Movistar team
She trains with the men team, As such Annemiek Van Vleuten deserves to be reviewed in the same Velogames post as the Movistar mens team.
The women’s Movistar has not been a one woman show. Arlenis Sierra has won herself a lot of fans this season while Emma Norsgaard will be hoping for better legs in nest season. 2023, a year that sounds exicting with the arrival of Liane Lippert.
The women will be gaining a future grand champion and the men are losing probably their greatest ever champion, Alejandro Valverde. Probably because there is a whole bunch of talented riders who will be feeling freed and finally ready to show their worth. starting with 3 times Vuelta runner-up, Enric Mas.
Annemiek Van Vleuten.
She won more than half of the races she participated in.
Giro, Tour de France, Vuelta and World championship. Everything that she touches seems to turn to goal.
The most expensive rider in the women classics (30) was also the one who brought the most points back. 2670 across five races: A win at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Second at Flanders and La Fleche Wallonne. 4th at Amsterl Gold race. Her 21st place at Dwaars Door Vlaanderen was her worst performance of the 5th races she started.
Shockingly, she only made it to best possible team in Veloagames in the Giro.
Best possible @velogames team for #GiroDonne #GiroDonne22
Annemiek Van Vleuten
Marta Cavalli
Mavi García
Kristen Faulkner
Silvia Persico
Rachele Barbieri
Gaia Realini
Anouska Koster
Neve Bradbury
5766 points, 100 credits— Calum Lonie 🇮🇪🇨🇵🇪🇺 (@CalumLonie) July 10, 2022
She only finished as 4th best rider in the Tour’s Velogames despite wining the race in the road.
In the Vuelta, she did finished as MVP rider but her high price denied her a place in the best possible team.
She finished fourth mosth valuable in Romandie(459) way behind winner Ashley Moolman-Pasio(635)
Verdict 2023: The numbers talked, while Annemiek Van Vleuten is almost certain of winning all stage races, her very high cost in not worth as suggested by her inclusion only once in the best possible team.
Arlenis Sierra
The Cuban was exceptional this season in the women’s classics.
For a price of 12, she brought in points in 5 of the 7 races she started for a total of 1641 points which make her 7th best. The cheapest in the top 10.
Always at the side of her leader in the stage races, she brought in some 116 points (19th) in the Giro and only 74 in the Tour.
Things got better in the Vuelta as she earned the 15th best velogames rider in the Vuelta with 226 points.
She finally was worth all her 12 points in Romandie by finishing as the 6th best rider with 388 points and indulge herself in the best possible team for The Tour de Romandie.
Verdict 2023: It will be all about how team will accomodate Lianne Lippert who despite looking more like a climber nowadays does also pack a decent sprint.
Emma Norsgaard
The former Denmark road champion is a big favourite among the fans.
She did not have the best of season but at 23 only, she has room to be back to her form.
Whilst being quite heavily overpiced she did finisn in the Top 20 of the classics races she started.
Best possible team for Tour de Romandie Féminin:
Elisa Longo Borghini
Liane Lippert
Ashleigh Moolman
Arlenis Sierra
Soraya Paladin
Évita Muzic
Yara Kastelijn
Marta Lach
Petra Stiasny
Score: 3466
Cost: 98— Jeremad (@jeremader) October 9, 2022
Alejandro Valverde
22 credits points and he brought points from 6 out if the races he started in. Indeed his DNF in San Sebastian was a bad blow for his fans as the Spaniard brought in 2025 points (12th best) in the superclassico.
Ivan Garcia Cortina
For 18 points, he was a alternate the all in scenario pretty well. He brought in 627 points from 5 races out of the 8 he started in the first part of the super classico season.
He then accumulated 1443 points in just 5 races. It is worthy to be noted that he also failed to bring anything from 3 races ( Lombardia, Montreal and Bretagne classic Ouest)
Verdict 2023: With Valverde gone, the team might decide to ride more in his favour which means bringing it to a reduced bunch sprint.
Enric Mas
The Spaniard ended the season as probably the best climber in the world. Unfortunately for him there was no races coming up but this was an indication of his potential.
33rd in La Fleche Wallonne, 12th in Liege Bastogne Liege, there was nothing great about his Tour de France performance either as he abandoned on stage 19 while he was sitting at the 11th place in the general.
Then it all happened by magic. Enric Mas started gaining in form and confidence in the Vuelta. Finishing second for the 3rd time. He was the second best velogames riders with 2415 at 14 credits points. As comparison Remco Evenepoel cost 22 coins and brought 244 more points.
Best possible team for La Vuelta ciclista a España 2022:
A 1: Remco Evenepoel
A 2: Enric Mas
C 1: Miguel Ángel López
C 2: Carlos Rodriguez
S: Mads Pedersen
U 1: Fred Wright
U 2: Quentin Pacher
U 3: Jan Polanc
WC: Juan Ayuso
Score: 14210
Cost: 100— Jeremad (@jeremader) September 11, 2022
He confirmed that form by bringing in a whooping 1009 points from only 3 races in the superclassico.
Verdict 2023: Cheap, often overlooked ( picked by only 9.7%), the Tour de France is appropriately designed for him. He could again do what he did for the last 2 years and end ups winning the vuelta this time.
Max Kanter
Make no mistake about it, the German was the team’s best sprinter in 2022. As proof, he has always been the main man when the races finished in bunch sprints. 1041 points earned from 4 races which ended in sprints.
4th in Milan-Torino. 13th in De Panne, 9th in Bemer Classics, 3rd in the Primus classic.
For his cost of 10 credit points, it is to be noted that he did not bring any points from the other 8 superclassico races except for a break away move in Flanders and an assist in Gp de Wallonie.
Verdict 2023: It took some adjustment for the team to settle on him being the main sprinter but things will again change with the arrival of Gaviria.
Alex Aranburu
Priced at 20 coins, this very versatile rider brought nack 879 points only.
This is a season to forget for him.
Verdict 2023: He should be undergoing a price drop re-evaluation. If he manages to gain some form, he might find himself as the main classics leader for the team.
Carlos Verona
The Spanish was a very profitable rider in Velogames stage races.
He started in Catalunya with 294 points the 15th best for 6 credits.
He then earned himself the 27th best velogames total at 6 credits again for 148 points in Romandie.
His best achievement was his best possible team inclusion in the Dauphine with a stage win.
Best possible @velogames team for #Dauphiné
Primoz Roglič
Wout Van Aert
Jonas Vingegaard
Ethan Hayter
Ruben Guerreiro
Pierre Rolland
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Carlos Verona
Hugo Page
5150 points, 100 credits— Calum Lonie 🇮🇪🇨🇵🇪🇺 (@CalumLonie) June 12, 2022
His Tour de France (282pts) and Vuelta Velogames performance (90pts) were far less convincing but not catastrophic.
Verdict 2023: With more freedom, he now has the confidence to chase more stage wins in 2023.
Matteo Jorgenson
The American was one of the main entertainers of the Tour de France. Rated at 6 credit points, he was the 6th best un-classed rider for this price (545 points)
Verdict 2023: One of the riders who will be closely followed in 2023 and he might be a good bet for stage wins or placings in one week races.
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