2013 UCI World Tour - The ten best pro-cyclists in the world

 

What follows is the final, in ten portraits, covering the UCI’s top ten World Tour riders, their 2013 season, and their future prospects. This article will be about Joaquim Rodríguez, the world’s best professional cyclist.

 

Additional articles in the series: Richie Porte #10, Rui Costa #9, Nairo Quintana #8, Fabian Cancellara #7, Daniel Martin #6, Vincenzo Nibali #5, Peter Sagan #4, Alejandro Valverde #3 & Chris Froome #2.

 

 

Joaquim Rodríguez, Katusha – #1 / 607 points – 2013

 

Rodríguez was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1979. With a father who ran a professional cycling team (Colchón CR), and a six-years-older brother who also competed, it was laid out in the cards that he would join the ranks of cycling.

 

Even though he did not initially like his bike, it did not take long before he began winning races. As a junior Rodríguez moved to the Basque region to pursue his cycling dream, and ended up joining the team Iberdrola; an amateur team associated with ONCE. He did well in the Tour de l’Avenir, and competed against a line-up of some of the strongest riders seen in the last fifteen years, e.g. Sylvain Chavanel, Thor Hushovd, and David Moncoutie, to name but a few. It is not for nothing that the Tour de l’Avenir is also known as the Tour of the Future.

 

Rodríguez’ performance in l’Avenir provided him a spot on the ONCE team, and he was awarded his nickname “Purito” already on their first training camp. The name is not derived from the English word “pure,” but is rather Spanish for “little cigar.”

 

He was given the name when he, at the fourth or fifth day of training (and at the end of the day), passed his teammates in the high mountains (amongst others Abraham Olano, Carlos Sastre and the Jalabert brothers) and in the process made an effortless hand gesture, as if he was smoking a cigar. The upstart’s respectless manner was not welcomed by his new teammates, and as a hazing ritual they made him smoke a cigar during dinner the same evening. Nonetheless, the experience cannot have been too hard on him, as he has since come to like the nickname.

 

Three short facts:

 

Is superstitious and does not wear new clothes or glasses in races

 

Although he has never won it, his favorite race is Liège–Bastogne–Liège

 

Has never thought about what he would be if he was not a professional cyclist

 

 

ONCE

 

As a stagiare Purito got a few months for his new team in 2000, but won his first race – the Escalada a Montjuïc – already the following year.

 

"I did not hope to win today with so many important names in the race," said a jubilant Rodríguez afterwards. "It was the end of an incredible season and it is a dream winning here where only the chosen ones do so."

 

It was not a chance win.

 

Rodríguez won the first stage alone, helped to the victory by Joseba Beloki. He had left Spanish stars Oscar Sevilla, Iban Mayo and World Champion Oscar Freire behind him in the dust. On the second stage he placed second in the 8.7km mountain time trial, just two second behind Sevilla.

 

Rodríguez won the race comfortably, with fifteen seconds down to teammate Beloki, and sixteen to Sevilla. The win got Rodriquez the attention of the Spanish press. It was the first time in more than ten years that a Spaniard had won the Escalada a Montjuïc.

 

The following 2003 season would become Purito’s breakthrough. He scored big in the beginning of the season when he won the sixth stage of the Paris-Nice.

 

“It was (ONCE's) job to attack today and I am very happy that it worked and with the win," Rodríguez explained to interviewer, and former teammate, Laurent Jalabert, after the stage.

 

Rodríguez did well in the following races, and collected a number of top ten places and a few podiums. He further cemented his promising development, with a win during stage eight of the Vuelta a España.

 

 

Saunier Duval

 

The success made Rodríguez want added influence, possibilities and challenges, and in 2004 he changed team to newly founded Saunier Duval.

 

The swap did not prove to be a complete game changer, although Rodríguez still managed a win in the stage race Satmana Catalana de Ciclisme almost immediately. In the rest of the season he performed decently, but the significant prizes eluded him.

 

2005 was slightly better, but not by much. He placed second in the Vuelta a Burgos and in the Clasica San Sebastian, and managed – by several good mountain performances – to win the Vuelta a España’s mountain classification.

 

"I would have liked to win a stage because I had options," said Rodríguez at the final Vuelta press conference in Madrid. "But that jersey was very demanding: it forces you to sprint on every climb and I always finished with very little strength left in the finale."

 

Nonetheless, it was perhaps the result during San Sebastian that should be considered his most important accomplishment, because it for the first time highlighted his prowess and endurance in the long and tough classics. Quite significantly so, because Purito is by nature and stature a light explosive climber.

 

 

Caisse d’Epargne

 

In 2006 Rodríguez joined Caisse d’Epargne. Possibly because it did not work out all that well at Saunier Duval, and possibly because he simply wanted change. In any case the change seemed to suit him, as he won the fifth stage of Paris-Nice, ahead of some of cycling’s strongest and most promising riders.

 

In 2007 he again proved to be one of Spain’s upcoming riders, and won the Spanish road race title, the Klasika Primavera and the Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia. Despite his success Purito still proved to be team captain Alejandro Valverde’s most loyal lieutenant, and the fact the he did not win more, could be attributed to his obligations on the team. Remember that Valverde – in the four years they raced together – was UCI’s highest rated rider for two years, and a close runner-up the other two.

 

2009 witnessed Rodríguez in best shape so far. During the third stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico, with sections surpassing 20%, he won by powering to the finish in a straight line. Many other riders either zig-zagged their way up the 1.7km climb, or simply carried their bikes.

 

Rodríguez also placed eighth in the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, as well as sixth overall in the Vuelta and in the World Championsships road race in Varese. Even though he did not pick up numerous titles Purito had proven that, when it mattered, he was there with the best.

 

His last season at Caisse d’Epargne would again see a number of significant results and victories. First a repeat win during Tirreno-Adriatico’s Monelupone stage.

 

Did Rodríguez excel at these types of explosive finishes?

 

Yup. About a month later he powered away from his pursuers during the last kilometer of the Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and got an important second place; still, he was far away from winner Schlecklett, and the real triumph. Subsequently he did well in the Vuelta a Burgos, with a win during the second stage, decent at the Vuelta a España, with a seventh place overall, and very well indeed with a bronze medal at the World road race Championsships in Mendrisio.

 

Overall a good season, but again… not quite good enough. Dissatisfied with his chances and merits, by playing second violin to Valvere, Purito decided to move team again.

 

 

Katusha

 

His goal was full team support for his targeted races. This could be supplied by newly founded Katusha. A team ripe with opportunities, and of course backed by the Russian cycling federation, and heavy-hitters Gazprom, Itera and Rostechnologii.

 

Purito’s new recipe for success must have come from elBulli, and chef Ferran Adrià himself, because ever since the change he has kept winning, winning and winning – and has collected a multitude of significant results.

 

First year on Katusha: Two podiums in the Paris-Nice, Two podiums and overall in the Volta a Catalunya, GP Miguel Indurain, one stage in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, and third overall, second at the Flèche Wallonne, podium stage at the Tour de Suisse, the twelfth Bourg-de-Péage – Mende stage of the Tour de France and another podium, fifth at Clasica San Sebastian, finally he won the fourteenth Burgos - Peña Cabarga stage in the Vuelta and placed fourth overall. *deep breath

 

Net result?

 

Superstar!

 

Oh, and winner of UCI’s overall ranking system – officially making Rodriguez the best competing rider on the planet.

 

Purito had gone from a super domestique and stagehunter at Caisse d’Epargne, to supreme captain at Katusha; able to compete in most significant races throughout the season.

 

Good move…

 

Purito’s subsequent accomplishments in 2011 and 2012 are simply too many to describe in detail. Suffice to say that he won multiple GT stages, classics, stage races, races and a single monument; namely the Giro di Lombardia.

 

"This is the most important triumph of my whole career,” Rodriguez told the waiting press, after the Lombardia victory. There were no falling leaves at the race finish, but plenty of falling rain. Most fans of cycling remembers the iconic pictures of Rodriguez crossing the finish line.

 

He also placed fourth and second overall in the Giro, fourth again in the Vuelta and placed third and first on UCI’s ranking list.

 

His Achille’s heel? Time-trialing… In 2012 for instance, he lost 47 seconds to Hesjedal in the Giro’s ITT, and subsequently lost the overall maglia rosa with 17 seconds.

 

 

Joaquim Rodríguez’ 2013 season, and the reason as to why he is currently considered #1 in the world (according to UCI’s ranking system)

 

Last season was the one where Rodríguez would aim for both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. Despite scoring big on UCI points, it was in fact a season where he ended up winning fewer races than the last two years, but was close to a multitude of others. It was also the season where he would weep openly on the podium, due to missing out on his dream jersey; namely the one that bears the colours of the rainbow.

 

Rodríguez started out strong with an early stage win in the Tour of Oman and in the Tirreno-Adriatico. Had it not been for Daniel Martin – who to some extent shares many of Rodriguez’ qualities – he would surely have won both the Volta a Catalunya and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Alas, he did not, and instead did a mediocre Tour de France (with a decent overall third though), and a similar average Vuelta, with a single win during the nineteenth Alto del Naranco stage. What he did pick up in the two races was numerous podium and top-ten places, and it was these points that helped him into UCI’s overall position.

 

Then came the men’s Word Championship in Italy, and it was clear already from the start that Spain, and Rodríguez, were red-hot favorites.

 

When Rodríguez eventually put in his bid in the finale the victory looked close to certain. He had a strong tactical advantage behind: namely Valverde who sat on Nibali’s wheel, and neither Valverde nor Movistar teammate Costa were willing to help the Sicilian chase Purito.

 

However, in the last kilometers Valverde let go of Costa, who surged past a tired Rodriguez.

 

"Nibali tried to follow him, but he stopped, and I couldn't catch Costa in the final kilometer. After 270km the legs weren't very well, and I could do no more," Valverde said. "I knew Rui Costa was a very dangerous rider."

 

Rodriguez has since several times over described the moment as the most devastating in his career, and an utmost disappointment.

 

"Losing like this is stupid," a demoralized Rodriguez told reporters, after he had cried his heart out on podium. "We had the numbers, we were the strongest, we should not have lost."

 

"This [silver] medal does not count for anything, I wanted to win. We can run through a million scenarios, but the only thing that counts is if you win, and I didn't win today," Rodriguez said.

 

"Alejandro and I both wanted to win. We already have big wins in our palmares but are missing the world championships. We are missing something, maybe luck, but it's been impossible to win.”

 

A consecutive Giro di Lombardia win helped Rodriquez lick his wound, and also enabled the last UCI points for the first place.

 

“It was a good win for me, in a beautiful race," said Rodriguez afterwards. I’m just enjoying the moment. I always try to look forward. This week hasn’t been easy because the World Championships are World Championships. But I have family and friends who helped me focus on this race, and I’ve come out of it the winner.

 

"It was important to prove to myself that I could recover well after World Championships and focus on the next race. This win helps me move towards 2014 knowing that this is my level.”

 

 

2014 and the future

 

Rodríguez is not about to become younger anytime soon, but he does definitely not look weaker. In fact, he still seems to be in peak shape and form, and he could surprise and win a GT in 2014.

 

In an interview with Cyclingnews he stated that he wished to try the Giro/Vuelta double, and although he has not a single GT on his Palmarès who knows. It might be possible. He certainly rides well in the two races, and with boni seconds at the finish lines and lots of steep short mountains he could make it.

 

“I only lost the Giro in 2012 in the last time trial by 17 seconds and I came very close in the Vuelta that year too, and lost that one because of an error. If I’m able to be in good form, then why not try for both?” Rodríguez told Cyclingnews.

 

“The World’s will be another big objective. It’s going to be a very special race in Spain whatever happens because racing an event like that in your own country automatically gives you an extra degree of motivation. And as a race, anyway, the World’s is such a good one that I couldn’t ignore it if I wanted to.”

 

Rodriguez’ own aims: GT double, a few classics, stage races and the rainbow jersey.

 

He is surely going to get a few of those, the question is just how many.