Cycling: Mid-November - the road bike season is over. While the pros recover and prepare for the coming season in training camps, we look back on an eventful year. Five highlights are particularly memorable. These were our cycling highlights in 2018!
1) Marc Soler wins the thriller in Nice
The term crime thriller and the Paris-Nice cycle race can be used in a sentence almost every year. Also in March of this season, the eight-day long-distance trip was one of the cycling highlights. First the last stage should decide the overall victory, with no fewer than six drivers fighting for the title in the meantime. David de la Cruz (Sky) won the memorable final stage, but his Spanish compatriot was particularly celebrated Marc Soler (Movistar). The 24-year-old delivered an extremely intelligent race, improving from sixth to first place overall. By four seconds he intercepted the previously leading Simon Yates (Mitcheton-Scott) in the last meters. It shouldn't be the last disappointment on a tour for the Brit...
2) FantasTIESJ Benoot is born in Tuscany
The Strade Bianche is a still underestimated event in the road cycling calendar. Year after year, the Italian one-day race presents us with the finest cycling – and this was also the case in 2018. The setting was once again the white roads through wonderful landscapes. This time, however, the otherwise dusty affair turned into a rainy mud fight through Tuscany. Due to the horrendous speed, the peloton fell apart early and with Romain Bardet (AG2R) and Wout Van Aert (Vérandas Willems-Crelan), two well-known professionals pulled away promisingly - but then came Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal). The Belgian managed to close the gap with an attack from the chasing group and then simply left the leaders standing. In the media was the following day from "FantasTIESJ Benoot" and to read one of the biggest cycling highlights - rightly so!
3) Chris Froome with his 80 km solo for eternity
Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) dominated the Giro d'Italia for 18 stages. The Briton looked like the certain winner. But on the 19th stage from Venaria Reale to Bardonecchia everything should be turned upside down. It was one of those days that cycling fans will be talking about for years to come. Something unbelievable happened on the 184-kilometer section: Chris Froome (Sky) already attacked on the Colle delle Finestre and slapped the entire competition with a solo over 80 kilometers. While leader Simon Yates lost the connection and all hopes of a top placement, Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) and Co. fought to limit the damage. In the end, however, thanks to this 19th stage, Chris Froome won the Giro d'Italia, although he was already more than four minutes behind. In doing so, he provided what is probably the most controversial of cycling highlights in 2018.
4) John Degenkolb fulfills his childhood dream
Rarely has the entire cycling world been so happy about a winner as it was on July 15, 2018. John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) just won that 9th stage of the Tour de France. It was his first victory in the Tour of France - and everyone was happy with the German. The 156,5-kilometer stage took the peloton over 21,7 kilometers of cobblestones. The guest performance in the hell of the north claimed prominent victims even before the start of the pavé sectors. Co-favorite Richie Porte (BMC) retired after a fall. Many other drivers fell, but there was no decisive selection in the overall standings. But the fight for the stage win was all the more exciting. Finally, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors) and John Degenkolb were able to break away from the main group and decide the victory among themselves. Driving from the front, he didn't give his two opponents a chance in the sprint - and the tears began to flow. From a German point of view, John Degenkolb certainly provided one of the biggest cycling highlights of the season.
5) The perfect advertisement for women's cycling
Unfortunately, there is currently no Tour de France for women. Thanks to the event La Course by the Tour de France women's cycling can at least benefit from the great attention of the Grand Tour for one day. To say that those involved took advantage of this opportunity this season would be an understatement. The two Dutch women Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen presented the spectators with a real heart-stopping finale - more exciting than any individual men's stage. On the descent down to the finish, Anna Van der Breggen looked like the sure winner the entire time with a lead of around five to nine seconds. She only broke in the last few meters and let her compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten drive by. But see for yourself...