valverde321 wrote:
Wow, thats amazingly detailed, it must have taken forever!
A few hours, but most of it comes from the past month-end reviews. It was really fun to travel back to the reports made over a year ago to see how much I have changed my writing style.
Manager Comments:
Peraud really out did himself on this tour when nobody expect much from him. Even without winning a single stage, his gutsy hill attacks plus a few favourites crashing gave Peraud his only tour win this season. And a well deserved 10th place on our countdown.
Manager Comments:
This tour brought out the big guns of Alejandro Valverde and Devolder, and as they grabed an early lead on the stage 1 ITT. It was Lovkvist who took everyone by surprise to win stages 2 and 4, and then held them off on stage 5 to win the tour.
#8
Spoiler
Larry H. Millar Tour of Utah
August 17-21 : CT C2 : USA
Results:
- Stage 1: Larsson 10th
- Stage 2: Larsson 8th
- Stage 4: Martin 2nd, Deignan 4th, Larsson 6th
- Stage 5: Larsson 1st
- GC: Larsson 2nd, Martin 7th, Deignan 9th
- Sprint: Larsson 1st - Martin 10th
- KoM: Martin 6th, Deignan 9th
- Young Rider: Martin 4th
- Team: 2nd
Manager Comments:
Just a glance at the results and you can tell we had an eventfully tour, but it ranks 8th because the lack of quality wins. The stage 5 win came off a time trial, and since it was won by the Sweden ITT champ (Larsson) at the time - its place in the countdown reflects that.
Manager Comments:
This tour makes the countdown only because of stage 2. Deignan took his chances on a downhill attack, and brought home the first ever win for the team. Getting the first win so early was crucial for our success later on.
#6
Spoiler
Vuelta a la Region de Murcia
March 3-7 : CT C1 : Spain
Results:
- Stage 3: Lovkvist 1st
- Stage 4: Lovkvist 2nd, Martin 7th
- GC: Lovkvist 1st, Martin 8th
Manager Comments:
This one makes the countdown for the teamwork displayed on every stage, and it doesn't hurt that Lovkvist ended up winning it in the end.
Manager Comments:
Lovkvist makes Criterium International #5 with his huge attack on stage 2, and then he finished off the tour with a great ITT on stage 3.
Manager Comments:
Not only did the flood on stage 3 make for great headlines, but the results weren't to bad either. Lovkvist and Larsson put on a show for stages 2 and 4, but it was Deignan that made the sponsors happy finishing as the best climber. Oh, and did I mention Lovkvist also finished 1st in GC.
Manager Comments:
The classic double ranks as #3. While Peterson just missed taking 3rd. But this one gets extra credit due to large victory margin (and how long the Sweds had time to celebrate their great achievement) and the fact the sponsors only wanted a top 10.
Manager Comments:
What is there to say ... 6 stage wins, 2 doubles, KoM and Young Rider, and Larsson takes 1st. And this is only #2 ...
#1
Spoiler
World ITT Championships
September 25 : WC : Australia
Results:
- Larsson: 1st
Manager Comments:
One of the biggest races on the calendar, and we can't be more proud in the fact Larsson beat the best of the best to capture his 1st World ITT Championship. And his accomplishment will follow him on his back everytime he takes to time trial, until he will have to defend his crown in Copenhagen.
The Disappointments
Now onto the failures of this season, as not every race can turn out the way we want them to ...
Manager Comments:
Sure we got a stage win, but it came from the world ITT champ Larrson on a time trail. And from there we failed to keep the breakaways close for thye following stages.
#4
Spoiler
Air Force Cycling Classic
June 13 : CT C2 : USA
Results:
- Talansky: 35th
Manager Comments:
The flat stages doomed our team from the start, with only Andrew Talansky as our best sprinter, the results never seemed to come at the start of the season.
#3
Spoiler
Chicago Criterium
July 25 : CT C2 : USA
Results:
- Peraud: 59th
- Talansky: 63rd
Manager Comments:
More sprinting problems put the performance in Chicago at #3.
#2
Spoiler
Dutch Food Valley Classic
August 13 : CT HC : Netherlands
Results:
- Peraud: 21st
- Talansky: 46th
Manager Comments:
Not the worst results that came from a sprint, but it takes #2 because it was the only team goal we failed all year.
Manager Comments:
Larsson wins the stage 1 time trial, to only setup the worst stage all year for the team. All Larsson would have to do to win the tour would be stay up right on his bike for two totally flat stages. And the next thing you know, Larsson hits the pavement hard at the end of stage 2 and loses yellow completely. Truly the worst tour all season.
Welcome everyone to the 2010 Cycling Award Show. It has been a very eventfully year, so lets get started right away. The first award of the night goes to the man who won the most stages throughout the year.
Most Wins - Individual
And no surprise here, its the Manx Missile - Mark Cavendish.
Who finished the year with 20 stage wins.
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Mark Cavendish also played a big part in our next award.
Most Wins - Team
Team HTC-Columbia tallies 43 wins this season,
they beat out Saxo Bank and EA-Sony Ericsson who finished with 31.
-----
We go from wins, to an all around best performance riders of the year.
CT Rankings - Individual
EA-Sony Ericsson climber, Thomas Lovkvist takes this award beating
Kenny Van Hummel from Skil-Shimano by 6 points.
-----
But Kenny Van Hummel and his teammates did enough to earn our next award.
CT Rankings - Team
Skil-Shimano had a great year,
and will be joined by Vacansoleil in the ProTour next season.
-----
Now onto the top dogs of the cycling world.
PT Rankings - Individual
Alberto Contador had no problems winning this award,
2nd place Damiano Cunego was over 200 points back.
-----
As for the best team this year,
it's the Schleck brothers plus Cancellara who brought their team to the top.
PT Rankings - Team
Team Saxo Bank are official the team to beat next year,
now with this target on their back.
-----
Now we would like to give some credit to the riders that won some of the biggest races of the year, before we hand out Velo d'Or.
Or better know is the best cyclist of the year award.
Grand Tours
Giro d'Italia
Franco Pellizotti
Tour de France
Alberto Contador
Vuelta a Espana
Alberto Contador
Monuments
Milan – San Remo
Mark Cavendish
Paris–Roubaix
Tom Boonen
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Damiano Cunego
Giro di Lombardia
Damiano Cunego
Other Classics
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Tom Boonen
Gent–Wevelgem
Stijn Devolder
Amstel Gold Race
Joaquin Rodriguez
La Flèche Wallonne
Damiano Cunego
World Championships
Individual Time Trial
Gustav Erik Larsson
Road Race
Martijn Maaskant
----------------------------------------
It's now time to present the award you have been waiting for,
the best cyclist of the year award.
Velo d'Or
Alberto Contador
This man was on a different level all year and his results can't be beat by any other cyclist this year. And with a high price tag, Contador will be taking his talents to Saxo Bank next season as they reload after the Schleck brothers formed their new team Leopard-Trek.
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Thank You for sticking around all season,
and we hope to provide another great year in 2011.
As we head into the 2011 season, I would like to take this last opportunity to close out 2010. As most of you know this was my first season at the helm of a professional cycling, and I'm glad the way the season turned out. We may not have been promoted but to finish in the 6th is accomplishment in itself. And the way things turned out in the transfer season, we have a great chance to fight for promotion next season. Considering we renewed the contracts of the core members of our squad, plus we added more sprinters and a couble of climbers. From transfers to our fincial sitution below, you can see we are on the plus side. And even had enough money to hand out bonuses at the end of the year to say thank to our riders.
Bank Statement
End Balance 2010:
478,840
Money Out -
Transfer Fees:
Jake Keough
-35,000
Steven Cozza
-50,000
Matthew Hayman
-40,000
Tejay Van Garderen
-125,000
Total:
-250,000
Rider Bonuses:
Larsson & Lovkvist
-20,000
Martin & Deignan
-15,000
Peraud & Peterson
-15,000
Talansky
-3,000
Ackerman
-2,000
Rest of Team
-8,000
Total:
-63,000
2011 Equipment:
Wheels
-120,000
Helmets
-80,000
Total:
-200,000
Team Car:
Repairs
-10,000
Total Expensives
-523,000
Balance:
-44,160
Money In -
Sponsor Bonuses:
EA
20,000
Sony Ericsson
20,000
Best Buy
100,000
Saab
7,500
Trek
5,000
Total:
152,500
Award Money:
CT Best Rider
150,000
2nd Most Team Wins
50,000
Total:
200,000
Total Income
352,500
Final Balance:
308,340
For the last time I would like to thank our fans that followed us throughout the year, I can say enough how much that means to me. And hopefully you will stick around to see us next year.
So, I would like to now present the 2011 squad ... Come on out guys.
