Top 10 Rides of the Year

[El Pistolero]

1st: Contador, stage 19 Tour de France

He surprised everyone with his early attack. Dropped Voeckler, Frank Schleck and Cadel Evans on the first climb of the day. Got caught right before Alpe dhuez and still attacked from the base of the climb and managed to finish third behind a fresh Pierre Rolland(who climbed Alpe Dhuez slower than Contador) and Samuel Sanchez. He probably killed Andy Schleck with his early attack because otherwise he'd have tried something on Alpe Dhuez, but now he didn't have the legs anymore. And all this was done after a lot of crashes in the first week of the Tour and the heaviest Giro in modern cycling.

2nd: Michele Scarponi, Milan-San Remo

Was the only guy that came back to the front of the race from the second peloton. Despite his impressive chase he still managed to get over the Poggio with the favorites and still had the power left to try an attack.

3rd: Fabian Cancellara, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen

Even though the race had a weak field, Fabian Cancellara dominated it in a way that hasn't been seen before. He had a lot of bike problems, but still managed to get to the front of the race. After this he put in a ferocious acceleration that no one could follow. Bram Tankink tried in vain, but in the process he earned him self a new nickname: Bram Krampink.

4rd: Philippe Gilbert, Amstel Gold Race

He chased down Andy Schleck on his own with 8 losers in his wheel. After Andy got caught he jumped away from everyone at the Cauberg and made the rest look like well... Even bigger losers. And the best part of this race was: the most despicable team in the ProTour got second. May they get a lot more second places next year.

5th: Contador, Monte Etna

Most impressive acceleration I've ever seen live up a real mountain. Nibali didn't even try to follow because "he was going too fast". Scarponi tried and Scarponi cracked.

6th: Philippe Gilbert, Queen stage Tour of Belgium

Oh, what a beautiful day of racing that was. It's the only thing that comes close to Cancellara's dominating performance of the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. But like the E3 Prijs, not the most strongest field out there. Was still a great race to watch.

7th: Tony Martin, WC TT

After 5 years, a new king has been crowned: Tony Martin. Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!

 

[The Hitch]

The main difference between Schleck/Evans and Pantani/Ullrich is that whereas Ullrich lost 9 minutes having completely cracked, Evans limited his losses to just over 2 minutes with a gutsy, determined, and courageous ride having recognised that he wasn't going to get any help from anyone else. Schleck's ride was similarly a fantastic and gutsy ride, an audacious attempt to try and win the Tour, and certainly his is the ride that captures the imagination the most. However, having got from work and turning on the TV as they approached Galibier (a friend having texted me what was going on) watching Evans tow the group all the way up, never once looking around for help was very impressive. Both are very deserving of inclusion in the 'top rides of the year' imho.

Why would Evans have looked for help? It was a battle between him and Andy. Anyone else would have been stupid to work for Evans and Cadel knew this.

The only person that could maybe have helped was Voeckler but he was highly unlikely to win the Tour and he was expected to crack. Frank was on the same team as Andy. Everyone else was too far down on gc.

1st: Contador, stage 19 Tour de France

He surprised everyone with his early attack. Dropped Voeckler, Frank Schleck and Cadel Evans on the first climb of the day. Got caught right before Alpe dhuez and still attacked from the base of the climb and managed to finish third behind a fresh Pierre Rolland(who climbed Alpe Dhuez slower than Contador) and Samuel Sanchez. He probably killed Andy Schleck with his early attack because otherwise he'd have tried something on Alpe Dhuez, but now he didn't have the legs anymore. And all this was done after a lot of crashes in the first week of the Tour and the heaviest Giro in modern cycling.

2nd: Michele Scarponi, Milan-San Remo

Was the only guy that came back to the front of the race from the second peloton. Despite his impressive chase he still managed to get over the Poggio with the favorites and still had the power left to try an attack.

3rd: Fabian Cancellara, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen

Even though the race had a weak field, Fabian Cancellara dominated it in a way that hasn't been seen before. He had a lot of bike problems, but still managed to get to the front of the race. After this he put in a ferocious acceleration that no one could follow. Bram Tankink tried in vain, but in the process he earned him self a new nickname: Bram Krampink.

4rd: Philippe Gilbert, Amstel Gold Race

He chased down Andy Schleck on his own with 8 losers in his wheel. After Andy got caught he jumped away from everyone at the Cauberg and made the rest look like well... Even bigger losers. And the best part of this race was: the most despicable team in the ProTour got second. May they get a lot more second places next year.

5th: Contador, Monte Etna

Most impressive acceleration I've ever seen live up a real mountain. Nibali didn't even try to follow because "he was going too fast". Scarponi tried and Scarponi cracked.

6th: Philippe Gilbert, Queen stage Tour of Belgium

Oh, what a beautiful day of racing that was. It's the only thing that comes close to Cancellara's dominating performance of the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. But like the E3 Prijs, not the most strongest field out there. Was still a great race to watch.

7th: Tony Martin, WC TT

After 5 years, a new king has been crowned: Tony Martin. Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!

Why do you hate Katusha so? Is it Pozzato?

And perhaps Contador Grossglockner was a more impressive acceleration, Yes he gave the stage to Rujano but he put 2 minutes into the group,

 

[El Pistolero]

Why would Evans have looked for help? It was a battle between him and Andy. Anyone else would have been stupid to work for Evans and Cadel knew this.

The only person that could maybe have helped was Voeckler but he was highly unlikely to win the Tour and he was expected to crack. Frank was on the same team as Andy. Everyone else was too far down on gc.



Why do you hate Katusha so? Is it Pozzato?

And perhaps Contador Grossglockner was a more impressive acceleration, Yes he gave the stage to Rujano but he put 2 minutes into the group,

Contador said he only put in a little acceleration at the Grossglockner.

And Katusha just dumped Hoste on the phone despite him still having a contract for 2012. I don't hate Pozzato, I love Pozzato when he rides like in Beghelli. I hate Pozzato when he rides like at the Worlds last year or many classics. Hopefully he changes next year and I'll easily root for him as he has a beatiful riding style.

 

[Arnout]

Contador said he only put in a little acceleration at the Grossglockner.

And Katusha just dumped Hoste on the phone despite him still having a contract for 2012. I don't hate Pozzato, I love Pozzato when he rides like in Beghelli. I hate Pozzato when he rides like at the Worlds last year or many classics. Hopefully he changes next year and I'll easily root for him as he has a beatiful riding style.

Hoste dumped Katusha in the beginning of this year. I thought he was retired for years now. Most pathetic rider ever.

 

[El Pistolero]

Hoste dumped Katusha in the beginning of this year. I thought he was retired for years now. Most pathetic rider ever.

Wow, you're an idiot, you know that?

I'd like to see you ride your tricycle with his injuries.

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

Why would Evans have looked for help? It was a battle between him and Andy. Anyone else would have been stupid to work for Evans and Cadel knew this.

The only person that could maybe have helped was Voeckler but he was highly unlikely to win the Tour and he was expected to crack. Frank was on the same team as Andy. Everyone else was too far down on gc.

There was no reason why he should have looked for help, but I still thought it was impressive how he recognised that if he finally wanted to win the Tour, it was up to him to start limiting the deficit to Andy. He might have expected some help from Voeckler and perhaps Contador but he didn't look around and ask them to come through, just drilled it at the front.

 

[cineteq]

He might have expected some help from Voeckler and perhaps Contador but he didn't look around and ask them to come through, just drilled it at the front.

Actually he did ask Voeckler and Rolland to do turns, but Voeckler was riding to keep the yellow jersey one more day, so he declined LOL!

 

[Mambo95]

Probably not good enough to get in the top 10, but Kurt Asle Arvesen riding the last 20km of Paris-Roubaix without a saddle was a little special.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pudyCkMaQcg

 

[The Hitch]

Why did he do it?

 

[El Pistolero]

Why did he do it?

If you've ever ridden on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles you know you can lose your saddle Hitch

And I don't remember for what team he rides, but his Team Car was probably up front with the leaders, so he couldn't get it fixed.

 

[The Hitch]

If you've ever ridden on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles you know you can lose your saddle Hitch

And I don't remember for what team he rides, but his Team Car was probably up front with the leaders, so he couldn't get it fixed.

He rides for Sky, as the video clearly shows

And yes I was reffering to why he didnt get it fixed, not asking why it was broken in the first place.

 

[El Pistolero]

He rides for Sky, as the video clearly shows

And yes I was reffering to why he didnt get it fixed, not asking why it was broken in the first place.

It happens pretty much each year to someone. I remember reading a similar story last year, but can't remember who it was anymore.

 

[woodenswan]

Most pathetic rider ever.

why exactly? really curious

 

[Eric8-A]

Summie's win at Roubaix

Cobo's winning ride on the Angliru

Any win by Gilbert

 

[luckyboy]

why exactly? really curious

Yeah he finished De Ronde and rode some of Roubaix with a tear in his brain. Pretty pathetic.


Also, forgot to do this top 10 thing..

S.Chavanel - De Ronde Van Vlaanderen. Out in front from 80km out, hung onto Cancellara's wheel, and then managed to go with him again with 3km to go. Probably would've won if the sprint was straight
J.Van Summeren - Paris-Roubaix. Another rider I like doing quite well in another race I like.
P.Gilbert - Flèche Wallonne. Had to pick one of his wins. Probably the most impressive.
A.Contador - Etna, Giro d'Italia. As if we didn't already know who was going to win the Giro, Contador kindly reminded us on the first proper test.
M.Nieve - Gardeccia/Val Di Fassa, Giro d'Italia. Duh.
J.Hoogerland - Saint Flour, Tour de France. (see above)
T.Voeckler - Luz Ardiden, Tour de France. The first time we saw Voeckler keeping up with the big boys in the mountains. Was quite surprising.
T.Hushovd - Lourdes, Tour de France. Painstaking to see Moncoutié and especially Roy being dragged back, but a great comeback from almost 2 minutes down by Hushovd. And on a 'mountain stage' too.
J.Cobo - Angliru, Vuelta a España. I said the day before he would win even though I didn't really believe it.
D.Moncoutié - Manzaneda, Vuelta a España. Dominating this stage, and also the race to win his fourth King Of The Mountains title.

 

[Tigerion]

He wheelsucked Samu, was even willing to give up on the whole thing when Samu stopped temporarily to ask him to pull. So Samu said, **** it began to pull again to get a chance at the stage and as soon a she saw Contador Rolland let fly with 1.5km to go.

He knew that Samu was trying to make time and that Samu would try to help contador if he could. WHen Samu is think GC he isn't going to give up 1.5 minutes on the next GC group so he sat on him.
Do you really think the he would have had the strength to ride away from contador if he had been pulling with Sanchez the whole way up. Although that said if Samu had of tucked in behind contador in the last km instead of trying to drag him to the finish he would have had a good chance of catching Rolland before the line


In relation to the ongoing Andy vs Evans ride I have to say that Andy put in the better ride in my opinion. I haven't been watching cycling for long enough to have seen some of the older riders that you are comparing it to but I have never seen anybody throw down a challenge like that in a GT.
Evans rode a strong impressive ride but the only reason he did that was because of the ride Andy was doing in front. It was Andy's ride that made that stage such a memorable stage.
And to consider it another way most of the race it was man on man between the two of them without much help for either of them when we hit the climbs (If anything Evans had more help). And from this 1 on 1 battle Andy ended up 2 minutes ahead. He was more aggressive, did something I have never seen and gained time ergo a better ride imo.

 

[movingtarget]

Yet when the roles were played by Pantani and Ullrich, Pantani was the hero, did everything right and was a send from god. Yet when its the same situation with Schleck and Evans in the leadroles, the Evans fanboys or either Schleck haters can't admit it it was the same situation yet Evans didnt crack but still lost time. Who gives a **** if he was the tactical winner, the hero of the stage was Schleck, yet people never want to acknowledge because they either fanboy for Evans or have a huge hatred for Schleck for some reason....

Actually I wasn't thinking of Pantani and never do nor Ulrich. I did not say that I didn't admire Schleck's ride. Evan's was the smarter ride. Schleck did what he had to do and paid for it on the following stages. It was the best stage of the race along with the subsequent one and certainly livened up the TDF. If others want to see things as heroic or not heroic that's up to them. Most people agree that that stage was where Evans won the tour.

 

[greenedge]

Gah, repost

Scarponi in Sanremo - getting back into contention from a rather bad position and making the final selection

De Gendt in the Paris Nice - he was like a machine in the breaks

Voeckler in the hilly stage of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque - like a mini Cancellara, won by almost 2 minutes in 20km

Agree with the 1st 2. Voeckler in the TDF overall.

1 Cadels' ITT at the TDF.
2 Shlecks' attack on stage 18 TDF.
3 Scarponi at San Remo.
4 Tony Martin beating Cancellara in the WC ITT.
5 Antons' win on the Zoncolan. ( Contador for being so consistent )
6 GB team at the worlds.
7 Cancellara at RvV, P-R and E3.
8 Gilbert just overall.
9 Stage 17 at the Vuelta by Froome to get a hard fought stage victory ( just think what would have happened if he did not ride for Wiggins )
10 All the underdogs winning at Classics.
11 ( A bypass by me ) Demare and Petit at the under 23 worlds

Other notable mentions:

Cam Meyrs ride at TDU getting in a break
Langevelds ride at the old Het Volk
Rui Costa stage 8 TDF
Garmins TTT ride
Cobo at the Vuelta
Cav stage 5 at TDF
Horner dropping Levi at ToC
Durbridge at under 23 worlds
Sagan in Switzerland
Hushovd at the TDF
Ulissi beating Visconti at the Giro
GVA to win Paris Tours
Gesink at Oman
Bobridge breaking individual track record ( even though it is track not road )
Bole at Plouay
Busche at California
TJVG at Algarve and Paris Nice
Cadel Stage 4 at TDF
Contador all Giro
Greipel beating Cav stage 10 TDF
Goss at M-SR
Chavanel for staying out front at RvV and then coming 2nd
Sutton at the Vuelta ( perfect intuition ) same note for Haedo there as well
Haymans' ride at Paris-Bourges an utterly dominant ride and fully deserving after he had to help Flecha at P-R and RvV
Kiryenkas ride up Sesterie
Contador at Alpe D Huez
Hoogerland fighting on at the TDF

 

[The Hitch]

Most people agree that that stage was where Evans won the tour.

WTF?

The stage where he loses the most time to his closest rival is the single moment where he wins the Tour???

Theres no such thing as the stage someone wins the Tour anyway, unless there are 20 stages where you finish with the pack and one where you win.

But if what you are trying to say is that this was the most important stage to his victory, well I would argue that the tt where he took 2 minutes and the Gap descent where he took a minute and a half to his rival are infinately more important to his overall win than the stage where he lost more time to that riavla than anyone could have possibly imagined.

Cadel vs Schleck, Cadel landed far more blows to Andys body throughout the Tour, and a knockout right at the end, but Andy did land one big head shot and that was stage 18 and that was the one moment where Cadels victory was seriously under threat.

Cadel won the Tour, he lost stage 18.

It would be like arguing that the set Djokovic lost to Nadal was the one where he won the US Open.

 

[cineteq]

WTF?

The stage where he loses the most time to his closest rival is the single moment where he wins the Tour???

Let the numbers answer you question.

General Classification after Stage 18
1 VOECKLER, Thomas (EUROPCAR) 79h 34' 06"
2 SCHLECK, Andy (LEOPARD-TREK) + 00' 15"
3 SCHLECK, Frank (LEOPARD-TREK) + 01' 08"
4 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) + 01' 12"

Theres no such thing as the stage someone wins the Tour anyway, unless there are 20 stages where you finish with the pack and one where you win.

Do you really believe this? I mean you always thought Contador and Sanchez can win on the last day?

Cadel won the Tour, he lost stage 18.

Finally we agree on something

 

[Oreknan]

with the same logic evans won the tour 2008 in the alpe d'huez stage

 

[Havetts]

with the same logic evans won the tour 2008 in the alpe d'huez stage

Not at all, he lost the stage AND the 2008 Tour on L'Alpe

 

[More Strides than Rides]

I don't see why so many analogies and logical mindstringing came from, Hitch's point is pretty straight forward: The a loss of 2 minutes should not be considered as a ride of the year. Yes, Evans avoided total loss by heroically taking the reins, but it was to limit his losses.

I figured ride of the year would have clear criteria. I assumed the top 10 demonstrations of ability and dominance over the field.

I can see Evans in 18 qualifying for an effort and right-decision award that day, but is that just how you see these other rides of the year?

 

[cineteq]

I don't see why so many analogies and logical mindstringing came from, Hitch's point is pretty straight forward: The a loss of 2 minutes should not be considered as a ride of the year. Yes, Evans avoided total loss by heroically taking the reins, but it was to limit his losses.

Everyone's his own view on what a ride of the year was. However, Hitch's point is skewed. He chose Contador's attack on stage 19, with 4':44'' behind the Tour leader, the 3rd ride of the year on a losing effort.

PS: I'm not criticizing the pick at all, but the double standard.

 

[woodenswan]

that was the one moment where Cadels victory was seriously under threat.

exactly. his overall victory was under threat, and he responded in a situation where Andy could have been expected to do better, given that he's the better climber. he went earlier, so his was no question the bigger effort, although Cadel also had to do some pulling even before the last climb. however on the last climb he pulled back time despite being less of a mountain goat than Andy. i view this effort as one of the most amazing ones all season because to me it still seems like he has outdone himself that day. doing better than expected if you like. in the tt, i think he and Andy both did what was expected of them, no surprises there.

It would be like arguing that the set Djokovic lost to Nadal was the one where he won the US Open.

well no it wouldn't be. a set is either won or lost, a stage however can be lost by seconds as well as minutes.