Slapshot 3
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The year on two wheelsI was thinking this morning, reading about Emma winning in Plouay about the year in British cycling. I have to say my thoughts at the start of the year were how do you beat '08, I think we have.
Cav's stage wins in the Giro and the Tour, MSR, ToI yesterday 21 wins in total.....so far!
Wiggo in the tour
Russel Downing leading the Tour Of Ireland
Roger Hammond stage in Qatar
as well as all the other bits and pieces
The ladies, Nicole has had a World Champs year  but Emma Pooley has more than made up in results and when you look at the likes of Lizzie Armistead coming through it's fantastic.
On the boards our seniors have maybe had an off year but the second string riders have shown the depth in talent their is in the full squad, again the name Lizzie Armistead sneaks in.
And last but most certainly not least, the efforts of the Juniors in Moscow in the last couple of weeks. Becky James is the outstanding performance on the track for me this year, none of the others have come close to matching her levels in terms of what she's achieved in 2009.
What all this shows, to me, is just the sheer depth in talent Britain has from our older statesmen likes of David Millar, who can still chuck some brilliant efforts, stage into Barcelona a point in question through the likes of Hoy, Vicki P, Cav, Wiggo to the juniors in Becky.
When I got into this sport many many years back Robert Miller was effectively the British cycling star at any level and always dreamed that the UK and Ireland were joined so that we could steal King Kelly, Roche Earley etc etc etc.
What's left for the season, what can we look forward to? Can Nicole repeat, can Emma Pooley take the rainbow on the hillier Worlds course. It's hilly but can the British mens team deliver Cav for a burst??
Whatever else happens has this been Britain best year ever??
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