The 2024 road season is at an end and it’s time to hand out the awards. For the second annual CyclingUpToDate End of Season Awards, we need your help! This time around you need to decide the Team of the Year.
Every vote counts and yours could be all important to deciding the final winner, so take a look through our nominations below and make sure you cast a vote via the poll at the end!
More than likely the obvious choice for victory, UAE Team Emirates came incredibly close to breaking the all-time record for most victories by one team in a calendar year in 2024. Standout performances from team leader Tadej Pogacar, gave the team a pair of Grand Tour triumphs at the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, plus a pair of monument victories at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia.
More than just Pogacar though, Tim Wellens took the GC at the Renewi Tour, Adam Yates at the Tour de Suisse and Juan Ayuso at the Itzulia Basque Country. Marc Hirschi dominated the end of season one-day races too as almost everyone on the roster chipped in.
The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team were arguably the most improved in the entire men’s peloton in 2024. Taking 30 victories including notable ones such as Sam Bennett’s domination of the 4 Jours du Dunkerque, Benoit Cosnefroy at Brabantse Pijl and Andrea Vendrame and Valentin Paret-Peintre on stages 19 and 10 of the Giro d’Italia.
Add to that Ben O’Connor’s starring performances at the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, finishing 4th and 2nd overall respectively, plus notable performances throughout the season by the likes of Dorian Godon, Paul Lapeira and Alex Baudin among others, there was plenty of reason for celebration.
The dominant force in the women's peloton, Team SD Worx - Protime perhaps weren't quite as all-conquering as they had been in 2023. Nevertheless, the likes of Lotte Kopecky, Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser and Lorena Wiebes among others have combined for victory after victory across the campaign.
Grand Tour success through Vollering at La Vuelta Femenina, with the Dutchwoman a close second at the Tour de France. Kopecky also narrowly missed out on Grand Tour glory at the Giro, but there were GC successes at races such as the Tour de Suisse, Itzulia Women, UAE Tour and Vuelta a Burgos Feminas among others.
The added investment of energy drink superbrand Red Bull has already bore fruit for the former BORA - hansgrohe in 2024 as the team secured just a second ever Grand Tour victory in the form of star signing Primoz Roglic’s record-equalling 4th career victory at the Vuelta a Espana.
With Roglic also taking victory at the Criterium du Dauphine, Giovanni Aleotti taking glory at the Tour of Slovenia, plus Daniel Martínez finishing 2nd overall at the Giro d’Italia among other notable results, it’s been a successful 2024 season for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe.
Ordinarily, three monument victories in the same season would be likely to secure any team a ‘Team of the Year’ award. Given the brilliance across the peloton this calendar year though, Alpecin-Deceuninck have flown slightly under the radar despite their immense success.
Mathieu van der Poel took a double monument success at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Jasper Philipsen emerged victorious from Milano-Sanremo, Classic Brugge-De Panne and added three stage successes from the Tour de France highlighting the season’s successes.
Remember, use the poll below to cast your vote! The winner is set to be announced one week from today (7th of November).
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