little more than one year of his life, running in Grand tours!!

by semprenaroda on Nov 9, 2008 11:06 AM EST reply actions

Now he's riding the 6-day circuit.

So much for the off-season.

by brunopitton on Nov 9, 2008 11:27 AM EST reply actions

Hard to find!

You know it is very hard to find a place that has historical lists of participants even in the Tour. Any ideas? Winners yeah, but just who rode is net to impossible for anything before the ’90’s or so.

by Markk on Nov 10, 2008 9:05 AM EST reply actions

letour.fr has startlists for years up to 2005.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Nov 10, 2008 9:56 AM EST up reply actions

Thanks, checking

I found the guys with up to 10 participants in their stats. I was looking for Gimondi, who I thought might beat Zabel, given the number of Giro’s. He has less than 10 Tours, although the has 10 year apart appearances. He still could have more GT’s. It is a fun little quest.

by Markk on Nov 10, 2008 10:50 AM EST reply actions

I thought that Sean Kelly might be up there too

14 Tours, finished 12, crashed out once, ate fish contaminated with EPO once.
6 Vuelta, finished 5
But surprisingly never rode the Giro, so that leaves him on 20/17

by Monty. on Nov 10, 2008 11:56 AM EST up reply actions

I think Eki beats Kelly (but not Zabel)

Viatcheslav Ekimov:
15 Tours, finished 15
4 Vueltas, finished 3 (slacker)
2 Giros, finished 2
so completed 20/21

I remember reading that this year’s Vuelta was going to be Chechu Rubiera’s 20th and final Grand Tour. But that was when he was planning to retire, so he could add 1 or 2 next year. I’ll have to see if I can find out how many Chechu finished out of the 20—unless somebody already knows?

by majope on Nov 10, 2008 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

Rubiera 19 out of 20 (so far)

8 Vueltas, finished 8
6 Tours, finished 6
6 Giros, finished 5
completed 19/20

by majope on Nov 10, 2008 12:58 PM EST up reply actions

Well can't find goods on Gimondi

Felice Gimondi – Greatest cyclist no one talks about now.
1964 to 1978 (same as Merckxx) Won all three Tours, Worlds, Roubaix, Milan San Remo, Lombardia …

9 times on Podium! at Giro, 12 finishes as far as I can tell.
10 finishes (maybe I think … interpolating) at Tour won stages 4 years
Well 1 finish I know of at Vuelta (he won in 1968 ) this is the kicker – how many other times did he compete?

I know Merkxx thought he was a hard nosed pro so I would think he might have been in more, but I can’t find any details. Oh well.

by Markk on Nov 11, 2008 11:02 AM EST reply actions

The best I can find

is here which I make as 14 Giros, 5 Tours and 1 Vuelta finished. From 1965 to 1976 his lowest finish in a GT was 8th. Only in 1977 did he slip to 15th in the Giro, and he even improved back to 11th in his last year, 1978.

by Monty. on Nov 11, 2008 3:19 PM EST up reply actions