UCI World Tour Teams for 2013

[Forunculo]

http://www.uci.ch/Modules/ENews/ENewsDetails2011.asp?id=ODg0OA

The first list includes the names of the 15 top teams in terms of sporting value (by alphabetical order):

AG2R LA MONDIALE
ASTANA PRO TEAM
BMC RACING TEAM
CANNONDALE
EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI
FORMER RABOBANK
GARMIN SHARP
KATUSHA
LAMPRE – MERIDA
MOVISTAR TEAM
OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM
ORICA GREENEDGE
RADIOSHACKNISSAN
SKY PROCYCLING
VACANSOLEIL – DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM

The second list indicates teams ranked 16th to 20th :

16. TEAM ARGOS – SHIMANO
17. LOTTO BELISOL
18. FDJ
19. TEAM EUROPCAR
20. TEAM SAXO – TINKOFF

 

[wirral]

No ProTour status for Europcar + one other. My random prediction.

 

[Telmisartan new]

I think/hope Argos-Shimano get the nod,Degenkolb and Kittel have shown they are both future stars,the more we see of them the better,i even like Kittel's chat,he is prepared to say what needs said.Saxo must be in also,no brainer for obvious reasons.

 

[Old School]

Speaking of Argos....can Kittel and Degenkolb co-exist? I really can't say who is the better of the two. Kittel seems more like a pure sprinter, Dek seems to be more of an overall sprinter (hilly, non-train type sprints)...I hope we see them co-exist....but who do you bring to the Tour de France? Dek seems to be able to compete in a green jersey competition...Kittel seems to be able to win a flat out sprint...

I dunno.

 

[Telmisartan new]

Speaking of Argos....can Kittel and Degenkolb co-exist? I really can't say who is the better of the two. Kittel seems more like a pure sprinter, Dek seems to be more of an overall sprinter (hilly, non-train type sprints)...I hope we see them co-exist....but who do you bring to the Tour de France? Dek seems to be able to compete in a green jersey competition...Kittel seems to be able to win a flat out sprint...

I dunno.

Yeah,tough one,nice dilemma to have,your right though, Degenkolb is more versatile although i think Kittel would have a better chance against Cav/Greipel at TDF on a flat run in.

 

[Pricey_sky]

If it was purely down to rankings as I believe it should be then its an easy decision for 19th and 20th on the list not to be included.

However we all know that Saxo wont be in the 2 to miss out for obvious reasons so Europcar and Argos are the most in danger.

 

[cineteq]

No ProTour status for Europcar + one other. My random prediction.

Europcar has resigned. It's between Saxo and Argos for the last license, according to this.
http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=56784

 

[Telmisartan new]

Europcar has resigned. It's between Saxo and Argos for the last license, according to this.
http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=56784

Interesting,Saxo in a spot then, they'll still be at the GT's anyway but it will defo be a big blow to Riis if they miss out.

 

[Mad Elephant Man]

FDJ must get a license, if not I will be furious.

The others I do not care about.

 

[Telmisartan new]

FDJ must get a license, if not I will be furious.

The others I do not care about.

My favourite team, aah...Fedrigo and young Pinot,gotta love em.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I think/hope Argos-Shimano get the nod,Degenkolb and Kittel have shown they are both future stars,the more we see of them the better,i even like Kittel's chat,he is prepared to say what needs said.Saxo must be in also,no brainer for obvious reasons.

yeah we really need more sprinters

 

[Telmisartan new]

yeah we really need more sprinters

I just like seeing exciting young talent,matters not whether its Kittel or Quintana, Degenkolb or Pinot, Demare or Henao, Moser or Guardini. I like all of the aforementioned Ryo.They are all bringing something to the table.

 

[ILovecycling]

I just like seeing exciting young talent,matters not whether its Kittel or Quintana, Degenkolb or Pinot, Demare or Henao, Moser or Guardini. I like all of the aforementioned Ryo.They are all bringing something to the table.

IMHO Alberto brings to the table a bit more than Deg and Kittel together

 

[cineteq]

Interesting,Saxo in a spot then, they'll still be at the GT's anyway but it will defo be a big blow to Riis if they miss out.

The mistakes Saxo has made. Main reason: not able to define the objectives since the beginning of the year.
http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=56791

 

[Telmisartan new]

IMHO Alberto brings to the table a bit more than Deg and Kittel together

Your preaching to the converted.A cursory glance through my posts would tell you how much i admire AC.

 

[Telmisartan new]

The mistakes Saxo has made. Main reason: not able to define the objectives since the beginning of the year.
http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=56791

Yeah,very interesting indeed,even if they had AC's points they would still have been lagging behind Argos,add in the ethical consideration (AC,Riis,Kreuziger) and it doesnt look good.I have favourited biciciclismo,looks like a good source of info Cineteq,thanks.

 

[Afrank]

Hope that Saxo and Argos get a licence, they both deserve to be in the world tour IMHO. Would be a shame to see Contador not in the WT and Argos I think have progressed far enough that they can be competitive in the WT.

Speaking of Argos....can Kittel and Degenkolb co-exist? I really can't say who is the better of the two. Kittel seems more like a pure sprinter, Dek seems to be more of an overall sprinter (hilly, non-train type sprints)...I hope we see them co-exist....but who do you bring to the Tour de France? Dek seems to be able to compete in a green jersey competition...Kittel seems to be able to win a flat out sprint...

I dunno.

I think they could find a way to work together. For a race like the Tour I think it would be a good idea to send both, then they could work for Kittel on the flat sprints, and work for Degenkolb on the more hilly sprints or work for him if Kittel doesn't feel good (like this year).

Degenkolb being better on more hilly terrain then Kittel also works in Argos favor, it won't be a Cav/Greipel situation where both of them are only pure flat sprinters. More like a 2011 Hushovd/Farrar in the Tour situation where they can both get wins on different terrains.

 

[avanti]

I would like to see this categorizing of teams (pro-tour, continental, etc) by the UCI end (the way it used to be a few decades ago).
Let the various race organizers decide which teams to invite. The UCI should only be responsible for rules (with buy-in from national organizations, race organizers, teams, and riders and for awarding world championships.

 

[gustienordic]

I don't think UCI could get away with not giving Saxo a license. It would be way to much of a f*** you to someone like Riis who has probably a bit of pull in the sport. Also, Saxo has more depth now than Argos, who has 3-4 good riders. FDJ better get in as well, especially with their dedication to anti-doping. Plus they are French, thats got to help. Argos bring nothing to the World Tour. Saxo will bring some decent excitement though.

 

[hoerpi]

Even if I would like to see Ludvigsson in bigger races I can't see Argos add anything to WT except for two sprinters which will grant them access to enough races already.

 

[Ferminal]

Argos will be really good April/May/June.

 

[gustienordic]

Argos will be really good April/May/June.

True... I just don't think they do much for the sport (excitement wise). The bright side however is they have some riders who are will be fun to watch:

Deg, Barguil, Ludvigsson, & Rensburg, oh and Ardnt

Kittel is kinda boring for obvious reasons, but he's very anti-doping which is nice.

 

[Telmisartan new]

Argos will be really good April/May/June.

I concur.Not sure if i am reading too much into things here but are some people not overly impressed with Argos? Is Degenkolb just another sprinter?? If anyone asks Cavendish or Matt Goss their view on Degenkolb, i think you'll find he's held in pretty high esteem,perhaps overshadowed by the emergence of Sagan but he can win more than Vuelta sprints,a future classic winner in my view,guaranteed.Would put my mortgage on it.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Degenkolb is held in really high esteem for good reason, but it doesn't mean we should be excited to have this team that can already get invited to all the races it wants anyway go World Tour and bore up a bunch more events. I'm not impressed with Argos not because they don't have good riders, but because they add absolutely zero value to races.

They'll get loads of points anyway. There are a massive amount of races that are easy pickings for a second tier sprinter, and whichever of Kittel and Degenkolb doesn't do the main event races will easily be the pick of the bunch at the second tier races, so they'll pick up a bunch of ranking points the same way André Greipel did in 2009-10.

I hope for more from Degenkolb in the vein of his Paris-Tours ride. That was great.

 

[Telmisartan new]

Degenkolb is held in really high esteem for good reason, but it doesn't mean we should be excited to have this team that can already get invited to all the races it wants anyway go World Tour and bore up a bunch more events. I'm not impressed with Argos not because they don't have good riders, but because they add absolutely zero value to races.

They'll get loads of points anyway. There are a massive amount of races that are easy pickings for a second tier sprinter, and whichever of Kittel and Degenkolb doesn't do the main event races will easily be the pick of the bunch at the second tier races, so they'll pick up a bunch of ranking points the same way André Greipel did in 2009-10.

I hope for more from Degenkolb in the vein of his Paris-Tours ride. That was great.

I stand corrected,what everyone is really saying is that their squad doesn't yet have the depth required in all facets to be worthy of WT status.Who's the two best teams to get the nod for the fans then? FDJ/Saxo?