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Ryan Eastman - Bontrager 2013 February
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2012 12:53
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Team Manager
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2012 - Season coming to an end
First here again another comparison between the 2012 season start stats and the actual stats. As you can see there weren`t much changes. I guess most of my riders will improve later. At least I hope so. 
In case of myself you don`t see any changes and so I hope to have my bigger breakthrough in 2013.
Januar 2012
December 2012
Nominations for Velo d'Or
 Igor Anton comes as Giro Winner and top5 in Suisse and Catalunya. Maybe his best ever season for Euskaltel.
 Thomas De Gendt 4th in the Giro, 2nd in the Vuelta and podiumed in Romandie. A strong GT season for Belgium with Vandenbroeck 5th in the Tour.
 Tyler Farrar might be the biggest surprise here. But the point jersey in the Tour de France and 3 stage wins plus several podiums in the Giro, 5th in Milan San Remo and some more top results speak for itself.
 Chris Froome is the big favourite on the title. Winning La Vuelta and 2nd in the Tour losing the lead on the Champs Elysees only plus a 3rd in the Worlds ITT. He surely was the leader for Team Sky in the GT`s this year.
 Simon Gerrans is an outsider on the title as he misses the big win. He won Pologne. 2nd in Liege, 4th in San Remo, 6th in the Fleche Wallone and incredibly 10th in the Vuelta.
David Millar was the surprising winner of the Tour de France 2012. He kept in front in breakaways and even got the lead on a successful Champs Elysees breakaway. Weird stuff happened this year. Except for this only a 5th in Romandie on his palmares.
 Vincenzo Nibali won Suisse, Catalunya and Paris Nice and 2nd in Amstel Gold Race. Sounds like a very good season but he disappointed in the GT`s.
Juergen Roelandts is the surprising World Champion 2012. He had lots of top10 results in smaller classics and top20 in Milan San Remo and the Ronde.
Alejandro Valverde is the 2nd big favourite next to Froome. Winning Amstel Gold, San Sebastian, Liege, Lombardia, Romandie, Pais Vasco and 2nd in Milan San Remo plus a 4th in Tirrento and 5th in the Vuelta. Surely the most consistent rider 2012.
Bradley Wiggins is the 3rd Brit and shows their dominance in the modern cycling. He surely was in the shadow of Froome but 7th in the Tour, 1st in the Dauphinee, 4th in the Amstel Gold and 7th in the Amstel Gold plus winning in California is not bad at all.
And the winner is...
Spoiler
Valverde`s brilliant palmares makes him the deserved winner ahead of Millar with his TdF coup and the new World Champion Roelandts. Froome surprisingly not on the podium.
Pro Tour
Valverde also was the highest ranked PT rider in the rankings ahead of Nibali and Froome and this also brought his Movistar team the overall win.
Continental Tour
John Degenkolb was an important factor for Argos Shimano to promote although he will leave the team. Close he wins the ranking ahead of surprising Said Haddou, who had the most wins of all this season. Next year they will both ride for Team Europcar, who also promoted.
Joe Dombrowski as 17th was the best Bontrager rider and was just a few points behind the 10th.
CQ Ranking
Who else but Valverde should be at the top? At least Sky manages to win this ranking as they surely had the greatest squad.
Last but not least the promoted and relegated teams.
Promoting to the World Tour:
 Team Argos-Shimano |  Team Europcar |
Relegated to Pro Continental:
| Lotto Belisol Team |  Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank |
Promoting to Pro Continental:
| An Post | | Endura Racing | | Bontrager |  EPM | | Christina Watches |  Itera-Katusha |
Relegated to Continental:
| Andalucia | | UnitedHealthcare | | RusVelo |  SpiderTech |  Champion System |  NetApp |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-11-2012 13:02
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Tour de France Champion
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Great to see Bontrager promoted to Pro Continental status 
Next season will bring lots of new challenges for the Team |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-11-2012 13:12
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21379
Joined: 01-05-2012
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Roelandts world champion? Hell yeah! |
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| Pellizotti2 |
Posted on 06-11-2012 13:25
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 9885
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Millar won the Tour! 
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2012 14:36
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Team Manager
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@sutty: I guess so. But my team is much stronger as well. Some of the new signings have even improved since the signing and are great riders now. You will see later when presenting my squad.
@Ian: He was super strong. It was most likely a battle between him and Gatto.
@Pelli: I was laughing when seeing it. Vandevelde 3rd btw. Both were in the Champs Elysees breakway. Millar from 6-1 and Vandevelde to 3rd. Both were in 2-3 successful breakaways, which made it a perfect GT for Garmin.
Froome even more impressive as he would normally have won the Tour and the Vuelta. Hate these simmed results.
I decided to make an overview over the Pro Tour Teams in 2013 first and within the next days for the PCT Teams and then a bit more for Bontrager.
Will start the PT soon. |
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2012 15:41
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Team Manager
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World Tour Presentation 2013 - Part 1/3
Ag2r La Mondiale
| In | Out | | Alexandre Pichot (Europcar) | Kristoff Goddaert (Bontrager - Ridley) | | Christophe Kern (Europcar) | Anthony Ravard (Bretagne - Schuller) | | Cyril Dessel (Free Agent) | Ben Gastauer (Whirlpool - Author) | | Enrico Grigoli (Free Agent) | Matthieu Perget (Free Agent) | | Romain Bardet (HIG - Sanofi) |
With Roche, Gadret and Dupont they kept their strong climbers and put in some more depth with Christophe Kern. Sprinting wise it`s all about mid level sprinters like Belletti, Mondory and Casper.
The loss of future great Bardet might hurt the most.
Expect them constantly top15 in the hard stages but none of them is top class to bring in the big points.
Argos - Shimano
| In | Out | | Yoann Offredo (Free Agent) | John Degenkolb (Bretagne - Schuller) | | Gerald Ciolek (Omega Pharma) | Tom Dumoulin (Garmin) | | Thor Hushovd (BMC) | Alexandre Geniez (HIG - Sanofi) | | Thomas Bonnin (Bretagne - Schuller) | | Cheng Ji (Free Agent) | | Ramon Sinkeldam (Free Agent) | | Thierry Hupont (Free Agent) |
At least Kittel stayed with the team when some of the most important riders in Degenkolb, Dumoulin and Geniez left. Ciolek can be seen as 1:1 change for Degenkolb although he might be a bit weaker. Offredo and Hushovd give the team great depth for the classics while there is no new climber coming. Ludvigsson is expected to fill that gap as he improved last season. 2nd in Bayern and 19th in the Vuelta shows his way.
Expect them to shine in the sprints and classics. Not a team for the mountains. Will be hard to stay in the World Tour.
 Astana Pro Team
| In | Out | | Bradley Wiggins (Sky) | Andrei Grivko (Meiji) | | Michele Scarponi (Lampre) | Borut Bozic (HIG - Sanofi) | | Francesco Ginanni (Acqua Sapone) | Enrico Gasparotto (Omega Pharma) | | Daniele Di Nucci (Free Agent) | Jacobo Guarnieri (Accent Willems) | | Mauro Finetto (Free Agent) | Jewgeni Nepomnjatschschi (Free Agent) | | Sergei Renev (Free Agent) | | Valentin Iglinski (Free Agent) |
Wiggins, Scarponi, Brajkovic and Kreuziger. This is pure GT power. Ginanni replaces Gasparotto, while Bozic is hard to replace.
A strong team for the Ardennes classics and stage races with focus on the GT`s.
BMC Racing Team
| In | Out | | Gianni Meersman (Lotto) | Brent Bookwalter (Dukla Praha) | | Maurizio Biondo (Free Agent) | Greg Van Avermaet (RadioShack) | | Paride Grillo (Free Agent) | Steve Morabito (RadioShack) | | Mirko Lorenzetto (Free Agent) | Thor Hushovd (Argos Shimano) | | Riccardo Ricco (Free Agent) | | | Luc Brock (Neo Pro) | | | Aaron Mol (Neo Pro) | | | Riccardo di Giuseppe (Neo Pro) |
Evans and Van Garderen will be their GT duo. Gilbert and Ballan for the classics. Van Avermaet is 1:1 replaced by Meersman, Morabito by Ricco, who gets a last chance. Lorenzetto, Grillo and Biondo come back to cycling and will strengthen their sprints.
A team for every terrain. Van Garderen and Meersman are great young riders. Evans, Ballan, Burghardt and Gilbert are high level riders.
Team Europcar
| In | Out | | Damiano Cunego (Lampre) | Matteo Pelluchi (Free Agent) | | John Degenkolb (Argos Shimano) | Alexandre Pichot (Ag2r) | | Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) | Christophe Kern (Ag2r) | | William Bonnet (FDJ) | Damien Gaudin (Auber 93) | | Dimitri Champion (Bretagne - Schuller) | Sebastian Turgot (Garmin) | | Christophe Moreau (Free Agent) | Anthony Charteau (Spidertech) | | Michel Snel (Free Agent) | | | Kevin Sireau (Track) | |
Rolland wants the GT podium next year. He is France`s best stage racer and still young. Except for Kern they only lost decent riders. In Cunego, Degenkolb, Bouhanni and Champion they get high quality to add. Bonnet and Moreau add some experience.
Not the best depth here but if Rolland, Cunego, Voeckler and Degenkolb ride on their expected level they could stay in the World Tour.
Euskaltel - Euskadi
| In | Out | | Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) | Alan Perez (Drapac) | | Juan Garate (Rabobank) | Jorge Azanza (Free Agent) | | Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar) | | | Francisco Pacheco (GIOS) | | | David Garcia Da Pena (Free Agent) | | | David Herrero Llorente (Free Agent) | | | Inaki Isasi (Free Agent) | | | Pablo Ansoategui (Neo Pro) | | | Guillermo Arias (Neo Pro) | | | Manuel Garcia Munoz (Neo Pro) | | | Pedro Jose Vera (Neo Pro) | |
The Giro win and Tour de France podium really helped their financial situation. With LL Sanchez they have the most improved player in their rows now. He is one of the best puncheurs now. Castroviejo comes back as world class time trialist. The other signings add their great depth and even the neo pros are looking really good. With only two helpers leaving they finally have a nice amount of riders to be more competive in the races. The sprint is still their weakest point. But in the mountains they might be the best now as also for the Ardennes classics. |
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Posted on 08-12-2025 19:32
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| bigggassi |
Posted on 06-11-2012 15:46
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congratulation for being promoted to the ProCont-Division. Hope you can take there the next step as well. Good luck!
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-11-2012 16:10
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Tour de France Champion
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Nice presentations, can't wait for next batch. Euskaltel was active in the scouting regions |
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| ste_18 |
Posted on 06-11-2012 17:04
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Nice presentation
Though some transfer are a bit strange (Wiggings to Astana and Cunego to Europcar)... |
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2012 17:05
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Thanks both. Euskaltel made a brilliant job obviously. 2 of the best Spaniards back plus great neo pros, which should be good in 1-2 seasons already.
World Tour Presentation 2013 - Part 2/3
FDJ - BigMat
| In | Out | | Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Andalucia) | Arnaud Demare (Saur Soyasun) | | Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) | Naher Bouhanni (Europcar) | | Rafael Valls (Vacansoleil) | Arnaud Corteille (LA Antarte) | | Francisco Mancebo (Competitive) | Anthony Geslin (Endura) | | Manuel Vazquez Hueso (Free Agent) | Geoffrey Soupe (Onda) | | Raphael Legendre (Neo Pro) | Jussi Veikkanen (Roubaix Lille) | | Jorge Nogaledo (Neo Pro) | William Bonnet (Europcar) | | Marc Ribot (Neo Pro) | |
If you want an example on how to destroy all your talent, look at FDJ. Demare, Bouhanni and Soupe traded in just one season. And no replacement, so it`s totally up to Hutarovych to shine in the sprints.
They went for mostly Spaniards and found some nice additions to higher their climbing depth for Pinot as clear leader. Pardilla could become very worthful, while their neo pros are well selected.
Chainel and Ladagnous need to over perform in the classics, otherwise they will be far at the bottom.
Garmin - Sharp
| In | Out | | Lance Armstrong (Free Agent) | Alex Howes (Bontrager) | | Tom Dumoulin (Argos Shimano) | Jacob Rathe (Bontrager) | | Sebastian Turgot (Europcar) | Nathan Haas (Bontrager) | | Hans Dekkers (Free Agent) | Christian Vandevelde (Liquigas) | | Jack Bauer (NSP Ghost) | | Koldo Fernandez (Team Idea) | | Raymond Kreder (Rabobank) | | Sep Vanmarcke (Vacansoleil) | | Thomas Dekker (Team WIT) | | Tyler Farrar (Team Sky) |
They really reduced their squad and lost high quality riders like Farrar, Vanmarcke or Vandevelde. Dumoulin is the only real replacement while Lance Armstrong`s 2nd comeback definitely has the highest media interest.
Talansky, Martin and Hesjedal are their hopes for GT`s. Vansummeren and Haussler will fight the best in the classics. Wegmann for the Ardennes and with Wesley Kreder they already have a good Farrar replacment in their squad. Not as strong as last season but still strong enough to avoid relegation.
Orica - GreenEdge
| In | Out | | Vladimir Efimkin (Free Agent) | Jack Bobridge (RC Arbö) | | Jose Castelblanco (Free Agent) | Jens Keukeleire (Bontrager) | | Connor Marshal (Neo Pro) | Svein Tuft (Free Agent) | | Noah Thomas (Neo Pro) | Travis Meyer (Free Agent) | | Tomas Vaitkus (Dukla Praha) | | Wesley Sulzberger (Sunweb - Revor) |
They made the only right thing. Add more climbers but not sure if the 41 year old Colombian Castelblanco was the ideal choice. Efimkin comes back after one year break and should give them some results.
Keukeleire and Vaitkus might hurt them a bit but they had and still have far too many sprinters.
Langeveld can have a brilliant season. Gerrans is expected to have another one and also Cameron Meyer improved.
They might end somewhere in the middle. Higher if Gerrans and Langeveld can perform at their best the whole season.
Team Katusha
| In | Out | | Maxime Monfort (RadioShack) | Aleksandr Porsev (Burgos) | | David Bernabeu (Free Agent) | Denis Menchov (Androni) | | Juri Trofimov (Rucanor) | | Petr Ignatenki (Free Agent) | | Xavier Florencio (Meiji) |
Replacing Menchov with Monfort is a nice move for them and gives them a third stage race option next to Rodriguez and Moreno. Losing Porsev might hurt them but with Freire, Haller and Selig they have decent sprinters.
Not as deep as other teams but still some solid point scorers.
Lampre - ISD
| In | Out | | Davide Rebellin (Free Agent) | Damiano Cunego (Europcar) | | Luca Zanasca (Team WIT) | Diego Ulissi (Itera) | | Fabio Felline (Androni) | Michele Scarponi (Astana) | | Andrea Noe (Free Agent) | Vitaliy Buts (Amore & Vita) | | Gaetano Mandelli (Neo Pro) | Manuelle Mori (Free Agent) |
A lot depends on Alessandro Petacchi. He is the single star since Cunego and Scarponi left the team without any equal addition. Ulissi hurts, too but is replaced by Felline. Noe and Rebellin are beyond their best times. Zanasca won`t help them as much as needed.
Only average riders everywhere. Will be very hard to avoid relegation.
Liquigas - Cannondale
| In | Out | | Nick Nuyens (Saxobank) | Carlos Sarmiento (ISD - Neri) | | Christian Vandevelde (Garmin) | Dominik Nerz (Glud & Marstrand) | | Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma) | Damiano Caruso (Acqua Sapone) | | Gilberto Simoni (Free Agent) | Eros Cappecchi (Farnese Vini) | | Matiej Paterski (Free Agent) |
They lost some of their biggest talents but kept Nibali, Moser and Sagan. Adding Nuyens gives them a great cobbler, Vandevelde adds some mountain option and Chicchi for the sprint train. Simoni comes back from retirement and will help their mountain train.
Nibali and Basso for the GT`s, Sagan for the Ardennes and with Viviani a fast sprinter. Great riders everywhere. Still one of the strongest teams although they lost some depth. |
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| Pellizotti2 |
Posted on 06-11-2012 17:08
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Really like the layout!
Some riders are really crazy. LLS with 83 HI for example!
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2012 17:12
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Team Manager
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I was shocked as well.
He is the strongest hill rider now. Gilbert has 82, so I am looking forward for the Ardennes and hope he is there.
I haven`t followed the PT a lot last season but by looking at all the improvements and then looking on my almost no improved team it`s a bit frustrating.
And I guarantee you, there are other riders as well in PCT division mainly, that have crazily improved.
And sorry for letting guys like Armstrong and Simoni come back. 
Haven`t realized that they have been free agents. Now I just let them in and hope they will retire after 1 year.
Last PT and maybe first PCT updates not before tomorrow. Won`t be at home now.
Edited by roturn on 06-11-2012 17:13
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-11-2012 20:00
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21379
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Armstrong returns 
FDJ will have a hard time with that squad, good luck to them!
It'll be great seeing Monfort leading a GT (hopefully!) |
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 06-11-2012 20:08
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Grand Tour Champion
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Congrats on the promotion! Hope you can succeed in this level.  There are some strange transfers, but it's Cya logic. |
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2012 20:36
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Team Manager
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Totally agree with Monfort. Like to see him going on his own more often.
Fdj from super sprint talents to average team. Shame.
Some weird transfers but in general not as bad as in former PCMs. Euskaltel staying all Spanish is pretty unrealistic in 2012. |
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| roturn |
Posted on 07-11-2012 10:56
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Team Manager
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World Tour Presentation 2013 - Part 3/3
Team Movistar
| In | Out | | Haimar Zubeldia (RadioShack) | Enrique Sanz (Orbea) | | Jose Gomez Marchante (Free Agent) | Ignatas Konovalovas (Kenda) | | Antonio Colom (Free Agent) | Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel) | | Jose Antonio Botella (Free Agent) | Jose Herrada (GIOS) | | Ezequiel Mosquera (Free Agent) | Nairo Quintana (Meiji) | | Roberto Andreu (Neo Pro) | Rui Costa (Colombia) | | Sergi Blanco Sanchez (Neo Pro) | Sergio Pardilla (FDJ) | | Juan Pedro de la Rosa (Neo Pro) | Angel Madrazo (Rabobank) |
They lost quite a lot of their young stars and replaced them with old veterans. So not the best swap. Still they belong to the best of the best when it comes into the hilly terrain. Last years dominator Valverde and Visconti are a great duo there. Plus Cobo and Arroyo they have still good chances for GT`s top10 as well with a long list of mountain domestiques.
Rojas Gil and Ventoso are solid sprinters. Only their time trial strength got really weakened. In general not as strong as last season but probably still a top 5 squad.
Omega Pharma Quickstep
| In | Out | | Enrico Gasparotto (Astana) | Andrew Fenn (Sky) | | Patrik Sinkewitz (Free Agent) | Bert Grabsch (Free Agent) | | Julien Simon (Saur Soyasun) | Grancesco Chicchi (Liquigas) | | Johan Coenen (Free Agent) | Gerald Ciolek (Argos Shimano) | | Roy Sentjens (Free Agent) | Iljo Keisse (Parkhotel) | | Jerome Pineau (Bretagne Schuller) | | Julien Vermote (Free Agent) | | Michel Golas (CCC Polsat) | | Serge Pauwels (Sunweb) |
They lost some quality. In especially in the sprint area, where it`s more about Boonen and Steegmans now. Gasparotto is a huge transfer as he will strengthen their Ardennes squad. Same with Julien Simon, who is a great addition to any team. The rest is filled with experienced free agents for a bigger depth. Probably the strongest classic teams and with Velits, Martin and Cataldo some solid stage racers.
Rabobank
| In | Out | | Andre Greipel (Lotto) | Luis Leon Sanchez (Euskaltel) | | Angel Madrazo (Movistar) | Steven Kruijswijk (Vacansoleil) | | Kenny Van Hummel (Vacansoleil) | Carlos Barredo (Caja Rural) | | Matthew Hayman (Sky) | Jetse Bol (Dukla Praha) | | Raymond Kreder (Garmin) | Lars Boom (Vacansoleil) | | Oscar Pereiro (Free Agent) | Juan Garate (Euskaltel) | | Stijn Hulsizer (Neo Pro) | | | Dean Assink (Neo Pro) | |
Gesink and Mollema is a great duo for the GT`s and Ardennes. With the addition of Greipel they also have a real power sprinter now.
Biggest loss will be Sanchez and Boom. Both are great classic riders and have no real replacement. Still they belong to the very best in this area and should be a good team in 2013.
RadioShack - Nissan
| In | Out | | Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) | Maxime Monfort (Katusha) | | Steve Morabito (BMC) | Hayden Roulston (NSP Ghost) | | Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil) | Haimar Zubeldia (Movistar) | | Joseph Santos (Neo Pro) | Jakob Fuglsang (Saxobank) | | Jesse Sergent (Free Agent) | | Laurent Didier (Free Agent) | | Markel Irizar (Marco Polo) |
They lost lots of their 2nd tier leaders. Their additions are great classic riders mainly. Morabito is another helper for the mountains.
The Schleck brothers and Cancellara are one of the best riders and have to perform better in 2013. Then it`s a top class team as the depth is incredible to possible win every race.
Sky Pro Cycling Team
| In | Out | | Andrew Fenn (Quickstep) | Bradley Wiggins (Astana) | | Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Endura) | Matthew Hayman (Rabobank) | | Aleksandr Kolobnev (Free Agent) | Bernhard Eisel (LKT Brandenburg) | | Tyler Farrar (Garmin) | Geraint Thomas (Koga Cycling) | | Ivan Dominguez (Free Agent) | Kanstantin Sivtsov (Koga Cycling) | | Ethan Stafford (Neo Pro) | Salvatore Puccio (Jayco) | | Will Connick (Neo Pro) | | | Aidan Cameron (Neo Pro) | |
Losing Wiggins without replacement is tough. The others weren`t the best. But with Froome they have the 2012 GT dominator with Uran, Henao, Lövkvist, Porte and Rogers all staying. Kolobnev gives them a great depth for the Ardennes while Farrar is their next sprint star next to Cavendish. Tiernan-Locke is also a great addition as he combines puncheur and sprinter skills perfectly. Probably the team to beat also in 2013.
Team Vacansoleil
| In | Out | | Lars Boom (Rabobank) | Björn Leukemans (RadioShack) | | Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin) | Gustav Larrson (Roubaix Lille) | | Alberto Contador (Free Agent) | Martijn Keijzer (Differdange) | | Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank) | Kenny Van Hummel (Rabobank) | | Mario Prete (Neo Pro) | Wout Poels (Cofidis) | | Rafael Valls (FDJ) | | Thomas Marczijnski (Cycling Egypt) |
Wout Poels was their big star last season. Alberto Contador is it in 2013. Brilliant replacment. With Boom, Vanmarcke and Kruijswijk they got stronger than last season and are some of the best in the Ardennes, Flanders and also in GT`s. In everything runs well for them they are a top3 team next season as Kris Boeckmans improved nicely and also gives them strength in the sprint terrain. |
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 07-11-2012 10:59
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Grand Tour Champion
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Very nice preview. Great job.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-11-2012 11:13
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21379
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Rabobank made some nice moves! So did Vacansoleil. Dutch teams did well on transfer market! |
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| roturn |
Posted on 07-11-2012 11:52
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Team Manager
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Thanks.
Actually I think Rabobank is one of the losers in the transfer window. Greipel, ok fine. But they lost some of the very best. Sanchez is the best puncheur in the game. Boom one of the best cobbler. Kruijswijk and Barredo were solid riders on PT level.
Vacansoleil indeed did great.
So no coming to the first PCT part. I missed out Bontrager as they will get their own presentation obviously.
Pro Continental Presentation 2013 - Part 1/3
Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda`s
| In | Out | | Jacopo Guarnieri (Astana) | Steven Caethoven (An Post) | | Kenny de Ketele (Topsport) | | | Wim Van Huffel (Free Agent) | | | Nico Verhoeven (Free Agent) | |
A great classic team for the PCT. The addition of Guarnierishould let them stay in there. He will be one of the fastest in many races.
Acqua & Sapone
| In | Out | | Damiano Caruso (Liquigas) | Francesco Ginanni (Astana) | | Giorgio Brambilla (Leopard CT) | Danielle Scampamorte (Free Agent) | | Emanuelle Sella (Androni) | | | Crescenzo d'Amore (Free Agent) | | | Simone Campagnaro (Free Agent) | | | Francesco Rivera (Free Agent) | | | Gian Matteo Fagnini (Free Agent) | | | Francesco Cipolletta (Free Agent) | | | Simone Cadamuro (Free Agent) |
Losing Ginanni hurts on the hilly terrain. Carusso, Sella and Brambilla give them far more on the mountain side and all the free agents add them some depth.
Androni Giocattoli 
| In | Out | | Denis Menchov (Katusha) | Emanuelle Sella (Acqua & Sapone) | | Enrico Peruffo (Miche) | Francisco Moreno (Free Agent) | | Carlos Becerra (Free Agent) | Jose Serpa (EPM - UNE) | | Gianluca Cavalli (Free Agent) | Miguel Rubiano Chavez (GW Shimano) | | Jose Chacon (Free Agent) | Fabio Felline (Lampre) | | Luca Conati (Free Agent) | | | Marco Corsini (Free Agent) | | | Yeisson Delgado (Free Agent) | | | Manuel Medina (Free Agent) | | | Diego Nosotti (Free Agent) |
They added almost every climber from Venezuela and have a great armada in the mountains now. Denis Menchov even gives them a former GT winner, while their leaving riders all were solid riders. In total the new team might be a bit stronger than before but mainly focussed on the mountains now.
An Post - Sean Kelly
| In | Out | | Steven Caethoven (Accent Willems) | Joren Segers (Free Agent) | | Filip Meirhaeghe (Free Agent) | | | Steven Van Vooren (Topsport) | | | Mario Aerts (Free Agent) | | | Filipe Cardoso (Efapel) | | | Jurgen Francois (Free Agent) | | | Mikael Appelmans (Neo Pro) | | | Rik Vanlanker (Neo Pro) |
They added some nice riders and were able to keep Vanbilsen, Bellis and Ghyllebert. Definitely a team to watch in the classic season. Not much outside.
Bretagne - Schuller
| In | Out | | Nikias Arndt (LKT Brandenburg) | Jean-Luc Delpech (Free Agent) | | Jerome Pineau (Omega Pharma) | Renaud Dion (Free Agent) | | Anthony Ravard (Ag2r) | Geoffrey Lequatre (La Antarte) | | Thomas Bonnin (Argos Shimano) | Guillaume Blot (Eddy Merckx Indeland) | | Nicolas Jalabert (Free Agent) | Dimitry Champion (Europcar) | | Cyril Lemoine (Saur Soyasun) | | | Julien Mazet (Free Agent) | | | Fabien Taillefer (Free Agent) | | | Remi Bellet (Neo Pro) | | | Lukas Vincent (Neo Pro) |
Nikias Arndt could be the next German supersprinter. He improved massive this season and should immediately help them in their first PCT season. Ravard is another nice sprinter addition while the other additions give them some climbing skills and a better depth. Could be hard but possible to stay in PCT.
Caja Rural
| In | Out | | Carlos Baredo (Rabobank) | Antonoi Piedra (Free Agent) | | Walter Pedraza (EPM - UNE) | Hernani Broco (Free Agent) | | Hernan Ponce (Free Agent) | Manuel A. Cardoso (Azad Universitat) | | Josep Jufre (Free Agent) | Danayl Petrov (Genesys) | | Hector Guerra (Free Agent) | David de la Cruz (Groupement Sportif) | | Juan Escamez (Free Agent) | Fernando Lasca (Norheim) | | Jose Rubiera (Free Agent) | | | Carlos Sastre (Free Agent) | | | Carlos Torrent (Free Agent) | | | Mario del Mundo (Neo Pro) | | | Gonzalo Ferrer (Neo Pro) |
Barredo and Pedraza are great PCT additions, who should really help them. The free agents mainly strengthen their climbing squad so they should be stronger than in 2012.
Christina Watches - Onfone
| In | Out | | Michael Kessler (Free Agent) | Jimmi Sörensen (Free Agent) | | Michael Moller Madsen (Neo Pro) | Martin Lind (Free Agent) | | Christopher Carlsen (Neo Pro) |
Nearly the same squad as last year. Schumacher will be their main leader in many races with Pedersen and Furlan being their sprinters. Young Dane Kamp Egestedt improved well and will play an important role as also Wilman in some small stage races. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-11-2012 11:58
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21379
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Huh, Filip Meirhaeghe, the mountainbiker, with An Post? Is he in the PCM Daily database? That's so odd |
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