While probably not the greatest day of racing, it was overall one of the most enjoyable days I’ve spent watching my computer monitor, due to many factors:

1. The anticipation of the PC community and the slew of analysis in the days leading up
     
2. The excitement of getting up at 4am to watch bike racing harkened back to more youthful days when you got up early to stand in line for tickets to a concert

3. The reliving of my college years and monthly beer breakfasts

4. The excitement of a new American team (Slipstream) and the hopes for a great ride from Maggie after years’ of injury and ailment

5. The heartbreaking disappointment of another Hincapie mishap and Maggie mechanical at the most inopportune times

6. The selection made of Boonen, Cancellara and Ballan. Three giants in my opinion and an excellent representation of the race

7. The closing miles where it was clear that Cancellara and Ballan could do nothing and Boonen was going to win. It was a bit anticlimactic, but representative of a race of attrition. Rightfully, they all entered the velodrome together and Boonen did what he does best

8. The surprise to see a young Martijn Maaskant break away from Chase one and turn in a surprising ride for himself and team

Paris-Roubaix came to my mind too. I’ll think more on that,see if any other day is better.

Contador as ROY. Won two Grand Tours. Beat every other contender in doing so. For my mind his Pais Vasco win was just as impressive. 2d place is probably Cancellara, Rebellin, or Valverde in whatever order.

Just ONE day? Ouch. How about one sunny day and one rainy day [grin]? Or one stage race day and one classic? Flanders was pretty sweet this year. But so was the Olympic road race. For consistently good days, it’s be the tour de Suisse, but how to pick just one day? Sorry, someone else has to nominate, I’ll just vote.

Hard to overlook two Grand Tour wins, plus wins at Pais Vasco and Castilla y Leon

Day of the year? The Tour on the Alpe….because I was there. The whole atmosphere, both on the day and the days either side was so special. Key were the people from all over the world, united by one thing (special mention here must go to our ‘new best friends’ from San Sebastian and to an Australian-you know who you are ;-). And then there was the scenery, and the weather and a wonderful bike race, followed by a wonderful evening. Worth the two freezing cold nights in the tent many times over. Honourable mentions must go to Paris Roubaix (Tommeke!!!!!) and the Olympic RR.

Rider? Contador I guess. Honourable mentions here are Cancellara and Don Alejandro :-)

Lived up to it’s hype, that one.

Stage 17 Tour de France ending up Alpe d’Huez

At the bottom of the hill, we had no idea who would win the Tour.

At the top ….. Sastre was king (an upcoming TT not withstanding)

It was an epic end to an epic stage in the biggest race.

And Podium Cafe chalked on the road …… no contest here

Cancellera in the Olympics … amazing

One I’d certainly put on my shortlist would be a Boonen loss, just three days after PR – the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen. Boonen going for the victory celebration just as Cav nips in under his left arm and pushes for the victory was certainly a sight to see. Seeing four of the top sprinters of the season – Boonen, Cav, McEwen and Zabel duke it out in a finish like that – is something the season could have done with more of. And, of course, there was Cav’s podium pratfall, where he was like Cadel Evans on the dance floor, proving that race coverage really needs to stick with the race right through to the doling out of the bangles and baubles.

2 GT’s + his other victories are way beyond the rest, also noting that his team was not invited to some of the big races and how he got into the Giro and still pulled it off.

Best day, hmmm.
I really liked Flanders, though being a bit drunk might blur my memory.
Also as fmk pointed out, the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen was pretty cool, thanks to Cav.
But my vote goes to Flanders, I love that race.

Just a brillant display.

Runner-Up – Cancellara

Race of the Year – Olympic Road Race
Runner-Up – Paris-Roubaix

If George had won P-R it would be the ROY. For passionate anticipation P-R wins but the ORR was so much fun! Hard choice to make.

Rider of the year, I’d have to go with Contador for completing his career GT grand slam, and winning 2 GT’s this year. But honorable mention to Cavendish who really established himself as a top sprinter, particularly with his TdF win.

Best day, well this is totally slanted for emotion and not “racing”, but the TTT at the Giro was fun – both because it’s the start of the Giro which is always a wonderful day, and it was great to see Slipstream show they deserved the invite. For the actual racing itself, I’d go with either the Olympic RR or Alpe d’huez in the TDF.

Tempting to agree with Alpe d’Huez but for the fact that it was a relatively boring – pretty, but boring – stage up to the start of the mountain. Similarly, the Vuelta’s Angliru stage is worth considering, for its final, decisive climb. Keeping in that vein though tosses up a curious one – can your fave day be a doper’s day? If so, how about yhe Giro’s Marmolada stage? Five mega climbs …Contador grabs the maglia rosa … but Sella won.

Worlds : Womens RR, that was great action in the final laps

E3-prijs Harelbeke: Hard men do battle and fight it out in the final km’s. Arvesen is coolest of them all and times his final effort to perfection.

ROY: Of course Contador but Cancellara has made for some of the most thrilling moments of the year.

The race that gave us ‘doodsmak’ deserves to abide.

ROY???
Call me contrarian, but I vote for Cancellara. Contador’s Giro and Vuelta weren’t really amazing and inspiring rides of the sort that I want to have on whilst slogging out roller-time. Cancellara delivered on several occasions.

Contador, Contador, Contador … I just can’t bring myself to vote for him. His past, his personality, his team and the fact that so many of his wins were so boring. Similarly, the other notable contender ought be Valverde, certainly for his consistency in the ProTour races. But I just can’t vote for him either. I think I’d prefer someone like Cancellera, who had a few good wins of his own, had a few wins unfairly stolen from him (shame on you Schumy) and probably produced one of the best rides of the season for third place.

As runner-up though, I’ll go with Cunego – Amstel, Lombardia, and 2nd at WC. Sure he got shelled at Le Tour, but he also proved that he was a tough little SOB by sticking it out for as long he did. I am now a Cunego fan. Valverde and Cance also deserve mention.

Best day. I’ll have to go with L’Alpe; it finally lived up to the hype. Monte Paschi Eroica was another one of my faves – Ballan and Spartacus duking it out, with Gerdemann leading in the best of the rest. Great stuff. All the best races did not disappoint – The Monuments, WC, and Olympics.

That boy was unstoppable in the Giro and the Tour. Like nothing I’ve ever seen before (limited experience mind you). I must have watched the Greipel leadout to his … uh… 3rd? 4th? win in le tour about a dozen times in the TiVo.

Best Ride? Undoubtedly Cancellara exploding like rolling thunder across the Swiss alps to claim third place in the Olympic Road Race.

Best Race… Ronde van hic Vlaanderen. My first live thread and a fantastic introduction to the regulars of Podium Cafe. That race was a blast to watch and I loved seeing the Belgian champ win at home. Classic stuff.

Honorable Mention to Sastre and his Alexander like Alpine Victory.