The offseason has just started and many of us are already bored of it, resulting in lots of "top xx" threads, so I figured the domestiques needed one as well. Basically list up the most impressive/significant domestique work done in 2011 (it doesn't count if the domestique won of course).
1. Maxime Monfort, TDF stage 18. Andy Schleck surprisingly attacked from far out and caught the group containing Monfort, who immediatly hit the front to assist his surprisingly brave captain. The strong belgian did not only keep the chasing peloton at distance, in fact he increased their lead up to an astonishing 3 minutes, doing most of the work himself. That day he almost single handedly handed Andy Schleck a TDF victory. If only he could have given Andy Schleck his TT legs as well, that is.
2. Chris Froome, Vuelta a Espana stage 9. At this point Chris Froome was still "just" a domestique. Yet the relatively unknown rider completely destroyed the peloton for his leader Wiggins, leaving guys like Rodriguez and Scarponi in a world of pain far behind. After his long pull in the strong crosswinds he even managed to stay in the group all the way to the top. People started speculating whether the domestique was in fact stronger than his leader which ultimately proved to be correct.
3. Pierre Rolland at Luz-Ardiden. No one expected Voeckler to keep up with the favourites and even fewer expected Europcar to be the strongest team in the race. Pierre Rolland, a talent who had seemingly stagnated in his development, was an essential part of this and up Luz-Ardiden he seemed like an unstoppable force. He made sure that his leader in yellow never had to take any wind, protecting him all the way to the top.
4. Mathew Busche at Tour of California. Most of us had never heard of him (even less known than Froome) but he managed to ride more or less the entire peloton, including Andy Schleck and Hesjedal, off his wheel. Like much of Radioshack we've never seen him do anything like this outside of US, but still an astonishing performance.
5. EBH, stage 5 Criterium du Dauphine. On a very hard HC MTF many expected Wiggins to lose his yellow jersey. However, EBH took responsibility and kept a monstrous pace at the front of the pack for the first 5 kms of the climb, single-handedly reducing the number of riders in the peloton from 150 to around 15. Superb climbers like Evans, Rodriguez, Gesink and Sanchez had more than enough holding the so-called sprinter's wheel. Due to EBH's efforts there were no attacks until he was finished, ultimately culminating in Wiggins winning the race overall.
Honorable mentions to Vanendert, Niemec and Szmyd (who would've topped this list any other year).
1. Maxime Monfort, TDF stage 18. Andy Schleck surprisingly attacked from far out and caught the group containing Monfort, who immediatly hit the front to assist his surprisingly brave captain. The strong belgian did not only keep the chasing peloton at distance, in fact he increased their lead up to an astonishing 3 minutes, doing most of the work himself. That day he almost single handedly handed Andy Schleck a TDF victory. If only he could have given Andy Schleck his TT legs as well, that is.
2. Chris Froome, Vuelta a Espana stage 9. At this point Chris Froome was still "just" a domestique. Yet the relatively unknown rider completely destroyed the peloton for his leader Wiggins, leaving guys like Rodriguez and Scarponi in a world of pain far behind. After his long pull in the strong crosswinds he even managed to stay in the group all the way to the top. People started speculating whether the domestique was in fact stronger than his leader which ultimately proved to be correct.
3. Pierre Rolland at Luz-Ardiden. No one expected Voeckler to keep up with the favourites and even fewer expected Europcar to be the strongest team in the race. Pierre Rolland, a talent who had seemingly stagnated in his development, was an essential part of this and up Luz-Ardiden he seemed like an unstoppable force. He made sure that his leader in yellow never had to take any wind, protecting him all the way to the top.
4. Mathew Busche at Tour of California. Most of us had never heard of him (even less known than Froome) but he managed to ride more or less the entire peloton, including Andy Schleck and Hesjedal, off his wheel. Like much of Radioshack we've never seen him do anything like this outside of US, but still an astonishing performance.
5. EBH, stage 5 Criterium du Dauphine. On a very hard HC MTF many expected Wiggins to lose his yellow jersey. However, EBH took responsibility and kept a monstrous pace at the front of the pack for the first 5 kms of the climb, single-handedly reducing the number of riders in the peloton from 150 to around 15. Superb climbers like Evans, Rodriguez, Gesink and Sanchez had more than enough holding the so-called sprinter's wheel. Due to EBH's efforts there were no attacks until he was finished, ultimately culminating in Wiggins winning the race overall.
Honorable mentions to Vanendert, Niemec and Szmyd (who would've topped this list any other year).
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