Patrick Lefevere will start his zillion year as DS of the team, but didn't answer the call of the fans to built a team for the Belgian cobbled classics. Instead, the focus was mainly on sprinters.
Theo Bos (Monster Energy), Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil), Jonathan Hivert (Saur), Jurgen Roelandts (Sony Ericsson), Maarten Wynants (Rabobank).
Tyler Farrar (Garmin), Peter Velits (Astana).
Stage races: Fränk Schleck, Pierre Rolland, Dario Cataldo.
Hilly races: Fränk Schleck, Daniele Pietropolli, Jonathan Hivert.
Time trials: Frantisek Rabon.
Cobbled races: Jurgen Roelandts, Maarten Wynants.
Sprints: Theo Bos, Romain Feillu, Jurgen Roelandts.
For the 3rd year in a row, the Rabobank team has weakened. Too many good riders left, and too few came.
Karsten Kroon (M&M's), Johan Vansummeren (Garmin).
Lars Boom (Saxo), Pavel Brutt (Katusha), Heinrich Haussler (Radio Shack), Luis Leon Sánchez (Euskaltel).
Stage races: Wout Poels.
Hilly races: Paul Martens, Francesco Gavazzi, Wout Poels.
Time trials: -
Cobbled races: Johan Vansummeren, Marko Kump, Ronan van Zandbeek.
Sprints: Francesco Gavazzi, Jens Keukeleire, Mark Renshaw.
Radio Shack is the strongest team when it comes to stage races, and although some of the stage racers left, the team hasn't weakened. It is ready to take over the number 1 position from Monster Energy!
Thomas De Gendt (Monster Energy), Christopher Froome (Sky), Heinrich Haussler (Raboank), Nicholas Roche (AG2R), Mauro Santambrogio (BMC).
Janez Brajkovic (Sky), Ben Hermans (Astana), Andreas Klöden (Sony Ericsson), Andrew Talansky (Garmin), Bradley Wiggins (Dexia).
Stage races: Vincenzo Nibali, Thomas De Gendt, Jakob Fuglsang.
Hilly races: Damiano Cunego, Vincenzo Nibali, Nicholas Roche.
Time trials: Thomas De gendt, Vincenzo Nibali, Chris Froome.
Cobbled races: Heinrich Haussler, Bobbie Traksel.
Sprints: Heinrich Haussler, Bobbie Traksel.
Classification: Edited by dienblad on 03-10-2012 15:17
Bjarne Riis lost his most important rider last winter, as Fabian Cancellara left for Team Sky. To replace him, he didn't aim for cobblers, but for climbers and stage racers! Probably, he wants to bring the old days back to life, with Basso taking 2nd in Le Tour and Contador winning everything before his suspension.
Lars Boom (Rabobank), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin), Michele Scarponi (Nespresso).
Fabian Cancellara (Sky), JJ Haedo (Qantas), Daniel Navarro (Caja Rural).
Stage races: Michele Scarponi, Ryder Hesjedal, Richie Porte.
Hilly races: Michele Scarponi, Ryder Hesjedal, Nick Nuyens.
Time trials: Lars Boom, Richie Porte, Vladimir Karpets.
Cobbled races: Nick Nuyens, Lars Boom, George Hincapie.
Sprints: Kasper Jebjerg, LS Haedo.
Dave Brailsford and his Team Sky finally signed the rider that can bring the team the win in the Tour de France. After 3 years with Monster Energy and winning Le Tour in 2013, Andy Schleck joins Team Sky. He gets reunited with the best cobbler in the world, Fabian Cancellara. Together with the best sprinter in the world, Mark Cavendish, Team Sky is reconed to be the strongest team in 2014.
Janez Brajkovic (Radio Shack), Fabian Cancellara (Saxo), Jure Kocjan (Team Type 1), Michel Kreder (Garmin), Andy Schleck (Monster Energy).
Ivan Basso (Astana), Bernhard Eisel (Vacansoleil), Juan Antonio Flecha (Euskaltel), Thomas Löfkvist (Sony Ericsson).
Stage races: Andy Schleck, Janez Brajkovic, Rigoberto Urán.
Hilly classics: Andy Schleck, Rigoberto Urán, Michel Kreder.
Time trials: Fabian Cancellara, Michael Rogers, Janez Brajkovic.
Cobbled classics: Fabian Cancellara, Ian Stannard.
Sprints: Mark Cavendish, Ben Swift, Kenny Dehaes.
Sony Ericsson starts the 3rd season in it's existence. And despite the departure of both Boonen and Roelandts, the team stays a strong one, so staying in the World Tour shouldn't be a problem.
John Degenkolb (M&M's), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil), Andreas Klöden (Radio Shack), Thomas Löfkvist (Sky), Maxime Monfort (Lotto).
Tom Boonen (Katusha), Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma).
Stage races: Rein Taaramäe, Maxime Monfort, Andreas Klöden.
Hilly races: Greg Van Avermaet, Maxime Monfort, Johnny Hoogerland.
Time trials: Maxime Monfort, Andreas Klöden, Thomas Löfkvist.
Cobbled races: Greg Van Avermaet, Bjorn Leukemans.
Sprints: John Degenkolb, Christian Kux, Martin Reimer.
Vacansoleil - DCM finally managed to promote to the World Tour. Nevertheless, they lost some strong riders (Hoogerland, Feillu), but signed some riders that can keep them in the World Tour for more than 1 season. A lot is expected from young Dutch Jetse Bol, 1 of the most promising cobbled riders, who didn't transferred from Rabo CT to Rabo pros, but to Vacansoleil.
Jetse Bol (Rabo CT), Bernhard Eisel (Sky), Kristof Goddaert (Lotto), Sylwester Szmyd (Liquigas), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar).
Romain Feillu (Omega Pharma), Johnny Hoogerland (Sony Ericsson).
Stage races: Thomas Voeckler.
Hilly races: Thomas Voeckler, Marco Marcato, Joost van Leijen.
Time trials: Stijn Devolder, Dominique Cornu.
Cobbled races: Jetse Bol, Bernhard Eisel, Tom Veelers.
Sprints: Bernhard Eisel, Kristof Goddaert, Tomasz Smolen.
sutty68 wrote:
Can't believe that Andy would give up the Monster family for Sky
Well, I didn't offer him a new contract. The team was too strong, with Andy and Gesink. And I prefer someone like Kelderman to develop himself. Also I offered De Gendt several great contracts, but he refused them. Too bad...
Same thing with Theo Bos. With Kittel and Sagan present, and Jens Mulder developing, there was no room for a 4th 80+-sprinter.
Now I have a lot of young riders, as you will find out in a few days. Not the best team, but still good enough for becoming a top 3 team I think.
I present you the 12 teams, of which I think they have the biggest chance to promote to the World Tour.
Acqua et Sapone
The water and soap-boys had a very mediocre season. And as the team still wants to promote to the World Tour (why not, with only 1 Italian team there....). And promotion is possible.
Androni Giocattoli is 1 of the 2 relegated teams from last season. The team prefers being a Pro Conti-team, so they can avoid the Northern classics. So promotion is probably out of the question.
Caja Rural is a team with lots of decent to good climbers and hilly riders. Promotion is probably out of reach, but the teamcan get some surprising results. One transfer is for sure surprising, as the team managers talked Oscar Freire out of retiring.
Imanol Erviti (Euskaltel), Óscar Freire (Movistar), Daniel Navarro (Saxo).
Colnago has lost 2 of the key riders, Tejay van Garderen and Alejandro Valverde. Van Garderen brought the team some good results in the 2 years for the team, but Valverde was pretty disappointing. With 1 important signing, Emanuele Sella, and still relying on climber Domenico Pozzovivo, promotion seems no real target.
Emanuele Sella (Lampre).
Tejay Van Garderen (Garmin), Alejandro Valverde (Dexia)
Stage races: Domenico Pozzovivo.
Hilly races: Domenico Pozzovivo, Emanuele Sella, Carlo Scognamiglio.
Time trials: -
Cobbled races: -
Sprints: Marco Frapporti, Paride Grillo, Davide Viganò.
Thanks, but I'm not finished yet. 8 more Conti-teams to go, and then the Petronas-Monster Energy team. I can give that the moment Maddrengen has finished the new jersey and equipment (I'm not pressuring you Maddrengen, really not! )
La Française des Jeux, active since 1997 as a Professional Cycling Team, got relegated last year. As a result, they lost some of the key riders, but tred to reinforce the team that way, they can promote back again.
The wine team, Farnese Vini, has 2 very interesting riders under contract. Namely 1 of the most promising Italian climbers and 1 of the most promising French puncheurs. They won't bring the team promotion, but will bring the team some nice results.
Cyril Gautier (Europcar).
Francesco Failli (Team Type 1), Andrea Guardini (Astana).
Stage races: Matteo Cattaneo.
Hilly races: Cyril Gautier, Francesco Bellotti.
Time trials: -
Cobbled races: -
Sprints: Oscar Gatto.
Despite some expensive transfers, Liquigas failed to promote to the World Tour. This year, the team will try again, with almost the same riders. Promotion seems to be a must, rumour says that the team will stop to exist if it doesn't promote.
M&M's is a pretty strong team, and starts it's 3rd year as a cycling team (former team is Skil-Shimano). Unfortunately, the team lost it's best rider John Degenkolb to Sony Ericsson.
Team Alitalia, formerly known as Pisanellastoria and even further back as Mieche. Last year, the did nearly missed promotion to the World Tour with a lot of wins. So Alitalia decided to pump more money in the team, with 1 mission: promotion.
Stage races: Tony Martin, Matthias Frank.
Hilly races: Michal Albasini, Linus Gerdemann, Oliver Zaugg.
Time trials: Tony Martin, Linus Gerdemann, Matthias Brändle.
Cobbled races: Marcus Burghardt.
Sprints: Gerald Ciolek, Andreas Stauff.
After missing the promotion for 3 years by a small margin, the team finally wants to make that final step. The strength of the team is about the same as last year, with only a few changes.
Jimmy Engoulvent (Garmin), Christophe Kern (Europcar).
Jimmy Casper (Europcar), Jonathan Hivert (Omega Pharma), Cyril Lemoine (AG2R), Przemyslaw Niemiec (Alitalia).
After a strong season, where the team nearly missed promotion, the team management had some problems in replacing the 2 best riders Jure Kocjan and Manuel Belletti, that left the team.
Maurizio Biondo (Team Type 1), Francesco Failli (Farnese Vini), Stefan Schumacher (Sony Ericsson).
Manuel Belletti (BMC), Jure Kocjan (Sky).
Stage races: -
Hilly races: Daniele Callegarin, Alexander Efimkin, Stefan Schmacher.
Time trials: Maurizio Biondo, Stefan Schumacher.
Cobbled races: -
Sprints: Sacha Modolo, Daryl Impey, Jake Keough.
Meanwhile, after a nice month (November) off, we are preparing for the 2014 season. The team schedules have been made, and to please our sponsor we'll ride some "new" races for us, like Malaysia and Qinghai Lake. Also, we'll show up in less races than last year, so every rider gets about 60-75 race days.
I'm at the airport now, having to check in for the team presentation. And does Petronas has found a nice location!!!!
