The first World Tour event of the year, the Tour Down Under, is less than three weeks away. Most teams have announced their rosters after intensive training camps across Europe. Sprinters like Matt Goss, Alesandro Petacchi, Andre Greipel and Manuel Belletti are licking their lips at the prospect of tackling this pancake flat course with many teams predominantly selecting sprinters.
The talk in cycling circles, on-line blogs and cycling mags will inevitably focus on whether Cadel Evans will win back to back Tour De France titles or whether Philippe Gilbert is capable of showing the same form that saw him win 18 stages/races in 2011.
The start of the season represents an opportunity to view the neo pros that have joined the big league. I have compiled a list of neo pros and young riders that I expect to have an impact in 2012. It will not be a surprise that list features mostly Italian and Australian cyclists. Here it goes.
Michael MATTHEWS (AUSTRALIA) - Rabobank
Local Canberra cyclist hit the stage with a bang in late 2010 winning the under23 road race rainbow jersey in Geelong. It was reported that several pro tour teams were chasing his signature with Rabobank the successful team to sign one of the hottest young talents in 2010. With buckets loads of talent, it was no surprise that Bling secured his first pro tour win in his debut race – Stage 3 of the Tour Down Under and fourth overall. Two more stage wins followed in 2011, Vuelta a Murcia (Spain) and Rund um Köln (Germany). It will be interesting in how Rabobank manage Bling and fellow Aussie sprinter, Mark Renshaw, as both will be chasing race wins across Europe. A couple of early season wins should see his name pencilled in for a grand tour start in 2012.
Andrea GUARDINI (ITALY) – Farnese Vini Selle Italia
Guardini kicked off the 2011 season with an immediate impact winning 5 stages at the Tour of Langkawi. A race that also featured another young sprinting superstar in the making, Marcel Kittel (who went on to win 17 races in 2011). Steadily, Guardini racked up the wins throughout 2011 with 2 stage wins at the Tour of Turkey and then again at Portugal. While his name was mentioned in association with the Italian national team for the World Championships in Copenhagen, to a surprise of many, he was not selected by Italian coach Paolo Bettini. While it may be too early to compare him with Italy’s sprinting superstar, Mario Cipollini, Guardini has the power and strength to be a player again in 2012. If Farnese secures a wildcard to the Giro again in 2012, expect to see Guardini battling for his first stage win in a Grand Tour. A switch to a World Tour in 2013 surely must be on the cards.
Moreno MOSER (ITALY) – Liquigas-Cannondale
All Italians will be licking their lips in anticipation of the return of a Moser to the peloton. This time it is Moreno Moser, nephew of Lo sceriffo -Francesco Moser. Moser joins Liquigas as a neo pro from Italian elite/u23 amateur team Lucchini Maniva Ski. Moreno took out two stage wins at the Girobio in 2011 (baby Giro) as well as a hand full of other races through the year. It was no surprise that Liquigas signed him up as a neo pro on the back of a successful 2011. If Moser is half as good as his uncle, we can expect great things of Moreno in years to come.
Leigh HORWARD (AUSTRALIA) - GreenEGDE
Howard joins GreenEDGE after two years at HTC-Columbia. A world champion on the boards, 2011 was not overly successful with only one win – at the Ster Elektrotoer (Netherlands). Howard raced his first grand tour (Vuelta a Espana) in 2011. While success eluded him, the experience will prove valuable for the 2012 season. He is a huge talent that will be nurtured at GreenEGDE. One question remains - will the desire to chase gold at the 2012 London Olympics be a distraction for Howard in early part of the 2012 season? Mentoring by Robbie McEwen will certainly ensure that Leigh joins the winner circle in 2012 and most certainly in 2013 when the Olympics are only a distance memory.
Matteo TRENTIN (ITALY) - Omega Pharma-Quickstep
Several victories for Team Brilla in 2011 saw Trentin being snapped up by Quickstep. Rather than wait for the end of the season, Quickstep brought the young talent in at August. Trentin started the season well by winning the 2011 edition of the Gran Premio della Liberazione, ahead of Australia’s Michael Hepburn. His form continued into June when he won the Italian National under23 road race in Sicily. We will get an opportunity to see Trentin first up in Australia during the Tour Down Under. While there to support Ciolek, do not be surprised to see Trentin sneak home for unexpected stage win if Ciolek is now where to be found.
Thibaut PINOT (FRANCE) – FDJ-Big Mat
The return of FDJ-Big Mat to the top league means we will get to see more of the prodigious talents of Pinot. He had a number of wins in smaller Italian and French races, but really burst on the scene at the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné with a number of top 10 finishes, including second on the mountainous seventh stage. He also took out the young rider classification at the 2011 edition of the Bayern-Rundfahrt (Tour of Bavaria). Pinot is a genuine GC rider. Certainly one to watch in 2012 as FDJ try to steal back the mantle of best French team back from Team Europecar that had a very successful 2011 Tour De France.
Enrico BATTAGLIN (ITALY) – Colnago CSF Bardiani
It was a surprise that Battaglin was signed up by Colnago CSF Bardiani in 2011. His form in Italy’s amateur elite/u23 races certainly suggested that he was heading to a World Tour team in 2012. That said, Colnago CSF Bardiani has a long history of nurturing talented riders for the big time– Modolo and Belletti are fine examples of the Colnago CSF system. He showed his talent when, riding as a stagiaire, he won the Coppa Sabatini to take his first ever professional victory, outsprinting Davide Rebellin. We will not get to see much of Battaglin at world tour events outside Italy. But at Italian races, expect to see Battaglin build on his success in late 2011 and wins several big races.
Nathan HAAS (AUSTRALIA) – Garmin-Cervelo
Nathan joins the big time in 2012 switching from local team, Genesys Wealth Advisers Pro Cycling Team, to Garmin-Cervelo after winning the National Road Series in Australia. After winning the Herald Sun Tour, Haas upstaged grand tour winners, Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego, to win the Japan Cup. With this form, it was no surprise that Garmin-Cervelo, with an eye for Australian cycling talent, came knocking. If Nathan can win a couple of stages in Europe, Shayne Bannan at GreenEDGE may well just regret that he did not sign Nathan up after his Herald Sun Tour win.
This list only names eight riders that will shine in 2012. I have only selected neo pros or young riders Unfortunately there are many riders that I have no doubt missed which may also have a big 2012, like Marcel Kittel, Salvatore Puccio (Team Sky) and Fabio Aru (Astana). May be these riders will form part of the post- 2012 rider review where I will get a chance to reflect on my list.
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