An Euskaltel rider in one of the tunnels on the upper part of the Alpe di Pampeago(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
A rider corners during the Plzen World Cup(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
For half a second it looked like Filippo Pozzato and Alessandro Ballan might have managed a major coup by dropping Boonen the final time up the Paterberg at the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Unfortunately for the Italians, the gap was measured by a few bike lengths, nothing more. The finish was a formality after that.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The shot we've all seen a million times before: the peloton on the brutally steep Cote St. Roch during the early going at Liege-Bastogne-Liege(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Fabian Cancellara leads the way at Gent-Wevelgem(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Domenico Pozzovivo ascends to his first stage win at the Giro d'Italia at Lago Laceno(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The moment the breakaway moved clear on the Orchies sector during Paris-Roubaix with Tom Boonen in the lead. About an hour later, he raised four fingers in the Roubaix velodrome to equal Roger De Vlaeminck's number of victories at the Hell of the North.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The peloton rides along a notably calm North Sea coast early on during Gent-Wevelgem(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Fabian Cancellara was once again incredible strong this spring, but luck completely eluded him(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Like Pozzato, Chavanel's spring was good, but a big victory in a cobbled classic continues to dangle just out of reach for the French all-arounder(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Filippo Pozzato's spring campaign was solid, but a big victory in one of the Cobbled Monuments still eludes the Italian(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Niki Terpstra leads Tom Boonen on the penultimate ascent of the Paterberg. The next time, Boonen was part of a three-up move, from which he'd capture his third victory at Vlaanderens Mooiste(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Kiwi, Alex Revell, crashes on the treacherous descent of the Koppenbergcross(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Early on at Il Lombardia, before the relentless climbs began in earnest(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The peloton ascends the Valcava. The climb that signifies the opening of serious hostilities at Il Lombardia(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Alberto Contador in control on the ferocious climb of the Muro di Sormano at Il Lombardia.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Photographer, Kristof Ramon, chases Lars Bak after the Lotto-Belisol rider triumphed in Sestri Levante(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Francisco Ventoso relishes victory as Fabio Felline slams his bars in anger at missing out on a great opportunity in Frosinone(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Pablo Lastras tightens the screws up a steep pitch on a white road during the Giro. He would later crash out of the break and out of the Giro with a broken collarbone(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The field flies along the Adriatic coast during the Giro(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Michele Scarponi looks over before starting the Giro's team time trial in Verona(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Tom Boonen leads the way through a turn on the pavé on the way to his fourth career Paris-Roubaix victory(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
A big drink in the pouring rain in Lecco(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Alberto Contador has a quiet moment amid the crazy throngs following the conclusion of a thrilling Il Lombardia(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
A lone rider gets assistance from tifosi in a tunnel during the Giro(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Joaquim Rodriguez loses his cool and howls for joy as he crosses the line to win his first ever Monument at Il Lombardia in a torrential downpour.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The peloton descends during Il Lombardia(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The field chases after the final ascent of the Kemmelberg en route to Wevelgem(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The day's eventual winner, Niki Terpstra, leads the break early on up the Eikenberg at the Dwars door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Late afternoon sun on the San Luca climb at the Giro dell'Emilia(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Roman Kreuziger ascends to stage glory at the Alpe di Pampeago(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Jeremy Hunt suffers up a white road during Stage 6 of the Giro(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Andrea Guardini spent a lot of this year's Giro off the back in the mountains, but a late stage win was his just reward(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Mark Cavendish descends the Passo Giau during the Giro(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Italy's Marche region doesn't have the legendary status of Tuscany or Umbria, but there's a reason the Giro returns year after year - it's beautiful and hard.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The peloton battered by a hail storm early on at Liege-Bastogne-Liege(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The north side of the Passo Stelvio under the season's first coating of snow(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Svein Tuft looks back into the nothing en route to Roubaix(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The dust of Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Joaquim Rodriguez raises his arms in triumph after a great victory in Assisi(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Looking down on the Passo Stelvio - the final pass of the 2012 Giro(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Switchback madness on the Stelvio(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Liquigas heads back into Verona during the team time trial in the Giro's fourth stage(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Ryder Hesjedal crosses the line in Milano and becomes the first Canadian winner of the Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The Stelvio in all its Giro splendor(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Juan Antonio Flecha and Tom Boonen chase Sep Vanmarcke on the Molenberg at the Belgian season opener, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The peloton bounces up the Holleweg during the Dwars door Vlaanderen(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Iljo Keisse looks over at the fallen figure of Theo Bos in the final kilometer of the Nokere Koerse(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
A lone Euskaltel rider descends the Giau(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Looking down on the dwindling group of leaders on the climb to Cervinia in Stage 14 of the Giro(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Stelvio view(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The few riders left due to an extremely difficult Il Lombardia descend back down to Lago di Como(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The gruppetto on the Stelvio(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
The field ascends the Paterberg during the E3 Prijs Harelbeke.(Image credit: Jered Gruber)
Having spent the vast majority of the year on the road covering a race-packed calender, photographers Jered and Ashley Gruber have finally had time to compile their best race photos from 2012. The couple tend to follow an Italian-focused programme, from San Remo to the Giro, with breaks into Belgium for the Classics before a final set of race dates in Italy as the season winds down.
With photos from the Paterberg at the Tour of Flanders to the epic scenery of the Corsa Rosa, this extended gallery of photos brings together a year of images and fantastic racing, with Alberto Contador, Mark Cavendish, Fabian Cancellara and Ryder Hesjedal among the riders who feature.
The Grubers have produced this calendar too, which is available to purchase online.
