Radioshack's Uncertain 2011: Who Will Lead?

The Radioshack team was ambitiously formed in 2010 solely to support Lance Armstrong's attempt at an unprecedented 8th Tour de France title. Poaching many riders from the Astana team, Radioshack came together quickly and looked poised to be a top contender at the Tour last year. It was not meant to be.

Armstrong, after a very strong prologue start, suffered one set back after another, from mechanicals to crashes and was out of the overall picture heading into the second week. Leadership was then passed to Levi Leipheimer, but the three-time Tour of California winner was unable to muster the form to stay with the fastest riders throughout the final two weeks. When the dust had settled, it was Chris Horner who was the best finisher for the Radioshack team, slotting in at 10th place overall.

As the new season fast approaches, Radioshack is at a crossroads of sorts. Armstrong will be running on a severely reduced 2011 race schedule, and the team was unable (or unwilling) to sign any new big time talent for the coming year. If the American-registered team is to be successful in 2011, they'll have to look to their existing roster for success.

Some of the usual names will be looked to for leadership next year. Levi Leipheimer will likely be granted leadership at both the Tour of California and Tour de France. Andreas Kloden too will be expected to contend in week long stage races like Tirreno-Adriatico, and Chris Horner will probably be looked at as a co-leader at the Tour as well. Unfortunately though for all three of the above riders, their best days as stage racers are probably behind them. This is not to say that they can't have success (a top 10 placing at a grand tour or win in a week long stage race), but rather to clarify that they probably won't be able to hope to win the Tour outright. If Radioshack is to place one of the riders on the podium at the Tour, it will prpbably have to be a new name.

Foremost among the new guard at Radioshack is Janez Brajkovic. The Slovenian will turn 27 this winter and is heading into the prime of his career. Already a known stage racing commodity, Brajkovic has been in the Radioshack system dating back to their days as the Discovery team. In many ways 2010 was a breakthrough season for Brajkovic, as he impressively won the Dauphine Libere stage race and then rode strongly in support of Radioshack's team leaders in the grand tours. He heads into 2011 with the mental and physical skills to jump to the next level, and with Armstrong out of the picture for the Tour Brajkovic will be expected to produce a strong result. More than ever, 2011 looks like the year that Brajkovic becomes one of the world's best stage racers.

Another name to watch for the Radioshack team in 2011 is young Tiago Machado. The former Portuguese national time trial champion had an excellent 2010, and like Brajkovic will enjoy increased responsibility in 2011. At only 25 years old he probably will need one more year to assume the role of full time protected rider, but under the right circumstances he could catch lightening in a bottle and snag a big win or two during the coming year.

Finally, the young 22 year old American Bjorn Selander will use his second season as a pro to improve his stag racing skill set. Selander is raw and still learning where his strengths lie as a rider, but early on it appears as though stage races will be his forte. He himself states that his recovery abilities lend themselves to stage racing and riding for Radioshack will afford him to learn under some of the best stage racers in the sport. 2011 probably won't be the year that Selander finds a breakthrough win, but it will probably be the year that he learns definitively whether he has the chops to ride with the world's best in big time stage races.

More perhaps than any other Pro Tour team, the Radioshack squad will head into 2011 as a team in transition. New leaders must emerge in Armstrong's absence and the remaining veterans must deliver big results while mentoring the younger riders. If all goes to plan for Johan Bruyneel's squad, Leipheimer will find his way back up to the top step of the Amgen Tour of California podium, Horner will manage to win a week long stage race in Europe and Brajkovic will go top ten in France in July. Now all they have to do is go deliver the results.

Birth of a Pro Tour Cycling Team: The Luxembourg Cycling Project Taking Shape

The Luxembourg cycling project is finally beginning to take shape, as the organization has added both logistical and athletic staff in the past few days. Although still shrouded in mystery, the new Pro Tour team is taking shape quickly, and it is clear that it will be one of the strongest teams in the 2011 peloton.

The hiring of several new directors for the coming season has garnered headlines in the past few days, but it is the addition of some big time riders that has piqued the interest of both the fans and media in recent days. Jens Voigt has been confirmed (this has been a near confirmed rumor for months) as has the sprinter and classics talent Daniele Bennati.

Bennati boards from the Liquigas team, and the 2008 Maglia Ciclamino will bolster the Luxembourg squad's chances in the early spring classics and in sprint finishes in the grand tours. Bennati has had mixed results in the past two seasons, and his move to the new Luxembourg team seems a good one at this stage in his career. He'll ride with little pressure in 2011 as he tries to regain elite status among the top sprinters in the world.

Also joining the Luxembourg team for 2011 is David Vigano. A known domestique who has ridden for some of the biggest teams in the world, Vigano will add strong support to the Luxembourg team leaders throughout the year. And although he probably won't garner any individual results, Vigano's value to the team should be clear once the 2011 season is in the books.

As the 2011 season gets closer and closer, the Luxembourg team should continue to add big talent to support and compliment the two Schleck brothers and the other confirmed riders already inked to deals with the team. But which additional riders will likely be signed?

At the top of the list, at least according to rumor, is the veteran German one day rider Fabian Wegmann. Formerly a rider for the now dead Milram team, Wegmann will act as a second threat behind Andy Schleck at the hilly classics and other one day events. Now 30 years old, Wegmann is no spring chicken any more. He has gained valuable experience in the past few years riding as a protected leader at some of the world's biggest races, but he also has not shied away from playing the domestique role. He should be in with a chance for at least one big classic win, but he'll also be a valuable support rider to the Schlecks in stage races throughout the year, particularly in the mountains.

One other big name that could end up a part of the Luxembourg team is Kim Kirchen. Alongside the Schlecks, Kirchen is the top Luxembourg rider in the pro peloton, and after a disagreement with his current team Katusha regarding his planned comeback after a heart attack, Kirchen will be looking to join a new team for 2011. And what better place than the Luxembourg team? Kirchen needs to land on a team where he can rider with no pressure as he gradually rebuilds his fitness after a scary 2010 incident. He would have that at the Luxembourg team, as well as all the perks of riding on a well-funded Pro Tour team.

As their roster details are revealed, it is clear that the Luxembourg team will be very strong, at least on paper, for 2011. The only problem could be team chemistry, as the riders that comprise the roster will have to adjust quickly to each other's tendencies and talents. Behind strong management and a ton of money though, expect 2011's most hyped new team to deliver in a big way throughout the year.

Desperate Times: As Media Scrutiny Mounts, Alberto Contador Pulls Out All the Stops

Alberto Contador is in a tight spot. He has already been confirmed positive for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France and multiple media reports have alleged that the Spaniard also showed traces of plasticizers (from IV blood bags) in his blood. Evidence seems to be mounting against Contador, and "El Pistolero" has done little to help his cause along the way.

As soon as the positive test was revealed Contador leaned on food poisoning as his main defense. Unfortunately though, the experts weren't, and still aren't buying it. As the weeks have passed, Contador's claim that contaminated meat was the culprit for his positive has fallen on deaf ears. Experts have insisted that Contador must prove that bad meat was responsible, not merely claim that it was.

Then, a clearly under pressure Contador claimed that he would no longer make any more statements or answer any more questions about his positive tests until a decision has been made by the UCI and WADA. That didn't last long though, as Contador just recently claimed that he may quit cycling regardless of the outcome of the UCI's decision. Yeah right, sure he will.

How many times must we hear cyclists claim that they are so disillusioned with the system that they are prepared to walk away? Remember Alexander Vinokourov? He said the same thing when he got nabbed back in 2007. Remember Stefan Schumacher? He said the same thing when notified that he would be banned for use of CERA. And what about "The Chicken", Michael Rasmussen? He continues to minimize the fact that he misled the UCI on his whereabouts leading up to the Tour, and still insists to this day he is innocent. The list goes on and on, a litany of riders who tried everything in their power to deny any wrong doing until the evidence was handedly stacked against them. So, is Contador any different?

No matter your stance on Contador's situation, you must agree that he is not doing himself any good to threaten the general public and his accusers with his permanent leaving of the sport. he is a great rider, an enormous talent, but cycling would do just fine without him. There are a host of young riders coming up in the sport who will electrify both stage races and one day classics in the coming years, so losing a rider the stature of Contador would hurt only one person: Alberto Contador. Hopefully the three-time Tour winner will keep quiet until a decision is handed down, rather than continue to make ridiculous comments that hold no water in the real world.

Another First for Freire: El Gato Strikes Again with Strong Win at Paris-Tours

You just gotta love Oscar Freire. One of the most experienced riders in the pro peloton, the Spaniard made good on his remaining world championship form to become the first ever Spanish rider to win Paris-Tours. Freire won like he has his entire career: On his own. "El Gato" once again came seemingly out of nowhere for the victory, adding a nice trophy to his mantle piece for the 2010 season.

Coming into the world championships in Australia a few weeks back Freire was considered one of the heavy favorites. He was pretty much the lone leader of the Spanish team and everything seemed to be in place for him to take his fourth world title. Unfortunately though, the tactical battle didn't go his way and he left Australia empty handed.

Throughout his career, Freire has made a living out of looking after himself when searching for victories. Unlike a rider like Petacchi or Cavendish, Freire doesn't require any lead out train. He sprints from very short distances, but his accelerations are vicious. Further, he is a serviceable climber capable of staying at the front of a field in tough one day races like Milan-San Remo. When on form he is deadly on almost any finishing straight, and he proved once again in France at Paris-Tours that he still has the speed to mix it up with the very best in the sport.

After his win at Paris-Tours, Freire allowed that he may not retire at the end of the 2011 season after all. He realizes that he has plenty left in the tank and with the Rabobank team completely behind him, Freire can reasonably expect to ride at a high level for at least the next to seasons. These days riders can ride into their forties if they choose, so at 34 years old Freire could still have several more great years on the bike.

The only problem for Freire in the coming seasons is that sometimes the margins between a great season and a disappointing one are razor thin. Because he is a rider that has to rely on his tactical savvy to win races, he isn't always assured of being in the best position to win. Mark Cavendish and other pure sprinters, strictly based on averages, are bound to win a handful of races because they are perfectly set up by their team in almost every race they enter. Freire on the other hand must look to himself for positioning in the peloton. If he isn't perfectly placed heading into the final 2000 meters of a race, he usually can't recover in time to get himself to the front.

As his career winds down, Oscar Freire should be considered a living legend of the sport. Few riders have been able to build successful careers the way Freire has. Among active riders, only Robbie McEwen springs to mind as a rider built in a similar mold to Freire. At next year's world championships in Copenhagen, Freire will once again try for a record fourth world title. Another tough parcours will await him though, so winning his fourth rainbow jersey will be a tough task. No matter if he isn't able to win any big races in 2011, Freire should still continue riding well into the future.

The New American Guard: Phinney, Van Garderen, Talansky, Stetina, Howes, King, Fairley and Boswell Poised for 10 Year Run

If you're an American cycling fan, you have got to be excited about the next ten years. As some of the true legends of American cycling like George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner, Lance Armstrong, Jason McCartney, David Zabriskie, Christian Vande Velde and others wind down their careers, there are a host of young riders poised to fill their shoes . . . and more. Below follow brief previews of tomorrow's American cycling stars.

Taylor Phinney has already ascended to legendary status in American pro cycling and he is only

20 years old. He is the current national time trial champion after edging Levi Leipheimer a few weeks ago in Greenville and a move over the the BMC team seems to pave the way for the youngster to begin riding as a team leader as early as next year. Phinney is a multi-dimensional athlete capable of just about anything in the sport, and he'll need to use the next two seasons to lay the groundwork for what should be one of the greatest careers in the history of American cycling. No pressure kid.

Teejay Van Garderen spent the first two years of his pro career on the Rabobank development squad, where he cut his teeth on the ruthless racing style of the Netherlands and Belgium. Then last year he signed on with the HTC-Columbia team and everything started to come together for the 22 year old. A third overall at the Dauphine Libere was undoubtedly the highlight of his year, but strong performances at both the Vuelta a Espana and Tour de l'Ain bespoke his versatility as a top stage racer of the future. Van Garderen will stay with HTC for 2011, where he should reasonably expect to try for a stage win at the grand tours and possible contend again in races like the Dauphine and Paris-Nice.

Andrew Talansky burst onto the International scene this year despite riding for an amateur team. The Napa, California resident patiently developed over the course of this season, and he caught the eyes of some of the most powerful figures in cycling. When the dust had settled, Talansky had himself a contract with Garmin-Transitions for 2011. Talansky, like Van Garderen, has shown enormous potential as both a stage racer and one day star. He'll learn from the best in 2011 and by 2012 should be one of the stronger climbers on the Garmin team.

Peter Stetina, like Alex Howes, isn't a huge name yet on the pro scene, but he most certainly will be. A strong climber and time trialist, Stetina will also be a part of the Garmin squad for 2011. He'll have to be patient in terms of getting opportunities to ride for himself, but with a year or two of domestique work he should set himself up hunt for stage wins in the grand tours while competing in the hilly classics as a dark horse contender. Providing he stays healthy, he should be a top one day favorite in the tough hilly classics and shorter stage races by 2014.

Alex Howes is a name that hasn't become instantly recognizable to all American cycling fans, but that should start changing within the next two years. A current U-23 road and criterium national champion, Howes has all the tools necessary to be a power player on the International scene within the next few years. He'll be one of the new youngsters on next year's Garmin-Transitions team, where he'll ride with some of the most experienced riders in America in Vande Velde and Zabriskie, not to mention the newly crowned world champion Thor Hushovd. Howes may not rack up big results immediately, but it won;t be long before he is at the front of bike races animating the field.

By now everyone who follows American cycling knows the legend of Ben King. After a seemingly suicidal long-range attack at the US Pro Championships, King now holds the stars and stripes jersey of national road champion. In 2011 he'll suit up for the Radioshack team, where he'll be one of the most promising riders on the team. he'll gain experience from the elder statesmen on the Radioshack team as he looks to do the Stars & Stripes proud over in Europe for 2011.

Caleb Fairley, like Alex Howes, may not be front and center today on the pro cycling scene, but give him a few years. Undoubtedly his biggest triumph to date was his scintillating solo victory at last year's Tour of the Battenkill. He rode away from a strong field at the race, showing his potential as a possible cobbled classics star for the near future. he'll look to continue progressing in 2011 as a part of the Garmin team.

Ian Boswell, perhaps more so than any of the other riders on this list, remains a relative unknown despite amazing 2010 results. Only 19 years old, Boswell showed very well on the American domestic circuit this year, and he'll ride for the Trek-Livestrong team in 2011. Boswell is a strong all-arounder with a penchant for stage racing, but he can get it done in one day races as well, as evidenced by his emphatic win at the Nevada City Cycling Classic this year. After a year or two on the Livestrong squad, expect to see Boswell hit the ground running as a pro in 2012 or 2013 at the latest.

With so many bright young cycling stars o the horizon, American cycling looks stronger than ever. Over the next ten years Americans should leave and indelible mark on the sport. In fact, before the decade is over America should see its third ever grand tour winner.

Thor Hushovd Takes World Road Title in Grand Fashion

When you really think about it, is there a better rider to wear the rainbow bands for 2011 than Thor Hushovd? Humble, friendly and always willing to be a good teammate, Hushovd had a chance to ride for himself in Geelong for the world title and he performed masterfully, winning out of a small bunch to take yet another big win in his career.

Hushovd heads to the revamped Garmin team for 2011 looking to finally take his first Paris-Roubaix title. He has two classic titles (Omloop Het-Niewsblad, Gent-Wevelgem) already, and now a part of a very powerful team he should have all the tools in place for 2011. In fact, providing that his off season is injury and sickness free, Hushovd could be up for a banner year in the rainbow jersey for 2011.

Thor Hushovd has been around for 10 years and in that time he has established himself as an amazing rider capable of winning solo with a power move or out of a bunch in a sprint. He has stage wins in all three of the grand tours as well as a points title at the Tour de France and at 32 years old he can still expect to ride at a very high level for the next several years.

As Hushovd's career continues to unfold, expect big results in all types of races on all continents. Riding for a team as diverse as Garmin, Hushovd will likely get chance to ride Internationally in America at the Tour of California as well as early season participation in stage races like Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico. Plus there will certainly be the northern classics on the cobbles. Then, it will be onto the grand tours where he'll hunt for stage wins for his new team.

The only possible difficulty for Hushovd in 2011 will be integrating with some of his teammates. With so much talent on their roster, Garmin will have to be careful to make sure all their stars are satisfied. Tyler Farrar has shown a quicker turn of speed in the sprints than Hushovd, so he will likely be looked to on dead flat races. Hushovd, as always, will be a good teammate and ride in support of others when the tactics dictate, but don;t expect him to take a back seat at Paris-Roubaix or the E3 Prijs. Hushovd has done about all their is to do in pro cycling. The only thing that is left is to win the Queen of the Classics. In 2011, he'll have everything he needs to do just that.

The Spanish Three: Alberto Contador, David Garcia, Ezequiel Mosquera Return Positive Tests . . . Is Spain Dirtiest Cycling Nation?

Tough, tough news this week in the cycling world as three Spaniards have returned positive doping tests while another Italian rider is under investigation in Italy. Alberto Contador, blaming food poisoning, had extremely small traces of Clenbuterol in his system, while the cases of Ezequiel Mosquera and David Garcia, both of the Xacobeo team, were found positive at the Vuelta a Espana. Needless to say these multiple revelations are not good for cycling.

Interestingly, Alberto Contador has received support from many in the cycling world who are calling for calm until all the facts are known. In fact, cycling luminaries from David Millar to Johan Bruyneel have come to Contador's aid, offering their opinion that they believe he is a clean rider. The problem is though that Clenbuterol has been involved in several doping sanctions already in 2010. No matter the amount in his system, isn't the governing body required to hold Contador to the rules like everyone else?

On the other hand, the amount of Clenbuterol in Contador's system was extremely small, almost undectable. Experts are coming forward every day claiming that food poisoning could in fact be the reason for Contador's positive result. But with information still coming out, Contador is far from out of the woods. Just today the French newspaper L'Equipe released information that alleges that there may be further evidence of manipulation on Contador's part.

Finally, there is Contador's involvement in the now old and outdated Operacion Puerto scandal. Then riding for the Liberty Seguros team, Contador's initials were found on multiple Puerto documents that revealed doping regimens of multiple riders. Speculation about Contador continued despite his name being cleared by Spanish authorities in 2006. Even Greg Lemond had comments regarding Contador's 2007 Tour performance.

Whether Contador doped or not may not be known for several months, if ever. But the fact remains that no matter what happens Contador now has a positive dope test on his permanent record, which is one thing the Lance Armstrong does not. As information continues to come out, it will be interesting to see whether Contador continues to receive support or whether he'll eventually be left to fend for himself.

For Garcia and Mosquera meanwhile, there seems to be little sympathy from anyone regarding their positive tests. While the Xacobeo team have stated that hey will defend the names of their athletes until they are definitively proven guilty, the writing seems to be on the wall. The sponsorship for the Xacobeo team has been pulled, suggesting that team management knows that things will not turn out well for their two stars. Mosquera finished 2nd overall in this year's Vuelta to Vincenzo Nibali, his highest result ever in a grand tour.

With three brand new doping allegations against Spanish riders, is it fair to assume that Spain is home to the dirtiest cyclists? Clearly the Spanish government assisted in getting Puerto swept under the rug, and most instances of riders admitting that they doped include stories of heading to Madrid to receive their illegal medicine. Clearly doping is happening all over the planet, but is it more prevalent anywhere else than Spain?

Italy too has been front and center amid doping scandals recently, as this week Riccardo Ricco's name has emerged as possibly being involved in doping. This should be no surprise, as "The Corba" has never been contrite about his past transgressions. To see him guilty of doping again would make sense, especially considering that almost immediately upon returning from his first ban he resumed where he left off, winning his first race within a few weeks of returning.

All of this bad news once again casts cycling in a very negative light. Hopefully Contador clears his name. Hopefully the two Xabaceo riders can prove that the tests on their urine were carried out incorrectly. Hopefully the pills that the Italian authorities found at Ricco's house were just aspirins. But don't count on it.