Ag2r-La Mondiale 2012 in Review

The first of the 2012 team reviews begins with Ag2r-La Mondiale who have been a stable of the peloton since 1992 but in the past few seasons their presence on the podium has diminished. With only a handful wins in 2012 Ag2r find themselves second last on the team classification in the World Tour standings. With Nicholas Roche and Sébastien Hinault leaving for greener pastures in 2013, next season will be on of change for the French outfit who have also brought in some exciting new riders to chase those elusive wins.

Upcoming Posts as the Season Winds Down

Over the next month or so I will be posting team by team analysis of the 2012 season. Who were the surprise packets, who failed to live up the hype, who will be the teams and riders to watch in 2013?
As well as a team analysis I will also be posting a bit of a season review and what made the headlines in 2012.
The road cycling season may be coming to a close which means there won't be as much material being posted over the off season. However the season in review will be an ongoing series until the UCI World Tour teams have been reviewed and possibly some Continental teams as well. Thanks for reading....

Gilbert Delivers after Fearless Attack on the Cauberg

Philippe Gilbert had pencilled in September 23rd 2012 as the day he would win the rainbow stripes. When the parcours for the 2012 worlds was announced, Gilbert was installed as the favourite. 2009 and 2010 had been close with Gilbert in contention until the final kilometres in both those races. 2011 was the flat track that had Mark Cavendish pencilled in as the favourite just as Gilbert was for 2012.

UCI World Championships Men's Road Race Route

Courtesy of UCI

2012 World Championships Medal Tally

Place	Nation				Total
1	Germany	3	0	1	4
2	Belgium	2	0	1	3
3	Great Britain	2	0	0	2
4	Norway	1	2	0	3
5	Netherlands	1	0	2	3
6	Kazakhstan	1	0	0	1
	Russia	1	0	0	1
8	Australia	0	3	2	5
9	United States	0	3	0	3
10	Denmark	0	1	0	1
	France	0	1	0	1
	Slovenia	0	1	0	1
13	Italy	0	0	2	2
14	Belarus	0	0	1	1
	New Zealand	0	0	1	1
	Spain	0	0	1	1
Total		11	11	11	33

Team time trials are included under the UCI registration country of the team.

Men's Road Race Starting List: 207 Riding for the Rainbow

Mark Cavendish will be wearing the number one dossard as he looks to defend his title. Cavendish is unlikely to go back to back with Belgian Phillipe Gilbert the number one favourite. Cavendish has said the course is too hard for a sprinter such as himself and a select group will most likely arrive at the finish together. That group looks like containing Gilbert, Simon Gerrans (Australia), Alejandro Valverde (Spain), Peter Sagan (Slovakia), Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) and a dark horse or two. Spain and Belgium have the strongest teams for the Road Race but Australia and Italy have the class to spring a surprise. For the smaller nations, it will be hard to work against 9 man teams but there is always the possibility of a two or three man team benefiting from trade team allegiances or simply being opportunistic at the right time.

2012 Men's ITT World Championships: 58 Riders Battle for the Rainbow

Tony Martin will roll down the ramp at 3:24pm today with 57 riders having gone before him. Second last in the order is the recent Vuelta a España champion Alberto Contador who was the 2009 Spanish ITT Champion. Martin's teammate on Omega Pharma-Quick Step Sylvain Chavanel will be riding in the French colours and may just challenge the reigning champion for the rainbow stripes. 

Specialized - lululemon win Women's TTT WC Event

The Specialized - lululemon team has taken out the first event of teh 2012 UCI World Championships. In second place 24 seconds off the pace was Orica-AIS who were the only team to come within a minute of Specialized-luluemon. In third was AA Drink - Leontien.NL Cycling who were a distant 1:59 minutes off the winners.

2012 UCI World Championships Women's TTT Results

1st Team Specialized - lululemon 46:31

2nd Orica-AIS + 24

3rd AA Drink - Leontien.NL Cycling + 1:59

4th Rabobank Women Cycling Team + 2:20

5th Rusvelo + 2:30

6th Be Pink + 3:15

7th S.C. Michela Fanini Rox + 4:37

8th Hitec Products-Mistral Home Cycling Team + 4:38

9th Dolmans-Boels Cycling Team + 5:00 

10th Lotto-Belisol Ladies + 5:32

11th Skil-Argos +5:33

12th Sengers Ladies Cycling Team + 5:45

The Men's TTT begins shortly with BMC, Orica-GreenEdge, Team Sky and Garmin-Sharp favourites for the first TTT world title in 17 years. Start list for the 2012 UCI World Championships Men's TTT event

http://www.limburg2012.nl/upload/documents/06_ROA_CM2012_Startinglist_TTT_ME.pdf

Contador wins his Second Vuelta de Espana

Alberto Contador wrapped up his fifth Grand Tour win on the streets on Madrid. The Spaniard won by 1:16 over compatriot Alejandro Valverde and showed the peloton he is back in business. Valverde snatched the  points classification off Joaquim Rodríguez as well as the combination classification on the final day. Joaquim Rodríguez seems to be making it a habit to lose jerseys on the final day. Simon Clarke became just the second Australian to win a Grand Tour KOM jersey after he secured the polka dots on Stage 20. The Orica-GreenEdge Vuelta didn't go particularly to plan with Alan Davis narrowly missing stage wins but Clarke's efforts more than make up for close finishes.

Final General Classification Standings at the 2012 Vuelta de Espana

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) 84:59:49
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) + 1:16
Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha + 1:37
Chris Froome (Sky) + 10:16
Daniel Moreno (Katusha) + 11:29

Audacious Contador Takes Control

Alberto Contador make a successful break to win the stage and take over the GC from Purito. Contador had looked like a shadow of his former self after the months off the bike for his doping suspension. No matter how hard he tried, he seemed unable to shake off his competitors and ride away like he has so many times before.  Contador won his third Vuelta stage which just about ensures he will  ride into Madrid wearing red.

Froome's GC hope dashed on Queen Stage

Chris Froome couldn't match the pace set by Alberto Contador and co on Stage 16 and now sits almost 5 minutes behind Rodriguez in fourth place. Alejandro Valverde was the big winner on the stage as a podium position now looks like it's his to lose. Italian Dario Cataldo won the queen stage on the steep ramps of Cuiti Negru for the biggest win of his career. Rodriguez now looks to be in the box seat for his maiden Grand Tour win which would go some way to erase the disappointment of losing the Giro on the final day earlier this year.

Stage 16 Results

Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) 5:18:28

Thomas De Gendt (Vancansoleil-DCM) +7'

Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) +2:39'

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) +2:41'

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +2:58'

General Classification

Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) 63:38:24

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) +28'

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +2:04'

Chris Froome (Sky) +4:52'

Daniel Moreno (Katusha) +6:58'

Vuelta Standings: Stage 15

With two out of the three consecutive mountain stages completed tonight’s Stage 16 may see the leaders jersey change hands. Joaquím Rodríguez held on after numerous attacks by Alberto Contador to continue his stint in red. He leads Contador by 22 seconds and Alejandro Valverde by 1:41 minutes. Chris Froome has dropped off the pace to sit 2:16 minutes down in fourth place with the Tour de France and Olympics appearing to have taken their toll on the Sky rider.