Cheese: A guy that will win a WT race - Gilbert
Extra cheese: The first guy to win a race - Gilbert
Bacon: The guy that wins or comes closest to winning a GT - Gonzales
Mushrooms: The guy that wins or comes closes to winning a monument - Gilbert
Onions: The guy that wins or comes closes to winning a classic - Gilbert
Olives: The guy that wins or comes closest to winning a points jersey - Gonzales
Peppers: The guy that wins or comes closest to winning a mountain jersey - De Gendt
Chicken: The first guy to wear a GT jersey - De Gendt
Pepperoni: A guy that will win a NC - Vasquez
Think we're awaiting the first race now, the only thing we can report you is that the NC jerseys should arrive shortly. Philippe and Cameron will be happy!
Cheese: A guy that will win a WT race Gilbert
Extra cheese: The first guy to win a race Gilbert
Bacon: The guy that wins or comes closest to winning a GT Basso
Mushrooms: The guy that wins or comes closes to winning a monument Gilbert
Onions: The guy that wins or comes closes to winning a classic Gilbert
Olives: The guy that wins or comes closest to winning a points jersey Gilbert
Peppers: The guy that wins or comes closest to winning a mountain jersey De Gendt
Chicken: The first guy to wear a GT jersey Gilbert
Pepperoni: A guy that will win a NC Vasquez
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.
As you can see, we got 9/10, which is a shared best. We're really happy with that, although it might put a bit of pressure on the team. But we're glad our strengths are being recognised. Our so weakness is said to be the age, but what team is doing so much better then? All in all, we're very happy with the preview. Our other team reviews will be here in a while.
Edited by Ollfardh on 01-02-2013 19:01
It was a great surprise when we read our rival ING-InBev's season prediction. They consider us the main favourite for the season. Though we appreciate it, it is probably their way to intimidate us and put the pressure on our team. Our riders will not let this get into their heads. While we are definitely planning to participate, we don't think we are the number 1 favourite, andwe will not be tricked into controling the race each time because of this list.
Tomorrow, we will release our own season preview, and I can already say our team will not be #1.
It was a great surprise when we read our rival ING-InBev's season prediction. They consider us the main favourite for the season. Though we appreciate it, it is probably their way to intimidate us and put the pressure on our team. Our riders will not let this get into their heads. While we are definitely planning to participate, we don't think we are the number 1 favourite, andwe will not be tricked into controling the race each time because of this list.
Tomorrow, we will release our own season preview, and I can already say our team will not be #1.
Yay for intimidation
You will probably take revenge for that and put ING on place 10 I think
It's finaly here, our own World Tour preview! While we mostly agree with the UCI's official preview, there are some things we have our own thoughts on. I thank the sporting directors for their helpfull insights here as well as the riders who contributed with their opinions. All of this was brought together, to create this guide!
Team: Allianz-BMW
Official rating: 9/10
Our rating: 9,5/10
Point carrier: Joaquim Rodriguez
We immediately start with the strongest team of them all. Great drafting combined with a very good steal. A lot of people will look at this roster and recognise people they wanted in their own team. Very strong stage race squad. Rodriguez can also cover the hills. The cobble squad will get lots of points as well. Only in the sprints they could have done better then Ciolek.
Team: Barry’s Maple Leaf
Official rating: 7,5/10
Our rating: 6/10
Point carrier: Richie Porte
They are heavily focused on stage races, which isn’t a bad tactic. However, they have overdone it here. No cobble squad, no hills squad, and for a World Tour team Appollonio cannot be your best sprinter. Furthermore, I can’t agree with their management that Hesjedal can win a Grand Tour, let alone the other guys. Though I think Porte might do something in the smaller stage races.
Team: Caterham-Austar
Official rating: 9/10
Our rating: 9/10
Point carrier: John Degenkolb
Another heavily stage race focus team, but they are doing it right. A strong squad, but riders like Degenkolb, Bennati and Hammarling will get points in other places. Wiggins can win a GT if he chooses carefully, while Brajkovic and Pinot will also get the necessary points in. The support of the team is solid as well, and if used well they will be controlling a lot of races this year.
Harsh as this may seem, we just can’t let them pass as a World Tour team. They were clearly profiling as a Columbian team, and this has resulted in some unwise draft picks at the start. They are now without a true leader, and this will hurt them. Aside from that they’ve also neglected the cobbles or are hugely overestimating Staf Scheirlinckx. They will need a miracle not to get demoted to the CT at the end of the season.
Team: Globant-Telefe
Official rating: 7/10
Our rating: 6,5/10
Point carrier: Alberto Contador
They started the draft well with Contador, Van Garderen and Haedo, while also signing Kim. But after that it went downhill a bit. No one for the classics really, unless they want to put Contador in the Ardennes. If they kept up the good drafting, they would be close to winning the season, but they seemed very absent in the next draft rounds. A season with ups and downs will be their destiny
Team: ING-InBev
Official rating: 8/10
Our rating: 9/10
Point carrier: Johan Veenhof
A very strong cobble squad, decent on the hills, will get their points in the stage races and some good sprinters. This team does not have weaknesses, so their low 8/10 rating is beyond me. They will not dominate anywhere, but they will get points everywhere. They will definitely be in the race until the Tour. There, it will be make or break for their ranking ambitions.
Team: In-n-Out Original Joe’s
Official rating: 7/10
Our rating: 6,5/10
Point carrier: Peter Sagan
They got Peter Sagan. Everyone wants Peter Sagan. But how will they use him, is the big question. Their drafting looks weird, to say the least. Sagan is their best sprinter, but also best cobbler, best hill classic guy and their best hope for some small tours. But he only has 60 race days. Iglinskiy and Bosic will get some points, and so will their stage race guys. But it won’t be enough to go for the season win.
Team: ITV Procycling
Official rating: 8/10
Our rating: 8/10
Point carrier: Alejandro Valverde
You will see this team when the road starts going up. But you won’t see them anywhere else. They have an incredible Ardennes team, so they will need some points there. But don’t expect anything on cobbles, and their sprint team is also lacking. The key here will be the stage races. Will Schleck and Valverde surprise us? If they can, this will be a good season for the team. But should they fail, they will have to worry about demotion..
Team: Lierse-Pizza Ullo
Official rating: 9/10
Our rating: 9/10
Point carrier: Philippe Gilbert
The second team with no real weaknesses. They’ll be grabbing points everywhere, with greater expectations on the hills and in the stage races. If I must name one weakness in the team, I have to say it will be the CT calendar. If it will be a close race at the end of the year, we’re going to curse at the missed opportunities for points. And I am expecting the team to be in the race until the end.
Team: Motorex-Credit Suisse
Official rating: 8/10
Our rating: 7,5/10
Point carrier: Jakob Geisinger
An incredibly strong cobbles squad, making them the clear favourites here. Gesink and Geisinger will do their job, but another co-leader here would have been nice. The sprint team will also be struggling. It looks like a solid balanced team at first, but upon closer inspection they have gone overboard on the cobbled section. They will be safe, but they won’t be playing for the big price at the end of the season
Team: Pro Team Haier
Official rating: 5/10
Our rating: 5,5/10
Point carrier: Edvald Boasson-Hagen
They have a few decent riders that will get points, but overall I think this team drafted badly. Van den Broeck will get some points, but he won’t win a GT. Probably not even podium. Same goes for Vansummeren on the cobbles. Who will do the Ardennes? Who will do sprints aside from Boasson-Hagen? This team will need perfect race selection if they want to get the points they need to stay in the World Tour.
Team: Pure Black-Genesys
Official rating: 6/10
Our rating: 5,5/10
Point carrier: Matthew Goss
Another team disregarding the cobbles. The sprint team is decent, but not the best. Evans will be decent in the stage races, but who else will? Looking at the Ardennes, it will be Evans alone again. It’s strange to put so much faith in a clearly declining rider. Another team that will be struggling throughout the season, unless Goss and Evans perform miracles. But even then, others will have to step up and earn a few points
The sprinters team. There’s always one team trying to get away with it, and they might have done it here. Good sprinters and leads out, guaranteeing the points. Kloden and Unriksson are very isolated though. Even for a sprinters team it’s too unbalanced. Their quality sprinters will give them a safe season in the World Tour, but without major changes, this team will never be participating for the season win.
Team: Team Fastweb
Official rating: 8/10
Our rating: 7,5/10
Point carrier: Tony Martin
Some solid signings, but lacking a true finisher. Ballan is good, but needs support if he wants to win. He’ll be no much against the more dedicated cobble teams. Nibali will need to do his absolute best if he wants to win something. Ferrari is not good enough as a sprinter. But all-round, this team is pretty good. They can try to stack a few top ten places in order to get the points. But I doubt it will be enough to win the season.
Team: Lunar Industries-Umbrella Corporation
Official rating: 8/10
Our rating: 7/10
Point carrier: Mark Cavendish
A good sprinter team, but not the best. Although Cavendish still is the best on his own. A strong cobble team as well, but 2 other teams have better than that. Decent in the hills, but I don’t see any wins. The disappointment comes in the stage races. Leipheimer cannot be your main, and practically only, GT racer as a World Tour team. This team looks solid at first, but when you look at the other teams, I only see one real winner here: Cavendish.
Team: Tulip-Guinness
Official rating: 7/10
Our rating: 6,5/10
Point carrier: Chris Froome
They have a good stage races team, but lack quality elsewhere. Hushovd will be the key here, if he can get some points in his races, the team can start the GTs without pressure, letting Froome do his thing. This team looks to be safe, but they don’t really have a backup plan should their main guys fail for some reason. The lack of quality starts to show very early on the roster.
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