We know Joop Zoetemelk and Raymond Poulidor by the nickname “eternal seconds.” However, this label doesn’t adequately reflect their impressive track record, just like Wout Van Aert’s. The X channel (formerly Twitter), Cycling Statistics, conducted a survey and revealed which cyclists finished in second place the most times this season.
Belgian cyclist Wout Van Aert from Team Jumbo-Visma showcased his skills, securing second and third places in various prestigious races such as the World Championship, European Championship, and Paris-Roubaix, to name just three of them.
In addition, he came close to victory several times in the Tour de France, although he has not yet reached the top spot. In total, Van Aert has stepped onto the podium sixteen times without securing a win, showcasing his consistency in the sport.
Portuguese rider João Almeida had a strong performance in 2023, securing several second places in the Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour of Poland, and winning the Best Young Rider classification in the Giro d’Italia.
Other notable riders on the list include Remco Evenepoel, Mads Pedersen, Filippo Ganna, Jonas Vingegaard, and Tadej Pogacar, all of whom also achieved multiple podium finishes.
Here is the list of cyclists who finished in second place the most times in 2023:
- Wout Van Aert – 16 times
- Olav Kooij and Remco Evenepoel – 14 times
- Mads Pedersen and Filippo Ganna – 12 times
- Mattias Skjelmose, Jonas Vingegaard, João Almeida, and Adam Yates – 11 times
- Tadej Pogacar, Cees Bol, and Sam Bennett – 10 times
