There are no two ways about it, watching a cycle race is all about the drama and passion it invokes. Those moments that make us weep, cheer, gasp, swear and grip the arm of the chair so hard our knuckles show white! Such breathless interludes are rightly celebrated in today’s VeloVoices award for Spine-Tingling Moment of the Year.
Previous winners: New award.
This year’s nominees are:
THAT attack by Alberto Contador on the Mortirolo (Giro d’Italia stage 16): Dropped by questionable tactics after a puncture. Isolated and nearly a minute down on his rivals at the foot of this legendary climb. With his maglia rosa in peril, what does Baby Blackbird do? He doesn’t give an inch, keeps his cool and lays down an exhilarating attack that left us exhausted just watching.
Tony Martin being helped across the line by his Etixx-Quick Step teammates (Tour de France, stage 6): These images reminded us all that this is a team sport and the riders are a band of brothers. Words are almost redundant but Etixx summed it up best: “Where our leader goes, we go #ourway”.
Image: © PresseSports/S.Mantey
Romain Bardet descends: We’ve seen plenty of attacking on tricky descents this year, but none have left us on the edge of our seats quite so much as watching the audacious Monsieur Bardet. Nerves of steel on the Col d’Allos at stage five of the Criterium du Dauphine. Then he did it all over again on the Col du Glandon at the Tour. Sit back and marvel.
The tears of Simon Geschke (Tour de France, stage 17): Oh my goodness, don’t we LOVE it when someone who rides his heart out for the team finally gets a win of their own – and from a solo breakaway at the Tour to boot. But it was the outpouring of emotion afterwards that had everyone reaching for the tissues.
Phinney returns: When That Boy Phinney made his return to racing at the Tour of Utah this year no one knew quite what to expect. We were pleased just to see him on the start line to be honest and anything else would be a bonus. It didn’t take long for the pay-out to arrive as Taylor attacked in typical Phinney style and Twitter exploded with joy.
Let us know your choice and the reasons for it – or if we have missed out your personal favourite – in the comments below.
You can hear us discussing the shortlists for all our 2015 awards on the latest edition of the podcast.
Polls will close at 2359 GMT (UK time) on Friday 4th December.
Next: Unsung Hero Award
Contador for me. The moment he first appeared in shot behind Landa/Aru was brilliant. He was relentless
Relentless is le mot juste… I could watch the clip again and again
Taylor worked so hard to get back to the level of competition he was at and is now back to that level. Very dedicated cyclist!!
Exactly so… firm favourite here at VV Towers
Geraint Thomas and the pole
Good pick
I would choose ‘other’, either G taking out the pole, then getting up and only losing 40″, then his FANTASTIC post-race interviews…
…or Tony Martin’s stage win that took him into Yellow, after 3 days getting closer and closer to the lead, he broke away and held on. His joy afterwards was fabulous to watch (like Geschke’s).
I had forgotten about the post race interviews by G… yes they were very good. Ooof yes! Tony’s win on the cobbled stage where he reached out took the race by the scruff of it’s neck was memorable, and did make our long list I think. What a season we have had, it’s fun to look back on.
Picked Bardet’s descents, although my very favorite moment of the entire 2015 racing season was seeing Alejandro Valverde at the top of Alpe D’Huez crying when he knew for sure he would finally get that long dreamed of podium at the Tour. That is a moment I’ll always remember.
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Lizzie Armistead winning the world road race championship 🙂
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