Five riders I want to see win a stage:

1. Leonardo Duque

Although I do hate it when riders gets demeaning monikers, like ‘the plucky Colombian’, Leonardo Duque has oodles of pluck.  Here is a rider who never, ever will die wondering, ‘what if?’.  Ostensibly a sprinter, Duque finds himself in the day’s long break with irresponsible frequency.  Duque chances his arm, put his share of work in a break, and risks humiliation in pursuit of victory.  He is no champion, but he is a bike racer.

Although he seldom wins, Duque has several top tens in both the Vuelta a Espana and the Tour de France.  Here is a rider who will earn a respectable place in a one day race such as GP Montreal or Gent-Wevelgem, yet finds himself 4th in the mountains category in a hilly Criterium du Dauphine; behind J-Rod, VdB and Gesink and in front of Vino and Wiggins.  

In short, if you are tired of conservative riders who suck wheels to their inevitable hard-won 8th or 12th place on GC, complaining about all and sundry – then raise a glass to the Lion!  (Besides, with the new green jersey points system, he may just profit a bit...?).

The rest, after the jump....

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