The 2008 Season - Rider Of The Year
Suite 101 Reviews the Best Riders of the 2008 Season
Dec 17, 2008
Despite the problems that cycling has faced this year a number of riders have performed magnificently and have provided the cycling fan with, on the road at least, much to cheer about.
Consistent Cancellara
Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara is one such rider. The CSC – Saxo Bank strongman has been a picture of consistency this year, being prevalent in all stages of the season. Early on he performed strongly in the Spring Classics taking victory in Milan – San Remo and then finishing a close second in perhaps the most prestigious classic of them all – Paris – Roubaix.
Cancellara then turned into the perfect team-mate helping his leader Carlos Sastre take victory in the Tour de France by constantly featuring at the front of the peloton, protecting his leader and helping his team set the tactics. Along with Stuart O'Grady and Jens Voigt he contributed to a devastating display of power from the CSC-Saxo Bank team, before turning his attention to the Olympics and coming home with two medals – bronze in the road race and gold in the time-trial to cap an impressive season.
Sastre Takes Top Title
Cancellara is not the only CSC – Saxo Bank rider to have had a great season, Spanish rider Carlos Sastre realised all cyclists' dreams by taking victory in the biggest race of all – the Tour de France.
Sastre has always been a consistent top ten finisher in the grand tours but some questioned whether he had the stomach, or talent, to stand on the top step in Paris. In 2008 Sastre gave us the answer with a fantastic display of consistency over the three weeks which saw him demonstrate an improved ability in time-trials as well as a devastating turn of speed in the mountains. Sastre captured the Tour with a display of panache on the Queen Stage to up the legendary Alpe d'Huez. Sastre riding away from his rivals at the foot of the climb remains one of the enduring images of the season.
Cavendish the Fastest
The Grand Tours also saw the coming of age of British sprinting sensation Mark Cavendish. Riding for Team Columbia, Cavendish demonstrated that he is now, with no doubt, the fastest sprinter in the peloton by taking a total of six stage victories – two in the Giro d'Italia and a fantastic four in the Tour de France. With an amazing 17 victories overall this year, Cavendish tops the list of rider victories in 2008, but it is still not quite enough to earn him Suite 101's nomination as rider of the year.
Triumphant Contador
That accolade goes to Spanish rider Alberto Contador. At only 25 years old, Contador joined an elite group of riders by claiming victories in the two grand tours that he entered this year – the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta d'Espana, making him only the fifth rider in history to win all three grand tours – Contador won the Tour de France in 2007. Both victories were crowned with stunning rides in the mountains, none more so than his climb up the impossibly steep Angliru during the Vuelta.
Such an achievement means that Contador gets the nod as the rider of 2008. An exciting rider to watch, Contador looks set to dominate the Grand Tour scene for years to come and is sure to add to his already impressive tally.
References:
Cycle Sport Magazine – Dec 2008
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