There have been so many great cyclists, but there’s a few that everybody remembers for their way winning races. There are 5 riders that without any doubt are the best in history and we have added 3 more, who are worth mentioning.

Eddy Merckx

Eddy Merckx is a legend in this sport. He is considered by many to be the fastest, toughest and greatest cyclist of all time. This Belgian cyclist is the proud owner of awards for 11 Grand Tours, 64 single-start cycling, 3 World Championships and 27 classic cycling races, which include 3 Paris-Roubaix.

During his career, which spanned from 1965 to 1978, he won 525 races. The dominant position he held over the cycling scene in the 1970s has few comparisons in modern cycling history.

Eddy Merckx had a voracious appetite to win all the competitions he entered during his career. He was the first cyclist to receive the so-called Triple Cycling Crown; victory in the Tour de France, the Tour of Italy and the World Cycling Championship in one season.

Fausto Coppi

Fausto Coppi’s career, in simple terms, is one of the most impressive of all time. The Italian athlete dominated this sport before and after World War II. Fauso Coppi was particularly famous for using his skills as a mountain rider and sprinter to build a unique record.

This is a cyclist who was well above the rest, as he basically ended most of his races with a win. Therefore, Coppi was and is one of the professional cyclists who have won the most titles. His record includes world championships and single-start cycling.

In fact, Coppi was the first to win the Tour de France and the Giro de Italia in the same year. Moreover, he won them both not only once, but twice – the first time in 1949 and the second time in 1952. On top of all his achievements, the Italian faced mighty champions such as Koblet, Bobet, Kubler, Magni and, not to forget , Bartali.

Bernard Hinault

Bernard Hinault is the best French cyclist of all time. He was born in 1954 and had an irritable temper. However, he was also very stubborn and he did not waver when he wanted to achieve a goal. Without a doubt, his personality has helped him become one of the best cyclists in history. In fact, he was the third cyclist in history to win the Tour de France five times, following in the footsteps of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx.

Jacques Anquetil

Jacques Anquetil was born in 1934. He was the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, between 1957 and 1964. In 1963, he won the Tour of Spain, and in 1964 he won the Tour of Italy for the second time.

He was a specialist in single-start cycling, and was called “Master Jacques”. Anquetil remains a unique athlete, both on and off his bike. This cyclist is considered by many to be one of the most important cyclists in the history of this sport.

Miguel Indurain

Along with Pedro Delgado, the Spanish cyclist, Miguel Indurain, is considered to be one of the best in history. He is deeply loved by Spanish fans, but he is also very popular with Tour de France fans. After his victory in 1995, he became the fifth cyclist in history to win the Tour de France five times. That year, he became part of an exclusive elite group that included Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil.

Many cycling enthusiasts consider Indurain to be awesome because of his ferocious speed and amazing abilities. This cyclist was admired for his ability to climb mountains without breaking his rhythm.

Other riders to consider

Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong has the unofficial record for most Tour de France victories. He won the race 7 times, but due to doping he lost all his results in the Tour de France. Lance was a part of an area where almost every cyclist was doped. Many of his competitors have come clear about doping after their careers ended, but they haven’t lost their results. Therefore, it’s fair to conclude that Lance was the best cyclist in the 00’s because of the massive doping.

Chris Froome

Chris is known as one of the best grand tour riders in the history. He has won Tour de France 4 times, Vuelta Espana 2 times and the Giro ones. Chris with his Sky team was dominating the stage races in the 10’s.

Unfortunately, Chris got injured from a crash that could cost him the career, but he managed to fight back. He never came back to the same level, but he’s helping other riders, which shows a lot about his personality and fighter instincts.

Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish is widely known to be the best sprinter to ever race. He has the record for most Tour de France stage victories, while he also has a lot of victories in the Vuelta and Giro.

Mark wasn’t as powerful as other sprinters in his generation. Riders like Andre Greipel and Marcel Kittel can produce most more power, but Mark has the unique aerodynamic way to sprint combined with the instinct to start the sprint at the right time.