who rode the hardest in 09?

[Boeing]

I will go with Chris Horner before injury

and franco pellizotti

 

[auscyclefan94]

What do you define by the hardest? Pushing your bodies to the limit or pushing through pain?

 

[Ripper]

How about pushing out a potato head?

 

[cyclegeek]

Even though I'm not a big fan, I thought Tyler Farrar rode really hard for little results. Except at the end of the year when Cav called it a season.

 

[Mellow Velo]

To me, it means someone who is riding hard in Feb/March and is still riding hard in October.
I'd agree with Cyclegeek's pick of Tyler Farrar. One of the few to attempt all 3 GT's but took his first win of the season in Tirreno-Adriatico, mid March.
Philippe Gilbert would also make my list.
My guess is, it should go to some lowly domestique, but since they can be anonymous......

 

[Mellow Velo]

I will go with Chris Horner before injury

Which one: Paris-Nice, the Giro, or the Vuelta?
As a result he spent more time off the bike, than on it.
So, a strange choice, IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

Thomas De Ghent

 

[Beech Mtn]

To me, it means someone who is riding hard in Feb/March and is still riding hard in October.
I'd agree with Cyclegeek's pick of Tyler Farrar. One of the few to attempt all 3 GT's but took his first win of the season in Tirreno-Adriatico, mid March.
Philippe Gilbert would also make my list.
My guess is, it should go to some lowly domestique, but since they can be anonymous......

Julian Dean finished all three grand tours. And he got shot.

 

[Moondance]

Gilbert. He rode so many races all year (probably more than anyone else) and still had the strength to finish the season brilliantly.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Julian Dean finished all three grand tours. And he got shot.

Add him to the list.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I would say Cavendish because he rode all season to the point of illness in the ToM, but then you have to think about the guys that led him out all season like Big George (even though he only raced one GT) and Mark Renshaw. It's hard to say though. Tyler Farrar raced his *** off and had minimal results until late in the season, so I would include him also.

Julian Dean finished all three grand tours. And he got shot.

Did he actually get shot or are you referring to the air rifle incident at the Tour?

 

[Bustedknuckle]

I will go with Chris Horner before injury

and franco pellizotti

Before or after they got busted? Di Luca looked great in the Giro...until......

 

[Oldman]

To me, it means someone who is riding hard in Feb/March and is still riding hard in October.
I'd agree with Cyclegeek's pick of Tyler Farrar. One of the few to attempt all 3 GT's but took his first win of the season in Tirreno-Adriatico, mid March.
Philippe Gilbert would also make my list.
My guess is, it should go to some lowly domestique, but since they can be anonymous......

+1. Those guys have little choice on what races they ride. They have to charge hard for 75% of a race and then finish anonymously at the back. That's harder than contesting a designated race.
I can say this is likely Tyler's hardest pro racing season but he also has banked many miles in the past. Horner also routinely logs mega miles in the early season. That doesn't make you faster, necessarily.

 

[LugHugger]

Jeremy Hunt. Acted as an aerofoil for Cervelo's podium contenders for 5 months and managed a win, a couple of podiums and top 20 in a couple of Classics. Under-appreciated.

 

[Oldman]

Jeremy Hunt. Acted as an aerofoil for Cervelo's podium contenders for 5 months and managed a win, a couple of podiums and top 20 in a couple of Classics. Under-appreciated.

Agreed. He had alot of protected riders under one roof. Domestiques like him should make some good dough, too.

 

[skidmark]

Julian Dean finished all three grand tours. And he got shot.

Well then it sounds like he wasn't riding hard enough!

 

[Boeing]

Before or after they got busted? Di Luca looked great in the Giro...until......

knucklephuck has the latest breaking news here on the cycling news forum.

read it hear first

 

[elapid]

Haussler was impressive in the early season, Cancellara throughout the year (whether for himself or the team), definitely Gilbert and Cavendish, I would also rate Cunego this year, and perhaps Van Summeren. O'Grady and Voigt would normally be up the top of this list, but not so much this year because of injuries.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I would say Maas van Beek as he broke the world hour record behind a derny, avg 66,3 km/h .. think his gear was 70x11 or something

 

[Beech Mtn]

Haussler was impressive in the early season, Cancellara throughout the year (whether for himself or the team), definitely Gilbert and Cavendish, I would also rate Cunego this year, and perhaps Van Summeren. O'Grady and Voigt would normally be up the top of this list, but not so much this year because of injuries.

+1 on Cancellara.

 

[Johnalex13]

Johnny Hoogerland!

I also thought that Fabian was riding tough all year...classics down to the worlds he was pushing hard.

 

[Boeing]

Fab is a good call

I don't know why I picked Horner. Probably not enough time in the saddle to qualify as someone suggested but he broke riders legs when he did. damn dude is sick

 

[Anonymous]

Lance.

Period.

 

[skidmark]

Well, Stijn Vandenbergh just won the belgian prize of the Kristallen Zweetdruppel, which apparently translates into the 'crystal sweat drop'... that's a pretty awesome name for a prize. And it's a good recognition of someone who rode hard without winning a bunch.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-wins-kristallen-fiets-as-best-belgian-rider

 

[Bala Verde]

Most kilometers:
1. Christophe Brandt (Bel/Sil) 16.641 km
2. Olivier Kaisen (Bel/Sil) 16.348
3. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned/Vac) 16.105
4. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Sil) 15.987

one of these guys I would think... Gilbert has the most wins/best season and still put in a huge amount of miles.