A couple of days before the Xero squad presentation, men and women in Octagon or team polo shirts usher skinny young men with muscly legs into an electrically colourful room, a few at a time. Some look bemused by the whole act, a couple look nervous, some are mucking around and some are already cheerfully chatting with our cameraman. The format doesn't change, the background remains the same, the team design, back for another year because it works. It is the team's signature navy blue with streaks of red, white, light blue, and gren, just as with their jerseys. The props are there - the bikes, the bouncy balls, the deck of cards, the team caps. This isn't the madhouse it might look like, but it isn't your average team photoshoot either - Octagon always do their best to showcase the fun, likeable side of the team. This year the team has done their squad presentation in multiple parts, showcasing either vague units of the team or individual riders. Next are four riders making their professional cycling debuts - two neo-pros and two stagiaires.
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Corbin Strong
67
67
68
58
65
72
68
58
67
70
60
65
58
22
Ilan Van Wilder
65
68
68
68
63
68
64
60
67
68
64
66
67
22
Vito Braet
69
60
66
58
70
71
63
68
68
67
62
60
64
22
Henri Vandenabeele
66
69
67
59
62
69
68
60
63
66
64
68
59
22
On the face of it, four fairly nondescript, weaker domestiques. But obviously for such young riders, we have brought them into the Xero fold with the future in mind. Corbin Strong and Ilan Van Wilder are young climbers we have brought in on full contracts and are expecting to continue with next season, whilst Vito Braet and Henri Vandenabeele will hope to impress during their time with us as a stagiaire as well as with the team in the Tour de l'Avenir. The latter trio bring our total number of young Belgians up to four, forming a nice little unit of Flemish cyclists for the future.
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Corbin Strong
68
74
75
58
66
76
73
58
67
77
67
66
58
Ilan Van Wilder
68
77
73
75
70
73
71
60
67
69
65
67
74
Vito Braet
74
60
67
58
75
75
64
75
72
67
62
60
64
Henri Vandenabeele
67
77
73
59
63
73
73
60
63
73
71
70
59
This quartet are currently planned on following training plans resulting in the following outcomes, which would create four very useful domestiques for us in the future as we continue to look to develop our own core of the team. Van Wilder and Vandenabeele are both very useful climbers, with Van Wilder also having skill on the time trial bike, while Corbin Strong is an aggressive punchy climber and Vito Braet is a powerhouse on the flat and cobbled roads. Van Wilder aside it is a very weak time trial unit, but a group of four great, tough riders who could serve us very well in the future. Perhaps not the kind of talents we have become known for signing, but maybe all that time talking to the Philips manager about his philosophies has changed us a bit. We can't wait to see these four out on the road in Xero colours and beginning their professional cycling journey with us.
knockout wrote:
Ilan Van Wilder is definitely the pick of the bunch. Nice skill set that will surely help you a lot in the future!
Agree, like all four of them in different ways but obviously since he cost nearly double the combined wages of the other three he is of a slightly higher class, moving into the lower echelon of that De la Cruz type third tier stage racer - very handy guy to have.
Along with the Xero squad presentation, the team also used the press event to announce their five official goals for the 2022 season. The team have a bad record historically of achieving race or standings goals, and this year they expect to be no different, having gone for the maximum number of goal points allowed to impress sponsors and increase their budget to handle the renewals fine and support the training camp for Joseph Areruya.
Win Team Standings
The team have stated their goal, for the first time ever, is to win the team standings. Do they actually have ambitions or expectations of doing so in 2022? Not really, but it did get sponsors to throw in some extra euros, so all's well that starts well - we'll worry about the ends next off-season.
Win Tour Down Under
The team starts the season as they always have in the PCT with the combination of the Down Under Classic and the Tour Down Under, the latter being their first goal race of the year. Last time here Hugo Houle took the opening stage win and spent much of the race in ochre, including leading the race into the final stage and lost the GC by just four seconds to former Xero man Tosh van der Sande, and will be back to try and go one better if the race sways his way again.
Win Tour de Pologne
In 2020 George Bennett was one of the dominant men of the race here, despite only finishing 10th on GC after big losses in the time trial he memorably won the opening two stages and spent six days in yellow, picking up other stage results along the way. Whether he will be back to try and make it stick now the long final ITT has been swapped for a shorter prologue, or the reigns are handed to Joseph Areruya (who also impressed with a run in white and stage results in that edition), remains to be seen, but the team certainly must feel they have unfinished business here. One thing is for sure: Nils Schomber is coming for that prologue to keep up the team's streak of winning the opening stage.
Top 5 Criterium du Dauphine Libere
Surprisingly it's the team's only non-win race goal that perhaps feels the least likely, but with a good length, albeit somewhat hilly, ITT in the middle of the Criterium du Dauphine it's hard to picture Joseph Areruya or George Bennett salivating at the prospect of trying to fight the world's best for GC position here. It can't go worse than last year, where both skipped out and our best finisher was Daniel Habtemichael in 40th.
Win Balkans International
And finally it's a race completely new to the team which serves as our sole win goal at the PTHC level, the Balkans International will see Joseph Areruya step back into the role of underdog he loved in the PT last year to (presumably) fight the good fight against defending champion Miguel Angel Lopez and some of the other best puncheurs in the world. Maybe we'll call Lillian Calmejane for tips.
Ambitious goals and also quite achievable ones. None of those races are top priority for us, so it will be fun to follow you in these and also for the rest of the season.
Should be a nice three way battle between Lopez, Beltran and Areruya
AbhishekLFC wrote:
Ambitious goals and also quite achievable ones. None of those races are top priority for us, so it will be fun to follow you in these and also for the rest of the season.
Should be a nice three way battle between Lopez, Beltran and Areruya
Not sure I share your confidence but love your support as always and glad we won't be fighting too much there at least, though I'm sure we'll see plenty of each other elsewhere!
Well, I'm sure Areruya and Beltran can have a nice fight for second Though I would love so much if all three could have a real battle, would be so cool but doesn't seem that likely though!
A couple of days before the Xero squad presentation, men and women in Octagon or team polo shirts usher skinny young men with muscly legs into an electrically colourful room, a few at a time. Some look bemused by the whole act, a couple look nervous, some are mucking around and some are already cheerfully chatting with our cameraman. The format doesn't change, the background remains the same, the team design, back for another year because it works. It is the team's signature navy blue with streaks of red, white, light blue, and gren, just as with their jerseys. The props are there - the bikes, the bouncy balls, the deck of cards, the team caps. This isn't the madhouse it might look like, but it isn't your average team photoshoot either - Octagon always do their best to showcase the fun, likeable side of the team. This year the team has done their squad presentation in multiple parts, showcasing either vague units of the team or individual riders. Next up is one of the team's major leaders, Hugo Houle!
Hugo Houle 32 | Maxed | 260,000 | Xero since 2019
FLA
MON
HIL
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SPR
ACC
FTR
DH
PRL
78
66
75
69
76
71
79
65
79
78
70
69
69
Xero Palmarès
- Stage Win Volta a Portugal (’19)
- 8th GC Benelux Challenge (’20)
- Stage Win Tour de Slovenie (’19)
- 9th GC Tour of Northern Europe (’20)
- Stage Win Tour Down Under (’20)
- Points Tour de Suisse (’21)
- Stage Win Tour of South Africa (’19)
- Points Tour of South Africa (’19)
- 19x Other Stage Podiums (’19-21)
- 2nd Points Jelajah SKL (’19)
- Canadian RR Championships (’21)
- 2nd Points Tour of South Africa (’20)
- 2nd Frankfurt Eschborn ('19)
- 4th Points Tour de France (’21)
- 2nd GC Tour Down Under (’20)
- Lead GC Tour de France (’21)
- 2nd GC Tour of South Africa (’20)
- Lead GC Volta a Portugal (’19)
- 4th GC Tour of South Africa (’19)
- Lead GC Tour Down Under (’20)
- 7th GC Jelajah SKL (’19)
- Lead GC Tour of South Africa (’19)
Rankings History
Year
Points
Division Rank
Team Rank
Division
2019
457
42nd
2nd
PCT
2020
442
54th
5th
PCT
2021
652
53rd
2nd
PT
Xero Stats
Best
Rank
Best
Rank
Seasons
3
=10th
Points/€
€644
€383 ('21)
10th
Points
1552
653 ('21)
4th
Jerseys
2
1
=3rd
Wins
4
3 ('19)
3rd
RDs
148
57 ('21)
20th
Wage
€999,000
€409,000 ('19)
4th
RotM
3
1
1st
In the great Xero clearout of the 2021-22 off-season, it was probably a surprise to the casual cycling fan to see Hugo Houle remain on the team's roster going into the new season. It seemed every leader not named Areruya or Bennett was on the block as the team desperately tried to clear cap space. However there was room for one non-Higuita third leader to remain, and Houle got the nod ahead of the more tenured Rowe as well as Viana do Castelo winner Meurisse. He's clearly the third leader of the team compared to those two talismanic climbers, but he and the team know he's much more the third prong of a trident than the third dragon with his tongue out. But questions among those casual fans and indeed many in the media persist: why him? Why is Hugo Houle exempt from the clearout?
The 32-year-old dodges us there and instead addresses the other changes in the team. "It's going to be sad to see those guys go. We have such great memories together in the last two or three years and it's a shame how it went down. However we have all been around the business long enough to know how it works, and a Pro Tour roster doesn't go into a Pro Continental salary cap." Houle reflects, genuine in his sorrow at his comrades leaving but keen in some sense to move on and focus. Does he wish them luck? "Of course - when they aren't racing us!"
Despite being nominally a sprinter, Houle is best known at Xero at least for his exploits in the hills and reduced bunch sprints, thanks in no small part to previously sharing the spotlight with Luke Rowe, who (deservedly, given his two Veenendaal - Veenendaal wins and other great results) got the lion's share of the sprinter's classics during team planning the last three years. At Pro Tour level, he was always a solid second fiddle to the likes of Arnaud Demare during his time at RBC, with his career highlight actually a breakaway win on the Champs-Elysees (above). He returned to Le Tour last year with Xero and again was cast as the foil for Demare, and couldn't manage a stage win, however he did deliver two memorable days in yellow. Races such as the Tour Down Under and Tour of South Africa have been where he has made his business in the PCT with the lionhearts, with runs in the leader's jersey, stage wins and GC podiums in each.
So, on his return to the PCT, is it a case of unfinished business given that last time out he was 2nd in GC at each, losing out on both by a combined 36 seconds?
"I know both of those were close to best-case scenario races for me in terms of how they played out, and especially in South Africa I think both years we had better team time trial units with guys like Stan [Bazhkou] and Mekseb [Debesay] in there. But yeah, I would love to get a GC win at some point in my career obviously. Most of all I know I'm not getting any younger and I want to deliver this team as many points as I can before I can't anymore." he says. It's clear he is grateful for the team's faith, and as their now #1 option for both flat classics as well as hybrid bumpy races such as those he will have ample opportunity to repay it.
Winning the opening stage Down Under in 2020
"I'm really excited to try more of the flat classics now. I feel like they do suit me and I can get more results like in Frankfurt [2nd in 2019] with more opportunities. I am really happy with the schedule we have worked out, there's a lot of opportunities in a lot of different races. Obviously starting in Australia and with the goal in the Tour Down Under there will be a big moment, but there are big moments all year."
9/1
Down Under Classic
HC
13/1-18/1
Tour Down Under
HC
15/4
Berlin ProRace
C1
28/4
Lisbon Classic
HC
27/5-31/5
Tour of Norway
HC
1/6
Hanko Classic
C1
17/6-22/6
Tour of South Africa
C1
16/7-19/7
Tour of Lithuania
PTHC
15/8
Frankfurt Eschborn
C1
18/8
Riga - Jurmala GP
PTHC
17/9-20/9
Bayern Rundfahrt
HC
28/9
GP Lugano
C1
12/10-15/10
Euskal Bizikleta
C1
A few stage races as the GC leader, two as a stage hunter, a hilly classic and a variety of flat ones - a great balance for the Québécois. One notable omission - his home race at the Grands Prix Cyclistes, and a chance to race it in his new National Champion's jersey (below). He looks wistful when asked about attending the Euskal Bizikleta in its stead, but then jokes: "I've always been [censored] there anyway!"
A man in perhaps the last year at the peak of his powers, maybe in for more of the same, maybe in for the best year of his career. Maybe he'll have more near misses, maybe he'll return to winning ways and even nab a classic or a GC after so many near misses, maybe the pain will continue. We won't know until it happens. It's not always a fairytale ending, it's not always miserable. But for Houle it is, without getting overly melodramatic, a noble way to end his time at the top - with another year serving the team he so loves, doing everything he can to shoot them up the standings and make some more great memories.
He's not Bennett, he's now not even Areruya, but lest we forget that two out of three years he's actually been the team's second best scorer, and for three years has been an often unsung key part of the squad. Indeed, real fans of the team recognise that, contrary to what some would say, there was actually never a chance Xero would let Hugo Houle leave.
A couple of days before the Xero squad presentation, men and women in Octagon or team polo shirts usher skinny young men with muscly legs into an electrically colourful room, a few at a time. Some look bemused by the whole act, a couple look nervous, some are mucking around and some are already cheerfully chatting with our cameraman. The format doesn't change, the background remains the same, the team design, back for another year because it works. It is the team's signature navy blue with streaks of red, white, light blue, and gren, just as with their jerseys. The props are there - the bikes, the bouncy balls, the deck of cards, the team caps. This isn't the madhouse it might look like, but it isn't your average team photoshoot either - Octagon always do their best to showcase the fun, likeable side of the team. This year the team has done their squad presentation in multiple parts, showcasing either vague units of the team or individual riders. Next are seven assorted rouleurs, chrono-men, domestiques, attackers and general unsung heroes of the team.
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Morne Van Niekerk
76
61
67
78
73
75
72
64
61
67
72
64
77
27
Henok Tesfaye Heyi
75
70
73
67
74
76
65
55
68
73
78
66
72
29
Jamalidin Novardianto
76
61
68
68
70
78
74
69
73
79
74
68
75
28
Johann van Zyl
74
71
74
73
74
74
72
71
62
66
73
60
73
31
Nils Schomber
73
54
58
74
66
76
68
50
69
69
65
64
81
28
Darren Young
71
56
61
74
67
72
71
71
72
72
65
70
74
31
Regan Gough
68
60
64
68
65
67
67
63
71
72
69
64
72
26
These seven make up a large part of Xero's team time trial train, the squad for flat classics, the team's excuse for a leadout and the entire cobbles squad. Along with the likes of Nikiema and Kipkemboi they are the team's breakaway options too.
Morne van Niekerk is in his fourth year with the team and once again is the team's best time trialist, carrying the burden of leading the at best mediocre team time trial unit as well as chasing his own results, being an absolute workhorse on the flats and chasing his own stage results. If you ask any other Xero rider who they want with them in a race, he's probably one of the first names due to his huge engine.
Henok Tesfaye Heyi is only in his second pro year despite being 29, a runner turned cyclist who is a local hero for everyone, effortlessly adaptable and feels at home in every race. He loves an attack but is also a great domestique on the flats or short and long climbs. He is also the reigning Ethiopian road race champion (bottom).
Jamalidin Novardianto is the team's most tenured rider, first signing in his and the team's first year in the peloton, he now leads the team in various all-time stats: full seasons, race days and breakaways. Now in his seventh season as a pro, he's an experienced fighter and an absolute flatbeast - huge engine, powerful but a lightning acceleration and a decent sprint. An absolute fan favourite and legend of the team.
Johann van Zyl is a classic Xero domestique, great at pretty much everything, capable of his own results, and valued highly by staff and teammates alike. He's back for his second year and will lead the team's cobbled squad as well as racing in pretty much every kind of race there is at least once.
Nils Schomber signed for Xero way back in 2016 as the team's first ever stagiaire, and since then has had a couple of loan outs but has still become the team's second place in all-time race days, and despite a lot of haters last year finally proved why the team have had faith in him - as well as a valuable member of the team time trial unit and useful flat domestique, he is an absolute beast in a prologue. Last year he won the opening stage of the Volta a Portugal as well as various other placings, resulting in a Top 200 finish in the Pro Tour.
Darren Young is a powerful rider on the flats and cobbles with a good sprint as well, though the TT bike is where he really shines and will be a key member of the TTT unit this year.
Regan Gough has been loaned in from BNZ-Superhero Racing and is a solid young Kiwi sprinter who will gain a lot of experience riding at this level and learning the ropes, riding a lot of different races but most useful in the flat ones.
A couple of days before the Xero squad presentation, men and women in Octagon or team polo shirts usher skinny young men with muscly legs into an electrically colourful room, a few at a time. Some look bemused by the whole act, a couple look nervous, some are mucking around and some are already cheerfully chatting with our cameraman. The format doesn't change, the background remains the same, the team design, back for another year because it works. It is the team's signature navy blue with streaks of red, white, light blue, and gren, just as with their jerseys. The props are there - the bikes, the bouncy balls, the deck of cards, the team caps. This isn't the madhouse it might look like, but it isn't your average team photoshoot either - Octagon always do their best to showcase the fun, likeable side of the team. This year the team has done their squad presentation in multiple parts, showcasing either vague units of the team or individual riders. Next up are three young riders in their second full season who are looking to take another step in their development this year.
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Thomas Pidcock
73
73
74
70
72
75
70
72
72
78
70
81
70
23
Florian Vermeersch
71
62
66
70
68
71
63
70
70
74
67
75
72
23
Yacine Hamza
73
60
66
60
70
71
68
60
73
73
65
64
63
25
Xero are known for their focus on development of young riders, and having seen the new ones to the team, the ones nearing the end of their development, it's time to meet those who are still going along their path for another couple of years. Thomas Pidcock, Florian Vermeersch and Yacine Hamza are three very different riders, however they have great resistance, with the bonus of acceleration and power on the flat, and that's all it takes to bond them together as part of the Xero family. Now for what they will look like in two (or in Vermeersch's case three) years:
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Thomas Pidcock
78
75
76
72
75
78
73
74
74
81
74
83
72
25
Florian Vermeersch
78
62
69
70
76
77
67
78
78
77
68
76
72
26
Yacine Hamza
77
60
67
61
71
74
77
60
77
77
65
65
67
27
Not bad, huh?
Thomas Pidcock is the big name - already a World Champion in the cyclocross and an European Champion in cross-country mountain biking, he already had a great debut season on the road last year, albeit not for Xero Racing - while on loan at Project: Africa he finished in the Top 150 of the PCT standings already with a variety of cool results, including 2nd in the Ronde van Vlaanderen Espoirs, and most notably at the senior level at the Tour of America, with a 2nd and a 3rd place on stages, a couple of breakaways, a credible 37th on GC and 4th in the U25 standings. A highly touted prospect for the future, already he is one of the sport's true all-rounder with a very versatile set of skills. The team desperately wanted to use those skills this year but unfortunately for another year he will be out on loan, this time with cycleYorkshire in the Pro Tour. The upside of this is that he can gain enough experience to ride with the team next year and still develop properly. We are looking forward to seeing how he goes in the world's biggest races and seeing where he is after another year of development.
Florian Vermeersch will ride with the team once again this year and hope to get his development going properly after a non-starter last year. He has the potential to be a great rider for the northern classics as well as flat classics with power on the flats, skill on the cobbles and speed at the finish line, as well as his TT and short hill skills being if not strengths then at least not weaknesses either. For now he is a domestique in those flat races and surely a free role in the cobbled ones.
Yacine Hamza is the future glorious leadout for an as yet unknown sprinter, right now he can try do the same job for Hugo Houle but may be more suited as a general flat domestique. Last year he did that job with Project: Africa on loan and this year we are pleased to have him back with the main team. With his skillset he is a powerful rider on the flat terrain as well as sprinter, in the Xero tradition of Rowe and Houle. He is also already the National Champion of his country in both road disciplines, and we hope he can show off his jersey (below) with a breakaway or two this year.
A couple of days before the Xero squad presentation, men and women in Octagon or team polo shirts usher skinny young men with muscly legs into an electrically colourful room, a few at a time. Some look bemused by the whole act, a couple look nervous, some are mucking around and some are already cheerfully chatting with our cameraman. The format doesn't change, the background remains the same, the team design, back for another year because it works. It is the team's signature navy blue with streaks of red, white, light blue, and gren, just as with their jerseys. The props are there - the bikes, the bouncy balls, the deck of cards, the team caps. This isn't the madhouse it might look like, but it isn't your average team photoshoot either - Octagon always do their best to showcase the fun, likeable side of the team. This year the team has done their squad presentation in multiple parts, showcasing either vague units of the team or individual riders. Next up is "Mr. Xero" himself, George Bennett!
George Bennett 31 | Maxed | 340,000 | Xero since 2017
FLA
MON
HIL
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SPR
ACC
FTR
DH
PRL
67
81
76
65
75
74
79
58
65
73
55
63
65
Xero Palmarès
- 2x GC Tour of Japan ('19, '20)
- 2nd GC Tour de Romandie ('20)
- Gisborne GP ('17)
- 3rd GC Volta a Portugal ('19)
- 3x Stage Win Tour of Japan ('19, '20)
- 3rd GC Tour of Romandie ('19)
- 2x Stage Win Tour de Pologne ('20)
- 3rd GC Tour of Cyprus ('19)
- Stage Win Tour de France ('21)
- 2x Points Tour of Japan ('19, '20)
- Stage Win Tour of the Middle East ('18)
- 2x KoM Tour of Japan ('19, '20)
- Stage Win Giro del Trentino ('17)
- Points Tour de Pologne ('20)
- 2x National RR Championships ('17, '19)
Year
Points
Division Rank
Team Rank
Division
2017
197
25th
2nd
CT
2018
366
63rd
3rd
PCT
2019
670
23rd
1st
PCT
2020
716
21st
1st
PCT
2021
473
79th
4th
PT
Xero Stats
Rank
Best
Rank
Best
Seasons
5
=4th
€/point
€421
4th
€201 ('19)
Points
2422
1st
716 ('20)
Breaks
1
=36th
1 ('21)
Wins
11
1st
5 ('20)
RDs
249
6th
55 ('18)
Wage
€1,020,000
3rd
€420,000 ('21)
RotM
8
1st
3 ('19)
Jerseys
5
1st
3 ('20)
So, it finally happened. For the first time since 2018, George Bennett was not Xero's top scorer. For the first time since he joined the team, he was not the Fan's Rider of the Year. No longer being top dog is a natural part of being the leader of a team that has a young rider like Joseph Areruya, and that was never a secret. They are currently sharing the limelight and the calendar, and George Bennett has never privately or publicly been anything but happy about having another top rider on the team. He and Areruya grew close as mentor and mentee, and both have gone so far as to speak about how they miss racing with each other now they are both full time leaders at different races. And at the end of the day, having Areruya around just makes Bennett's beloved Xero a stronger team. No, it won't hurt him being #2 - in fact even that is harsh. He's a 1b to Areruya's 1a.
However, last year he didn't slip to #2. He was #4, and didn't finish any of his races in the Top 10 on GC. Yes, it was a tough calendar - Volta a Portugal, Vuelta a Espana, Tour de France - but even then he disappointed - the team, a bit, but himself, mostly. That was what hurt about 2021. Luckily, if there was a year to underachieve for Bennett, that was it - there was no saving Xero from relegation. However, the manner of it is something he hasn't forgotten.
"It was really frustrating. In Portugal I was well off the pace but in Spain and France I felt really strong and I think I showed it in both third weeks, I just really let myself down early on and lost too much time that I couldn't get back. Especially in France with it coming mostly in the mountains not even in the TTs, there's no excuse. I just have to move on and be better." Bennett reflects with steel in his eyes. He's right. At Le Tour, he lost buckets of time on the first two mountain stages, fighting back to 13th. Without that time loss, he'd have been 5th.
However, it wasn't all doom and gloom in 2021 - as the recollection of whether he was outside or inside the Top 10 on GC fades, what never will is Bennett claiming the team's first ever Tour de France stage win atop La Toussuire (above). On Stage 19, Bennett set out in the morning breakaway searching for GC time and a stage win. However, that looked doomed when a group of some of the top GC gunners caught him at the bottom of the final climb, despite Bennett doing a majority of the work in the breakaway. But somehow he kept fighting, stuck with the world's best on the 12km ascent and beat them all to a memorable stage win in the snow. "Mr. Xero", who'd been with the team since their days in the Continental Tour, taking a stage win for them at the world's biggest race after leading them to two promotions. You couldn't have written it better. And although Bennett has learned his lessons from the challenges and disappointments of 2021, that will undoubtedly be how the cycling world remembers his season - perhaps his career.
Although Bennett is showing no signs of slowing down, time does come for us all and legacy is surely something on his mind. What does he want from his last few years as a leader at Xero? Another promotion - leave them in the PT to stay? Deliver a few more wins and try to stave off Areruya to remain at the top of the team's leaderboards? He laughs off the last bit.
"Mate, I don't think there's any chance of that. I'll try to stop him doing it this year, how about that? He's one of the best riders I've ever ridden with - especially for his age. He's such a great guy to have around the team and he makes us so strong just for having him [...] do I want another promotion? Yeah, obviously we do, doesn't everyone? It's not like I have "PT 2024" on a vision board or something, we don't have a number on it, but with the talent we have coming through, I believe it's possible in the next few years. It is a nice thought, if I can ride off into the sunset knowing the future is secure, be that in PT or as a stable top PCT team."
1/2-8/2
Volta a Portugal
PTHC
14/6-21/6
Criterium du Dauphine
PTHC
27/6
Apex Mountain Classic
C1
3/9-23/9
Tour of America
C1
"Honestly mate - and this isn't an excuse for how I was - but when they announced the Tour of Japan was canceled during Le Tour, I felt like going back to my hotel room and having a big old cry. Not just because of how well it suited me [Bennett won the 2019 and 2020 editions - ed.], but the fans, the people, Jesus the food - it was just an awesome event. I really hope it comes back." Bennett says when we ask him about his calendar. We didn't even mention Japan. And that's very touching, but what about his calendar this year? Does he want to talk about the elephant in the room, or do we need to prod him a bit?
"Well, we knew the calendar didn't have a few of the races that we used to run so it will look a bit different - and then it's also about finding which races suit me, which suit Joseph, and which suit Daniel. I can't say it is a calendar built for me on paper, but you never will get a perfect calendar when you have a few eggs in the same basket - look at what Hugo and Luke used to have to share! I mean, I think it's a bit of an abusive relationship between me and Portugal at this point - two great results and two bad ones now and I just keep going back hoping to relive those great days even though they keep taking away stages that suit me - but we keep ending up in that band and I keep being the one we send!"
Okay, we will have to prod him.
"Yeah, I'm super excited about America. My first time there and the team's as well, and I hear it will be a really strong startlist - maybe more than we were expecting when we chose to do it, but that's ok, I love a challenge! It's been one I've always wanted to do, awesome race but never worked for us scheduling-wise. This year they gave the green light with the calendar not suiting us as much and feeling like it actually was one of the best races for me anyway so we'll go for it. Can't wait."
Bennett crowning himself on Stage 5 of the Tour of Japan in 2020
It's a calendar that looks similar to last year's in the small number of races - Bennett will have done only seven races in two seasons by the end of the year. Last year it didn't work out, and some will hold doubts that this batch will as well. The PCT has turned away from having such an emphasis on the "hybrid" stage races with mountains and hills which Bennett thrived on from 2018-20, and the team has gone with Areruya in the couple that remain.
If Xero are to bounce straight back up to the PT - something nobody in the team has said they are aiming for, but some are tipping them to - he will need to adjust to the more traditional stage races. The team's fans just want to once more see the George Bennett we know and love - even if he's not the #1 scorer, he'll always be Mr. Xero.
A couple of days before the Xero squad presentation, men and women in Octagon or team polo shirts usher skinny young men with muscly legs into an electrically colourful room, a few at a time. Some look bemused by the whole act, a couple look nervous, some are mucking around and some are already cheerfully chatting with our cameraman. The format doesn't change, the background remains the same, the team design, back for another year because it works. It is the team's signature navy blue with streaks of red, white, light blue, and gren, just as with their jerseys. The props are there - the bikes, the bouncy balls, the deck of cards, the team caps. This isn't the madhouse it might look like, but it isn't your average team photoshoot either - Octagon always do their best to showcase the fun, likeable side of the team. This year the team has done their squad presentation in multiple parts, showcasing either vague units of the team or individual riders. Next up is the final rider to be presented - it's Joseph Areruya.
Joseph Areruya 26 | Maxed | 530,000 | Xero since 2018
FLA
MON
HIL
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SPR
ACC
FTR
DH
PRL
72
79
81
65
76
78
79
53
68
76
75
60
65
Xero Palmarès
- Stage Win Tirreno-Adriatico ('21)
- 4th GC Tour de l'Avenir ('19)
- Stage Win Tour of Norway ('19)
- U25 Giro d'Italia ('21)
- Stage Win Tour de l'Avenir ('19)
- U25 Tirreno-Adriatico ('21)
- National RR Championships ('19)
- U25 Tour du Maroc ('21)
- 9th Giro di Lombardia ('21)
- U25 Int. Österreich-Rundfahrt ('20)
- 3rd GC Tirreno-Adriatico ('21)
- 2nd KoM Tour of Norway ('19)
- 5th GC Hong Kong Challenge ('20)
- 2nd KoM Tour de San Luis ('18)
- 5th GC Tour of Lithuania ('20)
- 3rd KoM Giro d'Italia ('21)
- 6th GC Tour of the Middle East ('20)
- 3rd Points Tirreno-Adriatico ('21)
- 9th GC Giro d'Italia ('21)
Points
Division Rank
Team Rank
Division
2018
38
281st
9th
PCT
2019
168
116th
5th
PCT
2020
473
52nd
3rd
PCT
2021
985
27th
1st
PT
Xero Stats
Rank
Best
Rank
Best
Seasons
4
=5th
€/point
€667
11th
€338 ('20)
Points
1664
3rd
985 ('21)
Breaks
17
3rd
11 ('18)
Wins
2
=7th
1 ('19, 21)
RDs
255
5th
90 ('18)
Wage
€1,110,000
2nd
€549,000 ('21)
RotM
4
=4th
3 ('21)
Jerseys
4
=2nd
3 ('21)
It's time. He won't say it. The team won't say it. But just you try and stop the fans and the media from saying it enough times to make up for it. It's time for Joseph Areruya to be that guy, as the Americans would say. He has that dog in him, they might add. He's their franchise player. Ok, last one before we make ourselves throw up. Point is, he's got the minerals. He's different gravy. Whoops, too far towards British.
Last season, after three years of slow but steady build-up into a solid PCT leader, he burst onto the PT scene in style, winning fans with his aggression and daring attacks lighting up races, winning analysts with the strength to back it up, and winning 985 points - the most ever by a Xero rider in a season. It began with his shock podium in Tirreno-Adriatico, recovering from early time loss in spectacular fashion with a 25km attack to grab a stage win (below) and vault himself past names such as Dombrowski, Morton and Pluchkin, then backing it up by hanging with them in the mountains to hold that position. It continued with his exploits in his first ever three-week race at the Giro d'Italia, where he had some ups and downs, but after some early time loss attacked on what felt like every stage (most notably on Stage 15 from the early breakaway where he narrowly missed out on a stage win, being caught by Dombrowski) to bring it back to 9th on GC, as well as the white jersey and 3rd in the KoM.
He had other good races, but his third great display came once again in Italy, where for one shining moment it looked like he had the chance to win a monument in Lombardia, however his attack left him just short on energy in the sprint, as he was overtaken and faded to a still great 9th. Thus capped a stellar year for the young Rwandan, finishing in the Top 30 riders in the individual standings, and establishing himself as Xero's top scorer in the process, also moving himself to third in career points for the team.
This year the hype is real. For a long time the team, spurred by these performances, had planned a state-of-the-art alpine training camp, but at the last minute it was decided to focus on shorter climbs, to take better short-term advantage and avoid a strong PCT climbing field. The team had even entered races thinking they would have that version of Areruya on the team, and could only make minor adjustments to counter. Time will tell if it pays off, but the comparisons to last year's standings winner Beltran are already beginning.
"Right now I just want to be the best version of me. I feel like I'm stronger than last year, and I can compete for higher places in the PCT. I'm looking forward to the first races and figuring out how high." he smiles.
25/1-27/1
Hong Kong Challenge
C1
24/3
Strade Bianche
HC
12/4-18/4
Tour de Pologne
HC
25/4
GP Wallonie
HC
12/5-14/5
Tour of Chile
C1
4/9-9/9
Balkans International
PTHC
1/10-6/10
Tour du Maroc
HC
18/10
Giro dell'Emilia
HC
Due to the team's planning around a Joseph Areruya with added experience in the high mountains being retrofitted to this new punchier version it's a bit of a frankenstein calendar, though of course much of it was transferable with his dual skills. With two win goals (Pologne and Balkans) and so few days, there is a lot of pressure across all his races to deliver.
Near the front last time he was in Hong Kong
"I know I want to be competing at the front and I'll be going for big results in all of those races. No super high mountains like last year but I think it's a good mix, and I am looking forward to all of them in different ways. The race day restriction isn't nice but we've tried to get a good amount of races in anyway, it will be strange to have four months with no racing, almost like a mini off-season for me. Good for watching the Grand Tours though!" he smiles as he sums up his calendar.
So the team, fans and media will wait with baited breath for those 28 days of racing where we'll get to see the young Rwandan in action and know if he meets the hype or not. He's already a fervent fan favourite and golden boy for the team and it's hard to see a season so awful it would change that - if they were so easily swayed anyway - but you sense there's the chance to become something more to the PCT at large. Can Joseph Areruya be one of those guys?
Finally, the team are pleased to announce their full schedule for the 2022 season. Some long stretches with no races, but that means plenty of action - including riding 5 races in October to scrap for every point! The team are looking forward to the early season racing, with Houle making his debut Down Under, Areruya in Hong Kong and Bennett in Portugal all racing by early February.
Should be a fun battle between Areruya and Beltran and also our supporting casts for them. Given that planning (which isn't surprising) they should quite heavily influence how each of their season's goes.
Fun fact, Balkans doesn't have a Slovenian stage anymore, so that flag isn't the most suitable for the race
redordead wrote:
Should be a fun battle between Areruya and Beltran and also our supporting casts for them. Given that planning (which isn't surprising) they should quite heavily influence how each of their season's goes.
Fun fact, Balkans doesn't have a Slovenian stage anymore, so that flag isn't the most suitable for the race
Yeah I can't wait for it - hope they have some memorable battles and a lot of success. And thanks for that correction
And yes very proud of Corbin, very solid guy to have as a youngster in NZ cycling 
And any of them being achieved would probably mean a great season for us, so hope so too 
Hugo Houle
Down Under Classic
Berlin ProRace
Lisbon Classic
Tour of Norway
Hanko Classic
Tour of South Africa
Tour of Lithuania
Riga - Jurmala GP
GP Lugano
Euskal Bizikleta
Criterium du Dauphine
Tour of America
Joseph Areruya
Hong Kong Challenge
Strade Bianche
Tour de Pologne
Tour of Chile
Balkans International
Tour du Maroc
Vuelta al Tachira
Franceville Classique
Int. Osterreich Rundfahrt
Rheden GP
Japan Cup
