Innsbruck 2018 Men Elite Road Race

El Imbatido
I think it is hard to spend few words on what Velverde did in Innsbruck, it has been something cathartic.
He sprinted from the worst position, bringing on his shoulders the responsibility of the strongest, and in the end he won. Pure emotion.

Here you can find my grades to the teams and their tactics from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good):

SPAIN: 10
Finally they raced as a true team moving together in the same direction.
They ended up with an historical victory with their most representative rider.

Denmark: 9.5
They were not the favorite, they used the perfect strategies with their riders.
They attacked since the beginning and almost won the race with Valgren's perfect attack.

France: 8.5
They controlled the race and prepared brought their two best riders in the best position on the final climb. There could have just been a bit more communication in the team about Alaphilippe feelings.

Canada: 8
They took a great bronze medal with a fantastic race of their captain Woods.

Holland: 6.5
This is the best season of Dumoulin but unfortunately he missed all its goals. Nevertheless, we can't blame him.
He saved the performance of its team that could have started attacking earlier in the race.

Belgium: 5
I expected more from the nation of cycling by definition. Wellens disappeared and Van Avermaet saved the race with an attack made more with pride than with legs.

Italy: 4
They raced in a decent way, trying to move the race and being reactive on the attacks during the first part of the race.
They committed a terrible suicide when they decide to push before the final climb, helping France and Spain and demolishing their entire team but Moscon.

Great Britain: 3.5
They controlled the race all day and disappeared in the final.

Colombia: 3
I'm still wondering if they were in the Peloton.

Innsbruck Preview

The circuit of the 2018 Cycling World Championships is one of the most interesting among the recent editions.
It seems to be a circuit for climbers and we could have a GC contender wearing the rainbow jersey since Cadel Evans.
Nevertheless,  with the approach of the race, the reaction of the riders is hard to believe.
Italy, with its captain Nibali, was in the short list of the possible winners but after the Tour the France crash of its captain and the horrible year of its lieutenant Aru, It has been relegated to a secondary role.
Great Britain, presenting the winner of the two grand tours so far, was in the short list as well. Nevertheless, Team Sky announced that their two champions are too tired to race the World Championships. Are you kidding me?!
The team still have two great contenders with the Yates brothers but I found hard to believe that the two strongest riders won't compete for the rainbow Jersey.
Colombia seems to be the favorite, with so many great climbers they are definitely the strongest team in Austria.
The problem will be to ride as a team; the rivalry among the Colombian champions is really hard and La Vuelta 2018 is enhancing it.
France and Holland are just below Colombia, in my opinion, they are two solid teams with a lot of tradition and can count on strong climbers.
They have less strong climbers than Columbia but their teams seem to be more organized.
Talking about Belgium, I don't think this will be the year of Belgium or of the Classics kids because the circuit looks really strong but the fact that Italy will race without a captain will not make the race as hard as planned.
In conclusion, I really wonder if this will finally be the deserved World Championships of Valverde. Spain has always had the problem of never being a team but, without Rodriguez, this time, Don Aleandro could have the chance of his life.
The team of Cycling Impressions will be in Austria providing you a lot of great contents, stay tuned!!

Rider of the Month: January

Congratulations Dege, you made it!!
After a troubled couple of years, the cycling phoenix comes back with a wonderful double at the beginning of the 2018 season.
He has already won two races in a row and he is heading to Dubai Tour with great expectations.
The great winner of Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix 2015 is finally back in full shape and we are more than happy to celebrate this wonderful return crowning him "January Rider of the Month".

Peloton 2018 - Rider Transfers

How will be the 2018 Peloton?
Here is a summary of the most important transfers: 

AG2R La Mondiale
In: Benoit Cosnefroy (Neo-Pro), Clément Venturini (Cofidis), Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), 
Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team), Aurélien Paret Peintre 
Out: Christophe Riblon (Retires), Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida), 
Sondre Holst Enger (Israel Cycling Academy), Hugo Houle (Astana)

Extended: Romain Bardet, Oliver Naesen, Pierre Latour, Ben Gastauer, Axel Domont, 

François Bidard, Alexis Vuillermoz, Mikaël Chérel, Gediminas Bagdonas, Nico Denz, 

Julien Duval

Astana Pro Team
In: Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Magnus Cort (Orica-Scott), Davide Villella 
(Cannondale-Drapac), Jan Hirt (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), 
Hugo Houle (AG2R La Mondiale), 
Yevgeniy Gidich (Vino-Astana Motors)
Out: Paolo Tiralongo (Retires), Michele Scarponi, Matti Breschel (Cannondale-Drapac),
 Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Arman Kamyshev
Extended: Jakob Fuglsang, Dario Cataldo, Luis Leon Sanchez, Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev, 
Dmitriy Gruzdev, Ruslan Tleubayev, Pello Bilbao, Daniil Fominykh,
 Artyom Zakharov and Andrei Grivko.

Bahrain-Merida
In: Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Matej Mohorič (UAE Team Emirates), 
Kristijan Koren (Cannondale-Drapac), Hermann Pernsteiner (Amplatz-BMC), 
Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale), Mark Padun (Team Colpack)
Out: Javier Moreno (Delko Marseille Provence KTM),
 Tsgabu Grmay (Trek-Segafredo), 
Ondřej Cink (PMRA Racing Team), Jon Ander Insausti (Fundación Euskadi), 
Janez Brajkovic
Extended: Sonny Colbrelli, Franco Pellizotti, Heinrich Haussler

BMC Racing Team
In: Nathan Van Hooydonck (BMC Development), Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale-Drapac), 
Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal), Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott), 
Paddy Bevin (Cannondale-Drapac)
Out: Manuel Quinziato (Retires), Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), 
Amaël Moinard (Team Fortuneo-Oscaro), Manuel Senni (Bardiani-CSF), 
Silvan Dillier (AG2R La Mondiale), 
Ben Hermans (Israel Cycling Academy), Sammy Sanchez (Fired), Martin Elmiger (Retires), Floris Gerts
Extended: Richie Porte, Michael Schär, Brent Bookwalter, Alessandro De Marchi, 
Danilo Wyss, Damiano Caruso, Jempy Drucker, Joey Rosskopf, Fran Ventoso, 
ohan Dennis, Stefan Kung, Tejay van Garderen, Tom Bohli

Bora-Hansgrohe
In: Daniel Oss (BMC Racing), Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky), Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac), Felix Großschartner (CCC Sprandi Polkowice)
Out: Shane Archbold (Aqua Blue Sports), Jan Barta (Elkov - Author), 
Silvio Herklotz and Jose Mendes (Burgos-BH)
Extended: Sam Bennett, Michael Schwarzmann, Christoph Pfingsten, Rudi Selig

Cannondale-Drapac
In: Logan Owen (Axeon Hagen Bermans), Sacha Modolo (UAE Team Emirates), 
Dan McLay (Team Fortuneo - Oscaro), Mitch Docker (Orica-Scott), Matti Breschel (Astana), 
Kim Magnusson (Tre Berg-Postnord), Daniel Felipe Martinez (Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia),
Daniel Moreno (Movistar)
Out: Alberto Bettiol (BMC Racing), Kristijan Koren (Bahrain-Merida), 
Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Villella (Astana Pro Team), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), Andrew Talansky (Retires), Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo), 
Wouter Wippert (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij), Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky), 
Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo), Paddy Bevin (BMC)
Extended: Rigoberto Uran, Michael Woods, Simon Clarke, Alex Howes, 
Lawson Craddock, Will Clarke, Tom Van Asbroeck, Nathan Brown

Dimension Data
In: Nicholas Dlamini (Dimension Data Continental), Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates), Julien Vermote (Quick-Step Floors), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Drapac), Scott Davies (Team Wiggins), Amanuel Gebreigzabhier (Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
Out: Omar Fraile (Astana), Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin), Kristian Sbaragli (Israel Cycling Academy), Daniel Teklehaimanot, Youcef Reguigui (Natura4Ever-Sovac), Adrien Niyonshuti
Extended: Steve Cummings, Jay Thomson, Jaco Venter, Johann van Zyl, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, 
Igor Anton, Mekseb Debesay

FDJ
In: Ramon Sinkeldam (Team Sunweb), Georg Preidler (Team Sunweb), 
Valentin Madouas (Neo-Pro), Romain Seigle (Neo-Pro), Bruno Armirail (Neo-Pro)
Out: Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Arnaud Courteille, Kevin Reza, 
Lorrenzo Manzin, Johan Le Bon and Marc Fournier (Vital Concept), Cedric Pineau (Retires), 
Jérémy Maison (Team Fortuneo - Oscaro), Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie)
Extended: Benoît Vaugrenard, Mickael Delage, Ignatas Konovalovas, Matthieu Ladagnous, Daniel Hoelgaard

Katusha-Alpecin
In: Nathan Haas (Dimension Data), Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Matteo Fabbro (Friuli Cycling Team), Marcel Kittel (QuickStep-Floors), Alex Dowsett (Movistar), 
Stef Crass (BMC Development), Willie Smit
Out: Angel Vicioso Arcos (Retires), Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates), 
Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Michael Morkov (QuickStep-Floors), 
Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE Team Emirates), Matvey Mamkin (Burgos-BH)
Extended: Ilnur Zakarin, Simon Spilak, Tiago Machado, José Gonçalves, Reto Hollenstein, Jhonatan Restrepo, Pavel Kochetkov, Maxim Belkov

Lotto Soudal
In: Victor Campenaerts (Team LottoNL-Jumbo), Lawrence Naesen (WB Veranclassic Aquality Protect), 
Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott), 
Bjorg Lambrecht and Harm Van Houcke (Lotto Soudal U23)
Out: Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jürgen Roelandts (BMC Racing), Kris Boeckmans (Vital Concepts), Louis Vervaeke (Team Sunweb), Sean De Bie (Veranda's Willems - Crelan), Rafael Valls (Movistar), Bart De Clercq (Wanty-Groupe Gobert)
Extended: Jelle Wallays, Jasper De Buyst, Maxime Monfort, Jelle Vanendert, Frederik Frison, Tomasz Marczynski, Sander Armee

Movistar Team
In: Eduardo Sepulveda (Fortuneo-Oscaro), Jamie Roson (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Mikel Landa (Team Sky), Jaime Castrillo (Neo-Pro). Rafael Valls (Lotto Soudal)
Out: Adriano Malori (Retires), Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Jonathan Castroviejo (Team Sky), Rory Sutherland (UAE Team Emirates), Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin), 
Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), Jose Herrada (Cofidis), Dani Moreno (Cannondale-Drapac)
Extended: Nelson Oliveira, Jorge Arcas, Antonio Pedrero, Winner Anacona, Carlos Betancur, Dayer Quintana

Orica-Scott
In: Mikel Nieve (Team Sky), Cameron Meyer, Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors), 
Jack Bauer (Quick-Step Floors), Lucas Hamilton (Mitchelton-Scott)
Out: Magnus Cort (Astana), Ruben Plaza (Israel Cycling Academy), Simon Gerrans (BMC Racing), Jens Keukeleire (Lotto Soudal), Mitch Docker (Cannondale-Drapac)
Extended: Svein Tuft, May Hayman, Chris Juul Jensen, Michael Hepburn, Sam Bewley, Jack Haig, 
Michael Albasini, Luka Mezgec

Quick-Step Floors
In: Jhonatan Narvaez (Axeon Hagen Bermans), Florian Sénéchal (Cofidis), Elia Viviani (Team Sky), 
Fabio Jakobsen (SEG Racing), Michael Morkov (Katusha-Alpecin), James Knox (Team Wiggins), Alvaro Hodeg (Coldeportes - Claro)
Out: Matteo Trentin (Orica-Scott), Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), David de la Cruz (Team Sky), 
Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Julien Vermote (Dimension Data), Jack Bauer (Orica-Scott), 
Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo), Martin Velits (Retires)
Extended: Bob Jungels, Julian Alaphilippe, Fernando Gaviria, Max Richeze, Philippe Gilbert, 
Pieter Serry, Iljo Keisse, Niki Terpstra, Fabio Sabatini, Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Enric Mas, Zdenek Stybar, Davide Martinelli, Eros Capecchi

Team LottoNL-Jumbo
In: Pascal Eenkhoorn (BMC Development Team), Neilson Powless (Axeon Hagens Berman), Sepp Kuss (Rally), Danny van Poppel (Team Sky)
Out: Jurgen Van den Broeck (Retires), Steven Lammertink (Vital Concept), Twan Castelijns, Alexey Vermeulen, Martijn Keizer, Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal), JJ Lobato (Fired)
Extended: Paul Martens, Koen Bouwman, Primoz Roglic, Tom Leezer, Bert-Jan Lindeman, 
Bram Tankink

Team Sky
In: Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar), David de la Cruz (QuickStep-Floors), 
Egan Bernal (Androni Giocattoli), Pavel Sivakov (BMC Development Team),
 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Team Joker Icopal), Chris Lawless (Axeon Hagens Berman), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), 
Leonardo Basso (Neo-Pro)
Out: Peter Kennaugh (Bora-Hansgrohe), Mikel Nieve (Orica-Scott), Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Mikel Landa (Movistar), Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors), Danny van Poppel (Team LottoNL-Jumbo)
Extended: Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Michal Kwiatkowski, Christian Knees, Ian Stannard, Michal Golas, Beñat Intxausti, Gianni Moscon, Philip Deignan, Vasil Kiryienka, David López, Sebastián Henao

Team Sunweb
In: Martijn Tusveld (Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij), Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), 
Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal), Jai Hindley (Mitchelton Scott), Michael Storer (Mitchelton Scott)
Out: Ramon Sinkeldam (FDJ), Georg Preidler (FDJ), Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Oscaro), 
Bert de Backer (Vital Concept), Zico Waeytens (Veranda's Willems - Crelan), Sindre Lunke (Fortuneo-Oscaro)
Extended: Tom Dumoulin, Laurens ten Dam,Søren Kragh Andersen, Sam Oomen, 
Nikias Arndt, Max Walscheid, Johannes Fröhlinger, Chad Haga, Roy Curvers

Trek-Segafredo
In: Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac), Alex Frame (JLT Condor), Gianluca Brambilla (QuickStep-Floors), Niklas Eg (Team Veloconcept), 
Tsgabu Grmay (Bahrain-Merida), Nicola Conci (Neo-Pro)
Out: Haimar Zubeldia (Retires), Alberto Contador (Retires),
 Jesús Hernández (Retires), Edward Theuns (Team Sunweb), Marco Coledan (Trek-Segafredo)
Extended: Fabio Felline, Julien Bernard, Kiel Reijnen, Michael Gogl

UAE Team Emirates
In: Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin), Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors), Rory Sutherland (Movistar), 
Sven Erik Bystrøm (Katusha-Alpecin), Alexandr Riabushenko (Neo-Pro), 
Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team)
Out: Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Merida), Louis Meintjes (Dimension Data), Andrea Guardini (Bardiani CSF), Marko Kump (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Federico Zurlo
Extended: Matteo Bono, Kristijan Durasek, Roberto Ferrari, Simone Petilli, 
Simone Consonni, Valerio Conti, Marco Marcato (all through end of 2019), Przemyslaw Niemiec

Red Hook Criterium Milano

Last Saturday I was in Milano to follow the last race of the Red Hook Criterium Series.
I've to say that I didn't assist to a Criterium, I assisted to a Masterpiece.
Seeing all the riders (men and women) on their minimal bikes and in their colorful leotards made me feel part of an incredible show.
I participated, as a spectator, to all the previous edition, but this time, finally, a new concept of cycling has been reached.
It can be summarized in: Cycling as a work of art.
The riders and the spectators were perfectly mixed and were part of the same big artwork.
The urban circuit has been the perfect scenario for the birth of this new form of art and cycling and where could this happen if not in Italy, the cradle of art and culture?

Rider of the Vuelta a España 2017

This is not a fairy tale, you did it! You have been elected rider of the Vuelta 2017, the last race of your outstanding career!!
Contador's victory of our special classification has been a sort of plebiscite, he has taken 58% of the votes (the second, Froome, 17%, just to give you an idea) and has been elected rider of the Vuelta 2017.
I can just thank this incredible champion and I think we will miss him so much.
I hope he will continue his work with his team of young talents, teaching them to attack and never give up and maybe, in the future, we will have another Contador. Maybe...

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Vuelta a España 2017

Who is the Rider of the Vuelta a España 2017?

Froome

Nibali

Zakarin

Villella

Trentin

Contador

Lopez

Marczynski

Poels

Lampaert

 

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Global Bike To Work Day 2017

Bike to work, bike to the future.

Rider of the Month: April

Congratulations Alejandro!! You are the rider of the month!
We should contrive new words to describe the greatness of this rider.
Valverde is not even like the good wine, that increases its quality day by day.
He has always been the best, he  is the best and probably he will continue to be the most complete rider in the Peloton.
He is capable of winning Monuments and classics and to compete at the higher level in the Grand Tours.
Thank you Alejando I hope you will teach us cycling for a long long time.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2017

This article is the natural continuation of the previous one and we have to thank Valverde for this.
Valverde and Scarponi, two riders representing the good old cycling but still victorious in the modern one.
Just a great Champion could have done this: He won the oldest of the Classics and dedicated the victory to his friend dramatically passed away the day before.
What can I add to this fantastic and emotional victory? Nothing.
Valverde is dominating the season, he has won almost every race he took part.
He is definitely the most all-round rider of the Peloton, a genius of tactics, a rider that honors the cycling season from February to October.
Such a great rider, a true friend of Michele, could not have honored his friend in a better way.

Impressions After a Week On the Cobbles

A week on the cobbles has just finished and Van Avermaet comes out confirming his class in one day races.
Nevertheless, I think he wasn't the strongest rider in the peloton, he was just the smartest.
Gilbert lost two races in which he was clearly the strongest, trying to ride in the Sagan's way, a spectacular way to ride but that is not paying back in 2017.
We have also to consider that in order to ride like Sagan you have to be extremely stronger than the other riders and not just in a very good shape.
Allow me now to focus on what happened today in Gent-Wevelgem: while Sagan and Terpstra were arguing, Van Avermaet and Keukeleire, remaining focused on the race, silently rode away.
Van Avermaet took an incredible win that embellishes his palmarés proving that you have to be smart to win without caring too much about pulling as the others or showing that you are the best in the peloton.
I think that Sagan learned a lot from Gent-Wevelgem 2017 and we will enjoy an incredible Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
In conclusion, I want to celebrate the only rider that this week (at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya) won conjugating show, class and cleverness: El Imbatido, Alejandro Valverde.

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

Van Avermaet

Sagan

Rui Costa

Valverde

Quintana

Ulissi

Felline

Roglic

Kristoff

Hermans

 

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Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

Contador

Aru

Groenewegen

Froome

Lopez M. A.

Sagan

De Bondt

Quintana

Dehaes

 

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National Championships

The end of June is characterized by the National Championships.
These are the greatest occasion (apart from the rainbow jersey and its curse) to be more recognizable in the peloton for a rider.
The races are very interesting because the teams do not have a fixed number of riders, there could be teams even with just one rider.
This situation makes the races unpredictable and very hard and stressful.
Nevertheless, we have to consider that if you win a National Championship you will be celebrated the entire year. You will be The National Champion, not just a random rider of the peloton. Such a great title can't be gained without a great effort. Good luck riders!
Let's enjoy the National Championships lottery!