Foldable Bikes Party: 11 breakthrough riders from the 2016 season

Monday 28 November 2016

11 breakthrough riders from the 2016 season

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The 2016 season proved to be an exceptionally open year in the pro peloton, with numerous riders having opportunities to show themselves on the world stage. Cyclingnews has picked out 11 riders who stepped up their game to a new level this season with breakthrough performances.

Romain Bardet, 26 (AG2R La Mondiale)

Two years ago, Romain Bardet and compatriot Thibaut Pinot battled each other in the Tour de France for the final podium spot and honour of best young rider, but the AG2R La Mondiale rider was on the losing end of fight in Luchon, when he came unglued. Pinot went on to finish third behind Chris Froome, while Bardet faded to sixth.

Fast forward to this year, and Bardet has found his stride as a general classification leader, consistently chasing overall victories from the second place in Tour of Oman, top 10s in Paris-Nice, Catalunya and the Giro del Trentino, before coming just 12 seconds from victory over Chris Froome in the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Bardet showed his fighting spirit in the Tour de France, bravely attacking Froome in the mountains. Though time trials remain his weak point, the 26-year-old made great strides in the discipline - taking important time from Nairo Quintana and then soloing away to take the stage victory on Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to finish second overall.

A second place in the Giro dell'Emilia and fourth in Lombardy bookended a stellar season for the Frenchman and bodes well for his future as a Grand Tour champion.

Adam Yates, 24 (Orica-BikeExchange)

His future as a Grand Tour contender was presaged by his second place in the Tour de l'Avenir in 2013, but Adam Yates took a few seasons to get fully up to speed with Orica-BikeExchange. At the end of last season, Yates showed the depths of his promise by taking a win in the Clásica San Sebastián — although it should have belonged to Greg Van Avermaet had a motorcycle not run into the Belgian in the finale — and second overall at Tour of Alberta.