Cycling: Where glorious victories are celebrated, bitter tears must also flow. It wasn't that bad when it came to our six biggest disappointments of 2019, but we still hoped for a little more.
Peter Sagan: Weak in the spring, then only solid
Calling a rider with 36 top 10 finishes the disappointment of the season seems wrong. But the expectations Peter Sagan (Bora – hansgrohe) are simply enormous. With only four wins, 2019 will go down in the statistics as his weakest year to date. He himself will see things the same way, because especially with his first highlight of the season - the classics in spring - he was not able to meet the expectations placed on him at all. Finishing #4 at Milan-Sanremo and #5 at Paris-Roubaix were his best results. And although he then won the points classification at the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France, he fell short of his results from previous years with just one stage win each. When we consider how many events Peter Sagan has started as a top favorite, or at least a co-favourite, his tally is nothing short of disappointing.
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Romain Bardet: Absolutely no chance in the mountains
Without a single win of the season Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) ended the 2019 season. With the strong competition in the mountains, this statistic alone says nothing about the Frenchman's year. But his performance was actually more disappointing than ever. Of his eleven top 10 finishes, he only achieved five in the WorldTour. He jumped onto the podium only once as a breakaway on a stage in the Tour de France. In general, many of his fans were shocked by his condition during the Grand Boucle. Romain Bardet couldn't even remotely keep up with the competition. At the end of the three weeks he was only 15th because he stayed afloat in breakaway groups. The French spectators had expected so much from him this year. He nurtured these hopes with #5 in Paris – Nice and #9 in the Amstel Gold Race. After that, however, not much happened.
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Richie Porte: "Now or never" became never
One is probably not leaning too far out of the window when one makes the assertion that Richie porte (Trek – Segafredo) will never win a Grand Tour. The Australian will be 35 in January and his performances have already declined significantly this season. Many pundits put the “now or never” stamp on him ahead of the Tour de France in July. Without Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin, his time had to come. But she didn't come. Richie Porte was only eleventh. In a cynical way one could now say that he was able to finish the tour after all. In his last six Grand Tour attempts, he failed three times. Richie Porte avoided the blunders this year, but his strength was blown away. He was only able to celebrate his annual victory up Willunga Hill at the beginning of the season. Richie Porte has historically been known as the strongest GC driver for week-long tours. Only with rank #2 at the Tour Down Under was he unable to confirm this reputation in 2019 either.
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Daniel Martin: The liveliness is gone
Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates) is always mentioned as one of the favorites in hilly stage profiles. For many years, the Irishman was considered to be extremely constant and lively. Duels with Alejandro Valverde, Philippe Gilbert and Julian Alaphilippe were almost a daily occurrence for him. But while Valverde is still one of the strongest pros in the peloton at the age of 39, Daniel Martin already seems to be slacking off at 33. The 2019 season was a single catastrophe for him, after 2018 was rather modest. Only three top 3 results are recorded, in Catalonia and in the Basque Country. He disappointed at his season highlights. As 18th in the Tour de France, he was almost only seen on television when he was left behind as one of the first well-known climbers. After that, nothing worked out for him at all. At the Clasica San Sebastian, in Quebec, in Montreal and at the Tour of Lombardy, there was no top 10 result. These races are actually made for him. In the coming year, Daniel Martin will start for the Israel Cycling Academy and for Katusha - Alpecin. He will probably be mentioned less often as one of the favorites in 2020.
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Niki Terpstra: Mega flop instead of mega transfer
Around twelve months ago, the change from Niki Terpstra (Direct Energie) named transfer of the year. Back then he left the Quick-Step wolf pack as reigning winner of the Tour of Flanders and E3 Harelbeke. The French team wanted to climb into new spheres with him. But what followed was an unchecked descent of the now 35-year-old Dutchman. He never finished in the top 3 in a single WorldTour race, although his team was invited to a few events. He totally messed up his season highlights. He could not get a better result than 15th place at E3 Harelbeke in any classic at the highest level of cycling. Only when he came third at Kuurne – Brussel – Kuurne did his past strength briefly shine through.
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André Greipel: Things are getting quieter around the gorilla
Unfortunately not a disappointment of the season should be missing André Greipel (Arkea – Samsic). The German sprinter won just one race in 2019. At the start in Africa for the first time, he left the little-known competition behind on a stage of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo. Weakened by injuries and illnesses, André Greipel simply did not find his normal form in the first year with the French team. Not only was he disappointed, but his team as well. A few weeks ago, they agreed on a separation. In 2020 André Greipel will start for the Israel Cycling Academy and Katusha - Alpecin. However, it is uncertain whether the 37-year-old will find his way back to his old strength.
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