2009 Reader Poll: Armstrong too strong

Kristin Armstrong has taken out Cyclingnews' best female road rider in her final year as a professional cyclist. In fact, Armstrong dominated the poll with her 7527 votes - more than the combined total of the nine riders she fended off to take out the category.

Armstrong's year on the road was impressive, with strong results in every race she contested. She finished the season on a high note, with victory in the elite women's International Cycling Union (UCI) World Time Trial Championship in Mendrisio, Switzerland. Just days later, she backed that performance up with a fourth place in the road race.

Earlier in the year, Armstrong won three stages at Tour of the Gila on her way to the overall victory. She was victorious the Berner Rundfahrt on her way to the Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin, where she won the Amelie les Bains stage.

Armstrong returned to America to win the Nature Valley Grand Prix before heading to the Giro d'Italia Donne. Unfortunately, she would only get close to a stage win during her last appearance at the women's Tour of Italy, but she managed to lead her team to victory in the Open de Suede Vargarda team time trial. A Tour de l'Ardèche stage and overall victory were Armstrong's last while riding in trade team colours.

Vos was second in our poll with 2763 votes, while Britain's Emma Pooley took third place with 1409.

Cyclingnews 2009 Reader Poll results - Best female road rider
1. Kristin Armstrong: 7527
2. Marianne Vos: 2763
3. Emma Pooley: 1409
4. Emma Johansson: 645
5. Ina Teutenberg: 598
6. Judith Arndt: 347
7. Kirsten Wild: 297
8. Claudia Hausler: 169
9. Tatiana Guderzo: 160
10. Noemi Cantele: 155

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