Belkin (Blanco) 2013 Season in Review

At the end of 2012 the cycling world looked like lost one of its icons following the ASADA reasoned decision. Rabobank stated it would no longer sponsor a team at the top level considered the depth of systematic doping in the sport. It could no longer associate its name with EPO and stepped away from the sport. It did however pledge to fund the team till the end of the contract it had signed. So in 2013 the season begun with Rabobank being rebranded as Blanco in a black, white and blue kit with all the riders knowing that they were chasing victories not for their palmares but to ensure the team would continue. 

At the Tour Down Under Tom Slagter won the overall and team shot to the top of the UCI World Tour rankings. For a team needed to secure a long term sponsor, Blanco were making headlines. In June it was made public the team had secured a new sponsor and would be known as Belkin. Therefore, the season is best reviewed in two halves with the Blanco spring season and the Summer of Belkin.

101st Tour de France Announcement

Overnight ASO announced the route of the 2014 Tour de France. The first three stage in England had been previously released so this was about what the French stages would look like. There were suggestions the race would encounter the cobbles in the north while paying tribute to the centenary of the first world war. In a hyper media world, there lacked any real surprise over the route as speculation was largely correct. So what does the route look like?
There will be 9 flat stages, 5 hill stages, 6 mountain stages with 5 altitude finishes, 1 individual time-trial stage and 2 rest days.

The race covers the eastern side of France in a clockwise ride. The stages in England are said to fancy the sprinters but there will be some rewards for puncheurs with lumpy stages. A stint in the yellow jersey is also going to ensure a nervy first week as riders fight for position on narrow roads marked on either side by rock fences. 

Astana 2013 Season in Review

The Kazak team had a successful 2012 season which was bookended by the Olympic road race victory by Alexander Vinokourov in London. The team underwent a change in personal and approach over the offseason with the acquisition of Vincenzo Nibali symbolising the shift to chasing grand tour victories. In 2008 the team tasted its first grand tour success when Alberto Contador won both the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta de España. He added the Tour de France to his palmares the next season but after he left, Astana’s focus had turned to classics and weeklong stage races. 

Nibali’s arrival brought about a level of success the team had not enjoyed since Contador’s stint at the team. Nibali was victorious overall in three races and his pedigree covered over some of the cracks for the team in 2013. Kevin Seeldraeyers was the only other rider to record multiple wins for the season and this was disappointing feature among the highlights of the Giro and Vuelta.

Argos-Shimano 2013 Season in Review

The dual sprinting forces of Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb delivered in spades throughout the 2013 season. Besides notching win after win, Kittel’s ice vanilla haircut and Degenkolb’s moustache ensured the team was in the headlines even when not racing. Wins were common and varied although a lack of success in overall classification results meant the team finished the season with just one rider who had over 100 World Tour points to his name. 

Having stepped up to the World Tour level in 2013, the team proved it was more than worthy to complete across the season. The change from green trims to blue marked the team’s arrival to the top league and the team’s riders made sure that Argos-Shimano was regularly on people’s lips for only good reasons. 

Ag2r-La Mondiale 2013 Season in Review

In 2013 the cycling world rediscovered the joy of Colombians. Nairo Quintana’s superb Tour de France was a highlight for the South Americans but Carlos Betancur’s season was full of highlights. The French team’s new signings added flair and exposure although the tally board still lacked wins. The acquisition of Betancur ensured podium places the team but the season highlight was Christophe Riblon’s stage win at the Tour de France. Once again though, there was an imbalance of performances with only eight riders standing atop the podium. 

Ag2r had somewhat of a season of transition in chasing general classifications after the loss of Nicholas Roche. The Irishman moved over to Saxobank which led to change attack for Ag2r in the grand tours. Betancur had a super start to the season although could not maintain his form into September. Riblon had a super month in July and was the only rider to win a World Tour race. 

Romain Bardet will be burned with the pressure of being another the French hope for future Tour success but he may just be capable of delivering. His breakthrough Tour de France was representative of the team’s season, plenty of promise but no cigar.

The Month Ahead

After a lengthy absence of postings, the month ahead will see a return to regular blogging.
The World Tour team's will be reviewed will season highlights and lowlights. As well as teams, there will be rider and race features to come.