Cycling: The 2016 season is already over for the pros on the road. As we look forward to the new year, let's look back. In our big review of the season, we review the past few months. We start with the two-part cycling highlights 2016 and look at the most exciting races. A few more issues will follow in the coming weeks. In it we look at the tops & flops, the surprises, the unlucky ones, the comebackers, the individual teams and the strangest events of the year.
Geraint Thomas keeps Alberto Contador at bay at Paris-Nice
The first of the big cycling highlights of 2016 could already be admired in March on the Paris-Nice long-distance trip. With a prologue and seven stages, the entire tour contained everything a cycling heart desires. It started with a surprise win Prolog by Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge), who was even able to outperform the specialist Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin). On the 2st stage The Australian won again because the actual winner, Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), pushed him aside in the final sprint. The 3rd leg from Cusset to Mont Brouilly was completely canceled due to heavy snowfall during the race. When the tour entered the decisive phase, the spectators were already offered a lot. On the penultimate stage, Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) secured the day's win and Geraint Thomas (Sky) took the overall lead. With a lead of 15 seconds over Alberto Contador (Tinkoff), he went into the 7th and last stage.
This was held in Nice and should be one of the most exciting stages of the entire year. Despite the lead in the overall standings, it was not Thomas but Contador who started the race as the favourite. No wonder, because the profile was more suited to the Spanish climbing specialists. As expected, "El Pistolero" fired from all cylinders and thus forced Team Sky to react early on. Around 50 kilometers from the finish, Contador pulled away on the Côte de Peille. In the group around Thomas, he was able to extend the lead with his two teammates Kiserlovski and Trofimov to one minute. But the Sky-Armada blew to catch up in the flat section and was actually able to close the gap to the foot of the Col d'Èze. As usual, however, Contador did not give up. About 20 kilometers before the finish, there was another explosion of attacks.
With his fifth attack, the Spaniard was finally able to break away together with Richie Porte (BMC) and catch up with Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal). Together they pulled out a lead of more than half a minute on the group around Thomas. His team-mate Sergio Henao was responsible for the pace there. But the Briton's 54 chain ring and his excellent downhill qualities should also benefit him. The Thomas group came closer and closer to the top trio and the heart-stopping finale was perfect. Breakaway Wellens won the sprint for the day's victory. Contador was second and turned around immediately after crossing the finish line. He saw the group around Thomas already close behind him. The five seconds gained plus the six seconds time bonus should not be enough for Contador to snatch the overall victory from Thomas. In the end, the Briton saved a total of four seconds. The triumph in the "race to the sun" is his greatest success to this day.
Peter Sagan wins his first monument in the rainbow jersey
The Tour of Flanders is one of the most interesting races of the season every year. It is therefore not surprising that the Tour of Flanders has found a place in our cycling highlights for 2016. Even before the start, the entire cycling world was talking about a duel between Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) and Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo). While the Swiss has already won the Ronde van Vlaanderen three times and should be there for the last time in 2016, the reigning world champion Sagan has not yet been able to win a monument. After his good performances in the two preparation races E3 Preis Harelbeke (second place) and Gent-Wevelgem (victory), the Slovak was still the top favourite. And the extroverted driver was determined to accept this role. So he attacked with 33 kilometers to go together with Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) and Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo).
In the last ascent to the Oude Kwaremont, Kwiatkowski was no longer able to follow and at the same time Cancellara attacked from the chasing group. The Swiss distanced one driver after the other and drove closer and closer to the leading duo. Sagan then looked for the decision on the Paterberg, although he could have embarked on a sprint. Vanmarcke was no longer able to follow him and was caught up a little later by Cancellara. Meanwhile, Sagan tackled the final kilometers as a soloist with a lead of around 15 seconds. Contrary to all expectations, he was even able to increase the gap, although the Swiss clockwork behind him was sometimes even able to establish visual contact on the longer straights. Sagan triumphed in the rainbow jersey by 25 seconds over his opponent Cancellara, finally winning his first monument.
Vincenzo Nibali's race to catch up in the Giro of German victories
The Giro d'Italia has been held in May for over 100 years and is therefore traditionally one of the first major events of each season. The tour of Italy should not be missing from our cycling highlights 2016 either. If only because, from a German perspective, it is one of the most successful state tours of all time. Seven of the 21 stages were won by German riders. It was even more successful than the host. Particularly curious: All sprint stages went to Germany. Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step) started with two wins, then André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) even overtook him with three wins. When the two German top sprinters left the tour in front of the mountains, the competitors still saw their chances on two flat stages. But again it was the Germans: Roger Kluge (IAM) won 17th part and Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) even those final stage to Turin after Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) was transferred as a punishment.
Despite the impressive German successes, the cycling fans focused primarily on the fight for the Maglia Rosa. In the overall standings, everything looked like a surprise winner for a long time. Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo) led the classification up to 19st stage with a lead of three minutes and has not revealed any weaknesses so far. On a descent, however, the Dutchman missteered and crashed into a frozen mountain of snow on the side of the road. His bike was damaged in the process, as was his body and mental strength. At the end of the day he lost the pink jersey to Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) and almost five minutes to the day's winner. That was Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), who looked weak until this 19th stage. In the overall standings he was already 4:43 minutes behind Kruijswijk and 1:43 behind Chaves before this section.
By this 19th stage, however, the experienced Italian moved up into second place - just 44 seconds behind leader Chaves. Since the final stage traditionally belongs to the sprinters, he only had the section on the following day to catch up. The 20st stage from Guillestre to Vinadio, however, was ideal for this, because three mountains had to be conquered at the same time. Even though things didn't get serious until the final climb, the different shape curves of Nibali and Chaves were clearly visible that day as well. With 15 kilometers to go, Nibali was looking for the decision and Chaves – like all the other drivers – couldn't follow very quickly. In the end, Nibali triumphed in the general classification by 52 seconds over Chaves. Particularly bitter: Kruijswijk also lost his third place to Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
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