cycling: Team Introductions 2018: Trek-Segafredo

Cycling: In the Trek-Segafredo team, the word farewell has been used a lot this season. Above all, the departure of Alberto Contador throws the team far back. After an average year, things shouldn't get any easier in the coming season. The team may not necessarily lack quality, but a clear direction is difficult to discern.

Average: #5 in the UCI WorldTour Team Ranking is deceptive

In the UCI WorldTour Team Ranking you can see how many points have been collected in races of the highest class. The placement and the score do not always indicate how strong a team's season actually was. The best example after this season is Trek-Segafredo. The US-American team is in #5 - just behind Sunweb and even ahead of Movistar. But really big victories could not be achieved. Among the 20 successes are mostly isolated stage victories, such as that of Bauke Mollema on the 15th stage of the Tour de France or the triumph of Alberto Contador. on the 20th stage of the Vuelta a Espana. The numerous podium finishes were also decisive for the many points. Alberto Contador finished second at Paris-Nice, the Volta a Catalunya and the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. Together with Bauke Mollema and Jasper Stuyven, he scored well over half of all Trek-Segafredo points. Behind comes John Degenkolb, who has had a difficult year and only after the 3rd leg of the Dubai Tour could cheer.

Farewell: Contador, Zubeldia & Hernandez retire

Every beginning is difficult – but so is saying goodbye. While the talents Mads Pedersen, Niclas Eg and Nicola Conci are still at the beginning of their careers in the Trek-Segafredo team, three pros have given up their bikes at the end of the season. In addition to Alberto Contador, Haimar Zubeldia and Jesus Hernandez have also said goodbye to professional cycling. Hernandez has accompanied Contador as a helper for many years - no matter which team. The now 40-year-old Zubeldia, on the other hand, often drove on his own account. Five top 10 placements at the Tour de France speak for themselves. But a Contador has shaped cycling even more thanks to his victories and his character, which is why his farewell is a sad one, and not just for Trek-Segafredo. He won the Tour de France twice, the Giro d'Italia twice and the Vuelta a Espana three times - and that already counts the victories that were denied. El Pistolero will be missed from cycling – and he will miss cycling.

Question mark: Where is the Trek-Segafredo team headed?

The fact that Alberto Contador, by far the strongest driver, will no longer be available to the team next year will have a strong impact on the results. The fact that management allowed up-and-coming Edward Theuns to join Sunweb speaks volumes when it comes to squad planning. You don't really get a clue as to what the managers are planning to do with the team. Gianluca Brambilla can go chasing stages in the mountains, but the rest of the newcomers will probably be more of a water carrier. A lot in 2018 will focus on the classics and bunch sprints, where you're not badly positioned with John Degenkolb, Giacomo Nizzolo, Jasper Stuyven, Boy Van Poppel and Fabio Felline. Bauke Mollema is then said to ride on the general classification in the tours, while Gianluca Brambilla and Jarlinson Pantano are typical breakaway riders. So there is undoubtedly potential, but it is unlikely that the level can be maintained without Contador and Co.

💥 We would like to present our 2018 training (yellow fluo) and racing (red) kits by @SANTINI_SMS ???? pic.twitter.com/QFXTioZuVs

- Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) 14 December 2017