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News editor at Cycling Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on at the upper echelons of our sport. This piece is part of The Leadout, a newsletter series from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here. As ever, email adam.becket@futurenet.com – should you wish to add anything, or suggest a topic.
With the Tours of Guangxi and Chongming Island underway, we really are in the endgame of the 2024 road cycling season. It has been a hell of a ride all the way through, even if one person in particular (more on that in a bit) has kept winning, and so it’s time to take a look back. Of course, things might still happen, but here are some key awards for 2024. Let’s call them The Beckets.
The Tadej Pogačar award for the unarguable best male rider in the world
After a couple of years in which his status as the best rider in the world was under threat because he kept missing out on the biggest prize of them all – the Tour de France – Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) decided to nail his status as the best rider in the world this year, by winning pretty much everything. The Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, World Championships, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia, plus a host of others, has the feel of “is this enough?” about it. Well done Tadej, you’re the best.
The Marianne Vos award for doing it all
Obviously, Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) is still riding, and still kind of doing it all, winning stage races, Grand Tour stages, and one-day Classics, but the Dutch rider they call the GOAT has a worthy successor. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) can seemingly do it all, and was just 21 seconds away from winning the Giro d’Italia earlier this year. The Belgian defended her world title, won Paris-Roubaix, and 14 other races. Do not sleep on her as a Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift contender.
(Image credit: SWPix.com/Zac Williams)
Best stage start
Cycling has a habit of being very odd at times, and this was clearer more than ever this season when stage six of the Vuelta a España began from within a supermarket. Sadly, there were no spills or action from within the aisles, but it was still a bit of fun. Good photos, too.
Most improved team/most thankful marketing team
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale had a rebrand and a bike change over the off-season, switching from BMC to the new Van Rysel RCR Pro. How much of their surge in form is down to the bike is possible to quantify, but the French team have gone from nine wins to 30, allowing their marketing team to say it’s all thanks to Decathlon and Van Rysel, and prove that cycling is worth investing in.
The Cian Uijtdebroeks award for non-racing drama
Remember last December, when Visma-Lease a Bike decided to liven up the off-season by trying to sign Cian Uijtdebroeks from Bora-Hansgrohe? It seems like a long time ago now. Another team has taken up the mantle of off-the-bike drama this year – Ineos Grenadiers. The British team are currently dogged by the transfer speculation around Tom Pidcock, their star rider, who was “deselected” from their squad for Il Lombardia at the weekend. It’s entertaining, but when will it end?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Best final season
As ever, there are some notable retirees at the end of this year – Christine Majerus, Thomas De Gendt, Mark Cavendish, Luke Rowe, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio. But there is one rider hanging up their wheels who has had one of the best years – Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez). The Aussie announced her surprise retirement during a season in which she won Liège, the time trial at the Olympics, and the time trial at the World Championships. Always leave them wanting more.
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Silliest disqualification
The ‘super-tuck’ has been banned from pro cycling since 2021, but that didn’t stop Davide Formolo (Movistar) from employing it at the Tour de Luxembourg last month. The 31-year-old has been around for a while, so should have known, but let’s assume that he simply forgot. These things happen.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Best celebration
Who could forget Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) winning her first race in five years back at La Flèche Wallonne in April? The Pole has been the runner-up in so many races over the years, but finally achieved a victory in Belgium. Cue a point to the sky, a collapse to the floor, happy tears, unbelieving teammates, and thanks from all the peloton. A deserved one.
Worst celebration
The previous week to Niewiadoma’s win, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) sat up and celebrated at the end of the Amstel Gold Race, but before crossing the line… Marianne Vos duly won, and proved again that there’s no point celebrating early. She still won 22 times this year, it should be noted.
The ‘who needs an under-23 category’ award
Cat Ferguson, the British 18-year-old who did not finish lower than second in a junior race this year, and won the junior road race and time trial at the World Championships last month, has already won two senior races, beating some seasoned pros in the process. Silly.
Best transfer
It’s hard to look past Matteo Jorgenson, who moved to Visma-Lease a Bike from Movistar for this year. The American won Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen, and went on to win finish second at the Critérium du Dauphiné and eighth at the Tour de France. Not bad.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Tim De Waele)
Unluckiest rider
It’s a could be Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), who had a promising season cut short by a crash at the Vuelta a Burgos, or any of the riders caught up in the horror crash at the men’s Itzulia Basque Country back in April, like Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) or Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates). But none of these had their seasons stopped twice, like Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), whose Classics campaign was stopped in its tracks, before he crashed badly again at the Vuelta a España, taking him out of the Worlds. Better luck for 2025, Wout.
The Remco Evenepoel award for having a great season but being overshadowed
In any other year, winning both the road race and time trial at the Olympics, winning the time trial at the World Championships, and finishing third at the Tour de France and second at Il Lombardia would herald endless plaudits. Sadly for Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), this happened in the same season Tadej Pogačar decided to win everything. Still, one of the best. Honourable mentions to Demi Vollering, Mathieu van der Poel, and Elisa Longo Borghini.
This piece is part of The Leadout, the offering of newsletters from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here.
If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.
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