With professional teams struggling to find sponsors thanks to the plethora of doping scandals plaguing the sport and the global economic downturn, it is more important than ever that teams offer value for money for their sponsors by grabbing headlines – of the right kind.
Garmin Cipotle Bring Fresh Attitude
Garmin – Chipotle have secured their fair share of favourable headlines this year and not always for their victories.
The team have taken eight wins this year, placing them well down the leader-board, but they have operated with a sense of openness and joy that has placed them firmly in the media spotlight.
From their Argyle kit to their racing attitude, everything about the team suggests the riders enjoy their work. Fiercely clean during the Tour de France the team threw open its doors to former professional rider and strong critic of cycling's doping practices, Paul Kimmage. The Sunday Times writer filed a series of fascinating reports from the race and asked some serious questions of the riders and staff and came away hopeful that perhaps there was a bright future for the sport if more teams acted the same way.
Team CSC and Astana Dominate Grand Tours
Two teams caught the headlines thanks to their dominance of the Grand Tours. Firstly Team Astana controlled both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta d'Espana, resulting in victory for their leader Alberto Contador.
Their control of both races, particularly the Vuelta, was impressive with Levi Leipheimer taking second place on the podium in Spain. With the return of Lance Armstrong to professional cycling next year, Astana will once again feature strongly in the grand tours in 2009.
Whilst Astana dominated the Tours of Italy and Spain, CSC-Saxo Bank were all-powerful at the Tour de France. At the start of the race it wasn't clear which of CSC's riders would be the team's leader, with the Schleck brothers and Carlos Sastre all with strong claims.
As it turned out though Sastre was the strongest and went on to claim victory. The way the CSC-Saxo Bank team worked for Sastre was devastating. They had complete control of the race at all the pivotal moments, working at the head of the peloton during the the mountain stages, none more so than during the stage to Alpe d'Huez when Andy and Frank Schleck virtually toyed with Sastre's rivals as the Spaniard disappeared up the road.
Team Columbia Achieve Great Win Record
There can, however, be only one team of the year and it has to go to Team Columbia. Without a main sponsor at the start of the year, Columbia – A US clothing supplier – have got unbelievable value for money out of the team.
Team Columbia (or Team High Road up until July) have recorded a staggering 70 wins this season, placing them atop the leader-board by some considerable distance (the next closest being Quick Step with 42).
The wins have come from a large range of riders in all types of races, throughout the whole year – in one day races (Scheldeprijs - Cavendish in April), week long stage races (Tour de Georgia – Siutsou in April and Tour de L'Ain – Gerdemann in August) and stage victories in the Grand Tours – (Giro d'Italia – Cavendish, Pinotti, Greipel in May, Tour de France – Cavendish, Burghardt in July.
It has been a fantastic 2008 season for a team that at the start of it was searching for a sponsor to be assured of its future. No other team comes close in getting the nod for team of the year.
References:
Cycle Sport Magazine – Dec 2008
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