2014 Season Snapshot by Rider

[Arredondo]

Rohan Dennis

High Points: ToC Podium and stage win, Comonwealth Silver ITT
Low Points: Fell ou with team and moved
Marks out of 10: 5/10 Nothing great but enough solid performances
Expectetions for 2015: To win a non WT Stage race or podium a WT Stage race

Nominate: Chris Horner

High points: his interviews, Algarve and Utah, dragging Nibali on Hautacam
Low points: Basically the rest. DNF's earlier in the year, the accident and his sickness.
Marks out of 10: 4/10: still some solid results by a 42 year old guy, but nowhere the hype and epicness of 2013. Too bad we couldn't see him beating Contador in la Vuelta
Expectations for 2015: Giving wonderfull interviews again, podium in a WT stage race, top-10 and stage win in a GT. And some bad luck.

Nominate: Vasil Kyrienka

 

[Afrank]

Kiry:
High Points: 4th in worlds TT+TTT, did his job through 2 GT's and crushed some souls along the way.
Low Points: None really, he did his job and even improved upon his CQ score along the way, I think I recall him getting in a couple Tour breaks but not making it. Maybe not making it to the end.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Expectations for 2015: similar to this year, will do his thing on the front, get some decent results in some TT's and TTT's.

Nominate: Valverde

 

[Jspear]

Kiry:
High Points: 4th in worlds TT+TTT, did his job through 2 GT's and crushed some souls along the way.
Low Points: None really, he did his job and even improved upon his CQ score along the way, I think I recall him getting in a couple Tour breaks but not making it. Maybe not making it to the end.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Expectations for 2015: similar to this year, will do his thing on the front, get some decent results in some TT's and TTT's.

Nominate: Valverde

High Points: San Sebastian, Fleche Wallonne, #1 UCI WT rankings, lots of top 10's.
Low Points: TdF - Should have been able to do better condsidering who crashed out.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Expectations: lots of 2nd and 3rd places. Podium the Vuelta.

Nominate: John Degenkolb

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Degenkolb:

High Points: Gent-Wevelgem, La Vuelta, Paris-Roubaix
Low Points: Milano-Sanremo, Worlds
Marks out of 10: 9/10 - Great season with 12 victories so far. A podium in Milano-Sanremo or a stage victory in the Tour would have made it a 10/10. A Paris-Tours victory could make it 10/10 as well.
Expectations: More of the same, just even better. Victories in Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, Worlds are all possible.

Nominate: Tom Dumoulin

 

[nobilis]

Degenkolb:

High Points: Gent-Wevelgem, La Vuelta, Paris-Roubaix
Low Points: Milano-Sanremo, Worlds
Marks out of 10: 9/10 - Great season with 12 victories so far. A podium in Milano-Sanremo or a stage victory in the Tour would have made it a 10/10. A Paris-Tours victory could make it 10/10 as well.
Expectations: More of the same, just even better. Victories in Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, Worlds are all possible.

Nominate: Tom Dumoulin

High Points: Podium at the Worlds TT, National TT Champion along with other TT wins and 2nd at the final tour TT. Promising results in hilly one day races and 1-week stage races
Low Points: Not many
Marks out of 10: 9/10 - Great season. He even more than doubled his cqranking score.
Expectations: Establish himself in the top-3 of the TT and start challenging Tony Martin. He should aim for top-10 in the Ardennaises and win a 1-week stage race.

Nominate : Romain Bardet

 

[del1962]

High Points: Podium at the Worlds TT, National TT Champion along with other TT wins and 2nd at the final tour TT. Promising results in hilly one day races and 1-week stage races
Low Points: Not many
Marks out of 10: 9/10 - Great season. He even more than doubled his cqranking score.
Expectations: Establish himself in the top-3 of the TT and start challenging Tony Martin. He should aim for top-10 in the Ardennaises and win a 1-week stage race.

Nominate : Romain Bardet

Romain Bardet

High Points:Top ten at Tour, top tens in Catalunya, LBL and Dauphine, winning Valence-Drome classic.
Low Points: Not many
Marks out of 10: 8/10 - Great season.
Expectations: Podiuming a one week stage race, tour top ten

Nominate : Tom-Jelte Slagter

 

[Aapjes]

Tom-Jelte Slagter

High Points:Two stage wins at Paris-Nice and 2nd at GP Indurain, top-10 at LBL and Fleche
Low Points: No real highlights later in the season. Mostly results that were ok, but not great.
Marks out of 10: 6/10 - Somewhat lesser season than last year. It seems that he was trying to be good everywhere and due to this there few real peaks in his results.
Expectations: Podiuming a one week stage race, some stage wins

Nominate : Robert Gesink

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Tom-Jelte Slagter

High Points:Two stage wins at Paris-Nice and 2nd at GP Indurain, top-10 at LBL and Fleche
Low Points: No real highlights later in the season. Mostly results that were ok, but not great.
Marks out of 10: 6/10 - Somewhat lesser season than last year. It seems that he was trying to be good everywhere and due to this there few real peaks in his results.
Expectations: Podiuming a one week stage race, some stage wins

Nominate : Robert Gesink

High Points: Coming back from his heart surgery to finish 8th in Tour of Poland. 5th in Oman. Strong performances in the Vuelta remniscent of former level.
Low Points: His heart problems and surgery. Won't consider his withdrawal from Vueltas as it was for personal reasons
Marks out of 10: 5/10
Expectations: Be back to his usual level of 2008-2012. Atleast that's what I'm hoping. A top 10 in the Tour

Nominate: Bauke Mollema

 

[greenedge]

High Points: Coming back from his heart surgery to finish 8th in Tour of Poland. 5th in Oman. Strong performances in the Vuelta remniscent of former level.
Low Points: His heart problems and surgery. Won't consider his withdrawal from Vueltas as it was for personal reasons
Marks out of 10: 5/10
Expectations: Be back to his usual level of 2008-2012. Atleast that's what I'm hoping. A top 10 in the Tour

Nominate: Bauke Mollema

High Points:Good ride at F-W, at TDS, Hautacam, San Sebastian
Low Points: Did not perform at LBL, TDF GC was worse than last year and he never really looked like he could compete, even in a weakened field. The WC RR.
Marks out of 10: 6/10
Expectations: An improvement on this year, a TDS win and a podium in the Ardennes. Another top 10 in the TDF, with an improved ITT.

Nominate: Michael Albasini

 

[Jspear]

High Points:Good ride at F-W, at TDS, Hautacam, San Sebastian
Low Points: Did not perform at LBL, TDF GC was worse than last year and he never really looked like he could compete, even in a weakened field. The WC RR.
Marks out of 10: 6/10
Expectations: An improvement on this year, a TDS win and a podium in the Ardennes. Another top 10 in the TDF, with an improved ITT.

Nominate: Michael Albasini

High Points: Tour de Romandie, Lombardia
Low Points: ?? did he crash at all?
Marks out of 10: 5/10 - nothing special/nothing bad - normal season for him
Expectations: 1 or 2 stage wins, a couple top 10 placings in 1 day races. Workhorse for the team.

Nominate: Richie Porte

 

[SafeBet]

Richie Porte

High Points: Being mentioned in Froomey's book probably.
Low Points: Anything he raced from February on.
Marks out of 10: 3/10 - was expected to make the leap. Huge disappointment.
Expectations: I got no idea of what to expect from him. From winning a GT to riding as a dom for Sebastian Henao, nothing would surprise me.


Nominate: Winner Anacona.

 

[jaylew]

Winner Anacona

High Points: 3rd on GC at Utah while working for Horner, Vuelta stage win
Low Points: Fading badly at the Vuelta, anonymous in the early season
Marks out of 10: 6/10
2015 Expectations: lots of dom work for Nairo and Alejandro, top 25 in a GT

It felt like he took a step forward this year. Hopefully he gets his own chances at a week long stage race somewhere but it's going to be tough at Movistar.

Nominate: EBH

 

[Red Rick]

Winner Anacona

High Points: 3rd on GC at Utah while working for Horner, Vuelta stage win
Low Points: Fading badly at the Vuelta, anonymous in the early season
Marks out of 10: 6/10
2015 Expectations: lots of dom work for Nairo and Alejandro, top 25 in a GT

It felt like he took a step forward this year. Hopefully he gets his own chances at a week long stage race somewhere but it's going to be tough at Movistar.

Nominate: EBH

EBH

High point: leaving Sky
Low point: Whole year was a pretty big disappointment
Mark: 3 out of 10
2015 expectation, winning some minor sprints, showing his face again in some tt's and hilly races

Nominate: Rafal Majka

 

[MellowJohnny]

EBH

High point: leaving Sky
Low point: Whole year was a pretty big disappointment
Mark: 3 out of 10
2015 expectation, winning some minor sprints, showing his face again in some tt's and hilly races

Nominate: Rafal Majka

High Point : Tour Polka dot jersey and Stage Win
Low Point : Being outshone by a fellow pole Kwiatkowski in a break through year for (Yes controversial)
Mark : 8 out of 10
2015 expectation more stage wins, support for AC, maybe a hilly classic?

Nominate : Adam Hansen

 

[Jspear]

High Point : Tour Polka dot jersey and Stage Win
Low Point : Being outshone by a fellow pole Kwiatkowski in a break through year for (Yes controversial)
Mark : 8 out of 10
2015 expectation more stage wins, support for AC, maybe a hilly classic?

Nominate : Adam Hansen

High Points: Vuelta stage win
Low Points: He was pretty anonymous throughout the season
Mark out of 10: 3/10
2015 Expectations: finish all three GT's.

Nominate: Michael Rogers

 

[Cance > TheRest]

High Point : Tour Polka dot jersey and Stage Win
Low Point : Being outshone by a fellow pole Kwiatkowski in a break through year for (Yes controversial)
Mark : 8 out of 10
2015 expectation more stage wins, support for AC, maybe a hilly classic?

Nominate : Adam Hansen

Just out of thread topic, in GT's and stage races Majka surely outshone KwiatK this year. IMO his low point MUST be him being surpassed by Aru in the Monte Grappa mountain time trial. Sorry for the unrelated comment

 

[MellowJohnny]

Just out of thread topic, in GT's and stage races Majka surely outshone KwiatK this year. IMO his low point MUST be him being surpassed by Aru in the Monte Grappa mountain time trial. Sorry for the unrelated comment

Its quite okay, I was struggling for a low point for him.

 

[Pentacycle]

High Points: Vuelta stage win
Low Points: He was pretty anonymous throughout the season
Mark out of 10: 3/10
2015 Expectations: finish all three GT's.

Nominate: Michael Rogers

How can Hansen, a domestique normally, have had such a poor season according to you? He's been helpful to his team leaders throughout the year and even got a GT stage. I'd give it at least an 8.

 

[Richeypen]

How can Hansen, a domestique normally, have had such a poor season according to you? He's been helpful to his team leaders throughout the year and even got a GT stage. I'd give it at least an 8.

^^^This^^^

One of the most solid and dependable doms around. 3 GTs completed again and picked up a stage win. Showed some decent climbing legs in numerous breaks as well.

Christ, what did people expect of him.

 

[MellowJohnny]

^^^This^^^

One of the most solid and dependable doms around. 3 GTs completed again and picked up a stage win. Showed some decent climbing legs in numerous breaks as well.

Christ, what did people expect of him.

Thats why I nominated him, but its subjective to everyones opinion.

 

[jaylew]

No one else seems to want to do him, so I'll bite.

Michael Rogers

High Points: 2 stage wins at Giro and 1 at the Tour
Low Points: Missing almost the entire spring
Marks out of 10: 8/10
2015 Expectations: lots of dom work for AC; maybe a random win somewhere

Nominate: Tom Boonen

 

[Jspear]

How can Hansen, a domestique normally, have had such a poor season according to you? He's been helpful to his team leaders throughout the year and even got a GT stage. I'd give it at least an 8.

The number I gave him was based on wins or top places. Since he did win a gt stage I guess I could have stretched him to a 5, but no more than that.

 

[del1962]

No one else seems to want to do him, so I'll bite.

Michael Rogers

High Points: 2 stage wins at Giro and 1 at the Tour
Low Points: Missing almost the entire spring
Marks out of 10: 8/10
2015 Expectations: lots of dom work for AC; maybe a random win somewhere

Nominate: Tom Boonen

High Points:Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Low Points:Not even podiuming a WT race, never mind a monument
Marks out of 10: 4/10
2015 Expectations:Winning a cobbled classic

Nominate : Niki Terpstra

 

[RedheadDane]

The number I gave him was based on wins or top places. Since he did win a gt stage I guess I could have stretched him to a 5, but no more than that.

But he's a domestique. It's not his job to win races. It's cool when he does, but it's not his "main purpose", so to speak.

 

[Jspear]

But he's a domestique. It's not his job to win races. It's cool when he does, but it's not his "main purpose", so to speak.

I understand that. Judging domestique's is even more subjective than "lead riders" if you base it purely on that job imo. What would we base it on? How many lead outs he performed, how many miles he rode on the front, how many breakaways he was in? To be honest I'd be too lazy to go back and look or try to remember how often he was on the front of some race in the middle of the stage.