Two German sponsors and registered to Germany, but don’t let that fool you. This team is purely here to win and if that means going international then so be it.

There a couple of Germans dotted around in the shape of Ciolek and couple of others, but the true talent lies elsewhere.
Purito takes charge of one extremely strong line-up. He lines up alongside Samu and Scarponi at the head the teams GC and classics ambitions. Anything less than 1st at the Vuelta must be viewed a failure.

But this is a team with more than just climbing talent. Nuyens leads a competitive cobbles squad who will certainly be seen up the front end on the rough stuff.
If we look at weaknesses one is very obvious, age. All 4 of the top riders are the wrong side of 30, as are 2 more of the top 10. It will take careful management of development to make sure this team stays successful as the season’s progress.

Key Rider: Purito
Rodriguez is the best climber in the world, and is a class above the rest of the punchers. Allianz will want him to perform at his best this season to. He should pick up a lot of wins on the steep roads. Really he should get 2 Monuments and a GT win with such support around.

Strength: Climbing
3 potential GT winners and a large depth of quality support will mean Allianz will always be visible on the steep roads of stage races and one-day classics

Weakness: Age
With most of the top10 riders here being over 30, expect declining riders to be a constant bain. This coupled with a lack of standout youth talent could scupper subsequent seasons.

Rating: 9/10
A fantastic strong squad with real depth will see them pick up lots of results. A decent cobbles team should support the climbers. The only lack is in the sprints and tt’s but even that shouldn’t stop the team.

A Canadian and an Irish sponsor registered in Ireland. It certainly is an interesting combination that with the right picks could make for a great team. And fortunately that is what came to pass.

The home charge is led by Hesjedal. Hesjedal has a lot of quality in his legs and has to be seen as a GC threat for a podium, if not a win. From Ireland we have Martin. Dan is a great climber who will be certainly one of the favourites to win KoM jerseys across the season. There are a few other Canadians and Irish around such as Irish Champion Brammier, so in the future we hope the team won’t change too much.

Farther afield we have some aging legends such as Vinokourov, but also more upcoming starts such as Porte. Barrys certainly has its eyes on the climbs with a huge amount of depth in that area. While this is good and is sure to make good racing and deliver some results it is noticeable that there is a lack of talent in other disciplines.

The best sprinter is Appollonio and the best cobbler is Hayman. While both are ok, they are very unlikely to bring in many WT points. There is some talented youth in these areas, but it will take a good few seasons for them to develop to a point scoring level.

Key Rider: Hesjedal
Hesjedal is the stand out talent in the team. He is the only real climber good enough to podium at a GT and his success will be crucial to a good season for the team. Perhaps his best use will be away from GT’s and at the shorter races such as Tirreno-Adriatico.

Strength: Climbing
There is a huge amount of depth in Barrys. Whilst a lot of it is not winning material the sheer relentlessness of decent placing’s is certain to garner lots of points and cover the flat road shortfall.

Weakness: Sprinting
As over 50% of stages usually end in sprints a lack of a fast finisher really hurts. While there are a couple of young ones here this season will be a struggle relying on those climbers too much.

Rating: 7.5/10
Normally I would go lower than that but the sheer number of good climbers must bring points. Not a lot of winners but Barrys should prove that consistency is key to a good season.

British main sponsor with Australian co-sponsor, registered in Spain and why not. It gives the team strong areas to focus on and build a strong team around. The question would be whether age would play a part.

It must be said that Juszta managed that part beautifully. Wiggins takes center stage and will surely bag some fantastic GC results. I’m not sure if he will get a GT win though but I hope he does. His big strength, apart from time-trials, is his support team. Of which Pinto stands out. He is young and extremely talented. With the right work he will become a force to be reckoned with in his own right. Caterham really does have a strong climbing squad which stands out from the rest, and it does have a balance between oldies and youth.

But don’t be fooled, Caterham pack a punch in a sprint. Degenkolb is a fantastic sprinter who is certain to get some wins. Combined with some experience lead-outs Caterham will be up the front end often. However this doesn’t translate to the cobbles. Hammarling is the leader here, but he doesn’t have the ability to win, nor the support.

It’s hard to pick holes in this squad, but the largest one has got to be age. For all its talented youth, there is a bit of a reliance on veteran domestiques which could cause issues in later seasons. Really they should be expecting to be challenging for the top of the rankings.

Key Rider: Degenkolb
Some would say Wiggins, but as he is certain to perform it has to be John. It will be his accumulation of points that will separate Caterham from the other GC focused teams. If he fires they will be hard to match. If he struggles Caterham will have a fight on their hands

Strength: Climbing
A large selection of top quality climbers will surely push onwards and make life hard for others. 5 riders have the quality to bag uphill wins and jerseys with lots more ready to surprise.

Weakness: Age
This is a tough one. While there is plenty of youth it may be surprising how many riders decline soon, with many key domestiques being over 30. Well it was this or cobbles…

Rating: 9/10
Very strong GC and climbing team, with decent sprint and cobbles capability. They can, and will, win everywhere and without any real weakness will be one of the very top teams.

Colombian through and through. While this is too kept as a base are its easy to go further across the Americas to bring in good riders, and even further for those who are special. With several big local talents how many could be secured.

Well they got the two big ones. Uran is of course the headline star of the team. An accomplished climber with some ability to time-trial. He joins up with Henao as the other big name local lad. Together they form a dangerous duo with serious ability to threaten the top spots. They join top rider Pozzovivo to form the best pure climbing trio around. Another major bonus is that they are all relatively young and have a fantastic future ahead. They get good support on a climbing focused team with a large depth of young riders, but with some older mentors dotted in as well.

Away from the mountains things don’t look good. Ventoso and Feillu can finish, and last more hills than other sprinters but both are hardly top class in either field. Added to that a non-existent cobbles team, minus Scheirlinckx, this season could rapidly become a struggle of survival.

This of course makes the weakness the flats. The heavy reliance on climbers may work for other teams, but doubts hang over the main trios winning ability at the top level. On the brighter side it does mean the lesser stars and talents will have shining role in the season.

Key Rider: Uran
If Rigoberto can perform then the season will be that much easier for the team. If he doesn’t get many results then I don’t see CC Café anywhere but bottom.

Strength: Climbing
The strong leading trio of Pozzo, Uran and Henao should garner their fair share of results. A decent range of supporting riders can bring in points and visibility.

Weakness: Anything Flat
Only 3 riders who can do anything half well on flat roads, and even then each of them is hardly a star. With over 50% of races ending in a sprint this is going to cause a lot of problems for the team.

Rating: 6/10
The climbing is good, but nothing stellar, and with no good sprinters or cobblers this is at best an average team. A lot will be put on the domestiques to steal points throughout the season. Being honest it’s going to be near impossible to avoid a relegation battle.

Fully Argentinian in its backing. Not a country with a stellar past but with the right international riders no reason why this can’t become a great team. A luck 1st Draft round couldn’t hurt either.

So Argentina is represented by its big names. JJ Haedo is the best of them, along with brother LS Haedo. Together they can put together a decent sprint package that can get a result or two. But what about the rest of the team.

Contador. Need I say more? Tour de France winner, Giro winner and Vuelta winner. One of the best stage races in the post-Armstrong era is almost guaranteed a GT win, and will almost certainly secure safety alone. But luckily in case that doesn’t happen there is Van Garderen. The next great American can certainly accumulate his fair share of results in stage races and time trials. Combined with a decent set of other supporting riders’ mountains and GC’s look like a solid place for Globant.

Away from JJ Haedo the sprint team looks very bare. A wide variety of ok sprinters but none that are expected to get results at this level. The cobbles look even worse. Pretty much zero ability anywhere in this area is going to cause potential issues.

So it’s the flat land that causes weakness to show. That and age. A fair proportion of the squad are close to, or over, 30 which could cause problems in later seasons.

Key Rider: Contador
No other rider on the team is even close to his quality. If he gets half of what is expected Globant will be safe. If he gets everything he could Globant could be top of the rankings. A large chunk of the season is going to rest on his shoulders.

Strength: Contador
I could have said climbing, but with Van Garderen the only other climber capable of netting serious points that’s not an option. One of a few riders who can single handedly make a team top has to be a major strength

Weakness: Cobbles
Posthuma is the only rider with ability here. Sprints aren’t great but JJ can cover a chunk of that gap with some luck. While cobbles make up a small chunk of the races it is likely to be an “every point counts� season.

Rating: 7/10
Would be 6 if not for Contador. I may be being overly critical but he is the man for this team. A mediocre set of other riders could see Globant struggle, but if Contador is going well it could all change. A really hard team to predict. Just keep an eye on the rest of the squad as well as Contador

Dutch main sponsor and registered, with a bit of Belgian help. Lots of possibilities lay before this team at the start. It was eagerly awaited to see which way they went. Was it the right way to go?

Surprisingly balanced to start with. Boonen is the king of cobbles and headliner. He can do well on his own but with great support from riders like Boom and the cobbles seem like they are his to lose. But also on the flat roads they have acquired Veenhof who is definitely a good sprinter to look out for. While he lacks a decisive lead out there are a whole bunch of riders who can at least help get him in the mix. It really is a nicely set up team for any kind of flat roads.

But they also pack a punch for the steep roads. It’s hard to pick a top guy out so you can choose from Voeckler, F.Schleck and Ruiter. All three are very good climbers that can grab a lot of results and jerseys. And they come with a set of capable support riders. Not as many as some other teams, but enough with quality to certainly cause trouble when the road goes up.

Another team wither potential all round but as a weakness it once again age that sticks out. 3 of the top5 riders are over 30, and a fair few others are that way as well. There is a decent chunk of youth so perhaps this won’t be that big a deal as for some others.

Key Rider: Boonen
But not on the cobbles. It will be his sprinting that will make the difference. If he can fire his legs up then those extra points will add up and really boost the team onwards.

Strength: Cobbles
While strongish in several areas it’s the cobbles that stand out. A large number of potential team-mates on the bumpy roads will help spread the load over the races. Plus it should keep his rivals shackled.

Weakness: Age
While not a major issue thanks to a few youth talents it is the biggest problem. Not now, but in a couple of seasons they could really start to struggle under the declining weight of former legends.

Rating: 8/10
A very good well rounded squad that will be up there all over the place. Would be higher but I’m not sure whether riders like Veenhof and F.Schleck quite have that little bit to make them special yet. But they will certainly be fighting at the top end of the rankings.

A true All American team, with the American dream of success. Clearly the USA was always going to be a strong focus, the big question was how international would the team go, especially with a fair amount of competition over the region.

Let’s look at the Americans. Danielson is about it. He is still a decent GC rider, but a top10 is all he can look at now, and he doesn’t have long left. Otherwise it’s a real focus on American youth, which is led by Dombrowski who is certain to be a future great if managed correctly. Both are climbers who also have young Frenchman Rolland for company. Rolland is fantastic up the mountains and will be a key player for the team. There is a decent set of climbers behind those names, but not in the same quantities as at some other teams.

Somehow we are yet to get to the star of the team. Sagan is a one man team in his own right. The kid can win almost any race he chooses and will be the lynch pin In the teams plan for the seasons ahead. The other big name is Iglinskiy who is certainly a very good puncher. If we look further into the squad we find Bozic as the main sprinter but he is hardly a world beater.

On with the cobbles. Ok so there is a range of some talent and ability, but no riders who can expect any serious results on the rough roads. This is definitely the team’s biggest weakness but should be overcome with points from other areas. There is also a lot of youth in the team, making for great future prospects even if it does compromise this first season or two.

It’s an interesting team I can go on abut for a long time. Decent in all aspects but it does have the feel of a CT team rather than a WT team. Having said that I doubt In-n-Out will struggle this season and will probably end up right in the mix at the top end.

Key Rider: Rolland
Why not Sagan? Peter will get results no questions. But it will be the points Rolland brings in the shape of jerseys that will make the difference for the team as the season progresses. He is the only other rider I think will get wins.

Strength: Diversity
A few good climbers, some sprinters, some cobblers. This team can manage a decent team at all races. While not world beaters it will be the consistency that should keep them safe.

Weakness: Sagan
Yes you read that right. Heavy reliance on the one star could backfire. He is not the best at anything, and if he keeps coming up against the Gilbert’s and Cavendish’s big points might be hard to come by.

Rating: 7/10
Yes a couple of stars and good riders, but an overall lack of depth and leaders restricts their ability to compete. But Sagan is just a beast and you can’t ignore that fact. Expect more from them in future seasons than now.

British Bulldog. One big British sponsor makes it clear that local lads are important to the team. But with fierce competition an international focus could also pay off.

It’s got to be said that it’s the Internationals that dictate this team. A.Schleck and Valverde are the big climbers. Both are capable of GT wins with some luck and hard work. Both will also get good results in shorter stage races. Vanendert, Mollema and Hoogenboom all come with lots of ability and can all grab results in those races as well. Making ITV a force in Stage Races, which you expect to make them good contenders to top honours as a team.

It’s a different story away from those 5 though. There is a noticeable lack of strong support on climbs which will surely have an effect. Napolitano is the team’s best sprinter but he is certainly past his best and is unlikely to get major wins. And it’s a similar story on the cobbles, if not worse. Only two riders with any sort of ability and even then its severely lacking. Flat is best ignored when it comes to ITV.

So that’s the weakness, sprints and cobbles. Although I must point out the number of brits that make up the bulk of the team is admirable. Mix of youth and experience will certainly help in the long run.

Key Rider: A.Schleck
Can he finally deliver? If he doesn’t the ITV could find themselves scraping in the bottom half of the pack. The rest of the climbers are good, but only Andy has that clear winning class of them.

Strength: Climbing
5 very strong climbers headline the squad, and each will certainly earn some points across the season. Very few teams have this number of quality leaders so ITV should be able to stay competitive at every race.

Weakness: Sprints and Cobbles
I can’t separate them in this case. The all-round lack of flat talent is going to be a big blow to the team. Admittedly the climbers should cover the gap, but any slip up by them will be multiplied by the lack of quality in these areas.

Rating: 8/10
One of the best teams when it comes to leaders, and that should see them well safe and at the top end of the rankings, but that lack of flat talent will hurt for sure. Also the lack of real depth is going to be a pain. But overall it’s still a force to be reckoned with

Belgian at hear, but with Italian creeping at the edges. Plenty of home country talents around should make it easy to assemble a strong squad, bolstered by a few international talents. It was always known who they would pick 1st in the whole draft.

Gilbert leads the charge. One of the top punchers in the field can certainly deliver on the biggest of stages. De Gendt is the other big Belgian name here. Not much in terms of history but this season should see him break out and come to the fore. Added to this aging legend Basso of Italy and its clear Lierse mean business. Most of the focus is on the climbs and hills, with a strong deep squad of support riders for these leaders. Really expect to see them in the action on the steep roads.

Demare is the top sprinter. Not great yet, but still a great rider who can bag a few wins across the year. Combined with Nizzolo Lierse can finish a stage off. There is also some cobbles ability in the shape of Thompson. Not a winner, but should get a strong finish or two if his support works well.

It’s certainly a team with decent all-round capabilities. But it comes at a cost of age. A lot of the riders are getting close to 30 or are past it. However they did manage to get a decent handful of young guys who should plug the gaps in a couple of seasons.

Key Rider: Gonzales
One of the best stage racers. Any wins he gets will be a huge boost the team and put them in rankings contention for sure. He will have a few fights on his hands but I reckon he can win through

Strength: All-Round Ability
It’s a team with good riders in all disciplines. They can win on any terrain, and if they do you’ve got to admit they will be hard to overcome. Plus the depth in the squad is only ever a good thing with points coming from all sorts of riders.

Weakness: Age
Isn’t it always? Quite a few of the big names, and key lieutenants are getting a bit, which could cause issues in a couple of years. Some youth to take over, but not to the same quality yet.

Rating: 9/10
Really capable and competitive everywhere Lierse should be fighting for the top of the rankings. Now real weaknesses either and lots of depth. It’s just a really good squad well put together.

A Swiss thorough-bred team with some serious backing from the home nation. It could have been a gamble going to such a relatively small nation, but with some good moves there is a lot of potential to create a great team.

There is no other place to start than Cancellara. Spartacus is probably the best all-round cyclist there is in cycling at the moment. The king of Time Trials and major threat on the cobbles, he can really make an impact this season. And he comes with fantastic support from Pozzato and a few other great helpers. This ability doesn’t translate to sprints were it is Viviani that leads the charge. He is ok but no more than that, and I doubt any wins will come his way.

Let’s look at the climbing squad, as its rather good. Albasini and Geisinger are both top quality riders and both are Swiss. While neither is capable of that major win they are sure to bag points across the year. But let’s not ignore the other star, Gesink. The Dutchman really can perform when it comes to mountains. Yet to bag that really major win this could be his season, if he stays up-right. Fortunately there are some able domestiques to shepherd his across the roads.

It’s hard to see where this team will struggle outside of the sprints. There is a group of riders here who are ok sprinters, but lack that real finishing class. Perhaps there is a bit too much attempt at diversity here. Away from the Cancellara they don’t lead anything but consistency will be key.

Key Rider: Gesink
Robert has struggled for luck in the past. He needs to shake that off and bag some top results this season. His point’s contribution will make a huge difference to the team’s final position at the end of the year.

Strength: Cobbles
Cancellara is the only man who could really threaten Boonen, and with the quality support in the squad the Flanders classics are going to be electric! But where there are not a lot of them that extra power could really make them worthwhile.

Weakness: Sprinting
Viviani is best, but he is more suited to the track. A few other decent guys but none I expect to win. If the Top10’s don’t come here the reliance on the big names may be a bit too much.

Rating: 8/10
Very good cobbles, above average climbing. Should definitely be comfortable for the season. But that lack of sprinting does hurt, as does a lack of super-domestiques in the mountains. The depth looks good at first glance but really look and that is deceiving.

Norwegian in origins. Ok there are some talents but a team will need a lot of international input to be competitive. Combined with a fairly inactive manager this may not be the team to watch.

Home boys, well there’s not a lot of them. Boasson-Hage is the best of them, and certainly has a lot of ability. He certainly can perform on all types of terrain and will be a big scorer this season. Nordhaug is the other big local name. Not quite top quality yet, but he’s not far off. He might steal some surprising results to help the cause. But the main name here is that of Van den Broeck. The Belgian can climb extremely well and should be a factor in a GT. He will need to step up his game to make sure the team stays safe.

But that will be aided by Vansummeren. Former Roubaix winner will need to go well over cobbles again. He does come with support which will help. The other major looking points scorer is Monfort. Finally with a freeish role Haier will hope he can shine in the shorter tours and bring in some top results. There are a selection of other good climbers in the team who should grab a few points here and there.

It’s a balanced team for sure, with capacity to sprint, climb and cobble. But with a real lack of leaders or depth of talent. A lot of the squad will need find a whole new level to keep the team above water. And there is a worry of age with most of the leaders.

Key Rider: Boasson-Hagen
The best rider in the team I think. He will need to score often to keep the team up next season. He can do it, but will need a chunk of luck to get there. If he fails to perform then I must say its bye-bye Haier.

Strength: Diversity
They can go well as a team in almost all aspects. This consistency across the season will help massively and keep them close to some of the one-dimension teams for sure.

Weakness: Lack of Leaders
And by that I mean winning leaders. Only VdB and Boasson-Hagen can really win at the top level in this team. And frankly that’s not enough. If one of them misses a target then it’s almost game over straight away.

Rating: 5/10
Some good leaders can’t hide the overall lack of depth and quality. Combined that with a serious issue of aging leaders and key riders and Haier will find themselves struggling this season and for a few to come.

New Zealand and Aussie supported. A great idea that should certainly make this a fun team to follow. A strong focus on these regions makes this one of my favourites in the whole peloton for sure.

There is no lack of home quality. Evans leads as climber. He still has enough in him to get another great GT result or two. Maybe not winning quality any more but certainly could steal a podium finish. Unfortunately his only good support comes from Ten Dam who could be served hunting KoM jerseys that support. Back to the locals with sprinter Goss. Goss is still a top sprinter and can certainly earn his fair share of top results this season. His main helper will be Renshaw. Mark may not win on his own but he is the best lead-out man of the last 5 or so years, and that can only be a good sign.

Keep looking and we find Phinney. No doubt he can be the best time trialist around in a few years he can still win plenty this season and hopes to perform ok on the cobbles as well. Millar is another notable name. Maybe not the best he was but hopefully he can have yet another good season as he never seems to get any worse.

Perhaps the only weakness is the focus on the home nations. While it’s great to see it does compromise the quality of support and talent depth in the team. Nice to also say that age shouldn’t be an issue either. Lots of youth talent spread across the team means they should be solid for a good few seasons.

Key Rider: Goss
He has won MSR. A similar sort of season will really make this team a force. One of the top sprinters he should bring in plenty of points and ensure the safety of the team for next season.

Strength: Popularity
Might seem like an odd one. But in the event that they are scraping for survival the UCPCL is unlikely to relegate such a popular team and risk hurting its appeal.

Weakness: Loyalty
The loyalty to the home nations is admirable. But it has hurt the depth of the squad who could struggle for consistency, and more so if a top name doesn’t perform as they should.

Rating: 6/10
Good leaders but that lack of depth I expect to really hurt, and might leave the team leaders fending for themselves against some really top opposition in the big races. They could be in the fight for survival but I hope not.

A second serious German team. All German and all business in look and feel. With Germany being contested would there be serious international talents as targets. Well as Allianz went international that made the decision.

It’s oh so Germany here. Greipel and Kittel are two true stars. Both top sprinters who can make lots of wins. They lead a very strong sprint team which also includes Italian Guardini. This trio are dangerously good and will certainly rake in the high points finishes. But home feel stretches further. The teams top stage racer is Kloeden. Beyond his best but still has enough left to challenge for some top results in shorter races. And a passing mention of perennial favourite Voigt.

Looking away from there towards the cobbles. Ulriksson is there best offering. He is not a winner, but give him another year for that to come. The other problem there is a lack of a support team. A couple of riders, but not enough to make a difference. Climbing support for Kloeden is not outstanding either. There is a set of capable riders but they are all getting on as well. At least the sprint team is deep and talented.

So yes, as with many others age is a killer. Pretty much every climber is over 30 and that will hurt a lot in the coming seasons. A lot of the pure domestiques are also over 30 which is going to cause a problem. At least the three big names are young.

Key Rider: Greipel
Of course it is. He gets to continue his rivalry with Cavendish, and now with the best possible support. He will bring in lots of podiums at least, and that will probably see SGL safely into next season.

Strength: Sprinting
That leading trio of outstanding talent is scary on its own. Add to that a deep set of dedicated lead-outs and domestiques and there isn’t a mass finish they can’t win or even create.

Weakness: Age of Climbers
Not so much an issue for this upcoming season. But future seasons could turn nasty when almost the entire climbing section of the squad is declining.

Rating: 9/10
That trio of sprinters makes up for the lack of quality climbers. Added a decent cobbler and SGL are capable everywhere even if not winners. Added that the main leaders are all sort of young this team won’t go away either.

Two Italian sponsors, and with an Italian license it clear where the focus will lie here. Having such focus is great in country with a wide range of old and young talents. And any shortfalls will be made up with neighbouring talents.

Ballan is the top rated rider of the team. A bit past his best but the former world champion can still perform on the cobbles, even if the support for him is weak. But the real star attraction is Nibali. A great stage racer who should win the Giro. Nibali can pick up plenty of wins in any stage race and will be a great team leader. Also with a mention is wild man Ferrari. He can be as fast as his namesake but is prone to reckless moves. He could grab a couple of wins but will mostly be aiming at top10’s.

Behind those names are yet more. Martin will ride his season as World ITT champion. A threat for some shorter tours, and decent support in a GT. There is also a great trio of young international talent. Poels, Betancur and Kelderman are all stars for the future and are great support even now. They are just part of a strong deep range of climbing support which will certainly help Nibali quest for a GT win.

There is a great mix of youth and experience that will keep this team strong for several seasons yet. But that lack of top quality sprinter and lack of cobbles support could put extra pressure on the climbers.

Key Rider: Nibali
He has to perform this season. A GT win isn’t a must but it is expected of him on home turf. And good results at other Italian stage races will certainly keep Fastweb well safe.

Strength: Climbing
A wide range of climbers, many of whom are young, will propel them into a lot of good results for several seasons. They can match the best on the steep stuff.

Weakness: Flat Support
Ballan is capable of winning, as long as he has support. Without that support here he may struggle to get the top results. Ferrari and Kruopis are ok sprinters but lack dedicated support again and that puts them at a disadvantage.

Rating: 8/10
A real chance at the Giro win is great. And they can bag plenty of other top results for sure. But that lack on the flat again could put extra pressure on the climbers. And if they miss a beat it could put Fastweb into a real fight.

Right mix here. USA main sponsor, UK co-sponsor and registered as French. Certainly interesting but it opens up a lot of possibilities. But again if the managers previous is anything to follow expect a focused one-dimension team

The World Champion is here, Cavendish. You don’t get bigger headliners than that. Thus the team is focused heavily around him. Cavendish will certainly bring in big results across the entire season. Other home names include Chavanel who will be able to steal some results on a variety of terrains. Then there is a host of Americans including Leipheimer, Farrar and Oget. They can all get solid results to boost the team.

The big international name is Flecha who is still missing the big classic result. With good support from Chavanel and others perhaps this could be his season. Bouhanni is also worth a mention as the second best sprinter in France. Perhaps not a winner he can podium in smaller races or just lead out Mark. This team went heavy on the NC’s which will certainly make the team colourful and easy to spot, hopefully near the front.

A weakness is those mountains. Leipheimer is the best, and he is not what he once was. But to counter this, Lunar is probably the strongest flat team out there who can really do cobbles, sprints and time trials.

Key Rider: Chavanel
Not Mark? Cavendish will win, that’s a given. But Chavanel has that ability to surprise and steal points away from other teams. A good showing from him could propel the team to great things.

Strength: Everything Flat
Cavendish is perhaps the best sprinter ever. Flecha and Chavanel as a duo could really scupper the established cobbled kings. And a range of good time trialist and flat work horses should ensure a wide range of points out of the climbs.

Weakness: Climbing
Leipheimer is definitely not a top tier race any more. And a small selection of mediocre climbers is not guaranteed to bring points, but you never know what’s going to happen. Thank god the flat riders are there.

Rating: 8/10
Rated as the best team in the UCPCL it’s not that simple. While they should be very good on the sprints and cobbles that lack of climbing could be a problem. But as I said with the climbing focused teams, those flat riders should cover the shortfall.

Irish, Danish and Norwegian. It’s certainly an eclectic mix that’s for sure. It also opens a wide amount of talent to choose from that’ll keep the sponsors happy. Then a few internationals to plug the gaps.

Kristoff and Hushovd lead the home charge. Kristoff can sprint, but it’s not sure if he can win yet. Hushovd is not what he used to be, but should still obtain a fair share of good finishes. Breschel is top Danish and he certainly can surprise this season. Roche is the best climber here and could probably get a top10 at a GT with some luck. Also keep an eye on a released Fuglsang.

In fact there is a variety of talented climbers lead by Froome. I would expect him to win a GT this year for sure. There is plenty of support for him, which I think makes Tulip a bit of a surprise package. There is depth to their climbing ability which should mean consistent scoring. The cobbles team is there, but not in depth. Same with the sprinting, it’s there but not in depth.

Major issue is age. A lot of the top riders are around the 30 mark which puts them at risk of decline. Some bad luck there and Tulip will be in trouble in a few seasons. But they did a good job of bringing in young talent, that with the right management and work will become great riders themselves.

Key Rider: Froome
One of the best stage racers around. He has the ability to win a GT and now released Tulip hope he can deliver. He has plenty of support and should bring in lots of points from stage races.

Strength: Climbing
Headed by Froome, and with a wide range of follow up domestiques and lieutenants should ensure that Tulip is always active on the inclines. It’s a solid place to score points which helps a lot.

Weakness: Age
Again a lot of the lieutenants and better domestiques are around 30. And if they start declining it could put the team into trouble. Partly countered by some really youth, but they will take some years to come through.

Rating: 7/10
Yes it’s a very good climbing squad, but there is better in the peloton. A lack of a real cobbles team, and decent sprinters the season could become a struggle. However if Froome delivers then all should be nice and comfortable here.

Ollfardh wrote:
2) My roster is a bit short, but I'm going to assume it's because of the screenshot rather then riders missing.

ste_18 wrote:
Could you upload a file with all .tga shirts? I'm too lazy, i know...

sutty68 wrote:
TheManxMissile - Nice preview indeed will you be doing the same for the Continental teams

TMM wrote
racing will begin on monday with the Tour Down Under... a full CT preview will come some time next week i hope, depends on work...