Lowest stage placed grand tour winner

[Martinsnos]

Does anyone know the lowest - highest stage finish - of a grand tour winner?
As an example, the best they did in any stage was third say?

 

[Sharky]

Try googling
tour de france winners who never won a stage

 

[Paulus]

Can you win a Grand Tour without winning a stage?

Yes it has in fact happened several times, the most recent ones being 2017 (Chris Froome), 2006 (Óscar Pereiro after Floyd Landis was disqualified) and 1990 (Greg LeMond). Before that, the TdF was also won without a stage victory in 1922, 1956, 1960 and 1966. (see here).28 May 2017

 

[matticus]

2006 (Óscar Pereiro

I've just been down a google rabbit-hole ... Although Oscar only finished 2nd* on Stage 13 of that Tour, he gained more than 29minutes on the other GC contenders!!! The time-cut was 29:00 that day - what a crazy stage.

*out-sprinted by Jens Voigt, of all people :P

 

[Martinsnos]

I've just been down a google rabbit-hole ... Although Oscar only finished 2nd* on Stage 13 of that Tour, he gained more than 29minutes on the other GC contenders!!! The time-cut was 29:00 that day - what a crazy stage.

*out-sprinted by Jens Voigt, of all people :P

Well done for your efforts.

I was also after say whether a rider had only come as high as 3rd (or less - so meaning even lower overall stage results) on any 1 stage and still won the Tour - I fear ‘even’ Google won’t have that.

 

[matticus]

I was also after say whether a rider had only come as high as 3rd (or less - so meaning even lower overall stage results) on any 1 stage and still won the Tour - I fear ‘even’ Google won’t have that.

I *think* you are nearly there:
Just take the riders in Paulus' reply (#3), and google each of those riders. We already know Pereiro and Froome had a 2nd place, so that's a start on your research

 

[Dogtrousers]

I *think* you are nearly there:
Just take the riders in Paulus' reply (#3), and google each of those riders. We already know Pereiro and Froome had a 2nd place, so that's a start on your research

And I'll throw in Lucien Aimar (1966) for free. He also got a second

http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=101
1966 France 2º in Stage 14 part a Tour de France, Aubenas (Rhone-Alpes), France
1966 France 1º in General Classification Tour de France, Paris (Ile-de-France), France

That just leaves 1922, 1956, 1960, 1990

 

[Aravis]

I like this sort of question because it requires digging, and I find out fascinating details about races I'd never looked at before. I usually find that the process spawns further intriguing questions...

I have a new leader: the 1963 Giro, won by Franco Balmamion with four 3rd places on stages but none higher. The search continues...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Well done for your efforts.

I was also after say whether a rider had only come as high as 3rd (or less - so meaning even lower overall stage results) on any 1 stage and still won the Tour - I fear ‘even’ Google won’t have that.

Just search for each winner and look at a summary of their stages.

 

[Aravis]

I think I have the final answer. Roger Walkowiak (1956 Tour) and Marco Giovanetti (1990 Vuelta) both finished no higher than fifth on any individual stage.

Over the years stageless overall winners seem to have been much more frequent in the Giro than in the other two GTs.

 

[Martinsnos]

I think I have the final answer. Roger Walkowiak (1956 Tour) and Marco Giovanetti (1990 Vuelta) both finished no higher than fifth on any individual stage.

Over the years stageless overall winners seem to have been much more frequent in the Giro than in the other two GTs.

Wow - that is pretty amazing.

Thank you so much for looking that up.

Can’t see how that will ever be repeated, a very different style of racing these days.

 

[matticus]

The natural follow-up:
Worst sprinter to win the Green Jersey?

(I know quite a famous example who recently won it with only 2nd places )

 

[Dogtrousers]

The natural follow-up:
Worst sprinter to win the Green Jersey?

(I know quite a famous example who recently won it with only 2nd places )

Looking at all the Grand Tours, the points jersey in the Giro and the Vuelta often goes to non-sprinters.

 

[Aravis]

The natural follow-up:
Worst sprinter to win the Green Jersey?

(I know quite a famous example who recently won it with only 2nd places )

In my early years of following the Tour I began to wonder if it was possible for the green jersey to win a stage. Sean Kelly won three of his four without a stage win; also in the 1980s we had Eric Vanderaerden and Eddy Plankaert.

I see that in 1988 Plankaert had three 3rd places - nothing higher. I feel that must be the record, but you never know.

 

[matticus]

Looking at all the Grand Tours, the points jersey in the Giro and the Vuelta often goes to non-sprinters.

Not Green Jerseys, are they??



(You're in danger of opening up another front there: I think the Giro/Vuelta points systems are crrrrrazy! )