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.

Tom the Butcher

Rabobank withdrew their public sponsorship of the Dutch team in the wake of USADA's reasoned decision which led to allegations, of which many have since been proven to be true, that the outfit had a chequered past of utilising drugs administrated by doctors to ensure top results by its riders. The team continues with the financial support of Rabobank but as the new team name Blanco suggests, this is a blank team with more or less a blank image. Many of the riders on the team will be riding for contracts this season not only for personal gain but to find a willing sponsor who is keen to back and support the team under a new name. To attract a sponsor before the Tour de France is a team goal and the only way that Blanco can absolutely ensure this is so is by winning and winning as often as possible.