Cycling, like any sport, is often about winning. The winners make the headlines, they’re who we remember, they get the glory. But as anyone who watches cycling knows, racing is actually about much, much more than winning.
Whether it’s the riders who commit their careers to being domestiques and helping others, or those who don’t win often but are always in the thick of it and consistently finish in the top 10, there are plenty of riders who have achieved more than they get credit for.
It was an open-ended question, and one that could go in many ways. Here are our answers – let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Julie Van De Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Picked by Kirsten Frattini (Deputy Editor)
Results rarely tell the whole story, and for a rider like Julie Van De Velde, they fail to capture the magnitude of her performances while racing for her trade team AG Insurance-Soudal in 2026.
Her performance at the Tour de France Femmes was among the most remarkable of the year, demonstrating strength and sportsmanship as she supported Sarah Gigante’s bid for stage wins and the yellow jersey.
It is widely known that Gigante struggles with some of the more technical aspects of racing in the peloton and on tricky descents. In these areas, Van De Velde supported her teammate, putting Gigante in the best possible position to conserve energy, avoid crashes, and generally stay in the game.
Anyone watching the nine-day race this year would have easily recognised the Belgian rider, wearing bib no. 96, almost shadowing Gigante, steadfastly by her side every single day, closing gaps and making sure she was in the best possible position heading into technical sections or into the base of major climbs.
Whether this was a directive from the AG Insurance-Soudal team car or Van de Velde’s own ambition to support her teammate…
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