Cadel Evans
Evans became the first Australian and first Southern Hemisphere rider, to win the Tour de France’s 108 year history. It was his ability to stay with his rivals in the mountains that put him in the prime position to win. Evans knew he had superior time-trialling ability to the Schlecks and really showed it, by beating them by over two minutes. The victory has been received very well in his home country, who has declared a national holiday to celebrate it. Evans is hoping to carry his tour success to London next year, with an Olympic Gold medal.
Frank and Andy Schleck
Despite Andy having to settle for second, yet again, he and his brother became the first brothers to stand on the podium together. We were denied the chance to see it last year, after Frank broke his collar bone on the cobbles. Andy also put on one of the most daring escapes, to win on the Galibier, and put himself back in to contention. Without taking this chance, the Luxembourg rider may not have managed to make it on to the podium. In recent years Frank’s Grand Tour results have been on the up, but third place at the Tour de France has to be the big highlight.
Samuel Sanchez
The Euskaltel-Euskadi rider became the first Spaniard to don the polka-dots on the podium Domingo Perurena, in 1974. Like his compatriot, Alberto Contador, the huge crash on the first stage, scuppered his chances of a good GC placing. He didn’t go out fighting and took victory on the Luz-Ardiden and two second places on the Plateau de Beille and the Alpe D’Huez. In previous years we have seen the eventual winner of the jersey really struggling on the big slopes, but this year Sanchez proved he is a climber to be reckoned with.
Johnny Hoogerland
So you could be forgiven for thinking being hit by a car and thrown in to a barbed wire fence would constitute a bad tour, and you would be right. If Johnny Hoogerland had accepted his fate and got in to the team car, he surely would have been eager to forget this tour. However, he didn’t and earned the respect of many spectators around the world and his fellow riders. With Jens Voigt coming to the end of his career, cycling is in need of a hard man and Hoogerland looks like he could take the mantle. His attacking style means he will surely win a tour stage soon and it will be truly deserved.
Mark Cavendish
The Manxman became the first Britain to win the tour’s green jersey and the first to win the Champs-Elysees stage, three times in a row. He suffered one surprise, after he was defeated by Andre Greipel, but came back fighting the following day. He is now sixth in the all-time stage victories, with 20 to his name, and only 14 away from top spot. If Cavendish can continue his rich vein of form, his is sure to obliterate this record and make a new one of his own, in the not too distant future. With time on his side, and his first maillot vert under his belt, he could join the ranks of Sean Kelly and Eric Zabel, in the history books.
Europcar
They were almost defunct, after Bouygues-Telecom pulled out, but saved at the last minute and showed they were worth it. The Europcar boys really stuck it to the big budget teams and showed them what a little grit and determination could do. Thomas Voeckler light up the tour, when he took the yellow jersey on Stage 9. Everybody knew this was just a little bit of excitement, before the main contenders took over in the mountains, or so they thought. Le petit blanc rode his heart out and honoured the yellow jersey to the end. He was eventually dethroned on the penultimate competitive stage, by Andy Schleck, but had earned the respect of many. His teammate took over the jersey wearing mantle and claimed the white jersey, giving France hope for the future. Pierre Rolland worked hard for Voeckler, but was given the chance to win on the Alpe D’Huez and took the only French victory of the 2011 tour.
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