Top 10 Leading Cyclists in the World Today

Bradley Marc Wiggins, born April 28, 1980, is a British cyclist, currently riding for Team Sky. During the 2012 Tour de France, he completed all 20 stages with a time advantage of 3 minutes and 21 seconds over second-place finisher and fellow Sky teammate, Chris Froome. Ultimately, Wiggins' total race time that year was 87 hours, 34 minutes, and 47 seconds. His victory secured him the yellow jersey, making him the first British cyclist to win the prestigious Tour de France in its 109-year history. He also participated in the London 2012 Olympics, marking his fourth Olympic appearance. Wiggins has earned six Olympic medals, including three golds in the 4 km track event at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics. Born in Ghent, Belgium, to Australian pro cyclist Gary Wiggins and British mother Linda, Bradley moved to London with his mother in 1982 after they separated from his father. He grew up in Kilburn, London, with his mother, stepfather Brendon, younger brother Ryan, and his grandparents. Bradley began racing at Herne Hill Velodrome in South London at the age of 12 and later represented Camden in the London Youth Games. In 2010, he was inducted into the London Youth Games Hall of Fame.

Fabian Cancellara, born March 18, 1981, nicknamed "Spartacus", is a retired Swiss professional road cyclist who last competed for UCI ProTeam Trek - Segafredo. He was born in Wohlen bei Bern, Switzerland. Cancellara fell in love with cycling at the age of 13 after discovering an old bike, and later pursued the sport seriously. He won back-to-back World Championship titles in the junior category in 1998 and 1999. At 19, he turned professional with Mapei - Quick-Step, where he started as a stagiaire. Known for his time trial prowess, classic one-day race expertise, and his role as a teammate for others’ overall classification ambitions, Cancellara achieved his first major victory in the 2004 Tour de France, where he won the prologue time trial and wore the yellow jersey for one day.

Though his wins were fewer in the following years, the 2006 season saw him secure the World Time Trial Championship, alongside a victory at Paris-Roubaix. He repeated as world time trial champion in 2007, and also won two stages at the Tour de France. In 2008, Cancellara claimed the gold medal in the time trial at the Beijing Olympics and added a Milan-San Remo victory to his resume. The next year, he was again world time trial champion and led both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. In 2010, he triumphed in both Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. Cancellara's campaigns in 2011 and 2012 were less successful, hampered by injuries. After a quiet two years, he made a stunning return in 2013, winning both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix once more. In 2014, Cancellara repeated his victory at the Tour of Flanders.

André Greipel, born July 16, 1982, is a professional German road cyclist currently riding for UCI WorldTeam Israel Start-Up Nation. Born in Rostock, East Germany, Greipel is a pure sprinter and is considered one of the most successful cyclists of his generation in terms of race wins. His major achievements include 22 stage wins in Grand Tours: 11 in the Tour de France, 4 in the Vuelta a España, and 7 in the Giro d'Italia. Greipel also claimed the points classification at the 2009 Vuelta a España. He won the Paris-Bourges classic and twice topped the general classification in the Tour Down Under, in 2008 and 2010.

The 2008 Tour Down Under marked a breakthrough for Greipel, where he won the general classification by a mere 7 seconds ahead of Allan Davis of Team UniSA - Australia. He also secured the points classification, winning an impressive four stages out of six possible. Later that season, he claimed his first Grand Tour stage win at the Giro d'Italia. In the 2009 Vuelta a España, Greipel emerged as the lead sprinter for Team Columbia - HTC, benefiting from the team's dominance in the flat stages. He won four stages, including the prestigious final stage in a bunch sprint, and claimed the Green Jersey for the points classification. Greipel finished the 2009 season with an impressive 20 wins, second only to his teammate Mark Cavendish.

Peter Sagan, born January 26, 1990, is a professional Slovakian road cyclist currently riding for UCI WorldTeam Bora - Hansgrohe. Before transitioning to road cycling, Sagan had a successful career in mountain biking and youth cyclocross, winning the UCI World Mountain Bike Championship in 2008. Born in Žilina, Slovakia, he is the youngest of three brothers and one sister. His parents ran a small grocery store, which left Sagan to be raised by his older sister. His brother, Juraj Sagan, is also a professional cyclist and a member of Bora - Hansgrohe. Peter began cycling at the age of nine with a local club, Cyklistický spolok Žilina. As a teenager, he competed in both mountain biking and road cycling, famously wearing tennis shoes and a T-shirt, and drinking only water during races. He gained attention when he raced a borrowed bike at the Slovak National Cup and, despite its poor condition, managed to win.

Peter Sagan is considered one of the greatest cycling talents, with a career that includes multiple prestigious victories, including three consecutive World Championship titles, a European Championship, two Paris-Nice stages, seven Tirreno-Adriatico stages, one Tour de Romandie stage, three overall victories in the Tour de Pologne, a record 17 stage wins and the overall title at the Tour of California, and 15 stage wins at the Tour de Suisse. He has also claimed major classics such as Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, three Gent-Wevelgem titles, and E3 Harelbeke, along with 18 Grand Tour stage wins: 12 in the Tour de France, four in the Vuelta a España, and two in the Giro d'Italia. Sagan made history by becoming the first rider to win the points classification at the Tour de France in his first five attempts and went on to claim this record seven times, from 2012 to 2019. After his victory at the 2017 UCI World Road Race Championships, he wore the rainbow jersey throughout the 2018 season, marking an unprecedented third consecutive win.

Nairo Alexander Quintana, born February 4, 1990, is a Colombian professional cyclist currently riding for UCI ProTeam Arkéa - Samsic. Known by his nicknames "Nairoman" and "El Cóndor de los Andes", Quintana is a specialist in mountain climbing, renowned for his relentless attacks on steep ascents, his powerful output, and his impressive endurance to respond to and withstand attacks from others. Born in Cómbita, a small town near Boyacá, Tunja, Colombia, he came from a humble farming family. Despite their modest means, his family saved to buy him a used mountain bike, which allowed him to travel 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) through the Eastern Andes to reach school, as well as to go from village to village selling fruits and vegetables. At 16, he began driving a taxi using his father's car. Quintana divides his time between Cómbita and Pamplona, Navarre. His parents, Luis Quintana and Eloisa Rojas, had four children, and Nairo is the youngest.

Nairo Quintana is also a skilled time trialist, making him a consistent contender for overall classifications in stage races. His best career achievements include victories in the 2014 Giro d'Italia and the 2016 Vuelta a España, as well as two second-place finishes in the Tour de France in 2013 and 2015. In addition to his two Grand Tour wins, Quintana has stood on the podium six times and has finished in the top ten on eleven occasions. At the age of 15, he was struck by a taxi while cycling, which left him in a coma for five days. Despite this setback, his father, an avid cycling fan, saw Nairo's potential and invested 300,000 Colombian pesos (around £72) in a racing bike to see if he could make it in the sport. Quintana's numerous victories in major stage races, which led to high UCI WorldTour rankings at the end of each season, solidified his status as one of the most successful stage racers of his era and the greatest road cyclist in Colombian history. His brother, Dayer Quintana, is also a professional cyclist and rode for Movistar alongside Nairo from 2014 to 2018 before joining Arkéa - Samsic in 2020.

Marcel Kittel, born May 11, 1988, is a retired German professional cyclist who competed from 2011 to 2019 with teams such as Giant - Alpecin, Quick-Step Floors, and Team Katusha - Alpecin. Initially focusing on time trials, he even won a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships. Upon turning professional in 2011, he switched to sprinting, securing 19 stage wins across the three Grand Tours and a total of 89 professional career victories. Kittel made his professional debut in 2011 with the Dutch team Skil - Shimano. Known at the time for his time-trialing abilities, he claimed a victory in the sprint stage of the Tour de Langkawi. This success convinced him to pursue a career as a sprinter, later winning 4 out of 5 stages in the Four Days of Dunkirk, all in the sprint category. His first World Tour stage victory came in the Tour de Pologne, where he won the opening stage, followed by three more stage victories in the same race. He also made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España, winning Stage 7, defeating Peter Sagan and Óscar Freire. He ended the season with two stage wins at the Herald Sun Tour, ranking second in overall victories in 2011 with 17 wins.

Kittel made his Tour de France debut in 2012, where he was selected to lead his team and contend for both stage wins and the green jersey. However, he withdrew after Stage 5, suffering from a stomach and intestinal infection that forced him to retire for the fourth time in the 2012 Tour. He made a successful return in August, winning the first stage of the Eneco Tour, his first race back after recovery. The only rider challenging him in the final sprint was Frenchman Arnaud Démare (FDJ - BigMat). At the end of 2012, following the doping revelations surrounding Lance Armstrong, Kittel openly criticized the cyclists still defending Armstrong, expressing his frustration with the situation. In 2014, Kittel started his season strong with a victory at the Down Under Classic and followed it up with three consecutive stage wins at the Dubai Tour. In the third stage, he survived two short climbs toward the end of the race and triumphed in a reduced group sprint. In April, he won the Scheldeprijs for the third consecutive year, becoming the first rider to achieve such a feat. During the Giro d'Italia, Kittel claimed wins in Stage 2 and 3 in Belfast and Dublin but abandoned the race before it reached Italy.

Rohan Dennis, born May 28, 1990, is an Australian professional road cyclist currently riding for the UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers. Born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia, Dennis has twice claimed the UCI World Time Trial Championship in 2018 and 2019. He began his career by focusing on track cycling and was part of the Australian team that won a silver medal in the men's team pursuit at the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2013, Dennis joined Garmin - Sharp and made his debut at the Tour de France, though he retired from the race before Stage 9. In 2014, Dennis finished second overall at the Tour of California, behind Bradley Wiggins, after finishing as runner-up in the time trial. He also placed second in the Commonwealth Games time trial, narrowly losing to Britain’s Alex Dowsett.

During the 2018 Giro d'Italia, Dennis was narrowly defeated by Tom Dumoulin in the opening time trial. However, he claimed the pink leader’s jersey on Stage 2 by winning a time bonus in an intermediate sprint, becoming the first Australian to lead the Giro since Simon Clarke in 2015. He also became just the third Australian to wear the leader’s jersey in all three Grand Tours, after Bradley McGee and Cadel Evans. Dennis went on to win the time trial on Stage 16 and finished 16th overall, 56 minutes and 7 seconds behind the overall winner, Chris Froome. At the 2018 Vuelta a España, Dennis claimed his first-ever Grand Tour stage win, making him the 95th rider in history to win at least one stage in all three Grand Tours. He also became the 15th rider to win an individual time trial in each of the Grand Tours. Dennis later took another time trial victory in Stage 16 of the Vuelta, before leaving the race to prepare for the World Championships in Innsbruck, where he triumphed in the individual time trial, beating defending champion Tom Dumoulin by over a minute. Dennis also helped the BMC team secure a bronze medal in the team time trial event.

Christopher Froome, born May 20, 1985, is a professional British cyclist born in Kenya, currently riding for the UCI Proteam Ineos. Although born in Kenya and raised in South Africa, Froome has raced under a British license since the spring of 2008, based on his passport from the UK, the birthplace of his father and grandparents. Froome turned professional at 22 in 2007 with the Konica Minolta team before moving to Europe and joining the Barloworld team. In 2010, he switched to Team Sky, where he emerged as one of the team's top riders. Froome made his breakthrough as a Grand Tour contender during the 2011 Vuelta a España, where he finished second overall.

In the 2012 Tour de France, Christopher Froome played a key role as a domestique for Bradley Wiggins. In a pivotal 32-kilometer mountain time trial from Embrun to Chorges, Froome finished first with a time of 51’33", 9 seconds faster than second-place Contador. This victory helped Froome lead the general classification with a total time of 66h7’9", 4’34" ahead of Contador in second. This was Froome's third stage win in the 2012 Tour, following his victories in Stage 8 and Stage 15. With this win, Froome also claimed the red polka dot jersey as the King of the Mountains, accumulating 88 points, ahead of second-place Nairo Quintana from Movistar, who had 69 points.

Cycling is a globally popular sport, and it has a strong following even in Vietnam. Are you a fan of this intense and competitive sport? Cycling has always attracted attention for its fierce competition and thrilling races that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. There are numerous prestigious races, with the Tour de France being the most famous. It is considered the most prestigious cycling event in the world, and any cyclist who wants to cement their place in history must win this race. Alberto Contador is one of the legends in this sport.

Alberto Contador was born on December 6, 1982, in Pinto, Madrid, Spain. He is a professional cyclist with UCI ProTeam. Standing at 1.76 meters tall and weighing 62 kilograms, Contador has had an illustrious career, winning major races such as the Tour de France in 2007, Giro d’Italia in 2008, Vuelta a España in 2008, and Tour de France again in 2009. Among these, his victories in the 2007 and 2009 Tour de France are particularly memorable. Contador became the fifth rider in history to win all three Grand Tours of cycling.

Vincenzo Nibali was born on November 14, 1984, in Messina, Sicily, and is an Italian professional cyclist. Nibali made a significant mark in the cycling world when he triumphed in the 2014 Tour de France. He dominated the race, wearing the yellow jersey for 18 out of the 21 stages. Nibali gained the lead after winning Stage 2 in Yorkshire, and further extended his advantage by taking victory in Stage 5, finishing over two minutes ahead of Spain's Alberto Contador, a two-time former yellow jersey holder. Vincenzo Nibali, born to Salvatore and Giovanna, moved away from his hometown of Messina to Tuscany at the age of 16 to pursue his cycling career.

Vincenzo Nibali, competing for the Astana team since 2013, is an accomplished Italian cyclist. Standing at 1.81 meters tall and weighing 65 kilograms, Nibali became a household name after his dominant performance in the 2014 Tour de France, where he wore the yellow jersey for the majority of the race. In addition to his success in the Tour de France, Nibali has also claimed victories in other prestigious races, including the Giro d'Italia in 2013 and the Vuelta a España in 2010.