Cyclist of the Decade
Discussion
10. Annemiek van Vleuten. I really thought about putting Lizzie Deignan here but van Vleuten get the nod becuase her victories bookend the decade too nicely. Victory in Flanders in 2011 and then that win in Yorkshire earlier this year, 100kms solo break? yeah good luck with that.... oh... Easily one of Marianne Vos' strongest competitors throughout the decade and after that horror crash in the 2016 Olympics, many wondered if she would even ride again.
9. Vincenzo Nibali. I dont like the guy, dont trust the guy but I respect the guy. His victory in 2018 at Milan-San Remo was such a well executed attack that you couldnt help but smile. 4 Grand Tours, all won with the casual chaos you would expect from an Italian. Add dozens of stage wins and countless attacks seemingly just for the hell of it and without an intricate plan developed by the DS, nutritionalist, domestiques, soigneurs, coach driver..... Even the association with Astana and the blatant, embarrasing cheating in the 2015 Tour cant dull his talent. He has cracked too often in recent Grand Tours to be any higher than 9th for me though.
8. Tony Martin. 4 times World Time Trial Champion but thats not, in my humble opinion, the most interesting statistic, the winning margins seem massive in what are races against a collection of the world's best time triallists, 1m 26s over 46kms in 2011 to Wiggins no less, 46s over 57kms in 2013 to Wiggins again, 45s over 40kms in 2016 to Kiyienka... I'm a bit sentimental too so to see the heartbreak of losing the sixth stage of the 2013 Vuelta by seconds after a 175km solo break avenged at Le Tour the following year was pure nostalgia, that the 2014 solo break was only 60kms is not the point, that he managed to drop the peloton on a fairly flat stage shows the power of the guy.
7.Mark Cavendish. I dont feel particulary patriotic about including Cav, his record says it all. He has had the benefit of some well-drilled lead out trains but has also demonstrated on many occassions, including his World Championships win in 2011, that when it all goes tits up and you lose your wheel, he can find another, re-orientate himself, time a sprint and still win. Go watch him on a track even now, and his timing is still as sharp as ever. Sprinting changed, it was no longer the small man, aero position that could guarantee a victory. Kittel, Gripel demonstrated a different approach but later in the decade Cav could still use his track nous to spot wheels and open up a gap where there really was no gap. Who knows how long he suffered with the Epstein-Barr virus before it became known, could he have been, actually, even faster?!
6. Greg Van Avermaet. There felt like a few seasons of Spring Classics where the BMC jersey was omnipresent on the podium. From 2015 onwards, you could guarantee that even in a hugely competitive spring classics field, he would be in the lead group animating the race, poised, tracking, attacking and winning. I would watch hoping for bad weather because thats when GvA would come good, half the field would give up at the start, a few would feel optimistic but GvA would just batter them across Northern France and Belgium for fun.
5. Phillipe Gilbert. If GvA owned the last five years of the decade, Gilbert had the first five. He won pretty much everything a puncheur could expect to win. To be honest, he didnt even need five years, he did it in about 18 months. He even had some wilderness years before coming back late in the decade to win races all over again.
4.Chris Froome. You cant win that many Grand Tours and not be good. I dont care how many people bleat about the "sky train", dodgy tactics or asthma or a squad of the greatest domestiques cycling as seen in decades. He could drop his competitors on a whim and the Finestere attack, on gravel, with 80kms to go was just an amazing spectacle to watch. Yates was already dropped, he didnt really need to do that but he could, so he did. And yes, he does fall off a lot.
3. Jason Kenny. Kenny was already a genuine world class track cyclist before the decade started but cemented his place in the list in 2012 winning 2 gold medals and following it up a year later with a world championship in the keirin. 2014 and 2015 were barren and many questioned whether he still had the appetite to train let alone win medals. He came back to win 3 gold medals in Rio and even had the drama of a potential DQ in the keirin to manage whilst sat on the start line waiting for the gun watching as commisaires presided over the screens looking for signs of foul play. He was written off by many and proved them all wrong. Kenny is in the list because the best sprinter on the track in a hugely competitive period with Hoy, Pervis, Bauge, Levy......
2.Marianne Vos. Vos would complete pre-season training with the Rabobank Men's squad becuase she found the Women's squad training too easy and her palmares says cyclo-cross world champion x7, track world champion, road world champion x3. Multi-discipline, fast on any surface, ultra combative and a joy to watch. I watched her at a Revolution track event once and the whole field watched her, waiting for the attack, Vos just rode on the front and when the attack eventually came, no one came close to catching her wheel. Far from making the sport dull, by winning everything she has made Women's cycling watchable.
1. Peter Sagan. It just is. If cycling history isnt so rose-tinted and obsessed with dead dopers he will be remembered as the greatest cyclist ever. He is so much more than the 7 times green jersey winning, 3 times world champion, multiple classics winning cyclist that we have know. He is fun, he pulls wheelies, he is the rouleur's rouler. He is so predictable and yet wins races at a canter, the green jersey is wrapped up by the end of the second week, on his day, no one can beat him. Just remember Richmond, that attack, the sheer audacity of it....
9. Vincenzo Nibali. I dont like the guy, dont trust the guy but I respect the guy. His victory in 2018 at Milan-San Remo was such a well executed attack that you couldnt help but smile. 4 Grand Tours, all won with the casual chaos you would expect from an Italian. Add dozens of stage wins and countless attacks seemingly just for the hell of it and without an intricate plan developed by the DS, nutritionalist, domestiques, soigneurs, coach driver..... Even the association with Astana and the blatant, embarrasing cheating in the 2015 Tour cant dull his talent. He has cracked too often in recent Grand Tours to be any higher than 9th for me though.
8. Tony Martin. 4 times World Time Trial Champion but thats not, in my humble opinion, the most interesting statistic, the winning margins seem massive in what are races against a collection of the world's best time triallists, 1m 26s over 46kms in 2011 to Wiggins no less, 46s over 57kms in 2013 to Wiggins again, 45s over 40kms in 2016 to Kiyienka... I'm a bit sentimental too so to see the heartbreak of losing the sixth stage of the 2013 Vuelta by seconds after a 175km solo break avenged at Le Tour the following year was pure nostalgia, that the 2014 solo break was only 60kms is not the point, that he managed to drop the peloton on a fairly flat stage shows the power of the guy.
7.Mark Cavendish. I dont feel particulary patriotic about including Cav, his record says it all. He has had the benefit of some well-drilled lead out trains but has also demonstrated on many occassions, including his World Championships win in 2011, that when it all goes tits up and you lose your wheel, he can find another, re-orientate himself, time a sprint and still win. Go watch him on a track even now, and his timing is still as sharp as ever. Sprinting changed, it was no longer the small man, aero position that could guarantee a victory. Kittel, Gripel demonstrated a different approach but later in the decade Cav could still use his track nous to spot wheels and open up a gap where there really was no gap. Who knows how long he suffered with the Epstein-Barr virus before it became known, could he have been, actually, even faster?!
6. Greg Van Avermaet. There felt like a few seasons of Spring Classics where the BMC jersey was omnipresent on the podium. From 2015 onwards, you could guarantee that even in a hugely competitive spring classics field, he would be in the lead group animating the race, poised, tracking, attacking and winning. I would watch hoping for bad weather because thats when GvA would come good, half the field would give up at the start, a few would feel optimistic but GvA would just batter them across Northern France and Belgium for fun.
5. Phillipe Gilbert. If GvA owned the last five years of the decade, Gilbert had the first five. He won pretty much everything a puncheur could expect to win. To be honest, he didnt even need five years, he did it in about 18 months. He even had some wilderness years before coming back late in the decade to win races all over again.
4.Chris Froome. You cant win that many Grand Tours and not be good. I dont care how many people bleat about the "sky train", dodgy tactics or asthma or a squad of the greatest domestiques cycling as seen in decades. He could drop his competitors on a whim and the Finestere attack, on gravel, with 80kms to go was just an amazing spectacle to watch. Yates was already dropped, he didnt really need to do that but he could, so he did. And yes, he does fall off a lot.
3. Jason Kenny. Kenny was already a genuine world class track cyclist before the decade started but cemented his place in the list in 2012 winning 2 gold medals and following it up a year later with a world championship in the keirin. 2014 and 2015 were barren and many questioned whether he still had the appetite to train let alone win medals. He came back to win 3 gold medals in Rio and even had the drama of a potential DQ in the keirin to manage whilst sat on the start line waiting for the gun watching as commisaires presided over the screens looking for signs of foul play. He was written off by many and proved them all wrong. Kenny is in the list because the best sprinter on the track in a hugely competitive period with Hoy, Pervis, Bauge, Levy......
2.Marianne Vos. Vos would complete pre-season training with the Rabobank Men's squad becuase she found the Women's squad training too easy and her palmares says cyclo-cross world champion x7, track world champion, road world champion x3. Multi-discipline, fast on any surface, ultra combative and a joy to watch. I watched her at a Revolution track event once and the whole field watched her, waiting for the attack, Vos just rode on the front and when the attack eventually came, no one came close to catching her wheel. Far from making the sport dull, by winning everything she has made Women's cycling watchable.
1. Peter Sagan. It just is. If cycling history isnt so rose-tinted and obsessed with dead dopers he will be remembered as the greatest cyclist ever. He is so much more than the 7 times green jersey winning, 3 times world champion, multiple classics winning cyclist that we have know. He is fun, he pulls wheelies, he is the rouleur's rouler. He is so predictable and yet wins races at a canter, the green jersey is wrapped up by the end of the second week, on his day, no one can beat him. Just remember Richmond, that attack, the sheer audacity of it....
Usget said:
Great thread.
Honourable mention for Sarah Storey? I've lost count of what she won, competes and wins against able-bodied athletes, and did a huge amount to raise the profile of women's cycling with her achievements and latterly her race team.
She was my 2 minute (wo)man on a 25 miler a couple of years back. Honourable mention for Sarah Storey? I've lost count of what she won, competes and wins against able-bodied athletes, and did a huge amount to raise the profile of women's cycling with her achievements and latterly her race team.
Passed me like I was standing still. All I could hear was the drone of her carbon discs, not a breath, squeek or roll of the sholuders class.
Better still, when I eventually got back to the village, sweating like a glassblower's arse and making child birth noises, she was sat on the step, baby on her knee, shovelling home made cake down her gob, in full world champ kit, chatting to all and sundry in between.
pablo said:
Rachel Atherton for winning pretty much everything in women's downhill for a decade
Great shout, massively under publicised in general I reckon. Completely dominant for years.(click for Palmares)
2002
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH) – Youth
2004
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
2nd UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH) – Junior
2005
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH) – Junior
1st UEC Champion Jersey.svg European Mountain Bike Championships (DH) - Junior
2006
1st UEC Champion Jersey.svg European Mountain Bike Championships (DH)
1st Lisboa Downtown Championships
3rd Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
1st Round 5 (Balneário Camboriú, Brazil)
2nd British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
3rd UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
2007
1st UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH), Round 5 (Maribor, Slovenia)
1st Maxxis Cup DH Round 1
1st Sea Otter Classic
1st NPS DH, Round 1
1st NPS DH, Round 3 (Moelfre)
1st NPS DH, Round 4 (Caersws)
1st Fat Face Night Race
1st Street Race, Edinburgh
2nd UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
2nd NPS DH, Round 5 (Innerleithen)
3rd DS, Sea Otter Classic
2008
1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
1st Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
2nd Round 1 (Maribor, Slovenia)
1st Round 2 (Vallnord, Andorra)
3rd Round 3 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 4 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 5 (Bromont, Canada)
2nd Round 6 (Canberra, Australia)
1st Round 7 (Schladming, Austria)
1st Maxxis Cup DH (Gouveia, Portugal)
1st Alpine Bikes Winter series DH (Scotland)
1st Canadian Open DH (Whistler, Canada)
1st Monster Energy Garbanzo Downhill (Whistler, Canada)
2010
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
1st Round 1 (Maribor, Slovenia)
2nd Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 6 (Windham, United States)
2011
2nd UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
3rd Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
2nd Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
2nd Round 3 (Leogang, Austria)
3rd Round 4 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 5 (Windham, United States)
3rd Round 7 (Val di Sole, Italy)
2012
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
1st Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
1st Round 2 (Val di Sole, Italy)
2nd Round 3 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 4 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 5 (Windham, United States)
1st Round 6 (Val d'Isère, France)
1st Round 7 (Hafjell, Norway)
1st European Downhill Cup Round 1 (Monte Tamaro, Switzerland)
1st European Downhill Cup Round 2 (Leogang, Austria)
2nd British Downhill Series, Round 1 (Combe Sydenham, England)
2nd British Downhill Series, Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
2013
1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
1st Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
1st Round 1 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 2 (Val di Sole, Italy)
1st Round 3 (Vallnord, Andorra)
2nd Round 4 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 5 (Hafjell, Norway)
2nd Round 6 (Leogang, Austria)
2014
2nd UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
2nd Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
2nd Round 1 (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa)
1st Round 2 (Cairns, Australia)
2nd Round 4 (Leogang, Austria)
2nd Round 5 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
2nd Round 6 (Windham, United States)
1st Round 7 (Méribel, France)
2015
1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
1st Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
2nd Round 1 (Lourdes, France)
1st Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 3 (Leogang, Austria)
1st Round 4 (Lenzerheide, Switzerland)
1st Round 5 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 6 (Windham, United States)
1st Round 7 (Val di Sole, Italy)
1st British Downhill Series, Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
2016
1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships (DH)
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
1st Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
1st Round 1 (Lourdes, France)
1st Round 2 (Cairns, Australia)
1st Round 3 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 4 (Leogang, Austria)
1st Round 5 (Lenzerheide, Switzerland)
1st Round 6 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 7 (Vallnord, Andorra)
2017
1st MaillotReinoUnido.PNG British National Mountain Biking Championships (DH)
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
1st Round 1 (Lourdes, France)
2nd Round 5 (Lenzerheide, Switzerland)
2018
1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (DH)
1st Overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
2nd Round 1 (Lošinj, Croatia)
3rd Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 3 (Leogang, Austria)
2nd Round 4 (Val di Sole, Italy)
2nd Round 5 (Vallnord, Andorra)
1st Round 6 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada)
1st Round 7 (La Bresse, France)
2019
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (DH)
2nd Round 1 (Maribor, Slovenia)
1st Round 2 (Fort William, Scotland)
1st Round 4 (Vallnord, Andorra)
Cancellara should probably be in there, he only rode half the decade but still won a lot, and in ridiculous fashion in many instances.
Think women probably do better with a list of their own, a lot of what you see in womens cycling wouldn't be possible in mens (100km break) because of the depth of talent in the mens peloton.
MTB an interesting one, hasn't VDP been winning everything he enters and beating Schurter, not sure its because he is the best MTB rider that he's won 7 times, more than the best are likely riding road bikes instead.
Think women probably do better with a list of their own, a lot of what you see in womens cycling wouldn't be possible in mens (100km break) because of the depth of talent in the mens peloton.
MTB an interesting one, hasn't VDP been winning everything he enters and beating Schurter, not sure its because he is the best MTB rider that he's won 7 times, more than the best are likely riding road bikes instead.
Edited by okgo on Thursday 12th December 17:09
As is usual with Cyclist of the Year/ Decade awards, etc people tend to assume road cycling is all cycling. Like F1 drivers are automatically the best drivers in motorsport, when they possibly aren't.
The off roaders don't tend to get the coverage that the road/track does, hence they're always overlooked; Rachel Atherton, Nino Schurter are multiple World Champions/ World Cup Titles in Downhill, XC. Stybar and Van Aert are also 3x World CX champions. Then you have Pauline Ferrand-Prevot who simultaneously held World Titles in CX, MTB XCO & Road which is pretty incredible.
On the road Nibali has won all 3 GTs and won a few Monuments; Contador* & Froome have also completed the 3 GTs. Philip Gilbert has won 4 of the 5 Monuments which is impressive in the modern era.
Others worth mentioning Sagan, Boonen, Cancellara, Valverde*, Cavendish, Vos, Van Vleuten, Van der Breggen - and young Dutch multi discipline genius Van der Poel.
The off roaders don't tend to get the coverage that the road/track does, hence they're always overlooked; Rachel Atherton, Nino Schurter are multiple World Champions/ World Cup Titles in Downhill, XC. Stybar and Van Aert are also 3x World CX champions. Then you have Pauline Ferrand-Prevot who simultaneously held World Titles in CX, MTB XCO & Road which is pretty incredible.
On the road Nibali has won all 3 GTs and won a few Monuments; Contador* & Froome have also completed the 3 GTs. Philip Gilbert has won 4 of the 5 Monuments which is impressive in the modern era.
Others worth mentioning Sagan, Boonen, Cancellara, Valverde*, Cavendish, Vos, Van Vleuten, Van der Breggen - and young Dutch multi discipline genius Van der Poel.
Why would you give it to a racing cyclist? If the category was racing cyclist then yes, they are all good candidates. But, I went for Andy van Bergen because Everesting is something that has captured people's imaginations, made them do things they would laugh out of court normally. I don't think any racing cyclist has had that much impact on anyone.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff