Orica-BikeExchange believes it can plunder even greater riches in 2017 after breakout year
ORICA-BikeExchange admits its incredible breakout season has caught it by surprise, but the Australian outfit believes it can plunder even greater riches next year.
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ORICA-BikeExchange admits its incredible breakout season has caught it by surprise, but the Australian outfit believes it can plunder even greater riches next year.
The rapidly-emerging WorldTour team last weekend drew the curtain on a 2016 campaign that saw it claim 28 victories — 17 of them WorldTour wins — from 11 different riders, including six Grand Tour stage wins and two monuments.
Esteban Chaves’ second place in the Giro d’Italia, Adam Yates’ Tour de France white jersey and Mathew Hayman’s stunning Paris-Roubaix triumph combined to ensure Orica’s fifth season was its best.
The team won the first WorldTour race of the season — Simon Gerrans at Tour Down Under — and the last when Chaves saluted at Il Lombardia.
In between they also sparkled at the Vuelta a Espana, claiming four stage wins while helping Chaves to third overall and Simon Yates sixth.
“If you had presented us with these results at the start of the season, we would have asked where to sign,” general manager Shayne Bannan said.
“Every year our group continue to push the limits and we can absolutely claim this season as our best to date.”
Bannan said Hayman’s Paris-Roubaix would never be forgotten. The veteran, in his 15th appearance in the ‘Hell of the North’, won the cobbled classic despite fracturing his arm only six weeks earlier.
Hayman’s preparation for a race he had long coveted was restricted to virtual stationary training program Zwift and two low-key one-day races in Spain.
“You have to highlight Mat Hayman’s victory at Paris-Roubaix as one of the stand out moments of the season,” he said.
“To come back from that wrist injury to win in his 15th attempt is something that will motivate and inspire our riders to keep fighting for many years to come.”
But Bannan said it wasn’t just the victories that defined Orica-BikeExchange’s season, with the team’s elevation to Grand Tour contender taking a significant step.
“Last year we started to introduce ourselves into the general classification game, but this year with have taken a big leap in this regard,” he said.
“We now start week-long races and Grand Tours with genuine winning options, whether that be with Esteban Chaves, Simon or Adam Yates.
“Whilst we saw results such as second at the Giro d’Italia, fourth at the Tour de France and third at the Vuelta a Espana in our future, we are the first to admit that this success has come even faster than we had hoped.
“And even most exciting thing for the team and for our fans is that the best is yet to come.”
Orica-BikeExchange has also bolstered its roster for next season, re-signing a clutch of stars and poaching outside talent.
Czech mountain domestique and Alberto Contador’s former right-hand man, Roman Kreuziger, joins in what sports director Matt White hailed a “game changing” acquisition.
German lead-out man Roger Kluge adds sprinting muscle, while Spanish climber Carlos Verona joined earlier this year from Etixx-Quick Step.
TIMELINE
JANUARY
Simon Gerrans wins Tour Down Under. Team wins four of six stages.
APRIL
Mathew Hayman wins Paris-Roubaix six weeks after fracturing his arm.
MAY
Esteban Chaves takes the queen stage and second place in Giro d’Italia.
JULY
Adam Yates wins best young rider award en route to fourth overall as Michael Matthews takes first Tour stage victory.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER
Chaves is third and Simon Yates sixth, while Jens Keukeleire, Magnus Court (twice) and Yates himself all take stage honours.
OCTOBER
Chaves wins Il Lombardia — the first non-European winner in the 110-year history of one of cycling famous monuments.
Originally published as Orica-BikeExchange believes it can plunder even greater riches in 2017 after breakout year
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