2016, A Classic Year

by Edward Pickering, editor Procycling, Issue 224, January 2017

When I look back on 2016, there are a few images which really stick in my mind. 

I’ll never forget Chris Froome running up Mont Ventoux – I think when we look back on 2016 in ten or twenty years, the year will have been reduced to that one crazy image. 

But there are many more: 

Greg Van Avermaet breaking his recent Classics duck at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad; 

Geraint Thomas saving the Paris-Nice race lead on the descent from the Col d’Èze; 

Peter Sagan at the Classics, above all at the Tour of Flanders, which 
I was lucky enough to witness first-hand; 

Matthew Hayman winning Roubaix; 

Lizzie Deignan’s dominant spring; 

Vincenzo Nibali’s last-ditch smash-and-grab assault on the pink jersey at the Giro; 

Sagan, again, and Froome at the Tour – my opinion is that we’re lucky as cycling fans to have seen something as extraordinary as their break on the Montpellier stage; 

Mark Cavendish roaring back to win four stages at the Tour; 

Van Avermaet winning the Olympic Road Race; 

Nairo Quintana finally managing to beat Froome at the Vuelta... 

There were more obscure moments, which didn’t make such big headlines, but which I personally enjoyed. The Tour de Yorkshire was a real treat, the Giro Femminile was a very interesting race - go and watch it on Youtube - and in an attempt to make sure I got off the beaten track, I went to the Bretagne Classic (formerly the GP Plouay) for the first time. Though the winner at Plouay, Oliver Naesen, is not a big name, I think he’s going to be and I fully plan to explain that I was there at the beginning when he makes bigger breakthroughs. 

This is our review of the year – we’ve looked back on all the above events, and more. Our writers and photographers were out there at the races, inside the sport, talking to people, getting the colour, watching events unfold first-hand and looking behind the headlines. We enjoyed the ride; I hope you did too. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

MARK CAVENDISH - Barry Ryan was in Doha to cover the World Championships and he caught up with Mark Cavendish the morning after he won the Road Race silver medal. Or did he lose gold?

PETER SAGAN - Procycling was in Belgium for the entire Classics season. We watched Peter Sagan transform himself from perennial also-ran into big race winner and finally, Monument champion.

CHRIS FROOME - The Tour de France winner explains his three biggest exploits at this year's race in his own words: his attack on the descent to Luchon, his escape with Peter Sagan in Montpellier, and his run on Mont Ventoux.