Hey all, simply making an attempt to crawl out of a somewhat in depth, and pretty typical, finish of summer time work cave. It’s not as darkish because the biking ache cave, and I can positively justify a frosty brew on the finish of every such effort, however in different respects the parallels to skilled biking are… nicely they aren’t zero anyway.

It’s actually been one other thrilling season, with a really distinctive twist to it. I’m glad I didn’t have time to write down about MeRgEr MaNiA whereas it was nonetheless on the desk, because it ended up not occurring (for now), however there isn’t a query that the dominant theme for the season has been single-team dominance, on the a part of Jumbo Visma in fact.

In our minds the Flying Dutchmen and their worldwide solid of Grand Tour champions owned the yr, in 2009 HTC-like vogue, however it’s not fairly like that. The Jumbos did lead the world in wins, with 66 whole, however simply barely forward of Fast Step and UAE, and in reality UAE presently leads in whole factors, at our PDC-generated rankings (by way of the FSA Directeur Sportif), in addition to on the Biking Quotient and PCS rankings. Share-wise the hole to second-ranked Jumbo is closest at our rankings, a couple of 5% distinction, versus extra like 9-10% on the different two. If these rankings really feel like we’re being collectively gaslit by the game, nicely, biking is ceaselessly kinda bizarre, however possibly a extra particular message is that it’s an on a regular basis job, whether or not it’s occurring underneath the brightest lights or the darkest shadows, and everybody relishes a win. Oh and Marc Hirschi says hello too. Sheesh.

Need to know what an excellent season actually appears to be like like? Jumbo ‘23 is one model, and its polar reverse in all probability stays HTC ‘09, the place the GerMerican squad racked up 85 FUCKING WINS!!! — almost double the second-ranked Saxo Financial institution — en path to … simply barely squeaking out a 600-point general hole in whole factors. [Probably toss in some Mapei or Renault seasons here too if you want to carry on, but let’s stay more recent.] In terms of wins, there may be an historic debate of amount versus high quality, and these two historic seasons symbolize the acute examples of every. However neither group actually dominated the factors rankings within the course of. Biking simply at all times has so many transferring elements.

I don’t need to drone on about 2023 proper now, now we have rather a lot to cowl with the season’s finish, together with FSA DS outcomes, however I need to situation our annual name for nominations for our 2023 Awards. Recall, the classes are as follows:

• 2023 Males’s Rider of the Yr
• 2023 Males’s Race Day of the Yr
• 2023 Ladies’s Rider of the Yr
• 2023 Ladies’s Race Day of the Yr

No specific standards, that’s so that you can determine, as that is ceaselessly a subjective ballot. I’d solely be aware that race “day” means what it seems like, stage races on the entire aren’t eligible, although in case you are excited a couple of stage race — as I’m certain most of us had been — then choosing the day that summed all of it up for you is a superb one for the nominations.

PLEASE go to feedback and ship me your nominations! Early subsequent week I’ll declare the nominations enough to launch the polls themselves, after which we’ll vote our awards. Clearly the World Champions, Grand Tour winners and Monument winners are most or all anticipated to point out up within the polls. For race days, these might be beginning factors there too. However please do get inventive and transcend the apparent to establish folks or occasions that moved you as a biking fan. Be happy to elaborate right here in feedback — if the case for that particular person or day isn’t apparent, make it right here and now! My expertise is that when the polls are posted folks vote first and peruse feedback later.

Thanks all for one more nice yr! I can’t at all times be right here as a lot as I would love proper now, however in all probability subsequent yr might be a bit extra open. Thanks as at all times to Jens for his fixed and much-appreciated dedication to posting boards for just about each race day of any significance, Males’s and Ladies’s sides. Thanks as at all times to UMWolverine for her work in feedback every single day! And to each for updating leads to the DS too. Thanks all for the roles you play as neighborhood members, this has at all times been and shall stay a neighborhood effort the place your concepts, ideas and passions drive the location as a lot as any official work that the Editors do. I’ve been saying for a bit that 2024 might be the final word showdown on among the greatest phases, and I had higher cease tying proper now earlier than I get myself prematurely spun up about it. As the youngsters say… LFG!!