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Poll
Who was the Men’s Rider of the Year in 2021?
This poll is closed
-
70%
Tadej Pogačar
(95 votes) -
15%
Wout Van Aert
(21 votes) -
0%
Primož Roglič
(1 vote) -
8%
Mark Cavendish
(11 votes) -
0%
Julian Alaphilippe
(1 vote) -
0%
Egan Bernal
(1 vote) -
2%
Mathieu van der Poel
(3 votes) -
1%
Someone Else
(2 votes)
There, I have given you seven logical choices. Or one and six possible protest votes. Plus a shrug emoji vote. Polls close November 2.
Pogs gets the inclusion for his obviously wonderful season, consisting of a second Tour de France title, two monuments (LBL and Lombardia), and 13 total victories. Rogs won the Vuelta, the Olympic time trial, and matched his countryman on 13 wins.
Van Aert joined these guys in the 13-win circle, and made his own Tour de France history of sorts with a win on Mont Ventoux, then a time trial, then the final sprint into Paris. Also Gent-Wevelgem and Amstel Gold. Cavendish was the heartwarming story of redemption, returning to the Tour de France at the last moment, only to rediscover his place among the great Tour sprinters of all time. Alaphilippe will be best remembered for retaining his world title.
Bernal won the Giro with relative ease. Van der Poel was on fire for a while, and came close to huge victories even when he wasn’t. As long as we are only talking about road racing. If you want to expand the conversation, I guess you could consider his Cross world title. The less said about mountain biking, the better.