Is this a first - three English-speaking Grand Tour winners?

[tv_vt]

Assuming Simon Yates hangs on to his Vuelta lead (not a sure thing, I know), this year's Grand Tour winners will be Froome, Thomas and Yates - all English speakers. Is this the first time all three of the GT winners of the year were English speakers?

Not a big deal, obviously, but an interesting little factoid if it's true, thirty-five years or so after Phil Anderson wore the yellow jersey in the Tour for a few days and 32 years after Lemond won the Tour for the first time.

[Elefantino]

Also the first time all three GT winners were from one country.

[rwsaunders]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Also the first time all three GT winners were from one country.

One commonwealth for Yates and Thomas perhaps as Thomas is Welsh...isn’t Froome a dual citizen of England and Kenya?

[rain dogs]

Vuelta isn't over yet.

Valverde cracking and losing time tomorrow is a script almost being sent to print (given the altitude and profile as until today and tomorrow this Vuelta has almost been the perfect Vuelta route for him)

AND Yates has more than just this year's Giro history of inconsistency over three weeks.

AND Mas looks stronger every day.

AND.... and..

but, to answer your question considering only 9 different native English speakers have won grand tours:

Hampsten, Hesjedal, Froome - Giro
Lemond, Evans, Wiggins, Froome, Thomas - Tour
Kelly, Horner, Froome - Vuelta

this, yes, could potentially be the first time all native English speakers held the titles in the same year.

Italy first owned both* in both 1924 and 1925 La Vuelta didn't exist until 1935 as from 1911 through 1936 the Volta a Catalunya was the big 'national' race on the Peninsula... really until about 1941 tbh. And Italians won every Giro 1909-'49 and all but 4 until '60 - twice Swiss ('50, '54) twice Charly Gaul the Luxembourger ('56, '59)

In 1964 France was the first country to own all three* - Anquetil, Anquetil, Poulidor (but given the Calendar at the time, the Vuelta ended the day the Giro began May14th.... so that influenced rider participation

In 2008 Spain was the second country officially to do it - Contador, Sastre, Contador, but the first and at this point only country to do it under the new 'three-season' calendar where in theory one rider could do all three in one year.

[wallymann]

wait a second...giro/tour....did roche lose his irish citizenship and ability to speak english? as heavy as his accent is, it still qualifies!

methinks your english-speaking GT victor tally should be 10. ;-)

Originally Posted by rain dogs

Vuelta isn't over yet.

Valverde cracking and losing time tomorrow is a script almost being sent to print (given the altitude and profile as until today and tomorrow this Vuelta has almost been the perfect Vuelta route for him)

AND Yates has more than just this year's Giro history of inconsistency over three weeks.

AND Mas looks stronger every day.

AND.... and..

but, to answer your question considering only 9 different native English speakers have won grand tours:

Hampsten, Hesjedal, Froome - Giro
Lemond, Evans, Wiggins, Froome, Thomas - Tour
Kelly, Horner, Froome - Vuelta

this, yes, could potentially be the first time all native English speakers held the titles in the same year.

Italy first owned both* in both 1924 and 1925 La Vuelta didn't exist until 1935 as from 1911 through 1936 the Volta a Catalunya was the big 'national' race on the Peninsula... really until about 1941 tbh. And Italians won every Giro 1909-'49 and all but 4 until '60 - twice Swiss ('50, '54) twice Charly Gaul the Luxembourger ('56, '59)

In 1964 France was the first country to own all three* - Anquetil, Anquetil, Poulidor (but given the Calendar at the time, the Vuelta ended the day the Giro began May14th.... so that influenced rider participation

In 2008 Spain was the second country officially to do it - Contador, Sastre, Contador, but the first and at this point only country to do it under the new 'three-season' calendar where in theory one rider could do all three in one year.

[rain dogs]

Originally Posted by wallymann

wait a second...giro/tour....did roche lose his irish citizenship and ability to speak english? as heavy as his accent is, it still qualifies!

methinks your english-speaking GT victor tally should be 10. ;-)

D'oh.... of course. How did I forget that (the year right before Hampsten too!) Thanks! Good eye!

Roche, Hampsten, Hesjedal, Froome - Giro
Lemond, Roche, Evans, Wiggins, Froome, Thomas - Tour
Kelly, Horner, Froome - Vuelta

So, 10! native English speakers.... whoops

But yeah...

In 1964 France was the first country to own all three*

In 2008 Spain was the second country to do it

and now potentially the UK provided Yatesy hangs on.

[oldpotatoe]

[QUOTE=rain dogs;2426150]Vuelta isn't over yet.

Valverde cracking and losing time tomorrow is a script almost being sent to print (given the altitude and profile as until today and tomorrow this Vuelta has almost been the perfect Vuelta route for him)

Well, 30 KM to go, 8 Movistar at front..yates just got gapped..15km to BIG climb..we'll see, it ISN'T over yet...

[rain dogs]

Very true OP... no idea what Yates and Michelton were doing there, that was close to being the Vuelta title over for him

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by rain dogs

Very true OP... no idea what Yates and Michelton were doing there, that was close to being the Vuelta title over for him

uh-oh...