2010 Rabobank season

Dutch cycling team season 2010 Rabobank season Manager Erik Breukink One-day victories 7 Stage race overall victories – Stage race stage victories 13 Previous season • Next season The 2010 season for the RAB 2010 cycling team began in January with the Tour Down Under and ended in October at the Giro di Lombardia. As a UCI ProTour team, they were automatically invited and obliged to attend every event in the ProTour. The team's manager was former team member Erik Breukink, in his seventh season in the role. The team's ridership was almost entirely unchanged from 2009, with a small number of riders departing and the only arrivals being promotions from the Rabobank continental team. 2010 roster Ages as of January 1, 2010. Mauricio Ardila COL 2010 1 1 1979 5 12 Lars Boom NED 2010 1 1 1985 12 30 Graeme Brown AUS 2010 1 1 1979 4 9 Stef Clement NED 2010 1 1 1982 9 24 Rick Flens NED 2010 1 1 1983 4 11 Óscar Freire ESP 2010 1 1 1976 2 15 Juan Manuel Gárate ESP 2010 1 1 1976 4 24 Robert Gesink NED 2010 1 1 1986 5 31 Dmitri Kozontchuk RUS 2010 1 1 1984 4 5 Steven Kruijswijk NED 2010 1 1 1987 6 7 Sebastian Langeveld NED 2010 1 1 1985 1 17 Tom Leezer NED 2010 1 1 1985 12 26 Paul Martens GER 2010 1 1 1983 10 26 Denis Menchov RUS 2010 1 1 1978 1 25 Koos Moerenhout NED 2010 1 1 1973 11 5 Bauke Mollema NED 2010 1 1 1986 11 26 Grischa Niermann GER 2010 1 1 1975 11 3 Nick Nuyens BEL 2010 1 1 1980 5 5 Joost Posthuma NED 2010 1 1 1981 3 8 Kai Reus NED 2010 1 1 1985 3 11 Tom Stamsnijder NED 2010 1 1 1985 5 15 Bram Tankink NED 2010 1 1 1978 12 3 Laurens ten Dam NED 2010 1 1 1980 11 13 Maarten Tjallingii NED 2010 1 1 1977 11 5 Jos van Emden NED 2010 1 1 1987 6 27 Dennis van Winden NED 2010 1 1 1987 12 2 Pieter Weening NED 2010 1 1 1985 2 18 Riders who joined the team for the 2010 season Rider2009 teamSteven KruijswijkRAB 2009 continental teamDennis van WindenRAB 2009 continental team Riders who left the team during or after the 2009 season Rider2010 teamJuan Antonio FlechaSKY 2010Bram de GrootRetiredMarc de MaarUHC 2010Mathew HaymanSKY 2010Pedro HorrilloRetiredHorrillo decides to retire One-day races Freire scored the team's first victory of the season in the Trofeo Cala Millor, part of the Vuelta a Mallorca quasi-stage race, as he outsprinted Tour Down Under stars André Greipel and Manuel Cardoso.Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/19th-challenge-ciclista-a-mallorca-1-1/race-2-trofeo-cala-millor/results McEwen returns to winners' circle in Mallorca 2010-02-08 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-02-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20100211011246/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/19th-challenge-ciclista-a-mallorca-1-1/race-2-trofeo-cala-millor/results 11 February 2010 live Spring classics January 2011 Fall races January 2011 Stage races July 2010 Grand Tours Giro d'Italia Menchov, the 2009 Giro d'Italia champion, announced in October 2009 that he would not defend his championship in 2010.Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/menchov-to-focus-on-tour-skip-giro-defense Menchov to focus on Tour, skip Giro defense 2009-10-31 Cycling News 2010-01-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20100111111248/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/menchov-to-focus-on-tour-skip-giro-defense 11 January 2010 live The team thus entered the Giro without any expectations of contending for another overall victory. Mollema rode as the squad leader. Freire was supposed to start the race, with aims of winning one of the flat road race stages in the team's home country, the Netherlands, but he pulled out of the race two days before it started due to respiratory illness. Kruijswijk took Freire's place on the squad.Jean-François Quénet http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/menchov-to-focus-on-tour-skip-giro-defense Rabobank racing Giro d'Italia without expectations for title defence 2010-05-07 Cycling News 2010-07-03 The squad wore special jerseys for the Giro, incorporating the colors of the Italian flag and the logo for Right To Play, which the team supports. The jerseys were later auctioned off with the proceeds going to Right To Play.Susan Westemeyer http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rabobank-celebrates-giro-with-special-jersey Rabobank celebrates Giro with special jersey 2010-05-04 Cycling News 2010-07-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20100701035245/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rabobank-celebrates-giro-with-special-jersey 1 July 2010 live As expected, the squad was active in the opening to the Giro in the Netherlands. Van Emden was ninth best in the stage 1 individual time trial, 9 seconds off Bradley Wiggins' winning time. Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-1/results Wiggins wins Giro opener 2010-05-08 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-05-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20100511011904/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-1/results 2010-05-11 dead Flens made the breakaway in stage 2, and Brown took eighth in the sprint for the finish line. Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-2/results Farrar fastest in Utrecht 2010-05-09 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-05-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20100511185239/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-2/results 2010-05-11 dead The next day of racing was similar, with Stamsnijder making the morning break and Brown finishing second just behind Wouter Weylandt in the sprint. Weening was tenth in the overall standings prior to the transfer to Italy, 16 seconds behind the race leader. Brown led the points classification and wore the red jersey at this point. Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-3/results Weylandt takes chaotic stage 2010-05-10 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-05-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20100511190154/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-3/results 2010-05-11 dead The squad was 11th in the stage 4 team time trial, just over a minute of LIQ 2010's winning pace. Les Clarke and Stephen Farrand http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-4/results Liquigas-Doimo fly to TTT victory 2010-05-12 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-05-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20100513081051/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-4/results 2010-05-13 dead Brown was one of the many sprinters upset by a three-rider breakaway just surviving to the finish in stage 5. He was seventh on this stage, but lost the red jersey to Jérôme Pineau who was up the road in the breakaway and won the stage. Peter Hymas and Jean-François Quénet http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-5/results Pineau nabs Quick Step's second stage 2010-05-13 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-05-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20100515105232/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-5/results 2010-05-15 dead Van Emden contested the depleted group sprint in stage 9, finishing ninth. Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-9/results Goss sprints to victory in Cava de' Tirreni 2010-05-17 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-05-21 https://web.archive.org/web/20100520011030/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-9/results 2010-05-20 dead The squad was then quiet for several days, but in the final stages in the Dolomites both Mollema and Kruijswijk turned in solid rides. In stage 14, which went over Monte Grappa, Mollema rode with the second group on the road, finishing the stage seventh. Susan Westemeyer http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-14/results Nibali solos into Asolo 2010-05-22 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-06-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20100616024538/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-14/results 2010-06-16 dead Kruijswijk made a winning breakaway three stages later and had a chance for victory at Pejo Terme. Kruijswijk, Danilo Hondo, and Damien Monier were the last three riders together at the head of the race and finished well clear of the others. Monier soloed to victory more than 30 seconds ahead, and Hondo left Kruijswijk behind in the stage's final kilometer, leaving him third.Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-17/results Monier finally gets first pro win in Pejo Terme 2010-05-26 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-06-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20100620025334/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-17/results 20 June 2010 live Brown contested the sprint in stage 18, the Giro's last mass finish, coming away sixth.Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-18/results Greipel sprints to stage victory in Brescia 2010-05-27 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-06-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20100620032815/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-18/results 20 June 2010 live Mollema was eighth in the Giro's most climbing-intensive day, stage 20, riding the Passo di Gavia and Passo del Tonale with or near the Giro elite.Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-20/results Tschopp nets first Swiss stage win since Zulle 2010-05-29 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-06-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20100624214006/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-20/results 24 June 2010 live In the final day's time trial, Stamsnijder took tenth. Despite not expecting their squad to contend in the overall standings, Rabobank was one of only three squads (the others being LIQ 2010 and ALM 2010) to finish with three riders in the top 20 overall. These were Mollema in 12th, Ardila in 15th, and Kruijswijk in 18th. Stamsnijder won the Giro's TV classification for intermediate sprints (TV being short for traguardo volante, or "flying sprint"). The squad also placed well in both teams classifications, finishing second in the Trofeo Fast Team and third in the Trofeo Super Team.Stephen Farrand http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-21/results Basso wins Giro d'Italia 2010-05-30 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2010-06-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20100623042628/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-giro-ditalia-gt/stage-21/results 23 June 2010 live Tour de France Menchov and Gesink co-captained the squad sent to the Tour de France. Menchov was often mentioned as a contender for overall victory, as he sought the Tour title to complete the career sweep of the Grand Tours.http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38022368/ns/sports-tour_de_france/ Top contenders to win 2010 Tour de France 2010-06-30 NBCsports.msnbc.com NBC Universal Inc. 2010-09-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20100704035044/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38022368/ns/sports-tour_de_france 2010-07-04 deadBonnie D. Ford https://www.espn.com/olympics/tdf2010/columns/story?columnist=ford_bonnie_d&id=5344842 2010 Tour de France: Top contenders 2010-07-06 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures 2010-09-30Jason Devaney http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=479282.html Tour de France contender: Denis Menchov 2010-06-23 Universal Sports.com NBC Universal Inc. 2011-01-09 Menchov had fallen ill in May at the Tour de Romandie, but reported regaining his strength during the Critérium du Dauphiné and believed himself to be in optimal form for the Tour. Freire was also named to the squad, with the intention of acting as a free agent (a sprinter without his own leadout train) in the flat stages. The team hoped for a mountain stage win and possibly a high overall placing from Gesink.Andrew Hood http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/06/news/menchov-gesink-to-lead-rabobank-at-tour-de-france_122668 Denis Menchov, Robert Gesink, to lead Rabobank at Tour de France 2010-06-22 VeloNews Competitor Group, Inc. 2011-01-09 2011-05-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20110524170851/http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/06/news/menchov-gesink-to-lead-rabobank-at-tour-de-france_122668 dead right|thumb|alt=A man in his late twenties, wearing an orange and blue cycling jersey with white trim|Denis Menchov entered the Tour de France with overall victory his goal, and finished third overall. The team was mostly quiet in the race's first week. Menchov rode poorly in the prologue time trial, nearly a minute off the winning time of Fabian Cancellara and five seconds worse than Gesink, despite the fact that Menchov is generally the far superior time trialist. Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/prologue/results Cancellara wins prologue time trial 2010-07-03 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20100704102925/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/prologue/results 2010-07-04 dead In stage 2, when dozens of riders from nearly every team crashed on a slippery descent of the Col du Stockeu in Spa, Gesink crashed and broke a bone in his right arm. It was reported as likely that he would withdraw from the Tour,Neal Rogers http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/the-stockeau-massacre-damage-assessment-after-the-tour-de-frances-second-stage_125976 The Stockeau Massacre: Damage assessment after the Tour de France’s second stage 2010-07-05 VeloNews Competitor Group, Inc. 2011-01-10 2010-10-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20101031071427/http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/the-stockeau-massacre-damage-assessment-after-the-tour-de-frances-second-stage_125976 dead but he rode on. Freire had difficulties in the early flat stages, tenth in stage 4 the closest he came to a victory. Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-4/results Take two for Ale-Jet 2010-07-07 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20100708221007/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-4/results 2010-07-08 dead In stage 7 to Station des Rousses in the Jura, the first stage with any significant quantity of climbing, Menchov and Gesink both finished with the peloton, a result which moved Menchov into tenth overall after being distant in the overall classification to that point. Richard Moore http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-7/results Chavanel races to victory in first mountains stage 2010-07-10 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20100913224049/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-7/results 2010-09-13 dead The next day, in a more climbing-intensive stage, Menchov and Gesink finished with the second group on the road, ceding 10 seconds to Andy Schleck and Samuel Sánchez but gaining time against everyone else in the race. This result moved Menchov up to fifth overall, and Gesink to 11th, up from 23rd. Richard Moore http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-8/results Advantage Schleck on first major mountain stage 2010-07-11 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20100915234053/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-8/results 2010-09-15 dead In the next stage, one which featured one of the Tour's hardest climbs, the Col de la Madeleine, Menchov and Gesink rode most of the stage together. They lost two minutes to Schleck and Alberto Contador and effectively any chance to win the race, and also lost one minute and ten seconds to Sánchez, but gained time against nearly everyone else in the race. They occupied fourth (Menchov) and seventh (Gesink) after the stage. Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-9/results Casar claims stage win for France 2010-07-13 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20110304064049/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-9/results 2011-03-04 dead During stage 14, Menchov and Sánchez pulled back 14 seconds from Schleck and Contador, after the two leaders engaged in a bizarre seeming track stand during the stage's final climb to Ax-3-Domaines. They still sat over two minutes behind them in the overall classification, an effectively insurmountable time gap. Gesink also passed Levi Leipheimer in this stage to move up to sixth overall, as the American lost 45 seconds to Gesink's group. Richard Moore http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-14/results Riblon stellar in Ax-3 Domaines 2010-07-18 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20100819044812/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-14/results 2010-08-19 dead In stage 15, Menchov and Sánchez were tangentially involved in the day's greater controversy. While the group of overall favorites was climbing the hors catégorie Port de Balès, the chain on race leader Schleck's bicycle slipped. At the exact moment that happened, Contador attacked and got clear of the group. While Schleck was unable to respond due to his mechanical trouble, Menchov and Sánchez, along with five others, followed Contador and finished 39 seconds clear of the Luxembourger, though their positions relative to both of the leading riders was essentially unchanged. Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-15/results Voeckler victorious in Bagneres-de-Luchon 2010-07-19 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20100819075548/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-15/results 2010-08-19 dead In the race's queen stage, stage 17 ending at the Col du Tourmalet, Menchov and Gesink again finished together. The lost a minute and 40 seconds to Schleck and Contador, who finished together at the head of the race, and eight seconds to Sánchez. This gave Sánchez a 21-second lead over Menchov for the third step on the podium, but with a 52 km on individual time trial still to contest, Menchov had good odds of overtaking him. Les Clarke http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-17/results Schleck takes stage win atop Col du Tourmalet 2010-07-22 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20110304064940/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-17/results 2011-03-04 dead During that time trial, a drastic change in wind direction occurred. This made it so earlier starters posted considerably better times than those who came later. Contador, for example, who had won the long time trial in the 2009 Tour de France, was 35th on the day, 5 minutes and 43 seconds off the pace. Menchov, however, was 11th, taking time out of nearly every other rider in the race. The result moved him up to third overall, Hedwig Kröner http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-19/results Contador bests Schleck, remains in yellow 2010-07-24 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20110304065202/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-19/results 2011-03-04 dead a position he held in the Tour's largely ceremonial finale the next day. The squad finished third in the teams classification. Anthony Tan http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-20/results Tres victorias de Francia para Contador! 2010-07-25 Cycling News Future Publishing Limited 2011-01-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20100815033234/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-20/results 2010-08-15 dead Vuelta a España January 2011 Season victories Date Race Competition Rider Country Location February 8 Trofeo Cala Millor UCI Europe Tour Óscar Freire ESP Mallorca February 22 Ruta Del Sol, Stage 2 UCI Europe Tour Óscar Freire ESP Córdoba February 23 Ruta Del Sol, Stage 3 UCI Europe Tour Óscar Freire ESP Benahavís February 25 Ruta Del Sol, Points classification UCI Europe Tour Óscar Freire ESP March 7 Paris–Nice, Prologue UCI World Ranking Lars Boom NED Montfort-l'Amaury March 16 Tirreno–Adriatico, Youth classification UCI World Ranking Robert Gesink NED March 20 Milan–Sanremo UCI World Ranking Óscar Freire ESP Sanremo April 5 Tour of the Basque Country, Stage 1 UCI ProTour Óscar Freire ESPFreire was originally relegated to second place in this stage despite crossing the finish line first, though when all of Alejandro Valverde's 2010 wins were vacated due to his suspension, Freire became the stage winner. Zierbena April 6 Tour of the Basque Country, Stage 2 UCI ProTour Óscar Freire ESPFreire originally finished second to Valverde in this stage, but was awarded the victory after all of Valverde's 2010 results were vacated Viana May 30 Giro d'Italia, TV classification UCI World Ranking Tom Stamsnijder NED June 11 Delta Tour Zeeland, Prologue UCI Europe Tour Jos Van Emden NED Hulst June 13 Delta Tour Zeeland, Youth classification UCI Europe Tour Jos Van Emden NED June 16 Ster Elektrotoer, Prologue UCI Europe Tour Jos Van Emden NED Gemert June 17 Tour de Suisse, Stage 6 UCI World Ranking Robert Gesink NED La Punt Chamues-ch July 8 Tour of Austria, Stage 5 UCI Europe Tour Nick Nuyens BEL Deutschlandsberg July 10 Tour of Austria, Stage 7 UCI Europe Tour Joost Posthuma NED Podersdorf am Neusiedler See July 10 Tour of Austria, Stage 8 UCI Europe Tour Graeme Brown AUS Vienna August 6 Tour de Pologne, Stage 6 UCI ProTour Bauke Mollema NED Terma Bukowina Tatrz August 20 Eneco Tour, Stage 3 UCI ProTour Koos Moerenhout NED Ronse August 20 Tour du Limousin, Youth classification UCI Europe Tour Sebastian Langeveld NED August 20 Tour du Limousin, Teams classification UCI Europe Tour The riders on the squad were Mauricio Ardila, Steven Kruijswijk, Sebastian Langeveld, Dennis van Winden, Grischa Niermann, Laurens ten Dam, Dmitry Kozontchuk and Tom Stamsnijder September 5 Grote Prijs Jef Scherens UCI Europe Tour Lars Boom NED Leuven September 12 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal UCI ProTour Robert Gesink NED Montreal September 15 Grand Prix de Wallonie UCI Europe Tour Paul Martens GER Namur October 9 Giro dell'Emilia UCI Europe Tour Robert Gesink NED San Luca October 10 Paris–Tours UCI Europe Tour Óscar Freire ESP Tours Footnotes N References 30em collapsed Category:2010 road cycling season by team 2010 Category:2010 in Dutch sport