Let It Be Me: With No Early Season Wins, Garmin's Tyler Farrar Needs Big Result Soon

Tyler Farrar's 2009 season was one for the ages. He scored wins throughout the year, against the best sprinters in the world of pro cycling. Heading into 2010, whether fair or not, huge things are expected of the still young American sprinter. A 20 win season seemed a possibility as the new season began, but as Farrar's race miles added up at the Tours of Qatar and Oman, unfortunately the wins didn't.

Still winless heading into the meat of the spring classics season, Farrar is probably less than pleased with the fact that he has not notched his first 2010 win. Now, with the Omloop Het Volk/Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne semi-classics on tap for Feb 27 and 28, big time European racing has arrived, and with it the pressure to succeed.

Luckily for Farrar he has been very close already to winning. His form is solid and he'll be able to draw confidence from an amazing 2009 season. At Het Volk and KBK he'll have two good chances to snatch a win, and coming out victorious in either race would erase all of his early season dissapointments.

Another factor in Farrar's favor is his Garmin-Transitions team. From Robert Hunter to David Millar to Matthew Wilson to Johan Vansummeren, Farrar has a strong lineup more than capable of delivering him to the line with a chance to fight for a sprint win. Better yet, should he falter, Farrar can take comfort in knowing that Garmin has many matches to burn in the race. Vansummeren particularly should be watched as a possible victor for Garmin in Farrar's stead.

Even if Tyler Farrar fails to break through this weekend at the opening of the 2010 classics seaosn, he will still have many chances to win out on the roads for the remainder of 2010. From one day classics like Gent-Wevelgem to stage races like the Tour of California, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, Farrar should strike gold multiple times before the season concludes. Still, a big win at Het Volk or KBK would not only boost his confidence, but would distinctively lessen th epressure Farrar may be feeling due to his early season lack of results.