Rider of the Year 2010 - Your Pick

[weisan]

As the year 2010 is drawing to a close, pick the favorite rider that you felt has captured the hearts and imagination of the cycling community.

My pick: Fabian Cancellara :banana: :hello: :beer:

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/SPORT/04/11/cycling.paris.roubaix/t1larg.jpg
Roubaix

http://cdn3.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2010/03/27/2/270310ispa_0028_600.jpg
His win at E3 Prijs Vlaanderen.

http://www.bicycle.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/cancellara_tdf_stage19_2010.jpg
Sweeping both TT wins at the Prologue and Stage 19 of the Tour De France

http://www.cyclingfan.net/artimg/2010/11/cancellara-riis.jpg
Saying bye-bye to former boss Bjarne Riis, explaining his reasons for leaving (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-says-saxo-bank-and-riis-were-no-longer-right-for-him)

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/08Ad59ZbtUex0/610x.jpg
Joining the new Luxembourg Project team with the Schleck Brothers

And a couple of U-tube video clips that highlight the pivotal moments of his stellar performance this year...
Tour De Flanders (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_BNuNDQYiA)

Cancellara Attacks/Paris Roubaix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7xjsPqHg3o&feature=related)

Struck Gold at Geelong Worlds...again! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGTRlEh7by0)

Taking the win at E3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JqHXuUbUUc)

What's your pick? :p

[ColnagoLightxx]

I would either say Cancellara or Schleck hands down :hello:

[qjetha]

Philippe Gilbert - the guy is an animal. Really wish he was able to win the world champs, but still a good list of palmares this season.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

Philippe Gilbert - the guy is an animal. Really wish he was able to win the world champs, but still a good list of palmares this season.

+1. Though Cancellara's win in Paris-Roubaix was the best win of the year.

[TimmyB]

I'm torn between Cancellera and Schleck.

I've also always been a big fan of Hushovd

[RADaines]

For me, it has to be Cancellara with honorable mention for Thor.

[tele]

Spartacus is the man, but an honorable mention to the meat producers of Spain. :cool:

[97CSI]

Gotta be GL. Don't believe he initiated a single new law-suit against any former business associate or competitor in 2010. Has to be a new personal best. :crap:

On-the-road, Cancellara is the man.

[alias320]

I'll throw out Cadel Evans- sure he didn't get as many wins as the other guys- but the perennial bridesmaid was able to step it up. Also- it's always nice to see the world champion mixing it up in the front and winning races.

[FlashUNC]

Fabian for the wins, Cadel for breaking the rainbow jersey curse.

[BillG]

Philippe Gilbert - the guy is an animal. Really wish he was able to win the world champs, but still a good list of palmares this season.
Or Chavanel. Those two were the most exciting.

[Charles M]

There's Fab...

And there's guys you like.

Dont confuse guys you like with being as fab as Fab for 2010...

[BillG]

There's Fab...

And there's guys you like.

Dont confuse guys you like with being as fab as Fab for 2010...

I like Fab. I also like those guys. But I have to agree. There is Cav, though...

[norcalbiker]

I have to go with Schleck and Cancellera.

[gasman]

Fab for his amazing performances

Jens for being Jens and always fighting

[spartacus]

Who might I choose? :p

[gdw]

Matt Lee won his sixth Tour Divide this year. He covered the 2,745 miles, through snow, rain, hail, winds and intense heat, in 17 days, fifteen hours and 13 minutes with no support and carrying his own gear. He also recovered his own bike after it was stolen. Lee's the real deal compared to the eurotrash/wannabees of the chemically enhanced pro peloton.

http://tourdivide.org/

[Nooch]

I'll go with Fab.

And then I'll throw in Taylor Phinney for good measure. :beer:

[19wisconsin64]

Cancellara

[stephenmarklay]

Kind of depends on the criteria but I was also very impressed by Cadel.

He was all grit in the Giro.

[54ny77]

Whoever's kid from this forum first learned to ride a bike with two wheels.

The rest are sideshow freaks.

[Secosera]

I enjoyed watching Fabian this year, but Tony Martin really impressed me as well. The guy was always in front setting a killer pace, then rocking the TT's the next day. I think he could be a contender in the tours if he had the support for it.

[victoryfactory]

Taylor Phinney?

[steampunk]

i vote for Fabian.

watching his classics wins was the best race video this year.

and he has taste in watches.

[dimsy]

It's pretty much unanimous at this point.

Cancellara, hands down.

however, i'm partial to Cavendish's performance throughout the year. He's a top notch sprinter and shows it in his performance even if in interviews he comes off as a bit of a winey douche.

[soulspinner]

Yuo gotta love Horner. Top 10 at Liege, Amstel, Fleche,Dauphine and the tour de France, in addition to winning the Vuelta a Vasco, a six stage race and hes a domestique.

[97CSI]

Yuo gotta love Horner. Top 10 at Liege, Amstel, Fleche,Dauphine and the tour de France, in addition to winning the Vuelta a Vasco, a six stage race and hes a domestique.Horner's pretty much our Jens Voigt. If he hadn't been hurt at various times in the last couple of years am sure he would have done even better.

[tele]

Taylor Phinney?
this time next year we very well might be throwing his name around for this award.

[d_man16]

Schleck but there is something to be said about Matt Lee he is a great athalite and a great guy. It's a shame that his skills will never garnish the suppoert of millions like some of the other racers.

[Britishbane]

How about Nys? I know cyclocross isn't mainstream even within the cycling world, but he has 9 wins this year after a decade and a half in the sport. Impressive.

[rdparadise]

My vote goes for Spartacus. He was by far the best. Of course, Andy Schleck was really impressive as well. Honorable mention to Cadel and Taylor Phinney.

Bob

[bobswire]

Another vote for Phillipe Gilbert. It's his all around abilities that impresses me not just climbing ala Schleck or flat track engine of a Cance, Gilbert has the abilities more in the line of a Merckx.

[dnades]

My picks:
Fab for overall power, Cavendish for pure sprint, Jens for pure heart, Horner for grit(and well - cause he interviews great- no bs) Very hard to pick one.

[BillG]

there is something to be said about Matt Lee

agreed!

[pbjbike]

+1 for Taylor. Drugs can't beat DNA. :beer:

[chickenkiev]

Emma Pooley
2010 results
1st La Flèche Wallonne 1st Grand Prix de Suisse TT
1st Grand Prix Elsy Jacobs
1st Overall Tour de l'Aude: 1st Stage 7, 2nd Stage 4
1st Overall Giro del Trentino
1st Stage 1
1st British National Road Race Championships
1st GP de Plouay-Bretagne (FRA) World Cup
1st British National Time Trial Championships
1st UCI Road World Championship Women's Time Trial

[pbjbike]

Emma gets short shrift with the weighted cycling media. A season so well done.
:banana: :banana: :banana:

[rustychisel]

s'funny... no love for Alberto??

[FlashUNC]

s'funny... no love for Alberto??


I don't think ol' Pistolero was exactly dominant this year.

[rustychisel]

yeah I know, I was just ax-ing the question. Lots of column inches though!!

I think my vote goes to Cavendish - answered his early season critics rather emphatically.

Cancellara - won the races he was expected to dominate. Can't ask for more than that.

Maybe... [Sir] Chris Hoy - just seems to keep winning gold medals.

And a distant fourth for the moment - Cameron Myer. This kid is good, I mean v good. A name for the here and now and only going to get better.

[tiretrax]

Like any award show, multiple categories are needed. I like all the suggestions, except Evans. He's a whiner and lakcs the grit required of a great champion. One lucky set of circumstances led him to the rainbow jersey, but otherwise, he lacks too much to be a great champion - stamina, tactical skills, and p.r. I do give him a thumbs up for telling a reporter he'd kick his ass for stepping on his dog, but otherwise bridesmaid is an apt description. I beh he looks good in a dress.

Taylor Phinney is our next great American rider, and he will be on the top tier by 2015.

[1centaur]

Cancellara works a groove greatly but I need to see more than that to grant my ROTY award.

Gilbert impressed by outkicking Farrar to win a race and by beating plenty of class in Lombardia, winning Amstel and placing top 10 in a varied collection of races across the calendar. His breadth beat Fabian's depth in 2010. IMO.

Below from wiki:

Gilbert

2010
1st Stage 3 Vuelta a España
1st Stage 19 Vuelta a España
1st Giro di Lombardia
1st Stage 1 Tour of Belgium
1st Amstel Gold Race
1st Giro del Piemonte
3rd Gent–Wevelgem
3rd Ronde van Vlaanderen
3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
5th Brabantse Pijl
6th La Flèche Wallonne
9th Milan – San Remo

vs. Fabian:

2010
1st UCI Road World Championship Time Trial
1st Overall Tour of Oman
1st Paris–Roubaix
1st Ronde van Vlaanderen
1st E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
1st Prologue Tour de Suisse
1st Prologue (ITT) Tour de France
1st Stage 19 (ITT) Tour de France

[weisan]

hey pals, thanks for contributing to this thread, just a quick word, please don't try to "overthink" this, just put down what your heart tells you, your "own criteria"....but I agree with Gilbert having a fantastic year...I absolutely LOVE it! when he turns on the afterburner and hits the sonic boom, the sheer power and gritting of the teeth like a true belgian, the timing of it all, the use of the "nuke" option to completely obliterate his competition, he doesn't always win but when he does, the way he wins, that's special. :hello: :beer:

Some flashbacks...
http://alicehui.com/pics/gilbert.jpg
http://www.roadbikeaction.com/contentimages/2009/vueltagalls19-GILBERT%20Philippe-ys-roadbikeaction.jpg
http://news.velonation.com/Men/Road/Ga_Gl/original/Gilbert_Philippe_AGR10win_pn.jpg
http://www.roadcycling.com/artman2/uploads/2/philippe_gilbert_podium_3.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01504/Philippe_Gilbert-2_1504455c.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_UsZfaAN5WdY/TF2Cg3Pu9jI/AAAAAAAADj4/zYbNS_FnuCg/s640/07-08%20gilbert%203.jpg
http://www.omegapharma-lotto.be/site2010/ktmlpro/images/uploads/phil_patricia_trouw.jpg?0.16244962261568213
video...
Amstel Gold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH8YHKGnp0g
Lombardia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5q1MXgmcVo
Giro del Piemonte
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUWLbV8CRg

[benb]

Whoever's kid from this forum first learned to ride a bike with two wheels.

The rest are sideshow freaks.

+1

No need to puff up the prancing peacocks and their doping regimes any more.

[oldguy00]

Lance Armstrong.
Yup.

His run at the TDF was probably what interested (most) cycling fans the most in 2010.

[GuyGadois]

Fabian and Phinney

[weisan]

Commercial Break...

Cancellera descending like a fight jet in TdF:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXqQqAc2pA

[97CSI]

High 'pucker factor' with those stone barriers on the left.

[dnades]

always liked that video. dude is scary.

[bearingpress]

cavendish cavendish cavendish

[weisan]

Commercial Break...

Cancellera descending like a fight jet in TdF:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXqQqAc2pA

This is a high-definition version...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_wEG2RNMJc&hd=1

[weisan]

Wins with balls
cavendish cavendish cavendish

What about the stage (3) in 2007 TdF when he took the sprinter teams totally by surprise...steamrolling past the breakaways straight charge to the finish line.
Stage 3 TdF Cancellara Wins! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJNLMYpr2TM&playnext=1&list=PL373D13547C979A89&index=1)

This guy has the rare combination of power, skill, courage, intelligence, people sensibility...and the heart of a champion.

This all-roundedness makes me think he's as complete a rider as far I can remember in a long time. That's just my opinion. :p :beer:

[ospreybike]

Schleck really did a great job, Cav is amazing also.

[tv_vt]

I would also pick Cancellara. Gilbert had a good year, too. And Thor.

And now here's a little perspective. Cancellara has stated that he wants to win all of the five Monuments in his career. He's got 3 of 5. Gilbert is 28 and has 2 Lombardy's to his credit.

At age 28, Eddy Merckx had already won five Milan-San Remos, one Tour of Flanders, three Paris-Roubaix, four Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and two Tours of Lombardy.

Plus four Tours de France, four Giri d’Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, two World Championships, plus three editions of Paris-Nice.

Can you imagine a guy like that in the peloton now? I can't.

(stats courtesy of Red Kite Prayer)

Thom

[Seott-e]

I would either say Cancellara or Schleck hands down :hello:


Me to !

[pdmtong]

I'm my own rider of the year. This year I

- commuted by bike
- road biked
- single tracked
- single tracked on full-susp tandem with wife
- single tracked on full-susp tandem with daughter
- road biked with daughter
- single tracked with daughter
- got a single speed
- raced cross
- got daughter to race cross
- got wife to race cross
- put in the winter miles
- caught a lot of the amgen tour of california
- rode downhill on big bikes at Northstar-at-tahoe

diversity!!!!

[soulspinner]

I'm my own rider of the year. This year I

- commuted by bike
- road biked
- single tracked
- single tracked on full-susp tandem with wife
- single tracked on full-susp tandem with daughter
- road biked with daughter
- single tracked with daughter
- got a single speed
- raced cross
- got daughter to race cross
- got wife to race cross
- put in the winter miles
- caught a lot of the amgen tour of california
- rode downhill on big bikes at Northstar-at-tahoe

diversity!!!!


Chapeau! :banana:

[William]

Cippo.

He still exudes more manliness then anyone out there. I don't mean that in a gay-vague way....not that there is anything wrong with that. :D ;)

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05cipo2/$file/10.jpg

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05cipo2/$file/4.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/TGwC6JIACSI/AAAAAAAAQQQ/RCAMq9IZlws/s400/SPRINT_EICM9903.jpeg



William

[weisan]

Okay, i will fuss up....this is the guy that I am rooting for and always stretching my neck to find him in the peloton...he's on my screensaver :o

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01600/oscar-freire_1600511c.jpg

I am disappointed that he did not get his fourth rainbow jersey, but I will settle with Milan San Remo and the Tours, especially, the former, his win there was simply beautiful, let's watch a replay. :D

Faster Cat in the WOrld (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6NfY6ZiXXk)

[weisan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISN7pgfCtY

[weisan]

Spartacus: "I defy your army!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqGZbbUdwx4

[rustychisel]

Freire, well certainly not rider of the year for 2010, but when he's on form he's the smartest fastest tactical winner in the world. All class.

[Fixed]

"Thor's Hammer"
cheers imho

[oliver1850]

.

[oliver1850]

.

[Fixed]

Cippo.

He still exudes more manliness then anyone out there. I don't mean that in a gay-vague way....not that there is anything wrong with that. :D ;)

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05cipo2/$file/10.jpg

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05cipo2/$file/4.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/TGwC6JIACSI/AAAAAAAAQQQ/RCAMq9IZlws/s400/SPRINT_EICM9903.jpeg


William
Caesar of cool imho cheers

[oliver1850]

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