2011 Reader Poll: Gilbert named Rider of the Year

Philippe Gilbert has been crowned Best Rider of the Year by Cyclingnews readers, earning over 50% of the votes cast. Always a consistent performer in recent years, the Belgian seemed to reach new levels in 2011, and his devastating accelerations on short, sharp slopes allowed him to reel off a series of victories remarkable in their quality as well as their quantity.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.