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Photo of the year

By Laura Weislo

Due to a technical glitch, the votes for best photo of the year were not tallied by our computer system. So, instead of our normal photo of the year category, we bring you a collection of photos from throughout the 2008 season by Roberto Bettini, hand selected by our editors to represent many of the best moments of the 2008 season. We hope you enjoy them! My personal favourite for photo of the year wasn't nominated in our poll. I was haunted by the eyes of this Scott-American Beef rider in the photo taken at the Tour of Poland.

Riders suffered through 200km of filthy weather only to encounter finishing circuits deemed so dangerous that the riders came to a halt with 4.5 km to go and refused to race. I'm not certain which rider this is, but I suspect it's Raul Alarcon who spent the majority of the day in a breakaway. The eyes in this photo remind me of the famous 1985 National Geographic cover shot of the Afghan refugee girl. It's a look of pure fortitude in the face of suffering.

Riders in the Tour of Poland look like coal miners after suffering through a week of cold, wet and miserable weather. Here, they are protesting dangerous closing circuits on stage four. September 17, 2008.
Photo ©: Roberto Bettini

The Whole Picture: a 2008 photo collection from Roberto Bettini

January 1, 2009

Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany) raises her arms in triumph Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Sven Nys (Belgium) stumbles on the steps at the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Treviso, Italy. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Andre Greipel (High Road) celebrates his win in the Tour Down Under. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Alberto Loddo (Tinkoff) and Danilo Hondo (Serramenti) crash in the Tour de Langkawi Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Dominique Rollin (Toyota United) triumphed on the miserably cold and rainy stage Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	One of the lighter moments of the year: Slipstream's Christian Vande Velde and David Millar Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) is shadowed by Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto) on the Ventoux. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Fabian Cancellara (CSC) put in his signature late attack to win Milan-Sanremo Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) on his way to the Ronde Van Vlaanderen win Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Tom Boonen (Quick Step) sprints to victory in the velodrome at Roubaix Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Damiano Cunego times his sprint perfectly in the Amstel Gold Race Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Kim Kirchen (High Road) suffers through the final pitch to win the Flèche-Wallonne Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank) takes the win in the women's Flèche Wallonne. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Fränk Schleck, Alejandro Valverde and Davide Rebellin work out the math Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Slipstream's Christian Vande Velde became the first pink jersey holder of the 2008 Giro d'Italia Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Alberto Contador is dwarfed by the crowd atop the Plan de Corones Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
André Greipel (High Road) takes the win in stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia, while his teammate Mark Cavendish celebrates. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Levi Leipheimer is colourful in the green points classification jersey of the Dauphiné Libéré. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
An uncomfortable podium at the Italian National Championships: Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Cadel Evans is overwhelmed by the sensation of leading the Tour de France Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Mark Cavenish (Columbia) takes his third of four Tour stages Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	The Saunier Duval riders aren't quite sure what to do after Riccardo Ricco' is found positive Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Carlos Sastre (CSC) rides through the chaos that is Alpe d'Huez Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Damiano Cunego is pushed to the finish by his Lampre teammates after crashing on his face Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) finally gets his Tour stage win ahead of Jeremy Roy Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Carlos Sastre (CSC) rode his heart out to win the Tour de France Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Cadel Evans is comforted by his wife after missing his final chance to win the Tour Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Spain's Samuel Sanchez can't believe he's won the Olympic gold medal Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Nicole Cooke (center) makes the race winning move in the Olympic road race Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) savours the moment on the Olympic time trial podium. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
One of Paolo Bettini's last wins came on stage six of the Vuelta a Espana. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Alberto Contador wins the Vuelta a Espana stage atop the Angliru Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Riders in the Tour of Poland look like coal miners Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Nicole Cooke makes it two golds, beating Marianne Vos and Judith Arndt at the World Championships Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
Alessandro Ballan (Italy) solos to the win in the World Championship road race. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Philippe Gilbert (FdJ) bookended a strong season with a win in Paris-Tours Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
A frighteningly thin Janez Brajkovic celebrates what he thinks is the win in the Giro di Lombardia. Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Sven Nys is barely recognizable under all the mud at the Koppenbergcross Photo ©: Roberto Bettini
World Cyclo-cross Champion Lars Boom Photo ©: Roberto Bettini	Sven Nys wins the snowy Superprestige 'cross race in Hamme-Zogge Photo ©: Roberto Bettini