2014 Season Snapshot by Rider

[jaylew]

High Points:Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Low Points:Not even podiuming a WT race, never mind a monument
Marks out of 10: 4/10
2015 Expectations:Winning a cobbled classic

Nominate : Niki Terpstra

Niki Terpstra

High Points: Won Paris-Roubaix, Qatar, Dwars...entire spring, really
Low Points: Fairly anonymous tour; being kicked out of Eneco
Marks out of 10: 9/10
2015 Expectations: Consistent again in the cobbled classics, with a win in one of them.

Cobbles rider of the year, no question, but I don't think he gets enough credit for the season he had. He went top 6 in every cobbled race he participated in this spring:

Omploop 5th
Dwars 1st
E3 2nd
RVV 6th
De Panne 4th
Roubaix 1st

Nominate: Simon Gerrans

 

[del1962]

Niki Terpstra

High Points: Won Parix-Roubaix, Qatar, Dwars...entire spring, really
Low Points: Fairly anonymous tour; being kicked out of Eneco
Marks out of 10: 9/10
2015 Expectations: Consistent again in the cobbled classics, with a win in one of them.

Cobbles rider of the year, no question, but I don't think he gets enough credit for the season he had. He went top 6 in every cobbled race he participated in this spring:

Omploop 5th
Dwars 1st
E3 2nd
RVV 6th
De Panne 4th
Roubaix 1st

Nominate: Simon Gerrans

High Points:TDU, LBL, Canadian Classics
Low Points:TDF Stage 1 Crash limited yellow chances for stage 2, didn't take a pull in worlds to bring Kwia back
Marks out of 10:9/10
2015 Expectations: Continue to be competitive in Ardennes, Canada and TDU though it will be hard to emulate this season,

Nominate : Thibaut Pinot

 

[Jagartrott]

I understand that. Judging domestique's is even more subjective than "lead riders" if you base it purely on that job imo. What would we base it on? How many lead outs he performed, how many miles he rode on the front, how many breakaways he was in? To be honest I'd be too lazy to go back and look or try to remember how often he was on the front of some race in the middle of the stage.

You should judge a rider relative to his team role and his capacity. Did he perform above or below expectations? Better riders should be held to higher standards than domestiques, riders at the peak of their ability judged differently than neo-pro's etc.

 

[barmaher]

High Points:TDU, LBL, Canadian Classics
Low Points:TDF Stage 1 Crash limited yellow chances for stage 2, didn't take a pull in worlds to bring Kwia back
Marks out of 10:9/10
2015 Expectations: Continue to be competitive in Ardennes, Canada and TDU though it will be hard to emulate this season,

Nominate : Thibaut Pinot

High Points:Regaining his confidence descending. Some solid prep races in Switzerland and France earlier in the year.
Great Tour de France, including a very good time trial.
Low Points: Never got close to showing his potential in the Vuelta, but I doubt he cared too much.
Marks out of 10: 9/10....really close to giving him full marks. Really, he had a great year and I am very impressed with how he has improved downhill and against the clock, his two main areas of concern.
2015 Expectations: After last year, anything less than Top 5 in the Tour would be a disappointment. He should also aim hard for one of the stage races in the spring, maybe Catalunya or Pais Vasco.

Nominate Nico Roche

 

[Sylvester]

Nominate Nico Roche

High Points: Route du Sud win
Low Points: Just not a great season for him really, a bit underwhelming compared to 2013 and even 2012, especially on longer climbs he seems to have lost it. Contador falling out of the Tour did not help, though.
Marks out of 10: 5/10? Hard to judge.
2015 expectations: being a decent dom for Froome, I guess? Can't see him getting a lot of chances to ride for himself at Sky.
Nominate: Ion Izagirre

 

[del1962]

High Points: Route du Sud win
Low Points: Just not a great season for him really, a bit underwhelming compared to 2013 and even 2012, especially on longer climbs he seems to have lost it. Contador falling out of the Tour did not help, though.
Marks out of 10: 5/10? Hard to judge.
2015 expectations: being a decent dom for Froome, I guess? Can't see him getting a lot of chances to ride for himself at Sky.
Nominate: Ion Izagirre

B]High Points[/B]: Spanish Nationals, 2nd in Poland
Low Points: Difficult to say as a lot of time as domestique
Marks out of 10: 6/10
2015 expectationsTo win a Time trial or 2.HC/2.1 stage race with a time trial

Nominate: Ramunas Navarduskas

 

[Afrank]

B]High Points[/B]: Spanish Nationals, 2nd in Poland
Low Points: Difficult to say as a lot of time as domestique
Marks out of 10: 6/10
2015 expectationsTo win a Time trial or 2.HC/2.1 stage race with a time trial

Nominate: Ramunas Navarduskas

High points: Circuit de la sarthe win, Nationals, numerous top 10's throughout the season, Tour stage win, good placings in Alberta, Quebec, and Montreal.
Low points: Not sure if there's anything worth mentioning, had a good season. I guess would depend on what his goals were coming into the season.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
2015: similar to this year getting numerous top 10's and other good placings, GT stage win, a more serious run at the classics to see how he could do there maybe.

Nominate: Tejay Van Garderen

 

[Jspear]

High points: Circuit de la sarthe win, Nationals, numerous top 10's throughout the season, Tour stage win, good placings in Alberta, Quebec, and Montreal.
Low points: Not sure if there's anything worth mentioning, had a good season. I guess would depend on what his goals were coming into the season.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
2015: similar to this year getting numerous top 10's and other good placings, GT stage win, a more serious run at the classics to see how he could do there maybe.

Nominate: Tejay Van Garderen

High Points: TTT World Champs, USA Pro Challenge, Tour, Catalunya (stage win + 3rd GC)
Low Points: Injury earlier in his season.
Mark out of 10: 8/10
Expectations: Top 10 @ the Tour. Win the USA Pro challenge. Continue to build from this season.


Nominate: Laurens Ten Dam

 

[del1962]

High Points: TTT World Champs, USA Pro Challenge, Tour, Catalunya (stage win + 3rd GC)
Low Points: Injury earlier in his season.
Mark out of 10: 8/10
Expectations: Top 10 @ the Tour. Win the USA Pro challenge. Continue to build from this season.


Nominate: Laurens Ten Dam

High Points: Tour top 10
Low Points: Drop off in form in Vuelta
Mark out of 105/10
Expectations: Top 20 in tour

Nominate: Dani Moreno

 

[MellowJohnny]

How many goes at this can I have? - I love it

 

[jaylew]

Don't think it really matters as long as you don't do back-to-back. In other words, don't nominate a rider so you can immediately do him yourself.

 

[MellowJohnny]

High Points: Tour top 10
Low Points: Drop off in form in Vuelta
Mark out of 105/10
Expectations: Top 20 in tour

Nominate: Dani Moreno

Dani Moreno

High Point, - 11th in the Vuelta, solid top 10's in the hilly classics
Low Point - slowly but consistently slipping off the radar, although he did have a very strong 2013
Marks out of 10 - 6/10
Expectations of 2015 - Vuelta Stage wins, support for J Rod and the hilly classics.

Nominate : Sylvain Chavanel

 

[Apeman]

Since I was lost who was rated and who wasn't, I created a small overview:

Page 1
Dan Martin 7/10 (pre-ToB)
Leopold Konig 8/10
Juan Jose Lobato 8/10
Matti Breschel 7/10
Zdenek Stybar 7/10
Michael Matthews 8/10
Geraint Thomas 5/10
Chris Froome 7/10
Andrew Talansky 7/10

page 2
Tony Gallopin 7/10
Peter Sagan 5/10
Vincenzo Nibali 7/10 & 6/10
Alberto Contador 9/10 & 8/10
Bradley Wiggins 6/10
Kwiatkowski 9/10 & 8/10
Nairo Quintana 7/10

page 3
Taylor Phinney 4/10 & 3/10
Fabio Aru 9/10
Marcel Kittel 8/10
Andre Greipel 7/10
Joaquim Rodriguez 4/10
Maxime Monfort 4/10
Julian Arredondo 7/10

Page 4
Philippe Gilbert 8/10 & 6/10 (pre-ToB)
Arnaud Demare 7/10
Nacer Bouhanni 8/10
Tim Wellens 9/10
Rui Costa 5/10
Mark Cavendish 4/10
Moreno Moser 2/10
Elia Viviani 4/10

Page 5
Fabian Cancellara 7/10
Alexander Kristoff 9/10
Adam Yates 9/10
Carlos Betancur 4/10
Wilco Kelderman 8/10
Magnus Cort 9/10
Lars Boom 8/10 & 7/10
Rohan Dennis 5/10
Chris Horner 4/10

Page 6
Vasil Kyrienka 7/10
Alejandro Valverde 9/10
John Degenkolb 9/10
Tom Dumoulin 9/10
Romain Bardet 8/10
Tom-Jelte Slagter 6/10
Robert Gesink 5/10
Bauke Mollema 6/10
Michael Albasini 5/10
Richie Porte 3/10

Page 7
Winner Anacona 6/10
Edvald Boasson Hagen 3/10
Rafal Majka 8/10
Adam Hansen 3/10 (Big debate)
Michael Rogers 8/10

Page 8
Tom Boonen 4/10
Niki Terpstra 9/10
Simon Gerrans 9/10
Thibaut Pinot 9/10
Nicolas Roche 5/10
Ion Izagirre 6/10

Page 9
Ramunas Navarduskas 9/10
Tejay Van Garderen 8/10
Laurens Ten Dam 5/10
Dani Moreno 6/10
...

 

[Apeman]

Nominate : Sylvain Chavanel

High Points: GP Ouest France - Plouay
Low Points: Now winning a stage in the tour
Mark out of 10 7/10 Some decent wins but hardly any big ones
Expectations: Though not getting younger he should still win a GT stage and a hand full of minor stages. A bigger classic would top it off

Nominate: Tony Martin

 

[barmaher]

Nominate : Sylvain Chavanel

High Points: GP Ouest France - Plouay
Low Points: Now winning a stage in the tour
Mark out of 10 7/10 Some decent wins but hardly any big ones
Expectations: Though not getting younger he should still win a GT stage and a hand full of minor stages. A bigger classic would top it off

Nominate: Tony Martin

High Points: ITT wins in Tour and Vuelta. Stage win in Tour. Nice stage wins in Vasco (including normal stage). Strong ride in Switzerland.
Low Points: Getting pipped on the line in that stage. Wasn't as dominant against the clocks. Lost against Wiggo in the big one at the WC.
Mark out of 10 7/10 Outperformed in road stages, around par vs. the clock.
Expectations: More of the same. I would like to see him win a WT week-long stage race, but he is very course dependent.

Nominate: Gerald Ciolek

 

[del1962]

High Points: ITT wins in Tour and Vuelta. Stage win in Tour. Nice stage wins in Vasco (including normal stage). Strong ride in Switzerland.
Low Points: Getting pipped on the line in that stage. Wasn't as dominant against the clocks. Lost against Wiggo in the big one at the WC.
Mark out of 10 7/10 Outperformed in road stages, around par vs. the clock.
Expectations: More of the same. I would like to see him win a WT week-long stage race, but he is very course dependent.

Nominate: Gerald Ciolek

High Points:Stage win in Andalucia, top 5 in Norway
Low Points: Season after the previous year was generally dissapointing, only one win for a sprinter.
Mark out of 10 3/10 Just didn't show enough
Expectations:Working as a leadout man for Farrar

Nominate: Peraud

 

[MellowJohnny]

Adam Hansen 3/10 You gotta be kicking me.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

High Points:Stage win in Andalucia, top 5 in Norway
Low Points: Season after the previous year was generally dissapointing, only one win for a sprinter.
Mark out of 10 3/10 Just didn't show enough
Expectations:Working as a leadout man for Farrar

Nominate: Peraud

High Points: 2nd in Tour but had other nice results such as 3rd in Pais Vasco, 4th in Tirreno and obviously his Critérium International win.
Low Points: Don't really think he had any low points. If I have to point at some, then Romandie and Dauphiné.
Mark out of 10 10/10 Amazing season for a rider like him.
Expectations: Back to his usual self. Top 10 in the Tour and some nice placements in 1 week races and smaller stage races.

Nominate: Tom Van Asbroeck

 

[Arredondo]

Dani Moreno

High Point, - 11th in the Vuelta, solid top 10's in the hilly classics
Low Point - slowly but consistently slipping off the radar, although he did have a very strong 2013
Marks out of 10 - 6/10
Expectations of 2015 - Vuelta Stage wins, support for J Rod and the hilly classics.

Nominate : Sylvain Chavanel

Purito a 4/10 and Moreno a 6/10

 

[Akuryo]

High Points: 2nd in Tour but had other nice results such as 3rd in Pais Vasco, 4th in Tirreno and obviously his Critérium International win.
Low Points: Don't really think he had any low points. If I have to point at some, then Romandie and Dauphiné.
Mark out of 10 10/10 Amazing season for a rider like him.
Expectations: Back to his usual self. Top 10 in the Tour and some nice placements in 1 week races and smaller stage races.

Nominate: Tom Van Asbroeck

High Points: Cholet-Pays de Loire, 6th in Gent-Wevelgem, lots of second places
Low Points: Maybe too many second places and not enough wins, other than that he had a super strong year!
Mark out of 10 7/10 Needs to win more races, thats the only criticism I have.
Expectations: More victories and maybe a podium in a (big) cobbles classic

Nominate: Carlos Verona