Top Ten of 2012

[cineteq]

1. Rodriguez
2. Boonen
3. Wiggins
4. Sagan
5. Nibali
6. Contador
7. Hesjedal
8. Valverde
9. Greipel
10. Gilbert

 

[Echoes]

1 Kevin Pauwels
2 Niels Albert
3 Sven Nys
4 Tom Boonen
5 Joachim Rodriguez
6 Nino Schurter
7 Fabian Cancellara
8 Sébastien Turgot
9 Sep Vanmarcke
10 Bradley Wiggins

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

dude those mudcrawlers are only half cyclist

that's like nominating half the dutch korfbal team for best ballplayer of the year

 

[Viking]

6. Purito - almost but no cigar

Yeah, this one made me laugh a bit

 

[Echoes]

Then Gilbert and Martin T. are quarters of a cyclist.

1 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Acqua & Sapone 5:04:18
2 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Revor 0:00:02
3 Sergey Firsanov (Rus) RusVelo
4 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:05
5 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
6 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony 0:00:08
7 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

1 quintana
2 henao
3 betancurt
4 uran
5 chaves
6 atapuma
7 rubiano
8 anacona
9 serpa
10 duarte

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I do think the three Colombian musketeers (Uran, Henao and Quintana) deserve to go down as honorable mentions. Uran was top 10 of the Giro, got a stage in Catalunya, podiumed Lombardia, won Piemonte and got the Olympic Silver.

However, he's more of a known quantity in that he'd been an improving guy for years. Henao is in his neo-pro year (although he is already 24), managed the top 10 of his first GT, the podium in Poland and Burgos, and had some half decent Classics results. Results-wise GC-style Quintana may not be as impressive, but he's also more than 2 years younger than Henao, and he won two stage races outright (Murcía and Route du Sud) as well as a semi-classic (Emilia), was one of very few men to break away from the Sky train of death all year in his escape on the Joux-Plane in the Dauphiné, and after losing time in week 1 was one of the strongest men in the key mountains of the Vuelta, riding himself to death over and over for Valverde.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

quintana was also one of the best in giro lombardia despite the horrible weather. he amazed me in every possible way this year.

 

[theyoungest]

Then Gilbert and Martin T. are quarters of a cyclist.

1 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Acqua & Sapone 5:04:18
2 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Revor 0:00:02
3 Sergey Firsanov (Rus) RusVelo
4 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:05
5 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
6 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony 0:00:08
7 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep

Really? An out of shape Gilbert and a ditto Martin to prove that some cyclocrosser is a decent cyclist? In the Tour of f..king Belgium?

 

[El Pistolero]

Really? An out of shape Gilbert and a ditto Martin to prove that some cyclocrosser is a decent cyclist? In the Tour of f..king Belgium?

Actually, Martin chased the breakaway by him self before the final uphill finish. So it's no surprise he lost a few seconds at the finish. He was riding for the overall win.

 

[Alpechraxler]

Andrey Amador
John Degenkolb
Thibault Pinot
Moreno Moser
Fredrikk Kessiakoff

 

[Bavarianrider]

How did Hesjedal have a better season than Contador?

Well he wasn't banned for doping and stripped off two GT titles

 

[infeXio]

How exactly does that make Hesjedal season better than Contadors? If anything, Contador should be up there, as he hadn't had any racing days for half a year before returning and winning the Vuelta.

 

[Echoes]

Really? An out of shape Gilbert and a ditto Martin to prove that some cyclocrosser is a decent cyclist? In the Tour of f..king Belgium?

I don't care if they were out of shape. They were beaten, period. And yeah in the Tour of f..king Belgium (sic).

And yeah they are cyclists for technically they are riding a bike, pushing down on one pedal after the other to drive two wheels. As long as you don't put an engine into this, I guess I may call that cycling.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Well he wasn't banned for doping and stripped off two GT titles

oh buuuurn

 

[Afrank]

How exactly does that make Hesjedal season better than Contadors? If anything, Contador should be up there, as he hadn't had any racing days for half a year before returning and winning the Vuelta.

Giro>>>Vuelta
Plus not many expected it would be Hesjedal (a guy who's previous best result in a GT was 6th in the) that would win the Giro. Almost everyone pretty much expected Contador would end up winning the Vuelta.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

the vuelta was way harder to win than the giro this year

 

[Bavarianrider]

How exactly does that make Hesjedal season better than Contadors? If anything, Contador should be up there, as he hadn't had any racing days for half a year before returning and winning the Vuelta.

If yomeone gets sentnced for cheating he does not have a great season, sorry.

 

[Afrank]

the vuelta was way harder to win than the giro this year

True, but just one year does not make it overall a more prestigious race to win.

 

[infeXio]

Banned or not, he still won the Vuelta after being out for roughly 6 months, which is pretty impressive in my book. You obviously despising Contador, doesn't affect your stance either, nahhh

 

[Netserk]

How many of those who put Sagan (who haven't won any one-day race or stage race other than national) in top 5, would have had Cav in top 3 last year?

Everyone agrees that "Cav '11 > Sagan '12" right?

 

[whittashau]

How many of those who put Sagan (who haven't won any one-day race or stage race other than national) in top 5, would have had Cav in top 3 last year?

Everyone agrees that "Cav '11 > Sagan '12" right?

I think people probably take into account that Cav last year had an entire team built around him to help him win. Whereas Sagan pretty much gets his wins done with no help or on occasional with a Daniel Oss lead out. If Cav had a similar year this year with Sky's less than stellar support than I think it would be different kettle of fish.

 

[cineteq]

Almost everyone pretty much expected Contador would end up winning the Vuelta.

Not me. And he was close to losing it. Vuelta better than Giro this year, just because there was more competition and excitement.

PS: Not to mention Unipublic's great course

 

[Carols]

1. Wiggins -- as much as it galls me to write that
2. Rodriguez
3. Contador
4. Hesjedal
5. Nibali
6. Valverde
7. Boonen
8. Sagan
9. Gilbert
10. Griepel

Obviously I'm biased towards stage racing over one day races and sprinters.

 

[El Pistolero]

Oh come on, Hesjedal is a nobody compared to Boonen. He will be forgotten in less then 10 years already.