Best Races of the Decade

RichN95.

We are at the end of the 2010s a decade that started with Andre Greipel winning the Tour Down Under with a stage win for Chris Sutton of plucky start-up Sky. It ended with a 20 year old Pogacar winning three stages of the Vuelta.

11 of of the 18 Pro Tour teams in 2010 were still World Tour teams this year - fairly decent.

A lot of media are doing their decade retrospectives, so let's do one here. What were the best editions of each of the big nine races + one wildcard (any other WT Race). Here's the list with my choices

Tour de France: 2015 (Froome)
Giro d'Italia: 2018 (Froome)
Vuelta a Espana: 2012 (Contador)
Milan San Remo: 2018 (Nibali)
De Ronde: 2011 (Nuyens)
Paris-Roubaix: 2016 (Hayman)
Liege-B-L: 2013 (Martin)
Lombardia: 2016? (Chaves)
Worlds: 2013 (Costa)
Wildcard: 2016 Olympics* (Van Avermaet)

Best Grand Tour: 2018 Giro
Best Classic: 2016 Roubaix


(*Not WT but of that status)

kingstongraham

I really enjoyed the worlds in the desert. Is that just me?

That 2016 Paris Roubaix was a great race.

cruff

RichN95. said:

We are at the end of the 2010s a decade that started with Andre Greipel winning the Tour Down Under with a stage win for Chris Sutton of plucky start-up Sky. It ended with a 20 year old Pogacar winning three stages of the Vuelta.

11 of of the 18 Pro Tour teams in 2010 were still World Tour teams this year - fairly decent.

A lot of media are doing their decade retrospectives, so let's do one here. What were the best editions of each of the big nine races + one wildcard (any other WT Race). Here's the list with my choices

Tour de France: 2015 (Froome)
Giro d'Italia: 2018 (Froome)
Vuelta a Espana: 2012 (Contador)
Milan San Remo: 2018 (Nibali)
De Ronde: 2011 (Nuyens)
Paris-Roubaix: 2016 (Hayman)
Liege-B-L: 2013 (Martin)
Lombardia: 2016? (Chaves)
Worlds: 2013 (Costa)
Wildcard: 2016 Olympics* (Van Avermaet)

Best Grand Tour: 2018 Giro
Best Classic: 2016 Roubaix


(*Not WT but of that status)

Hard to argue with most of those, but I prefer Sagan's win in Richmond for the worlds and my wildcard would be Benoot at Strade Bianche

mrb123

2012 Tour will always be special for me. Having grown up watching the Tour, a British winner for a British team was something I never thought I would see.

Stannnard's Omloop win vs Quick Step was great.

blazing_saddles

I would have to re-watch the 2010 Giro d'Italia before I could commit to "The Best of British" edition.

ddraver

I feel like these polls should always be, "What was the second-best race of the decade behind Paris-Roubaix: 2016"

TheBigBean

Would be interesting to think about the best non GT stage race. I think one of the Paris-Nices that Contador lost by a couple of seconds would be a contender.

If Martin's LBL was the best, it was probably a bleak decade for the race. I have a more vivid memory of Gilbert's win.

Also, for some reason I remember the Delhi Commonwealth games although I think the Rio Olympics was better.

Finally, I think I would vote for the Evans/Schleck/Contador tour (2011?) (assuming it is accepted that Contador was actually there)

Lanterne_Rogue

mrb123 said:

2012 Tour will always be special for me. Having grown up watching the Tour, a British winner for a British team was something I never thought I would see.

Stannnard's Omloop win vs Quick Step was great.

+ 1 for that Stannard win. The fact that people still remember and reference it without ever needing to explain what happened speaks volumes. Plus it was bloody funny.

shockedsoshocked

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Giro d'Italia: 2010. The Vino and Evans kicking shit out of each other.

Vuelta a Espana: 2012. Froome, J Rod, Valverde and Contador

Milan San Remo: 2017. Kwia, Sagan and Alaphililippe

De Ronde: 2010. Fabu dropping Boonen like he was stood still.

Paris-Roubaix: 2016. As much as I wanted to see Boonen take another one, Haymans recovery then victory was incredible.

Liege-B-L: 2011. Gilbert doing over the Schlecks and completing the Ardennes clean sweep.

Lombardia: 2015. Nibalis descent to take the race.

Worlds: 2018. Valverde rode a perfect race and it was a pleasure to see one of the best one day riders finally take the race his palmares were missing.

Wildcard: Amstel Gold 2019. Best finish I have ever seen. On my feet screaming for MVDP as he brought the sprint home.

Best Grand Tour: 2012 Vuelta
Best Classic: Flanders 2010

ddraver

Lanterne_Rogue said:

+ 1 for that Stannard win. The fact that people still remember and reference it without ever needing to explain what happened speaks volumes. Plus it was bloody funny.

I 100% know what you mean but I feel that at the award ceremony for best race of the decade that would be on the Comedy reel (sponsored by WATTS) rather than a genuine contender...

phreak

blazing_saddles said:

I would have to re-watch the 2010 Giro d'Italia before I could commit to "The Best of British" edition.

2010 Giro and Flanders were both amazing races.

rick_chasey

No shout for 2013 MSR?

2011 Tour deserves a shout too.

All moot because PR 2016 is the stone cold winner (pun intended).

bobmcstuff

ddraver said:

I feel like these polls should always be, "What was the second-best race of the decade behind Paris-Roubaix: 2016"

I agree.

Froome 2018 Giro, Van Avermaet Olympics and Benoot Strade Bianche were all standout for me.

mrb123

2015 Gent Wevelgem was a great race. Proper Classics conditions, G getting blown off the road but still getting in the mix at the end. Tactical masterclass from Paolini to secure the win.

salsiccia1

ddraver said:

I feel like these polls should always be, "What was the second-best race of the decade behind Paris-Roubaix: 2016"

Totally agree.

FWIW it's this for the one dayer, and though the 2018 Giro had a cataclysmic ride on the Finestre stage, I'm going to say the 2011 Tour.

iainf72

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2013. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

ducknumber1

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2013. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

Think it was 2014, done in Sheffield and final nail was the cobbles

philbar72

best tour, 2011 Cadel sticking it to the Schlecks.
Best Flanders 2017 by a mile. Gilberts attack was absolutely brilliant.
Best Roubaix - Matty haymans win. felt so sorry for Tommeke, but a win is a win...
Best Liege- Dan Martins win in surreal circumstances in 2013. ryder heysedal rode actually the team mates ride of his life, and Martin finished really well. J-Rod went too early...
Best MSR - Nibali's win. perfectly timed attack and descent, followed by judicious use of Moto draft = his best ever win.
Best minor classic - Stannards win in omloop het Niewsblad 2015.

poptart242

I've only followed pro cycling since 2014 so as much as I've watched replays, I'm only counting races since then:

Tour de France: 2019 (Bernal)
Giro d'Italia: 2018 (Froome)
Vuelta a Espana: 2018 (Yates)
Milan San Remo: 2017 (Kwiato)
De Ronde: 2017 (Gilbert)
Paris-Roubaix: 2016 (Hayman)
Liege-B-L: 2018 (Jungels)
Lombardia: 2018 (Pinot)
Worlds: 2015 (Sagan, Richmond)
Wildcard: 2019 Amstel (Van der Poel)

Best Grand Tour: 2018 Giro
Best Classic: 2016 Roubaix

Looking back, slim pickings for Liege and la Vuelta

juliluli80

I would have to re-watch the 2010 Giro d'Italia before I could commit to "The Best of British" edition.

shockedsoshocked

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too. Never got too excited by any of Skys wins until Bernals this year, but the stages being cut short just took the edge off it for me. I felt there was still more to come from Bernal, Alaphilippe and Thomas.

I did however totally forget about the 2011 Tour and Voecklers antics in Yellow.

RichN95.

shockedsoshocked said:

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too.

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

blazing_saddles

RichN95. said:

shockedsoshocked said:

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too.

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

He can't remember the correct year, so I doubt he'll remember the old fellow.

andyp

RichN95. said:

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

Yes.

gsk82

Best one day race for me was 2015 Gent-Wevelgem. I came in from a ride and turned it on with groups all over the road. 128km later i got up off the sofa, changed out of my cycling kit, had a shower and ate something.

shockedsoshocked

RichN95. said:

shockedsoshocked said:

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too.

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

GVA wasn't it? Or Sagan. Loads of big hitters just chasing, Kwia, Valverde etc

andyp

shockedsoshocked said:

RichN95. said:

shockedsoshocked said:

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too.

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

GVA wasn't it? Or Sagan. Loads of big hitters just chasing, Kwia, Valverde etc

Yes, GVA.

RichN95.

shockedsoshocked said:

RichN95. said:

shockedsoshocked said:

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too.

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

GVA wasn't it? Or Sagan. Loads of big hitters just chasing, Kwia, Valverde etc

I actually meant second in the GC that year. But if you can get that stage right, then I doubt you'll have much trouble.

blazing_saddles

RichN95. said:

shockedsoshocked said:

RichN95. said:

shockedsoshocked said:

iainf72 said:

shockedsoshocked said:

Tour de France: 2014. Nibali fantastic. Took the cobbles in his stride that laid low a few others.

Really? The cobbled stage was ok but the rest of the race was pretty dreadful as I remember.

I loved the first week. Nibs win into Sheffield was brilliant too.

Without looking it up can you remember who came second?

GVA wasn't it? Or Sagan. Loads of big hitters just chasing, Kwia, Valverde etc

I actually meant second in the GC that year. But if you can get that stage right, then I doubt you'll have much trouble.

That's what I had assumed when I mentioned "the old man".
After all, it was a bit of a one off result, unlike GVA getting a 2nd place.

rick_chasey

Anyone fancy ranking the Tours in order of excitement? Here's my stab.


1) 2011
2) 2019
3) 2010
4) 2018
5) 2015
6) 2017
7) 2014
8) 2013
9) 2016
10) 2012

ugo.santalucia

What was so special about Hayman win? He outsprinted Boonen, but otherwise I don't recall being such a magnificent race.