Best rider of this year (2012)?

[Netserk]

Purito's biggest three wins:
Lombardia
Fleche
Random stage win

Sure he takes it

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I'd rather have voted for Boonen or Rodriguez, but it would be silly to not vote for wiggins.

How on earth does a Lombardia win, a Fleche and a bunch of stage wins and a bunch of second and third places beat winning a TDF, an Olympic gold medal, a bunch of stage races, and winning every (non prologue) TT this year?

It's not as if Jrod isn't a one trick pony, he worked a bit on sustained effort this year and consistency, but still, he only wins because of his uphill punch, just like Wiggins has worked on his climbing, but still only wins because of the TTs. Wiggins also won a whole lot more prestigeous stuff with his one trick.

At least boonen has won both through epic solo's and sprints and Boonen has actually won all the big races he was supposed to win, unlike Jrod, who only won two big races and a bunch of stages.


Wiggins > Boonen > Jrod

 

[El Pistolero]

By those standards Boonen would automatically be rider of the year because of Wiggins' overall cowardness.
What did Boonen win besides Roubaix that wasn't a sprint?

Boonen can rely on his sprint to win most races yet he still attacks a lot during his classics. He has won Roubaix twice after a solo and the Ronde once. Both times he was easily the fastest man of the race. Rodriguez couldn't rely on his 1km uphill sprints to win a GT yet he did it twice anyway(Giro/Vuelta)...

Wiggins could rely on his time trial capabilities to win the Tour, he didn't need to attack and didn't attack. It's boring, but you can't blame him. He won convincingly.

Also, the E3 Prijs Harelbeke might have been won in a sprint, he still attacked during the race. Take the Taaienberg for example... Gent-Wevelgem was the only classic where he didn't attack and just relied on his sprint. And that's because the race doesn't allow for a different scenario unless the weather is bad.

Boonen was also active during the Omloop het Nieuwsblad. He made the decisive winning move. He just got beaten in the sprint at the end. He also attacked from far out during the Belgian National Championships. He won from a small group, but after riding very aggressively. He didn't even have to because he was by far the fastest man in the race. But he did anyway because he loves to race like that.

His win at the first stage of the World Ports Classic was also very impressive. Very hard stage and he did attack on a pavé sector. He was also active at the front because otherwise you don't stand a change in an echelon anyway. The race was won in a sprint, but that doesn't mean he acted like a coward during the race.

And finally he also won the WC TTT with his team. And beat Rodriguez for 48 seconds on the Cauberg.

 

[Pentacycle]

Boonen can rely on his sprint to win most races yet he still attacks a lot during his classics. He has won Roubaix twice after a solo and the Ronde once. Both times he was easily the fastest man of the race. Rodriguez couldn't rely on his 1km uphill sprints to win a GT yet he did it twice anyway(Giro/Vuelta)...

Rodriguez has ridden every MTF as hard a he could. He simply had a bad day in the Giro(Cervinia) where he lost more than 20 seconds, which cost him the overall. He still attacked on the Pian de Resinelli and on the Stelvio(while riding in pink) so he doesn't rely only on his 2km punch. He simply isn't consistent enough to win a GT. He did the same in the Vuelta, but was outclassed by Contador. But for a non-ITT'er two GT podia in one season are very good.

About Boonen: most of the times he's somewhat scared to compete against fresh sprinters, so his attacks are a way of preventing that. He can sprint very well after a tough race. (except MSR where he always finds a way of losing the race) I've really enjoyed his attacks in the classics, especially Roubaix, but I can't stop thinking about his failed Olympic RR where he relied on his sprint against Greipel and Cavenidsh. Imo he should've tried to be in the front group with Roelandts and Gilbert.

But I agree Boonen and Wigins have better victories, one of these two deserve this title.

 

[cineteq]

Rodriguez can never be the best, he was too much of a coward in the Giro for that.

I don't understand why people keep hammering this. Purito was the best, because he achieved the most with his limited skills and sometimes subpar team. That's why he's the best rider of the year.

 

[Netserk]

I don't understand why people keep hammering this. Purito was the best, because he achieved the most with his limited skills and sometimes subpar team. That's why he's the best rider of the year.

A monument, a semi classic and stage wins. You are right, much better than Tour + Dauphine + Paris-Nice, or the Cobble quadruple

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I don't understand why people keep hammering this. Purito was the best, because he achieved the most with his limited skills and sometimes subpar team. That's why he's the best rider of the year.

He very clearly did not achieve most in an absolute sense, so I assume you mean that he achieved most in proportion to his apparently limited skills.

I find that reasoning to be quite silly, but if we're going to reason like that, I reckon we should nominate Noval as well. It's much harder to get in a WT team when you're fat, than to win all the major cobbled classics when you're the best cobbled rider. With regard to his limited skills and unlimited weight, Noval has achieved much more difficult things, than winning a TDF when you're the best TTer. Finishing the Vuelta while being fat is a much bigger feat than winning a bunch of stages in that Vuelta and getting second on the GC while being the best puncheur.

 

[Netserk]

He very clearly did not achieve most in an absolute sense, so I assume you mean that he achieved most in proportion to his apparently limited skills.

I find that reasoning to be quite silly, but if we're going to reason like that, I reckon we should nominate Noval as well. It's much harder to get in a WT team when you're fat, than to win all the major cobbled classics when you're the best cobbled rider. With regard to his limited skills and unlimited weight, Noval has achieved much more difficult things, than winning a TDF when you're the best TTer. Finishing the Vuelta while being fat is a much bigger feat than winning a bunch of stages in that Vuelta and getting second on the GC while being the best puncheur.

Third on GC

 

[cineteq]

I find that reasoning to be quite silly, but if we're going to reason like that, I reckon we should nominate Noval as well.

How does this make sense?

A monument, a semi classic and stage wins. You are right, much better than Tour + Dauphine + Paris-Nice, or the Cobble quadruple

Definitely better riding by Purito, with the opportunity to win 2 GT, just falling a tad short, winning Lombardia and Fleche in emphatic way, plus and winning a bunch of stages. Much better than riding behind a train, and winning just TTs.

 

[Netserk]

How does this make sense?

Definitely better riding by Purito, with the opportunity to win 2 GT, just falling a tad short, winning Lombardia and Fleche in emphatic way, plus and winning a bunch of stages. Much better than riding behind a train, and winning just TTs.

Since when did 'with the opportunity to win 2 GT, just falling a tad short' matter? He *lost* both races.

 

[Netserk]

Purito-wins in 2012 = Cav-wins in 2009

Only difference is a semi-classic

 

[cineteq]

He *lost* both races.

Right, but he deserved to win both GTs. How come you don't comment on Wiggins hiding behind a train?

 

[woodenswan]

How does this make sense?

more or less the same way as this:

he deserved to win both GTs.

it doesn't.

 

[Gloin22]

Right, but he deserved to win both GTs. How come you don't comment on Wiggins hiding behind a train?

No-one else threathend his train... So why would you attack when you have a great team ?

No-one was strong enough to break it ...

 

[cineteq]

No-one else threathend his train... So why would you attack when you have a great team ?

No-one was strong enough to break it ...

I get it. Sky should be named rider of the year.

 

[Gloin22]

I get it. Sky should be named rider of the year.

No, Purito's amazing 500 metres attacks are much better to watch...

And because of those too short attacks, he didn't win GT yet

 

[El Pistolero]

No, Purito's amazing 500 metres attacks are much better to watch...

And because of those too short attacks, he didn't win GT yet

It's not like Wiggins would've attacked if he was about to lose the race though.

 

[happytramp]

Wiggins had the best results but Rodriguez was the better rider.

 

[cineteq]

Wiggins had the best results but Rodriguez was the better rider.

Nicely put, but you forgot to finish your paragraph.

Wiggins had the best results but Rodriguez was the better rider, therefore Rodriguez should be the best rider of the year.

 

[gustienordic]

1. J-Rod
2. Boonen
3. Wiggins
4. Sagan
5. Valverde
6. Froome
7. Hesjedal
8. Greipel
9. Degenkolb
10. Uran
11-15. Henao, Gerrans, Cav, Contador (Beautiful riding), Costa
15-20. Moser, LLS, Kristoff, Moreno, Voeckler.

A easy swap fixes problems

 

[Viking]

To me, Boonen had the overall most impressive set of victories. However (except for the Worlds TTT) everything was in the spring.

Wiggins' wins were impressive as well, but but mostly due to stage race parcourses geared towards ITTs, which he dominated.

Rodriguez's accomplishments were the least impressive, but the most varied. Two Grand Tour podiums, five stage wins, a semi-classic, and a monument to end the season. So I voted for Purito because of the consistency he showed in more types of races and the fact that he was able to do it in the spring and fall. Plus, he's won the World Tour standings. Also, he's my favorite racer, so he got a tie-breaker over Boonen


Like some of you, I might have voted for Vos. The big problem there is that women's cycling gets so little coverage that it's difficult to even follow.

 

[rhubroma]

This is interesting. If one comes from a low-land country it seems that parcours takes second to specialty. So Boonen wins PR, but can we really say he's a stronger cyclist then Purito? It's like saying Museeuw was stronger than Indurain.

As far as Wiggins goes he won courses that suited him, that is with a big TT, and for lack of competition. In fact it is ironic that now British cycling seems to claim that if he wins the Giro and Vuelta next year he will be a legend.

But all that counts is if he goes one one one with Contador and, now, Purito, and wins.
,
In any case, Purito.

 

[Netserk]

To those who voted for Purito: Do you also think Cav was the best cyclist in 2009? Or at least better than Contador?

 

[Caruut]

What ?

Wiggins DID NOT NEED to attack. No-one was stronger than him ( except him team-mate of course ) So where's the need to attack ?

IF you're leading the GC, why would you attack ( from position of Wiggo was in ? ). That's not cowardness at all...

Purito is, as he failed to win the Giro because of that...

Slightly contradictory post there.

For most of the Giro, Purito held the leaders' jersey, and then he lost it. That is why you attack in the leaders' jersey - because someone might take time on you another day. Considering how dominant Sky in general and Wiggins and Froome in particular were, the margin of victory wasn't that big. I also believe that the reason Purito rode the way he did was because he is quite a limited bike rider. He has one huge talent - that uphill kick for 500m-1000m, other than that he can't really dominate other overall contenders. It seems like he has decided that if he is to win a GT, it will be by doing what he does best, not by trying to be a rider that he isn't.

@OP. For me, it's a really tough question. There are obvious answers if you believe classics are more important, stage races are more important or if you think that being good in both is very important. I would probably go with Boonen, because I like classics more than stage races (a lot more than 1-week races Brad wins) and I think winning is really important.

 

[Caruut]

To those who voted for Purito: Do you also think Cav was the best cyclist in 2009? Or at least better than Contador?

Are we talking about the 2009 where Cav podiumed the Giro and Vuelta, or the 2009 that actually happened?