2008 How was it for you?

[mondobongo]

With 2009 now just around the corner what did you enjoy in 2008.

I really enjoyed the Spring Classics in particular Devolder winning the Tour of Flanders and that powerhouse move in the Velodrome from Boonen to win Paris Roubaix.

The highlight of the Grand Tours has to be Cavendish winning 2 in the Giro and then 4 in the Tour my neighbours must have wondered what was going on some afternoons. Cannot ignore Sastre riding away on the Alpe either the breathtaking audacity of the move.

From a personal point got into riding 10s and can still remember the time sheet coming in for the first time confirming that I had broken evens despite being told by a Clubmate that it would not be a problem. Looking forward to the new season and hoping to get a short 25.

 

[Dave5N]

Track worlds for me.

 

[Keith Oates]

Nicole Cooke winning the Olympic and World titles was the best for me, closely followed by the performance of the Track Team as a whole. (They were all brilliant) That closely followed by Contador winning the two tours.

There were of course many other good things in the racing world that I enjoyed (Cav for instance) but those are the pick of the crop for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave5N]

Personally, leaving aside my own dreadful performance, watching my son race at Manchester for the first time was pretty special, even though he got caught with a lap to go in the last race.

 

[Keith Oates]

That must have been a proud moment for you, Dave5N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[John the Monkey]

I was thinking about this while doing the cyclingnews end of year poll, and I reckon it's Cav's cheeky sprint under Boonen's celebration at the Schelderprijs. Other highlights would be Nicole Cooke's season, the GB track team, the Cancellara group bridging the gap in the Olympic road race. I didn't see Devolder win the Ronde, but was pleased for him that he did.

Seeing Chavanel and Gilbert have good seasons was pleasing too.

Personally, this hasn't been a terrific year for me - two offs, and my confidence on the road has taken as much of a battering as my body has. After the most recent one, the ice has stopped me getting back on the bike as much as I think I should be doing to get over that. Looking forward to longer days and warmer weather!

 

[yello]

the performance of the Track Team as a whole. (They were all brilliant)

As I think about it now, this is the event that sticks out for me for the year. Something that can only described as total domination (or drugs ). I don't think I was expecting quite such a white wash. Party, I suspect, because I am more of a road fan than track but also because Team GB just blew everyone else away - it was like they didn't turn up.

Road highlights for me were seeing Cavendish on the podium at Chateauroux (TdF, stage 5), then his win 2 days later in the wet streets of Toulouse marked him out for me as world class, and Nicole Cooke's win at the Olympics, because it clearly meant so much to her.

 

[Skip Madness]

It is always difficult selecting particular moments as the season's highlight for me, but I was so pleased to see both the men's and women's road races at the World Championships have such thrilling finales - with Cooke's steely nerves and, more exciting still, Ballan's gutsy attack to the interminable roars of the home crowd.

My personal highlight does not relate to riding but rather viewing. Specifically, leaving a hotel in northern Spain at 0530 in the pitch black, driving out through a little town called Santa Eulalia de Morcín and halfway up the Angliru, arriving at an absolutely rammed camping area where music blasted out of someone's van under the starriest sky I have ever seen, and grabbing a couple of hours sleep on the reclined car seat as dawn broke. Then in the late morning walking up to the 22% hairpins of Les Cabanes which was, as the television recording confirmed, the loudest and most manic section of the climb (Edit - I have just watched some of it back on YouTube, and to be fair my memory exaggerated a bit. But it is easily the second loudest and most manic section). If you ever find yourself with the chance to see the Vuelta on the Angliru, for the love of God do it.

 

[col]

I havnt followed the cycling as much as i used to,not good hearing all the drugs related things.
Personally a bad and dissapointing year.

 

[spandex]

Personally, leaving aside my own dreadful performance, watching my son race at Manchester for the first time was pretty special, even though he got caught with a lap to go in the last race.

I would love to go but every time I have tried something has come up

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Ah some great memories there peeps.

Unfortunately I think of 2008 and immediately think of one weaselly little Italian bloke in yellow fooling me into applauding his efforts. Then I think of a German TT specialist zipping off up the mountains and side-stepping Ned Boulting's questions but ultimately to no avail. Then I think of a polka dot jersey being passed around people until it can rest on the shoulders of someone worthy. Still not convinced it did.

Surely the biggest event of the year was a certain announcement to Vanity Fair though? (sh1t, can't do the devil smiley in quick reply mode).

ps I don't race so have no personal memories to share on that front. Really enjoyed meeting CC folk at pedal for scotland and in October though, and the Etape Caledonia was a blast again this year.

 

[rich p]

Highlights should be the track, Cav and Nicole but my abiding memories will be of Ricco, Sella and the rest of the sorry bunch of cheats.

 

[kennykool]

Well for me 2008's highlight was Lance announcing his comeback!

Contador Winning 2 Grand tours!

Track team.....awsome!

Nicole Cooke - tremendous!

Cav - Breath of fresh air (and yet more to come)

Team CSC at the TdeF.....best team performance I can remember since the Blue Train of Disco was kicking about!!!

Roll on 2009......the Second Coming!!!!!!

 

[spandex]

For me This Year has not been the best all I can do is hope that next year is going to be better for me.

 

[Noodley]

There have been a few great moments: Cav in the Tour and the Track Team and Cooke at the 'Lympics.

But once again my race season has been ruined by those f***ers who cheat.