Gianni Moscon has been on the wrong end of a few headlines this year (Credit: Yuzuru Sunada)
(Image credit: Yuzuru Sunada)
Team Sky rider Gianni Moscon made a good case for being bad boy of the year first by earning himself a six-week suspension from his tema after apparently making racist comments towards FDJ rider Kévin Reza at the Tour de Romandie.
After a quiet couple of months, the Italian was then back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being disqualified from the World Championships for holding onto a car, and then having another FDJ rider, this time Sebastien Reichenbach, saying that Moscon had pushed him off his bike at Tre Valli Varesine.
2. Bialoblocki DQd
Marcin Bialoblocki extraordinary 25 mile time didn't make it past the officials (Credit: Andy Jones
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
The Polish time trial champion and national record holder looked to have had a storming ride to lower his own national record in August, knocking more than a minute of his previous mark with an astonishing time of 43-00 over 25 miles.
However Bialoblocki was promptly disqualified for not sticking to the left of the road, with pictures showing him riding down the middle of the dual carriageway.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
3. Sagan out of the Tour
Mark Cavendish hits the deck after colliding with Peter Sagan in Vittel (Credit: Yuzuru Sunada)
(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)
First he was second, then he was relegated, then he was disqualified - that was the steady fall of Peter Sagan within hours of the end of the Tour de France's fourth stage into Vittel after a crash with Mark Cavendish.
Did he flick his elbow out? Was it intentional? The eventual conclusion reached in December was that it wasn't, with the commissaires doing the best they could, but made a mistake. In light of the incident, the UCI is now bringing in measures to make more video footage available to commissaires from next season.
4. Sky's dimpled skinsuit
Mikel Landa in Sky's famous skinsuit... at the Giro d'Italia in May (Credit: Yuzuru Sunada)
(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)
At the Tour de France in July it seemed to escape many of those on rival teams who were outraged at Team Sky's dimpled skinsuits - which disrupt the airflow to go faster - that they had previously used them at the Giro d'Italia, and that time without anyone batting an eyelid.
Maybe pay closer attention next time, folks.
5. Disc brake debate reignites
Owain Doull's shoes after his crash at the Abu Dhabi Tour (Credit: Gregor Brown)
(Image credit: Gregor Brown)
With the UCI restarting its disc brake trial at the start of the year, it seemed only a matter of time until the not-quite-so-new-anymore braking technology caused some form of controversy.
That moment arrived on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Tour in February, when Team Sky's Owain Doull said that a cut in his shoe was caused by Marcel Kittel's disc brakes.
However video footage later showed that the cut was more likely caused by the leg of a roadside barrier rather than Kittel's rotor.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
USA Cycling unveils 2025 National Championship schedule with 17 chances to claim the Stars and Stripes jersey
Tech of the week: A shockingly expensive steel bike from Colnago, a surprisingly affordable carbon bike from Pinarello, DT Swiss energises our cycling lives and Pog's bars are now yours to buy
