The Cycling Hall of Fame 2019: The case for Kristin Armstrong

The Cycling Hall of Fame 2019: The case for Kristin Armstrong

Who should be inducted into the Cycling Hall of Fame? Our editor bigs up a three-time Olympic gold winner who defied injury, age and expectations


Over the next months, a Rouleur writer will champion every nominee for this year’s Hall of Fame, starting with this American legend:

 

Ah, an Armstrong with an inspiring story that everyone can get on board with.

 

She was a competitive swimmer then a leading triathlete whose career was scuppered by early onset osteoarthritis. So, the Idaho native switched to cycling. At the age of 32, some are hanging up their bikes; Kristin was just getting cracking.

 

The time-trial was her speciality, her win at Beijing the first of three Olympic golds. She was a two-time world champion too; her emphatic winning margin in Mendrisio 2009 – 55 seconds – is the largest this century. Armstrong retired after that, but returned a little over a year later with unfinished business.

 

A self-confessed geek obsessed by the small details, Armstrong showed she was more than simply a sublime tester, finishing third at Trofeo Binda and second in the Ronde in 2012. She retired again after taking gold against the clock that summer in London, but the draw of competition lured her back three years later.

 

And so, her result in Rio 2016 is arguably her most remarkable and memorable result, given that layoff from the sport, a couple of hip surgeries and balancing a sporting career with her job as a community health doctor at a hospital in her native Idaho. Never mind that she was a month away from turning 43 too.

 

“I think that for so long, we’ve been told that we should be finished at a certain age. I think there are a lot of athletes out there showing that’s not true. For all the moms out there, I hope this was a very inspiring day,” she said at the winner’s press conference.

 

Her tearful post-race hug with her son and later showing him, wide-eyed, her gold medal, was a profound image too.

 

Read: Sufferage – elite women who have improved with age

 

Happily for her rivals, it seems the third retirement is final for Armstrong. She has become Endurance Performance Director on the US scheme, looking to give something back to a sport that gave her so much.

 

There are many athletes who achieved great things; few go on to inspire and impart their knowledge as well.

 

Over the coming months the Rouleur team will be making the case for each of the 18 Cycling Hall of Fame nominees. Vote for Armstrong – or any of the other nominees – below:

 

The post The Cycling Hall of Fame 2019: The case for Kristin Armstrong appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.


READ MORE

Tadej Pogacar

Powerplay: Tadej Pogačar puts on show of strength in the face of Visma's numerical force

World champion may have relinquished the race lead for the second time at this Tour, but he still remains in the driving seat

Read more
Tour de France 2025 stage 11

‘We are the underdogs, so we have to be creative’ - A tactical masterclass or blunder from Visma-Lease a Bike at the Tour de France?

The Dutch team rode an aggressive race on stage 10 which ultimately gave them the day’s victory with Simon Yates, but failed to crack an...

Read more
Ben Healy

‘His power file is extraordinary’ - Ben Healy and the magic of yellow

Inside the EF Education-EasyPost rider's monster effort on stage 10 of the Tour de France, which has put him in the yellow jersey going into...

Read more
Simon Yates

Watts Occurring, Tour de France stage 10: A new yellow jersey and the best Yates we've ever seen?

Listen to the latest episode of Watts Occurring with Tom Fordyce and Luke Rowe

Read more
Tour de France 2025 stage 11 preview: Sprint or breakaway?

Tour de France 2025 stage 11 preview: Sprint or breakaway?

A smattering of climbs in the final half of the stage could be enough to foil the sprinters' chances of a rare bunch finish in...

Read more
Ben Healy

Tour de France 2025 standings: the results after stage 10

The latest results and standings from the Tour de France 2025

Read more

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE