Who Had The Best Season In The Last 5 Years?

[Netserk]

It really wasn't. If Lombardia took place a week after LBL we all know who would've won that one. It's the way he won just about every single race on his terrain with such dominance.

It really was

Since AGR ended on the Cauberg two times ('04 and '11) have a rider won the Ardennes triple. = 20 %

Over a much longer time period only two have won the three main cobble races ('62 and '12), which makes it a whole lot more prestigious IMO.

 

[The Hitch]

It really wasn't. If Lombardia took place a week after LBL we all know who would've won that one. It's the way he won just about every single race on his terrain with such dominance.

Yeah lombardia organizers once again being anti Gilbert and staging the race in October when they knew he'd be off form

Why ... ?

Because he is always made out to.be the bad guy. And now that he failed a test people who hated him before anyway( because they were lance fans) and attacked him over chaingate, use it to make.him out to be some sort of subhuman gargoyle.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Because he is always made out to.be the bad guy. And now that he failed a test people who hated him before anyway( because they were lance fans) and attacked him over chaingate, use it to make.him out to be some sort of subhuman gargoyle.

Ok agreed . .

 

[El Pistolero]

It really was

Since AGR ended on the Cauberg two times ('04 and '11) have a rider won the Ardennes triple. = 20 %

Over a much longer time period only two have won the three main cobble races ('62 and '12), which makes it a whole lot more prestigious IMO.

Uh, Gent-Wevelgem has changed position on the calender so many times that it really isn't a fair comparison. Route has also changed a dozen times already.

Besides, E3 Harelbeke > G-W.

It's not even that, Boonen slowed done after April. Gilbert didn't.

 

[Netserk]

It really wasn't. If Lombardia took place a week after LBL we all know who would've won that one. It's the way he won just about every single race on his terrain with such dominance.

And just like Gilbert would win the (uphill)sprint in the hilly classics, so would Boonen (in the cobbles), and yet Boonen soloed for nearly 60 km despite the knowledge that he could beat anyone in the velodroome. How long did Gilbert solo? 5-10 km or so in CSS?

 

[Netserk]

Uh, Gent-Wevelgem has changed position on the calender so many times that it really isn't a fair comparison. Route has also changed a dozen times already.

Besides, E3 Harelbeke > G-W.

It's not even that, Boonen slowed done after April. Gilbert didn't.

But after April there was really only Ronde van België before the nationals for Boonen. Then he won that and got injured at Pologne before the OG, but still had a more than decent autumn.

 

[El Pistolero]

But after April there was really only Ronde van België before the nationals for Boonen. Then he won that and got injured at Pologne before the OG, but still had a more than decent autumn.

Yeah, that's what makes Gilbert's season better even if purely result wise it may not appear like that at first glance.

That broken rib didn't really hurt Boonen's chances much anyway. Boonen rode California by the way, not Belgium. He wasn't fast enough anymore to beat Sagan.

Maybe if Boonen raced more actively at the Olympics, won a GT stage and finished his season at Paris-Tours à la Degenkolb(but win instead). Even now Boonen still says what Gilbert did at the Belgian Nats in 2011 was the craziest thing he ever saw in his career.

 

[Netserk]

Yeah, that's what makes Gilbert's season better even if purely result wise it may not appear like that at first glance.

That broken rib didn't really hurt Boonen's chances much anyway. Boonen rode California by the way, not Belgium. He wasn't fast enough anymore to beat Sagan.

I know he didn't ride RvB, but it was the only race that suited him before the nats.

 

[woodenswan]

Uh, Gent-Wevelgem has changed position on the calender so many times that it really isn't a fair comparison. Route has also changed a dozen times already.

Besides, E3 Harelbeke > G-W.

It's not even that, Boonen slowed done after April. Gilbert didn't.

+ it is not only about what they won. i think it's more important how they won, and who they beat.
Gilbert annihilated his competition. Purito, the Sclecks, etc.. they had no chance in the Ardennes. He beat Boonen with incredible ease in the nationals. He made Cancellara's move look foolish at the end of stage 1 in le Tour. (i know, it wasnt his terrain, but still) Boonen won the Ronde and Roubaix in the absence of Fabian

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah lombardia organizers once again being anti Gilbert and staging the race in October when they knew he'd be off form

There's 2 cobbled Monuments in a short span of time. The two hilly Monuments are months apart. It's much easier to peak for one period than to peak for 2 or even 3 different periods.

Besides, AGR, FW and LBL have about the same field these days. If they change to finish of the AGR(a few km after the Cauberg) and the ridiculous name it could one day become the sixth Monument. Paris-Tours used to have that honour, but glory long gone.

Ronde van Limburg would be the perfect name for the AGR.

 

[maxmartin]

08 AC

Is this the last time we will ever see one man win two GT in a single season?

 

[Wigwan]

No love for '12 Schleck?

I vote '08 Contador.

'12 Boonen = no Cancellara and nothing important after the classics
'12 Wiggins = no Contador, Schlecks, off form Evans, no real mountains
'11 Gilbert = 1 monument, no worlds

 

[GPdesAmeriques]

Besides, AGR, FW and LBL have about the same field these days. If they change to finish of the AGR(a few km after the Cauberg) and the ridiculous name it could one day become the sixth Monument. Paris-Tours used to have that honour, but glory long gone.

Ronde van Limburg would be the perfect name for the AGR.

No, that would be worse than renaming the Giro di Lombardia to Il Lombardia.

 

[El Pistolero]

No, that would be worse than renaming the Giro di Lombardia to Il Lombardia.

Who in their right mind wants a race named after bad beer?

 

[Angliru]

What.

Contador '08
airstream, calinmarian, LaFlorecita, Miburo, Netserk, sacrifice&hardwork, sartoris

He must be sleep deprived and hit the wrong key or his hand slipped on his mouse. Mod's s/b getting a personal message from him asking to have it changed.

 

[ILovecycling]

Phil 11 I think,really impressive wins

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yes, because she won more races in 2011.

That's as may be, but look at the races she won in 2012 - 2x Worlds, Olympics, Giro Donne, 3x major World Cup events.

Quality over quantity, otherwise the poll would just be Cavendish '09, Cavendish '10, Cavendish '11, Cavendish '12...

Come to think of it, why isn't Cavendish '09 on the list?

 

[Ruby United]

That's as may be, but look at the races she won in 2012 - 2x Worlds, Olympics, Giro Donne, 3x major World Cup events.

Quality over quantity, otherwise the poll would just be Cavendish '09, Cavendish '10, Cavendish '11, Cavendish '12...

Come to think of it, why isn't Cavendish '09 on the list?

Or even Cavendish 11

Worlds, Tour sprint domination, 3 stages in the Giro.. certainly seems a fair call to me and both would be better there than say Contador 09 or Evans 11..

 

[JimmyFingers]

that's as may be, but look at the races she won in 2012 - 2x worlds, olympics, giro donne, 3x major world cup events.

Quality over quantity, otherwise the poll would just be cavendish '09, cavendish '10, cavendish '11, cavendish '12...

Come to think of it, why isn't cavendish '09 on the list?

+100000...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Or even Cavendish 11

Worlds, Tour sprint domination, 3 stages in the Giro.. certainly seems a fair call to me and both would be better there than say Contador 09 or Evans 11..

Milan-San Remo > Copenhagen Worlds

Frankly, any race in World cycling except the Scheldeprijs > Copenhagen Worlds.

 

[greenedge]

Gilbert 11.
Then Contador 08, Wiggins this year and Evans last year in no particular order.

 

[Carols]

08 AC

Is this the last time we will ever see one man win two GT in a single season?

No, I think Alberto will try it again and do it before he retires

 

[movingtarget]

Gilbert 2011 and Wiggins 2012.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I think it would be more fun if the question was: what is the most satisfying year by a rider for you?
Then we could get alot of different answers i am sure

 

[airstream]

He must be sleep deprived and hit the wrong key or his hand slipped on his mouse. Mod's s/b getting a personal message from him asking to have it changed.

voted this way because rate gts much higher than anything