Where Are They Now? (Part II)

Part I featured eight American riders and one Canadian.  This post (Part II) will feature ten non-American riders - six GC contenders and four sprinters.

But first, this BREAKING NEWS: On Sunday, May 19, Levi Leipheimer informed the press in his home town of Santa Rosa, CA that he is now officially retired from professional bike racing.

So long, Levi.  We will miss you!


The GC Contenders:

Brad Wiggins (Sky): After winning the Tour de France in 2012, Wiggins added the cherry on top of the cake by also capturing the gold medal in the Olympic time trial - garnering also knighthood recognition from the Queen!  So far in 2013, he has two top-5 finishes, and two stage wins (in team time trials).  But, due to illness, he fell out of contention in the Giro d’Italia, and withdrew in the second week.  With only six weeks to go, there is some question whether Sir Brad will be in top form to lead Team Sky in the Tour de France.  His teammate Rigoberto Uran is now carrying the Sky flag in the Giro (currently in 3rd place); and his other teammate Chris Froome is doing a convincing imitation of team leader in the run-up to the Tour.

Chris Froome (Sky): After sacrificing himself for Wiggins in the 2012 Tour, Froome finished the season strong with a bronze medal in the Olympic time trial, and 4th place in the Vuelta a España.  In 2013, he already has won three major races - Tour of Oman, Critérium International, and Tour de Romandie - and took second place in Tirreno-Adriatico.  He is scheduled to ride as Sky’s team leader in the Critérium du Dauphiné.  Do not be surprised if Sky designates Froome as their leader for the Tour de France.

Cadel Evans (BMC): Evans finished a disappointing 7th place in the 2012 Tour de France, almost 16 minutes behind Brad Wiggins, and even 5 minutes behind his own teammate Tejay van Garderen.  He failed to shine in the London Olympics’ road race.  He then withdrew from the Olympic time trial and several other scheduled races late that year, citing fatigue, and the need to recuperate for the 2013 season.  So far in 2013, he has achieved two top-10 finishes, and is in contention at the Giro.  I expect him to be the official GC leader of BMC for the 2013 TDF, but if he shows any weakness, the mantle of leadership will shift to BMC’s rising star Tejay van Garderen.

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff): Contador was suspended for two years for failing a drug test from the 2010 Tour de France.  He began racing again in August 2012, in time to win that year’s Vuelta a España.  He already has five top-5 finishes in 2013.  Look for him to be the team GC leader for SaxoBank at the 2012 Tour de France.

Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Leopard): Fan-favorite Andy missed the 2012 Tour de France because of an injury he suffered in that year’s Critérium du Dauphiné.  He has either withdrawn early or achieved only middle-of-the-pack results in a handful of races since recovering from his injury.  I expect him to ride for the Luxembourg team in the 2012 Tour de France, but unless he experiences a miraculous boost of form, I do not expect him to challenge for the GC yellow jersey prize.  This team has had a panier full of problems in the last year, with missed payrolls, a drug-tainted coach, the Schleck meltdowns; and now, RadioShack has announced it will end its sponsorship after this season.

I wonder if the fans will still rally to Andy Schleck as they did in 2010 and 2011?  His name was prominent back then all along the climb to the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrénées.


Fränk Schleck (RadioShack-Leopard): Fränk failed a drug test and was expelled in the middle of the 2012 Tour de France.  His resulting suspension does not end until July 14, 2013, so he will not be able to race in this year’s Tour - which begins June 29.  I discovered an interesting trivia tidbit on the Schleck boys: their father and grandfather were both also professional cyclists; so it’s in their blood!  (Please!  No more talk of blood!)  Will they be back in 2014?

Some other GC boys to watch for would include Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Michele Scarponi (Lampre), Michael Rogers (Saxo-Trinkoff), Robert Gesink (Blanco), Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel), Benat Intxausti (Movistar), and Team Sky’s Columbian cartel Rigoberto Uran and Sergio Luis Henao.


The Sprinters:

Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma Quickstep): Cavendish seemed to resent subverting his green jersey aspirations to Wiggins’ yellow jersey in the 2012 Tour.  To repay Cavendish’s loyalty, Wiggins and the British team set their sights on carrying Mark to a sprint victory in the Olympic road race.  But a strong breakaway foiled their plans, and Alexandre Vinokourov from Kazakhstan captured the gold medal.  (Vinokourov then announced his retirement.).  Now, Cavendish has left Team Sky and rides for Omega Pharma Quickstep.  He is capturing stage wins at a blistering pace, with 10 already in 2013, and even a GC victory in the Tour of Qatar.  Expect fireworks from the Manx Missile in this year’s Tour de France!

Peter Sagan (Cannondale): Before the 2012 Tour de France, Peter made an incentive deal with his team’s president: a new Porsche if Sagan won two stages and the green jersey.  He won three stages and the jersey, and collected the car!  He is matching the output of Cavendish in 2013 with 11 stage wins and four 2nd place finishes.  He even out-sprinted Cavendish for the stage 6 win at Tirreno Adiriatico.  While on the podium (a stage 2nd place) at the Tour of Flanders, he created a big scandal when he pinched the derrière of one of the podium girls.  (Apology and flowers next day.)  Look for Sagan and Cavendish (and American Tyler Farrar hopefully) to mix it up head-to-head in the Tour de France.

Fabian Canellara (RadioShack-Leopard): Cancellara is a world champion time trialist, a specialist in the one-day “Classics,” and often contests the sprint finishes.  He wore the yellow jersey for a week in last year’s Tour de France before withdrawing to be with his wife for the birth of their new baby.  This year he captured Paris-Roubaix, and out-sprinted Peter Sagan in the Tour of Flanders.  His team recently announced that he will NOT be riding in the 2012 Tour de France, opting instead for the Vuelta a España and the time trial World Championships.  Too bad!  He always animated the early stages of the Tour.  We will miss him.

Thor Hushovd (BMC): Thor sat out most of 2012 (including the Tour de France) with a virus and a muscle infection.  He is back in the peleton for 2013 and riding well once again, with a 5th place finish at the Tour du Haut Var and one stage win.  Hushovd is a good sprinter and a strong domestique, so I think we will see him riding for BMC in this year’s Tour in support of Cadel Evans and/or Tejay van Garderen. Indeed, at the recent Tour of California he rode strongly for eventual winner Tejay.  (Ooops!  Did I just drop a spoiler for my next post?)