Who won the most stages, relatively?
Eddy Merckx won the most stages, but he also started 185 stages, which is more than the average rider. So he had more chances than other riders. That's why I wondered: who won the highest percentage of the stages he started? See the list below. There are seven riders with a higher winning percentage than Eddy Merckx, who won 18.4% of his stages, which I'll explain below. See also the overview for the Vuelta and the Giro.
- At the top of the list is Michel Frederick. He only competed in 1904 and started in two stages, winning one of them. His win rate is therefore 50%. Well, he was awarded the victory a few months later because everyone above him was disqualified.
- Rene Pottier won five of the 16 stages he started, which is 31.25%. Unprecedentedly high. He started in 1905 and 1906 and was particularly successful in 1906, winning five stages and the overall victory. Due to his suicide in 1907, he never raced again.
- Giovanni Michelotto first competed in 1913 and immediately won the first stage. He abandoned the race in the third stage. He competed again in 1914, but didn't even finish the first stage. Thus, he only managed one stage win in four starts, which is 25%.
- Maurice Garin won 3 of the 12 stages he started in 1903 and 1904, which is 25%. But he originally won four, so 33%...
- Aucouturier is in the same boat: he originally won 4 stages in 1904, so he won 9 out of 31, or 29%.
- Alfredo Binda won 2 of the 10 stages he started in 1930. He was actually quite successful in the Tour, but he was more interested in the Giro, which he won five times.
- Freddy Maertens participated in the Tour three times, won the green jersey each time, and won 15 of the 76 stages he started, which is 19.7%. Statistically, he is the most successful post-war rider in stages.
- Of recent riders, Mark Cavendish was very successful when it comes to stage wins: he has 35 out of 231, or 15.2%.
- Current active rider with the highest percentage is Pogacar, with 21 stage wins in only 126 started stages, or 16.7%.
| Name | Stages won | Stages started | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Frédérick | 1 | 2 | 50.000% |
| R. Pottier | 5 | 16 | 31.250% |
| M. Garin | 3 | 12 | 25.000% |
| G. Micheletto | 1 | 4 | 25.000% |
| Alf. Binda | 2 | 10 | 20.000% |
| F. Maertens | 15 | 76 | 19.737% |
| E. Merckx | 34 | 185 | 18.378% |
| L. Guerra | 8 | 44 | 18.182% |
| H. Pélissier | 10 | 56 | 17.857% |
| J. Van Dam | 3 | 17 | 17.647% |
| M. Cipollini | 12 | 69 | 17.391% |
| A. Hamerlinck | 2 | 12 | 16.667% |
| A. Pasotti | 2 | 12 | 16.667% |
| G. Rossi | 1 | 6 | 16.667% |
| C. Laeser | 1 | 6 | 16.667% |
| R. Di Paco | 11 | 67 | 16.418% |
| T. Pogačar | 17 | 105 | 16.190% |
| H. Aucouturier | 5 | 31 | 16.129% |
| F. Faber | 19 | 120 | 15.833% |
| J. Dortignacq | 7 | 45 | 15.556% |
| C. Pélissier | 16 | 103 | 15.534% |
| O. Bottecchia | 9 | 58 | 15.517% |
| B. Hinault | 28 | 183 | 15.301% |
| M. Cavendish | 35 | 231 | 15.152% |
| M. Buysse | 6 | 41 | 14.634% |
| G. Passerieu | 7 | 48 | 14.583% |
| M. Kittel | 14 | 97 | 14.433% |
| N. Frantz | 20 | 139 | 14.388% |
| W. Generati | 1 | 7 | 14.286% |
| L. Trousselier | 13 | 95 | 13.684% |
| R. Rivière | 5 | 37 | 13.514% |
| O. Lapize | 6 | 45 | 13.333% |
| F. Coppi | 9 | 68 | 13.235% |
| J. Aerts | 12 | 94 | 12.766% |
| J. Schepens | 1 | 8 | 12.500% |
| P. Sercu | 6 | 49 | 12.245% |
| J. Alavoine | 17 | 139 | 12.230% |
| A. Leducq | 25 | 213 | 11.737% |
| É. Meulenbergh | 9 | 79 | 11.392% |
| T. Steels | 9 | 79 | 11.392% |
| T. Merlier | 1 | 9 | 11.111% |
| P. Thys | 12 | 110 | 10.909% |
| R. Le Grèves | 15 | 140 | 10.714% |
| H. Koblet | 5 | 48 | 10.417% |
| E. Sels | 7 | 70 | 10.000% |
| O. Egg | 2 | 20 | 10.000% |
| N. Defilippis | 7 | 71 | 9.859% |
| R. Hassenforder | 8 | 84 | 9.524% |
| F. Kübler | 8 | 84 | 9.524% |
| J. Philipsen | 9 | 95 | 9.474% |
| F. Goethals | 7 | 75 | 9.333% |
| É. Georget | 8 | 88 | 9.091% |
| L. Lucotti | 3 | 33 | 9.091% |
| O. Taverne | 2 | 22 | 9.091% |
| G. Schulte | 1 | 11 | 9.091% |
| H. Van Lerberghe | 1 | 11 | 9.091% |
| L. Armstrong | 22 | 243 | 9.053% |
| J. Anquetil | 16 | 184 | 8.696% |
| R. Matthijs | 4 | 46 | 8.696% |
| R. De Breuker | 2 | 23 | 8.696% |
| L. Louyet | 2 | 23 | 8.696% |
| G. Van Slembrouck | 4 | 47 | 8.511% |
| J. Rossius | 5 | 59 | 8.475% |
| R. Altig | 8 | 95 | 8.421% |
| R. Jacquinot | 4 | 48 | 8.333% |
| A. Leoni | 1 | 12 | 8.333% |
| K. Litschi | 1 | 12 | 8.333% |
| L. Storme | 1 | 12 | 8.333% |
| L. Petit-Breton | 7 | 85 | 8.235% |
| R. Lapébie | 9 | 112 | 8.036% |
| C. Crupelandt | 4 | 50 | 8.000% |
| R. Van Steenbergen | 4 | 50 | 8.000% |
| F. Moser | 2 | 25 | 8.000% |
| M. Pantani | 8 | 101 | 7.921% |
| W. van Aert | 9 | 114 | 7.895% |
| F. Bitossi | 4 | 51 | 7.843% |
| J. Raas | 10 | 128 | 7.812% |
| M. Archambaud | 10 | 128 | 7.812% |
| H. Martin | 5 | 64 | 7.812% |
| M. Dejouhannet | 1 | 13 | 7.692% |
| M. Wüst | 1 | 13 | 7.692% |
| L. Mottiat | 8 | 105 | 7.619% |
| G. Speicher | 9 | 121 | 7.438% |
| R. Maes | 4 | 55 | 7.273% |
| A. Benoît | 4 | 55 | 7.273% |
| G. Bartali | 12 | 167 | 7.186% |
| R. Van Looy | 7 | 98 | 7.143% |
| B. Girmay | 3 | 42 | 7.143% |
| M. Poblet | 3 | 42 | 7.143% |
| H. Poppe | 1 | 14 | 7.143% |
| A. Trochut | 1 | 14 | 7.143% |
| J. Pras | 1 | 14 | 7.143% |
| G. Brunero | 1 | 14 | 7.143% |
| F. Gaviria | 2 | 29 | 6.897% |
| F. Magni | 7 | 102 | 6.863% |
| G. Garrigou | 8 | 117 | 6.838% |
| A. Darrigade | 22 | 323 | 6.811% |
| T. Boonen | 6 | 90 | 6.667% |
| O. Defraeye | 3 | 45 | 6.667% |
| V. Borgarello | 2 | 30 | 6.667% |
| J. Masselis | 2 | 30 | 6.667% |
| E. Azzini | 1 | 15 | 6.667% |
| A. Rosseel | 4 | 61 | 6.557% |
| M. Basso | 6 | 92 | 6.522% |
| B. Oosterbosch | 3 | 46 | 6.522% |
| G. Servadei | 2 | 31 | 6.452% |
| T. Smit | 2 | 31 | 6.452% |
| C. Ewan | 5 | 79 | 6.329% |
| H. Barthélémy | 5 | 79 | 6.329% |
| R. Bellenger | 6 | 95 | 6.316% |
| J. van Poppel | 9 | 143 | 6.294% |
| C. Guimard | 7 | 112 | 6.250% |
| E. Daems | 4 | 64 | 6.250% |
| D. Willems | 4 | 64 | 6.250% |
| P. Le Drogo | 1 | 16 | 6.250% |
| G. Loncke | 2 | 33 | 6.061% |
| A. Dossche | 3 | 50 | 6.000% |
| D. Abduzhaparov | 9 | 152 | 5.921% |
| A. Fournier | 2 | 34 | 5.882% |
| W. Godefroot | 10 | 172 | 5.814% |
| S. Maes | 9 | 158 | 5.696% |
| P. Verhaegen | 3 | 53 | 5.660% |
| C. Gaul | 10 | 177 | 5.650% |
| F. Gimondi | 7 | 125 | 5.600% |
| L. Bobet | 11 | 198 | 5.556% |
| M. Molines | 1 | 18 | 5.556% |
| A. Desvages | 1 | 18 | 5.556% |
| W. Oberbeck | 1 | 18 | 5.556% |
| U. Freuler | 1 | 18 | 5.556% |
| F. Le Drogo | 1 | 18 | 5.556% |
| A. Petacchi | 6 | 110 | 5.455% |
| M. De Waele | 5 | 92 | 5.435% |
| D. Thurau | 6 | 111 | 5.405% |
| E. Bautz | 2 | 37 | 5.405% |
| P. Sagan | 12 | 225 | 5.333% |
| R. Vietto | 8 | 150 | 5.333% |
| R. Van Linden | 4 | 76 | 5.263% |
| M. Argentin | 2 | 38 | 5.263% |
| M. Cadolle | 1 | 19 | 5.263% |
| P. Ferreira | 1 | 19 | 5.263% |
| L. Ocaña | 9 | 174 | 5.172% |
| A. Greipel | 11 | 219 | 5.023% |
| M. Indurain | 12 | 240 | 5.000% |
| M. Rasmussen | 4 | 80 | 5.000% |
| F. Pélissier | 2 | 40 | 5.000% |
| C. van Espen | 1 | 20 | 5.000% |
