“Vélo d’Or” is an award given annually to the cyclist considered to have performed the best over the year. Here is a gallery of Vélo d’Or winners from 1992, the year the award was created, to 1999.

Miguel Induráin (1992, 1993)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Miguel Induráin during the Tour de France 1993
Miguel Induráin (Spain) won the Vélo d’Or award twice (in 1992 and 1993). Image: Miguel Induráin during the Tour de France 1993 on Wikimedia

Miguel Induráin (Spain) won the Vélo d’Or award twice (in 1992 and 1993). He was also second in 1993 and 1994.

Induráin won the Tour de France five times, from 1991 to 1995, becoming the fourth cyclist to achieve this (Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, and Bernard Hinault).

In 1992, Induráin achieved the prestigious Giro-Tour double, which is considered the most difficult combination of any races in pro cycling (no rider has ever won all three grand tours in a single year).

He also won the Volta a Catalunya and became the Spanish national road champion. He was the 1st Overall UCI Road World Rankings.

In 1993, he repeated the Giro-Tour double, another first in cycling history. He also won the Vuelta Castilla y Leon and became second in the UCI Road World Championships.

In 1994 he set a world hour record of 53.040 kilometers (32.958 mi), beating Graeme Obree.

Miguel Induráin – the most incredible time trial ever seen Tour 1992 part 1 of 2
Miguel Induráin – the most incredible time trial ever seen Tour 1992 part 2 of 2

Tony Rominger (1994)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Tony Rominger (1994)
Tony Rominger (Switzerland): 1st in 1994, 2nd in 1992, 3rd in 1993

The Swiss cyclist Tony Rominger won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993, and 1994 and the Giro d’Italia in 1995.

In 1994, he broke the Hour Record twice (October 24 – 53.832 km and November 5 – 55.291 km). He won the Vuelta a España, Tour of the Basque Country, Paris-Nice, Grand Prix Eddy Merckx, and Grand Prix des Nations (an individual time trial that was held annually in Cannes, France between 1932 and 2004, often regarded as the unofficial time trial championship of the world).

Tony Rominger sets a new hour record. Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux. 55.291 km – November 5, 1994

Laurent Jalabert (1995)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Laurent Jalabert (Tour de France 1995)
On July 14, 1995, Laurent Jalabert won stage 12 of Tour de France, while wearing the green jersey. It was a 222.5 km hilly stage from Saint-Étienne to Mende.

Laurent Jalabert is one of only five riders to win the points classification in all three grand tours, with Alessandro Petacchi, Eddy Merckx, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, and Mark Cavendish.

In 1995, he won the overall classification of Vuelta a España (he also won the points and the mountains classification along with five stages), Tour de France points classification, Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya, Milan-San Remo, La Flèche Wallonne, GP de Toulouse, and GP Amore-Bieta.

Johan Museeuw (1996)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw (Belgium): 1996 Vélo d’Or winner

Museeuw is considered one of the best classic races specialists in the 1990s.

In 1996, he won the UCI Road World Cup, UCI Road World Championships Road race, National Road Championships, Paris–Roubaix, Brabantse Pijl, and Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde.

Jan Ullrich (1997)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Jan Ullrich, 1997 Tour de France
Jan Ullrich, winner of the 1997 Tour de France

In 1997, Ullrich won the overall classification and the young rider classification of the Tour de France. He also won National Road Championships, HEW Cyclassics, and the Luk Cup.

Marco Pantani (1998)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Marco Pantani attacks on Jan Ullrich
Marco Pantani attacks on Jan Ullrich group on Col du Galibier, Tour de France 1998

Pantani is widely considered one of the best climbers in cycling history. His attacking style and aggressive riding turned him into a fan favorite in the late 1990s.

In 1998, he won both Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France (he is the last cyclist to achieve the Giro-Tour double as of 2019).

Lance Armstrong (1999, annulled)

Gallery of Vélo d'Or winners (1992-1999): Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong (USA): 1st in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004; 2nd in 2002 and 2005; 3rd in 1998

In 1999, Armstrong won the Tour de France, including four stages. It was the first of his seven consecutive Tour wins.

His all results from August 1998 onward, including seven Tour de France titles are voided by the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency).

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

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