Welcome to Cycling Season. For those uninitiated ones (that is, almost all of you who occasionally read this blog), the season has already started, but the first really big race of the season starts in France on Saturday (Paris-Nice) followed closely by Tirreno-Adriatico (in Italy) starting Tuesday. Both races are big week long stage races as Classics riders (those who specialize in one-day races) and General Classification riders (those who go after overall victories in longer races such as the Tour de France) start getting into form for the major events ahead. In particular for the Classics guys is Milan-San Remo, one of five monuments that are the top single day races in the sport, coming in just two and a half weeks on March 19.
Here are the major stories that I will be tracking during this cycling season
Contador – Alberto Contador is about the only person any mainstream sports fan knows in the post Lance Armstrong world and only because he beat Lance last season while getting busted for doping, or not as the case might be. If not for the doping offense, Contador would be the big story as he would be shooting for a 4th Tour de France victory while racing for a new team. Now, he is the story because his cycling federation (in Spain where they evidently don't care about doping as long you come up with crazy defense that wouldn't work anywhere else in the world) acquitted him. This allows him to compete while the UCI (cycling governing body, generally hated by most) and WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) appeal. In the meantime, Contador is shooting for the Giro d'Italia, Italy's three week stage race taking place in May knowing he may be suspended before the Tour de France starts in July.
Garmin-Cervelo – One of the biggest stories of the offseason is the merger between two of the sports better teams over the last couple of years: Garmin-Transition and Cervelo TestTeam. The new super team includes all of Garmin's top riders from the last couple of years while adding World Road Race Champion Thor Hushovd to the mix along with a host of young developmental projects from the Cervelo youth program. It will be interesting to watch how Garmin star Tyler Farrar and Hushovd in particular coexist as their skill sets are very similar and they have targeted the same races in the past. In addition, there is likely no GC threat on this roster meaning they will not be factors in the three Grand Tours. How will that play out?
Philippe Gilbert's quest for Monuments – Gilbert has become the premier Classics rider in the world over the last two seasons. In late 2009, he went on a late season rampage winning three races including the season closing Monument at the Giro di Lombardia and then duplicated the feat while also nearly winning the World Championship Road Race in Australia. This season, he already has one win at the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal and he is targeting the each of the Monuments. Other than Lombardia where he will be an overwhelming favorite, his best chance likely comes in the Ronde van Vlaanderen in early April. He has finished third there each of the last two seasons.
Team Leopard Trek – Also known as the new Luxembourg team for 2-time Tour de France runner up Andy Schelck and World Time Trial Champion Fabian Cancellara (also one of the best Classics riders in the world). What is realistic for this team considering that much of its core came from Schelck's old team and can they deliver him a Tour de France victory?
Grand Tour insanity – The Tour de France has put one of its harder climbing routes in a long time out. It should favor Schelck (and Contador if he is in the race) as they are strong climbers and there is only one individual time trial in the race this year. In addition, there are four summit finishes in the race this season including the highest summit finish ever on the Col du Galibier and another on Alpe d'Huez, the Tour de France's most famous climb.
Not to be outdone, Italy's Giro d'Italia has created an even more sadistic course. It is insane. It is the most difficult climbing race I have seen since I started following the sport with a ridiculous eight summit finishes and only four flat stages out of 21. This is not for the faint of heart. Somehow, someone is going to win each of these races (though it won't be the same guy as the Giro traditionally saps the energy out of Tour contenders who ride to win it).
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