Cycling: Giro victory, team world champion, time trial world champion and the green and mountain jersey won at the Tour de France - the German team Sunweb can without a doubt be satisfied with the year 2017. Thanks to many young, talented drivers, the prospects for the future are not bad either. Only one exit hurts a bit...
departures
Warren Barguil (Fortuneo Samsic)
Bert De Backer (Vital Concept)
Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Fortuneo Samsic)
Georg Preidler (Groupama-FDJ)
Ramon Sinkeldam (Groupama-FDJ)
Albert Timmer (end of career)
Zico Waeytens (Véranda's Willems-Crélan)
Additions
Jai Hindley (Mitchelton Scott)
Michael Storer (Mitchelton Scott)
Edward Theuns (Trek Segafredo)
Martijn Tusveld (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij)
Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal)
Team 2018
ANDERSEN Soren Kragh
ARNDT Nikias
BAUHAUS Phil
CURVERS Roy
DUMOULIN Tom
FRÖHLINGER John
GESCHKE Simon
HAGA Chad
HAMILTON Chris
HINDLEY Jai
HOFSTEDE Lennard
Kelderman Wilco
KÄMNA Lennard
MATTHEWSMichael
OOMEN Sam
STAMSNIJDER Tom
STORER Michael
TEN DAM Laurens
TEUNISSEN Mike
THEUNS Edward
TUSVELD Martijn
VERVAEKE Louis
WALSCHEID Max
Sunweb wins the first Grand Tour with Dumoulin
2017 was the best year for Team Sunweb since it was founded. Sunweb has only become the sole main sponsor this season, but strictly speaking the team has existed since 1999. At that time it was still called Batavus-Bankgiroloterij-Big Star and had little to do with WorldTour victories. Several name changes followed, until finally, after Argos-Shimano and Giant-Alpecin, Sunweb was on the chest. And then it rained the successes. Above all, Tom Dumoulin's victory in the Giro d'Italia took Sunweb to new heights. After a dramatic three weeks, the Dutchman was allowed to lift the pretty trophy in Milan in the Maglia Rosa. Even though there was a lot of talk about the Dumoulins team being too weak to win the Giro - and even if the support was not good at times - Sunweb still brought the victory home. But the victory in the Tour of Italy should not remain the only highlight of the season - not by a long shot!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaGRESRtxMs
Green & Dots at the Tour de France also go to Sunweb
As with almost all teams, the focus at Sunweb was also on the Tour de France. Especially, of course, because it was supposed to start in Germany. However, at the start in Düsseldorf and on the flat stage that followed, there was nothing for Sunweb to gain. But the time of black and white was yet to come. Stage #13 and Stage #18 went to the Frenchman Warren Barguil in the mountains. The 14th stage, as well as the 16st stage secured the Australian Michael Matthews. Thanks to these grandiose performances, the German team not only won four stages, but also won two jerseys. Barguil drove to Paris in a mountain jersey. Matthews had a clear run on the green with the elimination of Sagan, Cavendish and Kittel.
Sunweb crowns the good year at the World Championships in Bergen
Even after the Tour de France, Team Sunweb should continue to be successful in 2017. At the BinckBank Tour, Tom Dumoulin snagged his next overall victory after giving up the Tour de France. But the Dutchman brought himself into top form in time to clean up properly at the World Cup in Bergen. First he won with the team gold in team time trial, after that he also triumphed at individual time trial. Lennard almost gave Kämna Sunweb the third gold. The German talent was at U23 road race but narrowly beaten in the two-man sprint and won silver. A thoroughly good year for Sunweb ends with only 20 wins this season, most of which have come from important races. The team based in Deventer is ranked #4 in the UCI WorldTour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwHmf-qeqKk
Barguil is gone - what's possible in 2018?
After a very good year, it is always particularly difficult in sport to directly confirm or even surpass these achievements in the following year. The Sunweb team will also have to be measured by their own successes. The transfer period did not necessarily go in favor of the German team. Warren Barguil's departure hurts because he couldn't be caught on an equal footing. In the mountains - where you could already see a lack of support for Dumoulin anyway - the squad is even thinner. When it comes to the newcomers, we can be particularly excited about Edward Theuns, but we shouldn't have too high expectations of him either. Rather, it is important to focus on the many young talents. Lennard Kämna in particular could face another jump, as could sprinter Max Walscheid. Either way, a lot will depend on how Tom Dumoulin develops. As a Grand Tour winner, he's now measured by that. Whether he wants to win the Giro d'Italia again or just concentrate on the Tour de France is still in the stars.
What a year it's been for us! Merry Christmas from all at Team Sunweb! 🎄🎅🏼 pic.twitter.com/i1AVaQXWaW
— Team Sunweb (@TeamSunweb) 24 December 2017