2005 UCI ProTour
| First edition of theUCI ProTour | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 6 – October 15 |
| Location | Europe |
| Races | 28 |
| Champions | |
| Individual champion |  Danilo Di Luca(ITA)(Liquigas–Bianchi) |
| Teams' champion | Team CSC |
| Nations' champion | Italy |
The2005 ProTourwas the first year of the newly introducedUCI ProToursystem, in which the ProTour teams are guaranteed, and obliged to, participate in the series of ProTour races. In certain ways the ProTour replaced theUCI Road World Cupseries of one-day races, which in 2004 was won by one-day specialistPaolo Bettinifor the third time in a row. The beginning of the ProTour saw difficult negotiations with the organizers of theGrand Tours,theTour de France,theGiro d'Italiaand theVuelta a España.
Spring classics
[edit]Following tradition,Team CSChad a strong showing in the early season, with a commanding control of the season openerParis–Nice,placingAmericanBobby Julich on the top step of theGeneral classification,combining his strong prologueindividual time trialperformance and good placing in theMont Faronqueen stage.SprinterAlessandro Petacchished some weight over the winter and built up a strong base to win the classicMilan–San Remoconvincingly, leading to speculation that he will be the undisputed Italian team leader for theWorld Cycling Championshipin Madrid later in the season.
BelgiansprinterTom BoonenofQuick-Step–Innergeticshowed that he was the strongestkasseinfretter,orcobble-eater,by winning both theTour of FlandersandParis–Roubaixcobbled classics, propelling him to the top of the UCI ProTour rankings and thus earning him the white leaders jersey.
As the spring classics campaign continues, Bettini was plagued with injuries, but fellow one-day specialistDanilo Di LucaofLiquigas–Bianchifound his best form in years and won theTour of the Basque Countryrace. With his confidence boosted, he topped his form with wins in bothLa Flèche Wallonneand theAmstel Gold Race,leading many to speculate that he would also win theLiège–Bastogne–Liège.However,Jens Voigtcommitted himself to long breakaways in both la Flèche and Liège, and in the later race was joined by KazakhAlexander Vinokourov.Together they managed to keep thepelotonbehind, and Voigt was beaten in the final sprint by Vinokourov.
Grand tours
[edit]Having earned the ProTour white leader's jersey, Di Luca further increased his lead with a stage win and fourth place in the general classification of the2005 Giro d'Italia,joiningGilberto SimoniofLampre–Caffitain igniting the queen mountain stage ofSestriere.The same race also sawDamiano Cunego,who finished at the top UCI ranking last year, fall ill. In the end, the descending skills and strong form ofPaolo Savoldelliearned him themaglia rosainMilan.
The2005 Tour de Franceagain broughtLance Armstrongto the win, extending his record for consecutive Tour wins to 7. Despite promises of igniting the race with the trio ofJan Ullrich,Andreas Klödenand Vinokourov, theT-Mobile Teamfailed to wrestle the race control from Armstrong's Discovery team, and allegations flew abound of internal dispute within the team. InsteadIvan Bassoshowed himself as a main contender, though he never seemed to pressure Armstrong. As in the previous editions, Armstrong's team launched a vicious attack on an early mountain stage to discourage other contenders from pursuing the top podium.SpanishracerAlejandro ValverdeofIlles Balears–Caisse d'Epargneshowed that he is a serious contender for the future by not only staying with Armstrong, but by sprinting away to win the stage at the finale. However, both Valverde andgreen jerseycontender Tom Boonen were forced to quit due to injuries.
TheVueltabrought an exciting race in whichDenis Menchovwas able to stave off attacks byRoberto Herasand his strongLiberty Seguros–Würthteam until the closing days of the race. A choreographed attack by Liberty Seguros climbers, and Heras' thrilling ride down a treacherous descent, finally won him the leader's jersey. However, adopingscandal erupted two months after the Vuelta. Urine samples taken from Heras after the final time trial proved to be positive forEPO.Heras was stripped of what had been his record-setting fourth win, and Menchov was elevated to first place.
World championships
[edit]BelgianTom Boonenhad the confidence of the entire Belgian team, and won in style in Madrid. Petacchi, despite being the favorite, claimed to have suffered from a cold, and could not keep in contention as the peloton ascended the last climb before the finale. Valverde, having taken the Spanish team leadership after the injury ofÓscar Freire,overcame his own injury to finish second, his second podium placing in race that tactically was not well-suited to his style.
The finale brought an exciting race as Paolo Bettini, having regained his form, was unleashed a little too late by Italian selectorFranco Balleriniand nearly stayed away with Vinokourov in the closing meters of the race.
Summer and Autumn Classics
[edit]Having been left off the Tour de France lineup,Erik Zabeldecided to join fellow sprinter Petacchi in the newly formedTeam Milram.As his last race with the T-Mobile team, Zabel took the sprinters classicParis–Toursto end his career in style.
Smarting from his disappointment at the World Championships, Bettini wonZüri-Metzgeteconvincingly, with a 40-km solo attack in the rain that was almost derailed by his chain dropping off his chainring after his first acceleration. Proving that he is a betterclimberthan ever before, he won the climbers classicGiro di Lombardiain a three-way sprint with Gilberto Simoni andFränk Schleck.
2005 ProTour results
[edit]
2005 ProTour Points System
[edit]| Tour de France | Giro d'Italia Vuelta a España |
Milan–San Remo Tour of Flanders Paris–Roubaix Liège–Bastogne–Liège Giro di Lombardia Lesser stageraces |
Lesser one-day races | World Cycling Championship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Classement | |||||
| 1 | 100 | 85 | 50 | 40 | 50 |
| 2 | 75 | 65 | 40 | 30 | 40 |
| 3 | 60 | 50 | 35 | 25 | 35 |
| 4 | 55 | 45 | 30 | 20 | |
| 5 | 50 | 40 | 25 | 15 | |
| 6 | 45 | 35 | 20 | 11 | |
| 7 | 40 | 30 | 15 | 7 | |
| 8 | 35 | 26 | 10 | 5 | |
| 9 | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | |
| 10 | 25 | 19 | 1 | 1 | |
| 11 | 20 | 16 | |||
| 12 | 15 | 13 | |||
| 13 | 12 | 11 | |||
| 14 | 9 | 9 | |||
| 15 | 7 | 7 | |||
| 16 | 5 | 5 | |||
| 17 | 4 | 4 | |||
| 18 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 19 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 20 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Stage wins (if applicable) | |||||
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | |||
2005 ProTour Individual Rankings
[edit]| Rider | Team | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Danilo Di Luca(ITA)
|
Liquigas–Bianchi | 229 |
| 2 |  Tom Boonen(BEL)
|
Quick-Step–Innergetic | 171 |
| 3 | Davide Rebellin(ITA)
|
Gerolsteiner | 151 |
| 4 |  Jan Ullrich(GER)
|
T-Mobile Team | 140 |
| 5 |  Lance Armstrong(USA)
|
Discovery Channel | 139 |
| 6 |  Alexander Vinokourov(KAZ)
|
T-Mobile Team | 136 |
| 7 | Levi Leipheimer(USA)
|
Gerolsteiner | 131 |
| 8 | Paolo Bettini(ITA)
|
Quick-Step–Innergetic | 130 |
| 9 | Bobby Julich(USA)
|
Team CSC | 130 |
| 10 | George Hincapie(USA)
|
Discovery Channel | 129 |
| 11 | Alessandro Petacchi(ITA)
|
Fassa Bortolo | 128 |
| 12 | Gilberto Simoni(ITA)
|
Lampre–Caffita | 111 |
| 13 |  Fränk Schleck(LUX)
|
Team CSC | 110 |
| 14 |  Denis Menchov(RUS)
|
Rabobank | 109 |
| 15 |  Francisco Mancebo(ESP)
|
Illes Balears–Caisse d'Epargne | 107 |
Team Rankings
[edit]| Team | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Team CSC
|
390 |
| 2 |  Phonak
|
353 |
| 3 |  Rabobank
|
349 |
| 4 | Davitamon–Lotto
|
322 |
| 5 | Liberty Seguros–Würth
|
320 |
| 6 | Gerolsteiner
|
303 |
| 7 | Saunier Duval–Prodir
|
293 |
| 8 | Discovery Channel
|
274 |
| 9 |  Crédit Agricole
|
264 |
| 10 | Illes Balears–Caisse d'Epargne
|
262 |
| 11 | Cofidis
|
258 |
| 12 | Quick-Step–Innergetic
|
253 |
| 13 | Fassa Bortolo
|
245 |
| 14 | T-Mobile Team
|
244 |
| 15 | Liquigas–Bianchi
|
228 |
| 16 | Lampre–Caffita
|
211 |
| 17 | Bouygues Télécom
|
183 |
| 18 | Domina Vacanze
|
161 |
| 19 | Euskaltel–Euskadi
|
147 |
| 20 | Française des Jeux
|
130 |
Team classification winner got 20 points, second 19, third 18 etc. Wildcard teams didn't score points, but ProTour teams didn't move up either. For example, no team received 20 points inVueltaas team competition was won by Comunidad Valenciana.
2005 ProTour Nation Rankings
[edit]| Country | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy
|
749 |
| 2 |  United States
|
559 |
| 3 | Spain
|
459 |
| 4 | Germany
|
405 |
| 5 |  Australia
|
307 |
| 6 | Belgium
|
304 |
| 7 | Netherlands
|
280 |
| 8 | Luxembourg
|
191 |
| 9 | France
|
163 |
| 10 | Russia
|
153 |
| 11 | Kazakhstan
|
144 |
| 12 |  Switzerland
|
131 |
| 13 |  Colombia
|
119 |
| 14 |  Ukraine
|
101 |
| 15 | Denmark
|
97 |
| 16 |  Norway
|
72 |
| 17 |  Sweden
|
67 |
| 18 |  Austria
|
62 |
| 19 |  Slovenia
|
53 |
| 20 |  Czech Republic
|
15 |
| 21 |  New Zealand
|
7 |
| 22 |  Estonia
|
3 |
| 23 |  Croatia
|
1 |