12 most dramatic pro cycling moments of 2019

Amstel Gold Race 2019 54th Edition Maastricht Berg en Terblijt 2657km 21042019 Mathieu Van Der Poel NED Team Corendon Circus photo Anton VosCVBettiniPhoto2019

Mathieu van der Poel after winning the Amstel Gold Race (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

The 2019 road season was one of the most drama-packed years in recent memory, with plenty of surprises with unexpected performances, crazy weather, shocking disqualifications and the sport's top stars battling injuries. Cyclingnews picked the 12 most dramatic moments of the year from a long list of plot twists and turns.

12. Mark Cavendish left off the Tour de France team

It was perhaps a surprise to see Nairo Quintana make the front split, given how he struggled with a similar scenario on the opening road stage of the 2015 Tour de France, but the Colombian's positioning was on point when Imanol Erviti, Nelson Oliveira and Jose Rojas teamed up with big men like Ian Stannard (Ineos), Casper Pedersen (Sunweb) and Tim Declercq (Deceuninck-Quickstep) to carve out a five-minute lead on the race leader.

When Julian Alaphilippe won the Tour stage to Épernay with a 15-kilometre solo attack to claim the maillot jaune, it was no big surprise. The Deceuninck-Quickstep rider was ranked number 1 in the world after winning Milan-San Remo and La Flèche Wallonne. At most, the Frenchman expected to hold the jersey until the first high mountain stage to La Planche des Belles Filles three days later. And he was right, somewhat. He lost the jersey there to early attacker Guilio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), but only by six seconds, and he lost no time to the major race contenders like defending champion Geraint Thomas (Ineos).

After 14 career Tour de France victories and 89 wins altogether, Marcel Kittel called an abrupt end to his cycling career at the relatively young age of 31 after a season of fits and starts. "Pain defines the sport, the world in which you live. I have lost all motivation to continue to torture myself on the bike," Kittel said in an interview with Der Spiegel. He shrugged off two seasons of struggle and pressure with Katusha-Alepcin and terminated his contract.

Van Vleuten's sheer dominance resulted in a stage win by almost three minutes, gained over 10km on the climb. It preceded her crushing victory in the next days individual time trial where she won by 52 seconds over compatriot Anna van der Breggen. Her overall lead already over the four minute mark, so it was no big deal when she gave up 17 seconds to Van der Breggen on the stage 9 summit finish on Malga Montasio.

After Julian Alaphilippe's 14 days in the race lead at the Tour de France, stage 19 - the first of two high mountain stages in the Alps - was seen as the place where the other contenders could finally stick the knife in and give it a turn. With the mid-stage Col d'Iseran and final climb of the Monteé de Tignes it was the first opportunity to unseat the Frenchman who doggedly chased back on over the Col du Galibier the day before.

4. Mathieu van der Poel's Amstel Gold Race victory

With 100m to go, the Dutchman came level with Alaphilippe and Fuglsang. With 75m to go, he pulled ahead with Clarke on his wheel. With 25m to go and the line in reach, Clarke was unable to even try to come around and Van der Poel shook his head in disbelief in lieu of a victory celebration and after the line collapsed to the ground in a joyful exhilaration knowing he'd just staged one of the most dramatic coups in one-day race history.

The U23 race in the UCI Road World Championships this year proved to be a devastating rollercoaster of emotion for Nils Eekhoff, who crossed first in a seven-man drag race to the line in Yorkshire. But after the race jury reviewed video footage that showed Eekhoff taking an extended high-speed draft off the Dutch team car, the jury altered the giving Samuele Battistella (Italy) the rainbow jersey.

Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.