The 2012 season is beginning: list of the ProTour teams with their rosters and their kits

Ladies and gentlemen, the off-season officially ends in 24 hours time (or less) and me still hasn't written that famous 'pronounciation post' I had promised you months ago. Oh, anger. Unfortunately me is pretty busy at the moment, since on Wednesday I'll face my first university exam ever. And guess what? Yes, it's a Russian exam. And yes, I'm getting crazy working on it. The other day I spent two hours crawling (yes, crawling) in the university bibliotheque, looking for a book about the topic of the exam (why all the Russian books have to be on the lowest shelfs?). Teacher had said that it would have helped us to understand the topic of the exam, but unfortunately it just helped to get even more confused. Oh, panic.

By the way, I've decided to take a break from studying, so here I am, looking for news about the cycling world. Recent articles say that Contador's TAS sentence has been postponed again, that Frank Schleck might race the Giro and that Acqua&Sapone guys are mad at Giro's new director because he didn't give them a wildcard. My 50 cents about these facts? First, I just hope the Contador's case will come to an end soon. And yes, I hope Alberto will be cleared. In fact, what would happen if he was banned? In my opinion, that would be just a terrible bad blow for cycling. Instead, if Alberto was cleared, we could just stop talking about that case and start discussing something else. Oh, and talking about Conti's case: Becca has recently suggested that Riis had his team camp held in Israeli because one of the judges who will decide Contador's fate actually comes from there. Fascinating theory, isn't it?

On to the Schleck/Giro telenovela, I do think that Frank has the skills to win the Giro. However, I also think that Jakob Fuglsang (who's been preparing the Corsa Rosa since last year) would probably go nuts if he was told that in May he'll have to work as a helper for Frankie... Actually, Jakob has already expressed his discontent with the team situation in some interviews and I think his feelings are completely understandable. Still, I don't think the Dane has to worry about Frankie racing the Giro. After all this time, in fact, I've finally understood that the brothers consider the Italian race just as a 'consolation prize' (copyright by Figgy ;)) for those who are unable to win the Tour. After all, better go to California and make the sponsors happy rather than win a useless race like the Italian one.

On to the Giro's wild cards, I really do not understand Acquarone's choices. In fact, I would have given wild cards to Colnago, Androni, Farnese Vini and I would have chosen Acqua & Sapone over Team NetApp. This latter team has a really interesting project, I know, but I think it's evident that its riders aren't actually as strong (or, at least, as famous) as Acqua&Sapone's Garzelli and Betancur. Acquarone said that he didn't give a wild card to A&S because he wanted to give a prize to the young German team, which seems to care a lot about the Corsa Rosa. Still, I think that sport is sport, and that people should just pay attention to the cyclists's values when it comes to inviting them at races. Poor Garzelli (who won the Giro a few years ago) wanted to end his career during the 2012 Giro, but now he'll have to choose whether to continue for another year or to end his career during another race. Personally, I think Stefano would have deserved a bit more respect and consideration, given all the emotions he gave to the supporters in the last few years.

Anyway. After giving my 50 cents about these matters, let's talk a bit about the teams that will surely take part in every important race of 2012: the ProTour teams. Since I haven't blogged at all during the last week, here's a long post featuring a description of every team of the 2012 proTour. Enjoy!

AG2R: The French team has a good roster, just like last year. Although Cyril Dessel stopped racing and Le Lay and Champion changed team, during the winter Ag2r signed some good riders like the Italian sprinter Manuel Belletti and the Frenchman Jimmy Casper. Moreover the team gave a contract to the neopro Berard and to some less known guys, like Gazvoda, Zargari and Shpilevsky. As well as those riders, the 2012 roster of the team includes Bérard, Bonnafond, Bouet, Cherel, Dupont, Elmiger, Gadret, Gastauer, Georges, Goddaert, Hinault, Houanard, Kadri, Krivstov, Lemarchand, Minard, Mondory, Montaguti, Nocentini, Peràud, Perget, Ravard, Riblon and Roche. 

Although the French team is often underestimated, I think it has the right skills to surprise the supporters throughout the year. Gadret is an exceptional climber and perhaps he could give la Vuelta a go. Also Dupont and Roche are very good GC riders, whereas guys like Riblon and Casper know what it takes to win GT stages. Moreover the roster features talented guys like Elmiger, Cherel, Gastauer, Kadri and an expert rider like Nocentini, who wore the yellow jersey for many days during 2009 TdF.

 As far as the 2012 kit is concerned, it is the same as last year's one.

BMC:  Bmc is probably one of the strongest team of the 2012 ProTour and, in my opinion, it is surely the most complete one. During the off season the team lost Kristoff, Kroon, Louder, Beyer, Murphy, Barton, Butler and Zahner, but it signed some other promising guys. As far as the North Classics are concerned, BMC can count on Thor Hushovd, Alessandro Ballan, George Hincapie, Manuel Quinziato and Mark Burghardt. Talking about the Ardenne Classics instead the BMC roster includes His Majesty Philippe Gilbert, Greg Van Avermaet, Mathias Frank and good all rounders like Santambrogio and Santaromita. As far as GTs are concerned, instead, BMC can count on Evans, who is one of the biggest favourites for the 2012 Tour de France. Moreover, BMC has an interesting rider like Taylor Phinney and some great time trialists like Van Garderen, Pinotti and Bookwalter. The team also includes fast guys like Blythe and Cummings, all rounders like Lodewyck, Morabito and Schaer, young guns like Roe, Wyss, Eijssen and Kohler and more experienced riders like Moinard. In my opinion, on paper this is the best team of 2012.

As far as the 2012 kit is concerned, it is very similar to 2011 one, as you can see in this pic by Pinotti: http://twitpic.com/81p5bw .

EUSKALTEL EUSKADI: The Basque team is ready to rock the climbs also this year, after a very successful 2011. De Larrea, Castroviejo, Aramendia changed teams, while Sesma and Isasi retired. Their places on the team were taken by good old Astarloza (who is back after his ban), Cobedo, Garcia Ambroa and Saez de Arregi. The team is as good as usual and it's ready to give it all on the GT climbs. In fact this year Anton and Nieve have a favourable parcours in the Vuelta, whereas Samuel Sanchez could try his luck at the Tour (don't forget that he was 4th there a few years ago).

The team also features guys like Azanza, Bilbao, Cabedo, Cazaux, Izagirre, Landa, Martinez de Esteban, Minguez, Oroz, Perez Lezaun, Perez Moreno, Urtasun, Velasco, Verdugo, Txurruka and the promising Sicard.

Of course the 2012 kit is the same as it was in 2011, in 2010, in 2009, in 2008, in 2007 and so on ;)

FDJ: The French team lost Meersman and Sulzberger, but it signed Veikkanen, Rasch, Boucher and the neopros Ellissonde and Demare. I'll surely keep an eye on this latter rider, because he was the winner of the 2011 U23 Worlds in Copenhagen. As far as the other riders are concerned, FDJ's roster includes talented guys like Offredo (who last year did very well in the Classics) and Jeannesson (who lost the TdF white jersey on Alpe d'Huez). Moreover the team features Roy (who doesn't remember his breakaways during the 2011 TdF?), Pinot, Pineau, Roux, Bonnet, Boucher, Bouhanni, Chainel, Courteille, Ellissonde, Gerard, Ladahnous, Mourey, Rollin, Soupe and Vaugrenard. Also Vichot and Delage are on the team, just like the experienced Guesdon (who won the 1997 Paris-Roubaix), Geslin as well as the fast Hutarovich. Another important rider on the roster is 'The Nose of France', mr. Fedrigo. I missed him during last year TdF and I can't wait to see him racing in a GT again!

As for the kit, the 2012 one is almost identical to the 2011 one.

GARMIN CERVELO: Garmin lost some important riders during the off-season, especially because most of the Aussies on the team decided to sign a contract for Green EDGE. Still, the biggest name to leave the team was Hushovd, who decided to sign for BMC. However Garmin was very active on the market and signed a lot of interesting guys. While Bobridge, the Meyer brothers, Wilson, Hushovd, Lancaster, Dean and Rasch all left the team, Garmin decided to give a contract to LT/Radioshack's former riders Wegmann, Rosseler and Hunter. Moreover it signed Fernandez, Howes, Rathe, Haas, Bauer, Kreder, Dekker and Alex Rasmussen, who had been fired by HTC last year.

Garmin is as good as usual as it still has some very good riders. As far as sprints are concerned, we have Farrar, Fischer, Rasmussen, Haussler (which hopefully will overcome all the problems he's had in the last years!) and Hunter. As far as TTs are concerned, instead, the team features guys like Danielson, Rosseler, Millar, Talansky (keep an eye on him this year!) and Zabriskie. The team also has some good climbers like Daniel Martin, Le Mevel and Vanmarcke (I expect good things from him), young guns like Stetina and Navardauskas and some good Classic riders like Vansummeren and Maaskant. Garmin also decided a second chance to Thomas Dekker (who was one of the most promising young riders back in 2007) and has on its roster good all rounders like Danielson, Howes, Bauer, Klier, Kreder and Rathe, as well as a GC rider like Vande Velde.

As for the kit (http://www.slipstreamsports.com/), it is NOT the same as 2011, as it is white and covered in argyle patterns (team Sky and the rest of Cycledom thank the Garmin designers for making their lives easier during the 2012 season).

GREEN EDGE: This team is the biggest news of the 2012 season. Green Edge has some excellent Australia) sprinters like Goss (winner of 2011 Sanremo), Bobridge, Cooke, Davis, Dean, Lancaster and the Meyer brothers. The team also features Beppu and good old Robbie McEwen, as well as Daryl Impey, who is back at a top level after his awful crash at 2010 (or was it 2009?) Tour of Turkey. As far as the Classics are concerned, Green Edge is ready to rock the cobbles together with the young Keukeleire and Langeveld and the experienced O'Grady. As far as the GTs are concerned, we have talented guys like Weening, Sulzberger, Vaitkus, Wilson and Gerrans, the famous 'climbing sprinter'.

 The team also signed Mouris, Kruopis, Teklehaimanot, Albasini, Docker, S. Clarke, the good time trialist Tuft, HTC's Howard and two exceptional neo pros, Michael Hepburn and Luke Durbridge. Don't tell anyone, but I'll bee rooting a lot for Michael this year!! 

As for the kit, you can see it on http://procyclingtv.com/first-look-greenedges-cycling-kit-for-2012/ :)

KATUSHA: After talking about the Australian national team, let's talk about the Russian national team. My future employers, ehm, sorry, the Katusha guys have improved their roster a lot during the off-season and this year they're likely to get their best results ever. Although Pozzato, Karpets, Vanderbergh, Hoste, Ovechkin, Trusov, Mironov, Pliuschin and Arguelyes left the team and Ivanov (winner of 2010 Amstel) retired, the Russians have signed a few great riders this winter. Who? Well, first of all there is Freire, a guy who's won a few important races in the last 10 years. Then they signed Menchov, who this year is one of the TdF favourites. Moreover they gave a contract to Vicioso (winner of the 3rd stage of the 2011 Giro), Florencio, Kritskiy, Tsatevich, Belkov and Haller. Katusha also signed the neo pro Selig (who already got a pro victory during his stagiaire period at Leopard Trek), Lampre's Spilak and the promising Smukulis. As well as those new riders, the 2012 team roster features some good all rounders like Brutt, Caruso, Horrach, Ignatenko, Isaichev, Kuschinskiy, Losada, Porsev, Trofimov, Vantomme and Vorganov, who will give a big hand to the team leaders during the GTs. Moreover, the Russian team can count on the promising sprinter Galimzyanov, on the experienced Paolini and Ignatiev and on a great climber like Rodriguez.

As for the 2012 kit, it is almost completely red and it doesn't featured the skyline of Moscow anymore. Here's a pic of it: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/katusha-announces-new-kit-sponsors (ps: why didn't they take a pic of Menchov rather than of Freire?!?)

LAMPRE: The Italian team during the winter break has lost Gavazzi, Kasheckin, Spilak, Kondrut and Balloni, whereas Loosli retired. On the other hand, this team signed interesting guys like the young Cimolai, the brave Stortoni, the neopros Anacona and Graziato, the good sprinter Viganò, the talented climber Possoni and the good old Matthew Lloyd, who was second during the Australian National Championships. As far as the rest of the roster is concerned, Lampre features some great sprinters (and lead out guys) like Petacchi (of course), Hondo, Bole, Bono, Marzano, Mori and Spezialetti. Moreover the team can count on all rounders like Bertagnolli, Buts, Kvachuk and Righi and on a talented guy like Ulissi.

The Italian team also includes Cunego (who last year showed some very good things), Niemiec (please, let him go for the GC in the Vuelta!) and Scarponi, who still hasn't decided whether he'll race the Giro or the Tour. Moreover, the Italian team features Adriano Malori, a very promising Italian time trialist.

As for the kits, it is the same as 2011.

LIQUIGAS: The green team (yes, the kit is the same as in 2011) has a very talented roster also this year. After losing Cimolai, Guarnieri and Ponzi, Liquigas signed two very good neo pros (Agostini and Moser), the promising Sarmiento, the fast Ratto and the young Canuti. The 2012 roster features also some good all rounders like Agnoli, Agostini, Bodnar, Da Dalto, King, Longo Borghini and the experienced Vanotti. The team also has a great sprinter like Viviani, an exceptional helper like Szmyd and some very young and talented guys: Peter Sagan (don't forget that he was born in 1990!) and his brother, Nerz, Paterski, Koren, Marangoni and Capecchi (winner of a stage during the 2011 Giro). As for the GTs, Liquigas has Basso and Nibali. Ivan will go for the Giro, whereas Nibali still hasn't decided his schedule. The team also features a good time trialist like Duggan and a good climber like Salerno.

LOTTO BELISOL: Lotto lost a lot of strong guys during the winter, given that Bakelandts, Gilbert, Blythe, Lodewyck, Voucher, Veikkanen and Vandousselare left the team and Aerts retired. Still, the team managers decide to invest on the young riders and signed 4 neo pros: Van der Sande, Bulgac, D. Vanendert and Cordeel. The team also signed Billie, Vangenechten, Henderson, Bak, Meersman, Sohrabi, Van Leijen and Robert.

The 2012 team is formed by lots of good all rounders and by some very talented climbers. As for the sprints, the team will be able to count on Greipel, Hansen, Henderson, Roelandts and Sieberg. Moreover the team will be able to count on all rounders like Bak, Debusschere, Deahaes, Dockx, Kaisen, Lang, Neyens, Reyens, Vandewalle and Willems. Moreover, Lotto has kept some of the most talented climbers of the former Omega Pharma Lotto. In fact Lotto Belisol features in its roster Bart De Clerq (winner of a stage at 2011 Giro), De Greef, Van Den Broeck  and Jelle Vanendert (winner of a stage at the Tour). Don't underestimate this team when it comes to winning mountain stages at the GTs! You can see their kit on http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lotto-belisol-releases-more-2012-kit-pictures .

MOVISTAR TEAM: Movistar has great expectations on the 2012 season and it can count on a very competitive roster. Although it lost Garcia Acosta (who retired), Perez Sanchez and Pasamontes, in fact, during the winter the Spanish team signed Vuelta winner Cobo, Italian eternal promise Visconti and the 2009 Vuelta winner Valverde. Alejandro was one of the best and complete Classic riders before his ban, will he still be competitive after all those months? Let's hope so. The team this winter also signed Herrada, Bazan, the promising Castroviejo, Quintana and Karpets. Movistar can count on a competitive GT team, given that its roster includes climbers like Amador, Arroyo, Bruseghin, Erviti, Intxausti and the above mentioned Valverde and Cobo. The Spanish team also features Pardilla, Plaza Molina and a fast all rounder like Ventoso. Moreover it features a very good time trialist (Konovalovas), a wonderful (I can't think of any better adjective to describe him) rider like Kiryenka, a good sprinters like Rojas Gil and a super strong all rounder like Lastras. Moreover the team features interesting all rounders like Samoilau, Costa, Gutierrez, Herrada, Iriarte, Madrazo, Moreno Bazan, Plaza Molina and Sanz.

As for the kits, you can see it here: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/10800/Photo-gallery-Riders-show-off-2012-Movistar-and-Team-Sky-kit.aspx . Btw, can I say that I don't like the Italian national jersey at all? The traditional one is better!

OMEGA-PHARMA QUICKSTEP (not to confound with Lotto Belisol): OPQ has a very interesting line up, which is a good mixture of good old Quick Step and good old Omega.  This winter the team lost De Maar, Seeldrayers, Malacarne, Engels (who retired), Reda, Robert, Van Impe, Cappelle and Tratnik, but it signed some very good riders like neo pro Trentin (one of the strongest Italian neos).

As for the Classics, OPQ can count on Tom Boonen and Chavanel. As for the sprints, OPQ can count on Ciolek, Steegmans and Chicchi, whereas the team will be very competitive during the TTTs thanks to guys like the Velits twins, Grabsch, Rabon, the Velits twins, Leipheimer and Toni Martin. As for the GTs, OPQ can count on Leipheimer, Cataldo, Toni Martin and on one of the Velits twins (I can't remember which one :P) who, in my opinion, are likely to do very well at the Tour.  As for the rest of the team, it is formed by excellent all rounders like Terpstra, Brammeier, Bandiera, Fenn, Devenyns, Golas, Pineau (winner of a stage during the 2008 Giro), De Weert, Devenyns, Kwiatowski (who is a very promising rider), Pauwels, Vandenbergh, Vandewalle, Van Keirsbulck, Vermote, Maes, Golas and Zdenek Stybar. You can see the team kit on http://www.omegapharma-quickstep.com/ . Why does it remind me of Leopard Trek's one?

ASTANA: Astana was very active during the winter and it signed some very good young riders. On the other hand, it lost Di Gregorio, Clarke, Vaitkus, Davis, Stangelj and Lorenzetto (those two latter riders actually retired).

As far as the sprints are concerned, this year Astana can count on Gavazzi, Guarnieri and Bozic. As for the Classics, the Kazakh team will rely on the eternal Vinokourov, on Gasparotto and on Maksim Iglinskiy. Still, this team will have its best line up during the Grand Tours. In fact Astana roster includes lots of young promising guys like Brajkovic, Kiserlovski, Masciarelli, Kreuziger and some older guys like Vino and Kasheckin. Moreover the team includes excellent climbers like Seeldrayers, Silin and Kessiakoff and a great helper like Tiralongo. The rest of the team is former by good all rounders like Bazayev, Dyachenko, Fofonov, Grivko, Gruzdev, Kangert, V. Iglinskiy, Murayev, Nepomnyachsniy, Renev, Zeits and Petrov (who won l'Aquila stage of 2010 Giro).

The kit is the same as usual.

RABOBANK: This winter Rabobank lost Weening, Langeveld and Freire, but it gave a contract to Mark Renshaw and to two promising young guns, Bol and Keldermann. The 2012 roster is very good, as it features good sprinters like Boom, Bos, Brown, Renshaw, Matthews and Breschel. I really can't wait to see what Renshaw, Matthews and Breschel will do this year, so I'll keep an eye on them throughout the season. The team also includes promising GT riders like Gesink, Kruijswijk and Mollema and some great stage winners like Luis Leon Sanchez. Moreover the team includes very good all rounders like Barredo, Clement, Flens, Garate, Leezer, Martens, Niermann, Tjallingii, Van Emden, Van Winde, Verneltfoot and Wynants.

The kit is the same as 2011.

SAXO BANK: Saxo Bank let Cooke, Porte, Didier, Larsson, Steensen and Bellis go and I'm very sorry about all these departures. On the other hand, it signed Juul Jensen (who's already attracted the attention of many fangirls ;)) , Paulinho, Pires, Lund, Margaliot, Kroon, Vinther, Miyazawa and Cantwell.

The team features some very talented young riders like Boaro, Juul Jensen, Majka, Marycz (can't wait to see him at the Giro!), Pires and Tanner. Moreover it features two sprinters (los Haedos) and lots of great all rounders, which will support Contador throughout the season. Amongst them we have Gustov, Hernandez, Lund, Navarro, Noval, Tosatto, Paulinho and Nicki Sorensen. As for the Classics, Nuyens will try to rock the cobbles again together with Klostergaard, whereas Kroon and Chris Sorensen will do their best in the Ardennes.

As far as the kit is concerned, you can see it here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/gallery-saxo-bank-show-off-2012-team-kit/201063 . I really like it, even I don't really love the eagles. Still, theybrought a lot of good luck last year, so I can understand why they didn't delete them from the jerseys ;)

SKY: During the winter Gerrans, Henderson, Cummings, Augustyn, Possoni, Downing and Pauwels changed team, whereas Arvesen, Cioni and Carlstrom retired. On the other hand, Sky gave a contract to the neo pro Puccio, to Siutsou, to Henao, Rowe, Porte, Pate and, dulcis in fundo, Eisel and Cavendish.

As for the sprints, this year Sky can count on the World champion, on Eisel, Dowsett, Appollonio, Stannard, Sutton, Swift, Hayman and Hunt. During the GTs instead it will be able to count on Wiggins, which will be supported by great climbers like Froome, Henao, Lovkvist and Uran and by excellent all rounders like Barry, Zandio, Rogers and Porte, who could also try his luck at the Giro. Moreover Sky can count on Thomas, Flecha and Boasson Hagen for the Classics and on some talented time trialists for the TTTs (amongst them we have Pate). Other talented all rounders are Knees, Kennaugh and Rowe.

The kit is the same as usual.

VACANSOLEIL: 2010 cycling market wasn't very good with Vacansoleil, as both Mosquera and Riccò were soon fired. Still, this year the Dutch team gave a contract to some very good guys like supporter's hero Van Hummel, the talented Denifl and Valls, the former SB rider Larsson and the former LT Mortensen. Moreover Vacansoleil signed Boeckmans, Lindeman, Markus, Marczynski, Morajko, Novikov and Van Impe, whereas it lost Golas, Mouris, Bozic, Belkov, Van Leijen and Gardeyn.

 The 2012 roster includes strong Classic riders like Leukemans, Devolder, De Gendt, Poels and Westra, Carrara, De Gendt, Lagutin, Marcato and Hoogerland. Moreover the team can count on Roman Feillu and Pim Lighthart's sprinting skills and on other talented guys like Veuchelen, Selvaggi, Pavarin and Keizer.

The kit hasn't been officially unveiled yet.

So, that's all for the moment (and, probably, for the rest of the week). Let's ready to the start of the season folks!

PS: I'm having troubles with answering comments, so I'll try doing it tomorrow. Apologies!