Not only ConcaThe last weekend, as per tradition, was dedicated to the various continental events and, beyond names and nations, around Europe (and not only) many champions or aspiring champions have emerged, even if there probably hasn't been a surprise like the one experienced in ItalyThe list of new national champions is almost endless, but it also offers space for interesting considerations, starting from the Lidl Trek.
9 titles like last year
It is not a surprise that the American team was the record holder for victories in the weekend, because it had already achieved the record last year, again with 9 titles: 5 in the time trial with Hoole (NED), Skuijns (LAT), Ghebreigzabhier (I WERE), Pedersen (DEN) and Vacek (CZE), with the latter and Skuijns doing a double with the former in line. Also in the main race the seals of Simmons (USA) and Soren Kragh Andersen (DEN).
In second place in this ideal ranking is the Ineos Grenadiers, which takes away the square from the UAEThe British team, as per its tradition, exploited above all the ability of its boys in time trials, bringing home, in addition to the Italian tricolour, Ganna, even those of Bernal (WITH THE), Leonard (DOG), Schmidt (USA), Foss (NOR) and Jungels (LUX), to which are added the road victories of Bernal himself and Watson (GBR).
Wellens and Narvaez serving Tadej
Not that the UAE it went badly. The impression, however, is that the team was already focused on the Tour, with pogacar who skipped the national race to avoid the risk of fallingThe Arab team, in addition to the Slovenian's rainbow jersey, will also bring the Belgian national jerseys to France with waves and Ecuador with narvaezIvo's victories also contributed to the loot. Olive tree (BY), Majka (POL) and time trial of Grosschartner (AUT) and morgado (POR). A title also thanks to the devo team with Matthias Schwarzbacher, winner in Slovakia.
The real news though is that some of the "battleships" of world cycling were left completely empty-handed, especially two references of the Dutch-Belgian movement such as Visma-Lease a Bike and Alpecin Deceuninck, There will be no changes to the theme in the players' outfits. Also included are Arkea-B&B Hotels, Bahrain Victorious (which, however, boasts the new Slovenian champion Jakob Ormzel as part of its team), Cofidis, Groupama FDJ, and Picnic PostNL. EF Education Easy-Post narrowly escaped the same fate, and this is another surprise, because last year the American team boasted six national champions; now they will have to settle for Estonian Madis. Mihkels.
A Tour with 17 champion's jerseys
But what happens if we transpose everything into the Tour de France, starting tomorrow? Let's start by saying that, Looking at the group, 17 national champions' jerseys will stand out, some in the road stages, others in the time trials. Many? Perhaps, but the peculiarity is perhaps given more by those that are missing. The French one, for example: in the house, the most loved one, there will in fact be no Dorian Godon, the twenty-nine year old from Decathlon AG2R, a team that preferred to choose other elements both to support the classification man Felix Gall both to go hunting for stage victories.
The teams with the highest number of national champion jerseys will be Ineos and Jayco Alula. The British will have Ganna and Foss in the time trials, Watson in the other stages. Jayco will be able to count on the two Australian champions, Dunbridge online and Plapp time trial, in addition to the Swiss Mauro Schmid who scored a brace and this says a lot about his formThree different jerseys also for Soudal, but in his case the story is different, because evenepoel will wear that of world champion in time trials, merlier that of European champion in the road stages. With them Schachmann, German time trial champion.
The best uniform? Pogacar's remains...
The record-holding Lidl-Trek will have only two national champions among the eight competing on the French roads: we will see Simmons' beautiful stars and stripes jersey stand out in the group, as well as Skujins' Latvian champion jersey. Six other teams will "color" their presentations on the stages: Decathlon AG2R with Armirail French champion against the clock. Intermarché with the German Carpenter. Astana with Fedorov, double Kazakh champion who will however wear the Asian champion's jersey. Leknessund Norwegian champion for the pseudo-national Uno-X. Van Poppel Dutch champion for Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe and the Spanish Romeo for Movistar.
We left the last one for last. UAE, who will have the Belgian champion's jersey of Wellens and the Ecuadorian champion's jersey of Narvaez on his side, but the eyes will only be for the iris worn by Pogacar…
