Based on how they rank amongst their peers, the profile of the sport, and consistency I’d have to go for Andy Murray. Competing in at a time when quality has never been higher, hes without fail a top 4 player, currently number 2.

I’d considered Mo Farah, with his vast array of gold medals, but for me Murray pips him due to the sport he competes in.

I’ve discounted Wiggins as, despite being an absolute legend and still active, his best achievements have been in the past, and I’m going on current form, ie over last 12 months

Discuss…

Rachel Atherton!

It is always hard to say when someone is so dominant if its a period of low quality or if they are that good, IMO for Rachel it is the later.

Atherton. Top of her game and absolutely dominant

Got to agree withMSP there.

Surely Froome has been consistently at the top more than Murray?
Cav too has been head and shoulders the best for a long time and is still mixing it at the top. Murray has never been the worlds best.
That F1 fella too.
Lots with greater standing in yheir sports yhan Murray

Alastair Brownlee. Head and shoulders above everyone else.

Lewis Hamilton back to back world championships and well placed to make it 3. Gareth Bale huge part of Real and Wales success in the last year.

Whilst undoubtably brilliant, Atherton’s success comes in a fairly minority sport, hence why I never considered her. Thats no disrespect to her, but I don’t think there are many ladies whove ever given down hill biking a go.

I also think we may be a bit bias given its ‘our’ sport. There are probably equally dominant people in other minority sports that we’ve never heard of, although dont ask me to name any

Its all opinions however – I personally think Rach is brilliant.

Why does there have to be an out and out best (imo)?
I think it’s great that there are so many that we should be celebrating the collective.
It’s Nigel Owens btw. 😉

As for Lewis Hamilton…really? All that is conclusive is he is mildly better than his team mate. Remember Jenson won a world title when he had the best car as well..

Lizzie Armitstead’s in with a shout.

I’d go for Cav especially if he wins tomorrow’s stage of the Tdf.

ps…I knew this topic would get the collective juices of the forum flowing!

Jasmin Paris. A female runner mixing it up with the men. Inspirational.

its definitely not the person who consistently comes second in the world….though he is still scotland’s greatest sports person 😉

Alastair Brownlee. Head and shoulders above everyone else.

THIS

Shit sport though 😛

Big sport: Kell Brook

Little sport: Graham Jarvis (watch it, it’s incredible.)

Hands down Eddie The Eagle accept no substitutes .

Kell Brook

You mean the Kell Brook who has one decent name on his ledger? you might as well say Tyson Fury!

Thinks hes got amazing talent, but far from proven himself yet in a division packed with talent.

Elbry

I think Hamilton’s wins in his 1st few seasons in F1 show what a fantastic driver he is.

Phil Taylor?

I think Hamilton’s wins in his 1st few seasons in F1 show what a fantastic driver he is.

Fair point – hes been better than all his teammates in his career, and is right at the top of his game.

Hamilton definitely 3 world champs! equal to senna’s record.

Greg Rutherford.

Gareth Bale? World class in the sport with by far the highest professional participation?

Otherwise Mo Farrah

Murray without a doubt. No sport is as mentally tough or as technical more lonely and as physical as tennis. Lots of sports as tough on one or maybe even two levels but no other sport in my opinion is as tough on multiple levels.

Lizzie.

canny be an F1 driver, F1 is keek. plus if you need to use an engine it’s no a proper sport.

I’d go with Bale if he takes wales into the final.

Whoever gets paid the most money, so Murray, mcilroy or Hamilton.

No sport is as mentally tough

Apart from golf which another level altogether!

Whilst undoubtably brilliant, Atherton’s success comes in a fairly minority sport, hence why I never considered her. Thats no disrespect to her, but I don’t think there are many ladies whove ever given down hill biking a go.

How many have given formula 1 a go, or even open wheel racing? If you start discounting athletes in less popular sports then nobody counts unless they are a footballer.

IMO if british cycling promoted our mountain bikers as much as they do our tracj cyclists (which is even more minority than mtb) then Rachel would be a national hero, up there with Hoy, Wiggins and Boardman.

Jess Ennis-Hill

It’s a bit sad if we pick someone who is not proven top of their sport, so that rules out Murray and Bale for me. I’m no big fan of motorsport, but it’s hard to argue against Hamilton and much as I dislike the bloke, Froome is right up there in a sport that britain isn’t traditionally great in isn’t he? McIlroy is UK rather than GB isn’t he?

IMO if british cycling promoted our mountain bikers as much as they do our tracj cyclists (which is even more minority than mtb) then Rachel would be a national hero, up there with Hoy, Wiggins and Boardman.

very good point. Better to watch too.

Best competitor? Greg Rutherford hands down I reckon.
Most dominant? Rachel Atherton, but as already said in a minority sport so could equally go to Farah.

Little sport: Graham Jarvis (watch it, it’s incredible.)

I agree but unfortunately few have heard of him. He’s won the 2 hardest trials in the world a few times, the SSDT 4 times & the Scott 9 times (grown men cry doing the Scott) British trials champion 5 times.
Now he’s changed to extreme enduro & is doing quite well.

😆

Ben Ainslie.

Multiple world cup and world champion, across multiple classes and 15 years. 5x Olympian, 4 gold and one silver medal.
America’s cup skipper and winner. Let’s see what this summer brings.

Without having read the previous replies I’d have said Lewis Hamilton or Rachel Atherton. Nice to see some of you agree 😀

Lewis due to him arriving on the circuit with a bang, 1 point off world champion at the first time of asking while up against a ruthless Alonso, then being one of the eminent drivers for every season since. He’s currently the standard others are judged by.

Rachel as she’s winning everything despite pressure from the top 3 or 4 other ladies, mainly Manon btu there’s others who could beat her on any weekend if she has a bad one. Her consistency is astounding over a few seasons, even changing manufacturer didn’t put her off!

Out of those two I’d go for Rachel as she’s in a minority sport without the huge trappings of fame and she has invested in growing the sport by sponsoring grass roots events.

I’m kind of hoping it’s Chris Coleman in about 45 minutes…

Rachel

I genuinely feel sorry for Gareth Bale having to go back to training seeing Ronaldo’s smug face.

Murrays ranked third or fourth, motor racings not a proper sport.
The only one considered No1 worldwide is Froome, but I s’pose to some he’s not really British.

Andy Murray
Jessica Ennis-Hill

Rachel gets a very honourable mention