Season over and the Nationals are done and dusted for us (if Chicchi or Bucciero win in Italy i'll eat a hat) so lets look back at the best moments from 2013 for Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling!
1) 5 Jours de Dunkerque (Boeing-Vivacom)
A big race for the classics riders attracted a big startlist. A number of Top10 finishes would have been a good result then things got better. Hristov and Sparling both had huge breakaways with the later hitting a high with the King of the Mountains. Hristov had a great race to finish 5th in GC as well!
Everything kicked off on the final day of the race. Geraint Thomas blew the race apart with an all day attack and put the pressure on the bigger PCT team. It came very close to working but ultimately it fell agonizingly short.
On the flip side it allowed Grashev to steal a 4th place GC finish in a massive scoring race for the team. Comfortably our best race as a team of the entire season
2) Tour of America (Antonio Bucciero)
The race was going horribly. We couldn't bag a result and our biggest riders were elsewhere. The more it dragged on the more it felt like a waste of race days. Yes there were some breakaways but on the days when it was never going to work.
Until Bucciero put in his ride of the season. Late into the race he penetrated the break on a classic transition stage designed for the breakaways. Bucciero used all his experience to take the teams biggest single win of the year in the biggest US race. Just great stuff
3) Tour of the Middle East (Francesco Chicchi)
February seems so long ago now. The season was young, we had hopes and dreams and talent! The Middle East was a big early tester for the squad but the opening days we were completely outclassed in the finale. The team was shaken.
Day Five things clicked. The winds blew and the early efforts from the other teams showed. Boeing drove the finale in total control and delivered Chicchi to the line for our first ever victory. His sprint was reminiscent of past glories and put us onto the right foot.
4) Dobrich GP (Thomas and Grashev)
Home race for the team seemed almost designed for us as a team, and that meant cobbles. Late in the season so riders were tired and anything could have happened. Spurred on by the cheers of the locals the team were visible at the head of peloton all day long.
The late stages kicked in and Thomas and Grashev put down the work for a result. Thomas was spectacular but just out done in the end to finished 2nd, and Grashev led in behind to seal out the podium places. It was the best team display in almost 6 months and put a shine on the end of the year.
5) Bulgarian Nationals (Boeing-Vivacom)
The year rounds out with Nationals which can be very important to sponsors. We were anxious because Vivacom, now Bulgaria, were desperate for a win here. There was the worry that big name Panayotov would steal the thunder.
Then he did not make the start following his teams financial collapse. This paved the way for a Boeing clean sweep of the race, delivering the double NC win at the first time of asking. It was just another validation of the teams commitment to the nation.
Wins
Stage 5 - Tour of the Middle East - Francesco Chicchi
Stage ?? - Tour of America - Antonio Bucciero
Goals
Win Dobrich GP - Failed (2nd + 3rd)
Win Bucks County Classic - Failed (nothing)
Top3 CT Team Standings - Failed (nothing)
Top5 Tour of the Battenkill - Failed (nothing)
Top10 Baltic Chain Tour - Failed (no invite)
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
