Advertentie Argos

Welcome Iwan Spekenbrink

Team Argos-Shimano is heading to the Tour de France 2013 with a group of dedicated riders and sta!. Team Argos-Shimano will head through France from Corsica to Paris, chasing success – success as team. What powers it? Team spirit, inspiration, improvement, integrity and innovation. We have brought together a talented group of riders whose preparation has been targeted specifically for the Tour. They have worked with our coaches and other experts to develop and follow individually tailored training plans, to optimize their nutrition, and to improve their tactical awareness in preparation for this big event. The riders are ready both physically and mentally, and we know they’ll be able to perform well as a team. The riders and support sta! are looking forward to the race, and so are our sponsors. We hope we can put on a great show for the fans. We can’t wait for the start on Corsica on June 29. Everyone is ready!

Race Preview Marcel Kittel & John Degenkolb

John Degenkolb and Marcel Kittel are the two leaders of the Tour team. Marcel will be leading in the flat stages and John in the hillier stages. The sprinters know each other quite well, as they rode for many years on the same amateur team in Germany before being reunited at Team Argos-Shimano. How do you help each other achieve your goals? John: We have the same goal, and that is winning a stage with the team. It doesn’t matter if it is Marcel or me – but of course I hope we both win a stage. I am learning a lot from Marcel about the Tour de France, when he talks about his experiences in the first week. I’m curious yet proud to participate in such a big event. It also gives me an idea of how to prepare for such a big and hectic event. Marcel: We also train with each other, especially the sprint training sessions. It is really good to do this together, as we are improving ourselves. In these training sessions we help each other raise our game. You get everything out of the tank, which helps us achieve our goals. Is it di!cult to be in the lead-out for Marcel? John: Not at all. We have di!erent specialties, and I will get my chances to sprint for victory as well, but in more di"cult stages.

Marcel: I am very happy with John in the lead-out train. He is very strong and has a good overview in a hectic sprint. It really helps that he is a sprinter himself. What do you see as each other’s best quality? Marcel: John’s is his mentality. He is really eager to become a better cyclist. When I am still in bed he is already on the rollers training. That is a very strong part of his character. John: He is good looking – ha-ha! No, he is really honest, and I like the way you can talk with him. He always tells me his honest opinion.

Race Preview Christian Guiberteau

“We will be looking for stage success in this Tour de France. In the flat stages, Marcel Kittel will be leading our team to sprint success, and when the bunch hits some hillier stages, we have John Degenkolb who can be victorious. We don’t just want to win stages but also to show the world the Team Argos-Shimano Express, our sprint train.” Sports manager Christian Guiberteau is looking forward to this year’s Tour de France. “Creating the perfect sprint train takes years. Last year the train was working well but we were unable to achieve the success that we hoped for as we were forced to change strategies after losing Marcel at the beginning of the Tour. The key to our sprint train is the combination of science and experience. All the team members can anticipate situations very well and have the experience to handle all possible scenarios. Honesty in the evaluation after the race makes the di!erence, but also the equipment, our Race Course Analyses System, specific training plans and scientific experts who provide us useful data about the riders. “In addition to contesting the sprint stages, we will use an o!ensive strategy in the tougher stages. All the riders, especially in the second part of the Tour, will have a chance to chase success. In the time trial we are looking forward to seeing Tom Dumoulin, who has made a huge improvement this season. Simon Geschke can, especially when it features some hills, think about strong results

“Tom Veelers and Koen de Kort will be the most important lead-out men for the sprint stages. Tom has a big engine in the last 500m but his true additional value is that he knows and feels what a sprinter knows and feels. Koen de Kort will be important for John in the hillier stages, and I expect him to be in one of the breaks in the second part of the Tour. “Albert Timmer, Roy Curvers and Johannes Fröhlinger are all huge team players. Roy is our brain on the bike and the captain of the team. He will be guiding the team in the sprint stages. Albert is an invisible force and knows without any questions what he needs to do. I also see him in a break in one of the more di"cult stages, as he is so strong and developed he can handle quite a few stages. Johannes is also very intelligent on the bike and knows what to do. He will play an important role in chasing down the breaks, but he can also make the di!erence in hillier stages. “Then, last but not least, Marcel and John, who are both very hungry for success and are, according to our science expert Teun van Erp and trainer Adriaan Helmantel, in the best shape they have ever been. They have prepared themselves at training camp on high altitude and invested in some new sprint training. “When we have arrived on the Champs-Élysées we will be happy if we have battled for stage wins and incredibly proud if we have shown the world the best sprint train possible.”

The perfect sprint train

The Team Argos-Shimano Express starts with analysis before the race. The coach, with input from the riders, makes a plan for the day. The information from the Race Course Analyses System plays an important role, as it shows exactly what the finale will look like and what obstacles will be in the way. After the plan is completed, the team starts racing. The team captain keeps an eye on which riders are in the break and which teams are represented. After 40km, two riders, in cooperation with other sprint teams, start to control the bunch; as the finale approaches the two riders are actively working to chase down the break. The team captain and the sprinter and lead-out men discuss how everyone is feeling and make some adjustments to the plan if needed. When the break is caught, the job is finished for the first two riders (riders nine and eight), and it is up to riders seven and six to bring the train to the front and in position for the final 3km. Sometimes they will ride on the front of the group, but it can also be on the right, left or in the middle. What is important is that when the sprint train really starts there is space to go full speed. Rider five starts pulling from 3 to 2km to go, and rider four from 2 to 1km to go. Rider three starts sprinting from 1km to 500m to go, rider two takes over from 500m to 200m to go, and from there it is up to the sprinter to cover the final 200m to the line. Job done – you think! Well, the race is over, but after the race the evaluation is just as important in ensuring that the team improves for the next race.

Innovations behind the sprint train

General Manager Iwan Spekenbrink Coaches Christian Guiberteau

Addy Engels

Trainer Adriaan Helmantel

Medical Edwin Achterberg Physiotherapists David Deroo & Soigneurs Dariusz Kapidura

Kevin Pfeifer Baptiste Bidorini Ignacio Rodriguez

Mechanics Alex Ritze

Hans van Vianen Marcel van Rossum Berteld Dekker

Cook Janneke Pieterson Communications Geert Broekhuizen & Press Bennie Ceulen Technical R&D Tom Davids Scientific Expert Teun van Erp Nutrition Expert Rob van de Werf

Sta! overview Packlist

Roy Curvers Rouleur. Dutch. 27 December 1979. 188cm. 74kg.

‘Last year’s Tour de France made me hungry and doubly motivated for this Tour de France’  Roy started cycling by racing with his friends through the streets of his village, but his parents were against that idea, and Roy and his friends joined a club to compete in real bike races. Until he reached the age of 27, he never believed in the possibility of a career as a pro, but his results got better and better, and in 2008 he joined Skil-Shimano, the precursor of Team Argos-Shimano. “Because of cycling you get to know many cultures and see the most beautiful parts of the world,” he says. “In addition, you learn that you are responsible for your own success. The 1t4i principles of the team help with this as well  –  the team helps you develop not only as a sportsman but also as a person.” Last year in the Tour de France, Roy knew the team belonged there as a sprint train, but the riders couldn’t get a result, which made him doubly motivated and hungry for this year. He knows that the team can win a stage and that everyone is ready to show the perfect sprint train .    

John Degenkolb Sprinter. German. 7 January 1989. 180cm. 77kg.

‘I’ve developed as a rider but also as a person’  John started cycling because – according to him – he was not good enough as a football player. But as soon as he tried the bike he absolutely loved it. John is inspired not only by his father but also by the di"culty and the beauty of cycling. He is proud to show young riders that you can achieve great results clean as long as you are dedicated and give everything you have. John, who is admired by many of our riders for his mentality, joined the team in 2012 and enjoys the full coaching and optimal guidance provided by the team, which has helped him develop as a rider but also as a person. This will be his first Tour de France, and after his stage win in the Giro and the five stage wins in the Vuelta, this is the only grand tour in which he hasn’t crossed the finish line first. We will see John shine in stages that are a bit hillier and that end with a small bunch sprint. Together with Marcel Kittel, he will be the leader of the team.

Tom Dumoulin Allround.

Dutch. 11 November 1990. 186cm. 71kg.

‘The team and I are both down-to-earth’  Tom grew up in Maastricht, the cycling hub of the Netherlands, but he only started cycling as a teenager – and then only because he was too clumsy for his favorite sport, soccer. As soon as he got on the bike he enjoyed it and knew he wanted to become a professional cyclist. His big breakthrough came in 2010, with his victory in the GP Portugal, where he rode as a member of the Dutch national cycling team for the first time in his career. Team Argos-Shimano suits his personality, as he says, “We are both down-to-earth. Cycling has many myths and everybody works the same as always. In our team we don’t follow the normal ways but are always looking to be innovative and think di!erently. This works for me and the team really well.” This will be Tom’s first Tour de France, and he will be aiming for a stage win with the team and going for a result in the time trial. Someday he hopes to win a stage … Well, Tom, it might be already in your first Tour – you never know.

Johannes Fröhlinger Allround. German. 9 June 1985. 172cm. 60kg.

‘Cycling taught me to be structured and disciplined’  Johannes grew up in western Germany, in the Eifel region near the border with Belgium. His life changed quite a bit when he became a professional cyclist, as he learned to be structured and very disciplined. When he joined Team Argos-Shimano he was already quite a developed rider with some team captain skills. The team is helping him improve his leadership skills further and is supporting him and giving him the confidence he needs to grow into one of the best captains in the peloton. He enjoys the development process of the team, growing week by week and year by year. When he was young he joined his father on bike rides on Sundays, but a holiday to see the Tour de France in the Alps gave him that extra bit of motivation to start racing. Riding on the Champs-Élysées was one of the best moments in his cycling career. The ultimate goal this Tour is winning a stage with the team.

Simon Geschke Allround German. 13 March 1986. 170cm. 64kg.

‘My first Tour was the most important moment in my cycling career’  The son of a former track cyclist who opened a bike shop after he retired, Simon was born with cycling in his blood. For four years he combined track and road, but then stopped racing on the track to fully focus on the road. In 2009 he became a pro at Skil-Shimano and has stayed with the team that feels like a second home to him. The team has helped him become a better cyclist, thanks to the dedicated sta!, but he also appreciates that the mindset is the same: “We have the same ideas and are on the same page. When I train I know what I am doing and I believe in it. This is very important for a cyclist.” His first Tour de France and riding on the Champs-Élysées was the most important moment for him in his cycling career. In the upcoming Tour he hopes to support the team in the sprint stages and score some results in the hillier stages.  

Marcel Kittel Sprinter. German. 11 may 1988. 189cm. 86kg.

‘Developed into one of world’s best sprinters’ Inspired by his father to pick up cycling, Marcel started riding on the mountain bike. He always wanted to ride on the road, though, so he soon switched. He rode his first few training kilometres with his father, and, after many years and winning many races, Marcel still views his father as his role model. Marcel’s father guided him and taught him what is important in cycling. When he moved to the sports school in Erfurt, where his father and mother were also athletes, and now his brother as well, he knew he wanted to become a professional cyclist. Marcel came to the team as a time trialist and lead-out man, but the team discovered that he was very fast. He did more specific sprint training and in January 2011 won a stage in the Tour of Langkawi. From that moment things progressed quickly. He has since won many races and developed into one of world’s best sprinters. Last year’s Tour de France didn’t deliver the success that he hoped for, as he su!ered from a stomach virus. This year he is eager to show himself and will be aiming to finish the job of the Team Argos-Shimano Express.  

Koen de Kort Lead-out.

Dutch. 8 September 1982. 181cm. 70kg.

‘I’m dreaming of winning the first and last stages in the Tour with the team’  Koen is one of our experienced grand tour riders, with the most grand tour participations. The most important moment in his life was moving to Spain, where he rode for a Spanish team and needed to get to know a whole new culture and language. Cycling in general and the team in particular have taught him to work toward clear goals and to stay focused. He says, “The sta! have taught me to create more structure in my career and to focus myself on one specialty. In the team we all have clear roles, and we train and develop ourselves to become better in these roles. I have improved a lot as a lead-out man since I joined this team.” Inspired to take up cycling by the Tour of 1996, Koen will this year line up for his third Tour de France. He is dreaming of winning the first and last stages with the team, but he would already be happy with one stage win. He is also aiming to get in a break that will ride to the finish in the second part of the Tour.

Albert Timmer Rouleur.

Dutch. 13 June 1985. 186cm. 76kg.

‘I experienced the toughest moment on the bike in last year’s Tour’  After finishing with soccer, Albert started cycling. He first participated in some social rides with the club, but after six months he started racing as well. If he hadn’t been a cyclist he would have been a mechanic. The working culture in cycling appeals to him: “If you train and work hard, you can come quite far in cycling. It teaches you also to be persistent and self-reliant and makes you mentally stronger. Cycling has made me the person that I am today.” Last year’s Tour de France experiences weren’t great, as things didn’t work out for the team as planned, and he experienced one of the toughest moments in his cycling career the day before the rest day. He tried to get in the break but it didn’t work out and he ended up at the very back. The bunch was pushing the whole time and he couldn’t recover and get back to the front. He is determined to make this a better edition, with hopefully a stage win for John or Marcel and a chance for him to be in a break that reaches the finish line.

Tom Veelers Lead-out.

Dutch. 14 September 1984. 188cm. 82kg.

‘Everything is designed to make us sprint faster’  Tom started cycling in order to become a better speed skater, but he ended up enjoying the bike more and became a cyclist. Tom is the lead-out man for Marcel and is fascinated by sprint lead-outs and is always eager to end the race well. When he is at his limit, the thought of the sprint and helping his teammates in the finale keeps him going, but also the fact that he loves to push his limits. He is a true team player and would love to exchange his third, fourth and fifth places in the Tour for a stage win for the team. The secret of the Team Argos-Shimano Express is the combination of experience and science: “We know each other very well and what everybody’s strength is, so we don’t need many words in a hectic finale. In addition, all the materials that we are using are designed to makes us faster and sprint better.” His personal ambition in the Tour de France is to help Marcel and John as much as possible and to create the perfect lead-out for Marcel. Having the train perform well will be the most important thing during this Tour.  

Tour de France 2013

Race start 29.06.2013

Race finish 21.07.2013

Start town

Finish town

Rest day

Stage

Individual time-trial

Team time-trial

Porto-Vecchio / Bastia 213km

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 STAGE 1 In this stage the Team Argos-Shimano Express will shine for the first time, as this is a good opportunity for sprinter Marcel Kittel – the best sprinter will not only win the stage but will also put on the coveted yellow jersey. The dream scenario would be three riders in the break, from di!erent teams, including Team Argos-Shimano controlling the bunch, and then a perfect lead-out in the last 5km. With our Race Course Analyses System, we know exactly what corners will come up, where the wind is coming from and which riders need to be leading. Strong teamwork is the key to success, as we will be battling against teams like Omega Pharma – Quick-Step and Orica GreenEDGE

Bastia / Ajaccio 154km

SUNDAY, JUNE 30 STAGE 2 This stage starts on one of the biggest squares in Europe. The stage will include three climbs, with the highest point at 1,163m. A stage for the puncheurs or maybe a breakaway. Riders like Simon Geschke and Tom Dumoulin would be able to get in the break. The stage is hard, but there is a possibility, according to our science expert Teun van Erp and coach Christian Guiberteau, that John Degenkolb can survive the hills in the first part of the race and will be aiming for his first stage win. Research has shown that he is capable of handling stages like this. The others who make it over the last climb halfway through the stage will support John in the sprint.

Ajaccio / Calvi 145.5km

MONDAY, JULY 1 STAGE 3 This stage will be like yesterday’s – an interesting stage for John Degenkolb, with two categorized climbs over 145km, the last of which crests 13km before the finish, giving a fast downhill run to the line. It will not only be an interesting stage for the team, with John who can be victorious here, but also for Tom Veelers, who will be thrilled by the gardens in Corsica as (and nobody knows this yet) his hobbies are gardening and riding through beautiful nature. The organization has made a route that goes through the most beautiful places in Corsica. To reveal some more secrets, if he hadn’t been a cyclist, Tom would have been a carpenter, just like his father.

Nice / Nice 25km

TUESDAY, JULY 2 STAGE 4 The riders return to mainland France, and today will be the first time trial of this year’s Tour. It will be a collective e!ort from all the riders over 25km around Nice. It is not realistic to say that we will win this TTT, but we will be aiming to show a strong performance. Tom Dumoulin will be our engine over this 25km TTT; we will benefit from his improvement during the season in the time trial, and he will bring the team to a higher level with his power and speed. The team has practiced this discipline in previous training camps, as riding with nine riders requires some adjustments.

Cagnes-sur-Mer / Marseille 228.5km

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 STAGE 5 After a fast and frantic first four stages, which might already see splits in the GC and a few changes in the GC leader, stage 5 calms down a bit for another possible opportunity for the sprinters in the south of France. The stage features some climbs, and the previous days and the race day itself will decide who is going to sprint, Marcel Kittel or John Degenkolb. Science says that this is more a sprint for John, as he has won a couple of races with similar elevation gains, but if the bunch takes it easy, Marcel can survive these climbs as well. One thing is quite sure: we will see a sprint, with hopefully one of our sprinters in the lead.

Aix-en-Provence / Montpellier 176.5km

THURSDAY, JULY 4 STAGE 6 You don’t have to be a fortune-teller to see that this stage will most likely end up in a bunch sprint, as the route doesn’t feature any serious hills. Marcel Kittel will be our leader, assisted by team captain Roy Curvers, who has an important role in stages like this. Roy can read the race and has a very good tactical sense. He understands how to control the break and which teams and riders and how many are allowed to be in the break. In addition, he guides the process in the finale, letting the team members know when they should move to the front, when they need to push and when the sprint train actually starts. Of course the team has a plan, but unexpected things always come up, and Roy anticipates them and adjusts the plan accordingly.

Montpellier / Albi 205.5km

FRIDAY, JULY 5 STAGE 7 Today’s stage has a rolling profile with four categorized climbs on the menu. The distance, at 205.5km, combined with the profile will surely take its toll on the bunch by the end of the day. It would seem to be an ideal day for a break, but if the GC riders don’t give the break any space the sprinters’ teams like Katusha might control the race and aim for a small bunch sprint. Simon Geschke could be successful in a break that survives to the end, as he can handle hilly terrain and is also able to finish quite fast. But if it is a small bunch sprint and John Degenkolb survives, he will be the man to sprint for victory.

Castres / Ax 3 Domaines 195km

SATURDAY, JULY 6 STAGE 8 After exactly one week of racing, the Tour hits the first climbing stage in the Pyrenees. The GC riders will come out to play and see what shape everyone is in. This will be a relatively “easy” day for us, as it will make no sense to be in the break and we don’t have a serious chance for success today, as the GC riders and teams will control the break. So the riders will pace themselves and stay in the bunch. They might enjoy the views, as the stages through the Pyrenees always have some very good scenery.

Saint-Girons / Bagneres-de-Bigorre 168.5km

SUNDAY, JULY 7 STAGE 9 The second and last Pyrenean stage features five climbs. Shortly after the start, the riders have to tackle a serious climb called the Portet d’Aspet. Most of our riders will end up in the bus – a big group with sprinters and lead-out men. You won’t see Marcel Kittel and Tom Veelers at the front, but this will still be a very hard stage for them, with a lot of pain. It’s important in stages like this to stay in the bus and not get isolated; otherwise, it could be your last performance, as you need to finish within the time limit. Sometimes riding in the bus is also a race – a race within a race to cross the finish line on time.

Saint-Gildas-des-Bois / Saint-Malo 197km

TUESDAY, JULY 9 STAGE 10 After two days in the Pyrenees and a rest day and the transfer to northwest France, we should see the return of the Team Argos-Shimano Express in this stage. The finale on paper seems quite technical and twisty, so the Race Course Analyses System will play an important role. On the evening before the stage, the whole team sits together and watches the last 10km of the road on the screen. Just to give you some InsideOut information, analysed by our science expert: Maximum speed in a flat stage is around 70km hour, maximum power is more than 1,450 watts (we won’t reveal our exact numbers) and the average power for the last 5km is 443 watts. Imagine…

Avranches / Mont-Saint-Michel 33km

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 STAGE 11 The race of truth, the individual time trial. It’s not as long as it used to be, but it’s still pretty di"cult. The 33km from Avranches to Mont Saint-Michel will start with a technical section with many corners, so it will be tough to get the right rhythm. We expect to see Tom Dumoulin and Simon Geschke shine in this stage. Tom has made a huge improvement this season. He is still young and getting stronger, and after a good training program during the winter and preseason and a changed position following wind tunnel tests in the US, he is able to deliver more power.

Fougères / Tours 218km

THURSDAY, JULY 11 STAGE 12 The 12th stage will bring the riders to familiar terrain: Tours, the traditional finish of the famous classic Paris-Tours. The stage is flat, but it will still be dangerous for the GC riders and sprinters, as the wind can play an important role. Luckily we have lined up quite a few Dutch riders, as they grew up with a lot of wind and are familiar with riding in an echelon. In stages like this it will be important to keep Marcel Kittel out of the wind, so during the entire stage his teammates will protect him by sitting in front of him so he can draft his way through the stage and deliver a strong sprint at the end.

Tours / Saint-Amand- Montrond 173km

FRIDAY, JULY 12 STAGE 13 This should be another sprint stage, but it will be the last one before the Tour gets hillier and the sprinters finish playing. In this stage we will see either Marcel Kittel or John Degenkolb sprinting for victory. Although they are both sprinters, they have totally di!erent training programs. Marcel is more focused on the pure sprints, and one of the most important things for him is good base conditioning, whereas John benefits from 8- to 10-minute e!ort training so he can tackle the short climbs easily in order to start sprinting. When they train together they do some sprints against each other. It isn’t a surprise, as we see this in races already, but Marcel is better in the flat sprints and John excels when it is a bit tougher and slightly uphill.

Saint Pourçain-sur- Sjoule / Lyon 191km

SATURDAY, JULY 13 STAGE 14 This stage, which heads to Lyon, a city known for its historical and architectural landmarks, will cover a distance of 191km and features seven categorized climbs. The road goes up and down throughout the whole stage. On paper it is a perfect stage for a break or a very small bunch sprint, where John Degenkolb can go for glory. We will use an o!ensive strategy, aiming to have riders like Simon Geschke or Tom Dumoulin in the break. The other riders will support John in the bunch. Koen de Kort plays an important role in this; he will deliver John in the right position so he won’t waste any energy and can start sprinting fresh.

Givors / Mont Ventoux 242km

SUNDAY, JULY 14 STAGE 15 Bastille Day, a national holiday in France, will see the longest stage of this year’s Tour, covering a distance of 242km and finishing at the top of the famous Mont Ventoux. The riders will climb Mont Ventoux from Bédoin, the most di"cult side. In this stage we will give everything we have to get in the break. All the riders can chase their own success and will have a free role to attack and finish in front of the group on the bald mountain. We might see Johannes Fröhlinger in this stage, as he was already in the break in similar stage in the Tour de Suisse.

Vaison-la-Romaine / Gap 168km

TUESDAY, JULY 16 STAGE 16 After a well-deserved rest day, the Tour heads straight back into the mountains. Today’s stage goes from Vaison-la-Romaine, famous for its Roman ruins and its geography, to Gap and will cover a distance of 168km – not that far, you would think, but the stage will be tough as it features multiple climbs of around 10km in length. It will be another day for the opportunists, and Albert Timmer is one rider who will be aiming to get in the break. He believes that a good break could ride to the finish line to battle it out for victory. It could be his long-awaited moment of glory. Anything is possible, but one thing is sure: he needs to be smart and strong to go for a podium spot.

Embrun / Chorges 32km

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17 STAGE 17 The second individual time trial of this year’s centenary Tour de France is again not particularly long but very technical and quite hilly. According to Jean-Francois Pescheux, who is responsible for the Tour route, this is the most di"cult time trial he has ever designed. With the technical course and the hilly character, it might be an interesting opportunity for Simon Geschke. He has improved in the time trial every year, and according to trainer Adriaan Helmantel he is in good shape and ready for it.

Gap/ Alpe-d’Huez 168km

THURSDAY, JULY 18 STAGE 18 The day of truth. The queen stage of the Tour de France is always good for a few climbs and a lot of spectacle. The route goes from Gap over Alpe d’Huez and then finishes back on Alpe d’Huez, making the riders tackle the famous “Dutch” climb twice. This will be a survival stage for the team – another race within a race to cross the finish line on time. Luckily there will be thousands of Dutch people to cheer our riders on. It will be a special experience for the Dutch riders to ride this hill with so many enthusiastic Dutch spectators.

Bourg-d’Oisans / Le Grand-Bornand 204.5km

FRIDAY, JULY 19 STAGE 19 The stage will start in Bourg d’Oisans, a famous village for many cyclists, as it is right at the bottom of Alpe d’Huez. Nutrition plays an important role during the Tour because it is the riders’ fuel. On average, a rider eats and drinks almost 6,000 calories on a day like this. This means almost 20 slices bread, a lot of pasta, quark, vegetables and fruit, and litres of water. And, of course, every hour on the bike at least one bar and one bottle of Born drink. Nice fact to know: every training phase has a di!erent diet, so our nutrition expert works very closely with the trainers to create a diet that fits perfectly with each rider’s specific training program.

Annecy/ Annecy-Semnoz 125km

SATURDAY, JULY 20 STAGE 20 The penultimate stage is short but vicious, with an uphill finish on Mont Semnoz, a climb of 10.7km with an average gradient of 8.5 percent. It will be the last stage before the riders head to Paris, and thus the last shot for one of our riders to get in a break that rides to the finish line. If they don’t make the break the riders will at least have an interesting stage, as the scenery is lovely. The view from Mont Revard in particular is supposed to be stunning.

Versailles / Paris Champs – Élysées 133.5km

SUNDAY, JULY 21 STAGE 21 The final stage of the Tour, and the last opportunity to see the Team Argos-Shimano Express at full speed. Hopefully we can reward our good riding during the entire Tour de France with a victory on the Champs-Élysées. It will be a unique experience to ride through a packed Paris, with many people along the road, especially on the Champs-Élysées, where there will be no spot without people. In addition to the atmosphere, it just feels very special if you have fought for three weeks and finally made it. When we have arrived on the Champs-Élysées we will be happy if we have battled for stage wins and incredibly proud if we have shown the world the best sprint train possible.

History 100 years Tour de France

This will be a very special edition of the Tour de France, as it is the 100th edition of the race. The first Tour was held in 1903, covering a distance of 2,428km divided into 6 stages, with the longest stage 471km – quite di!erent from this year’s 3,404km divided into 21 stages.

The first Tour featured only French participants, but as the race gained popularity over the years it attracted riders from around the world. The first international winner was in 1909. The prize money has changed over the years, but from the beginning the purse was very appealing to cyclists (1903: 1,200 francs GC, 300 francs stage; 2013: €450,000 GC, €8,000 stage).

While in 1904 the first four competitors were disqualified because they travelled by train, riders are now disqualified by finishing outside the time limit, and especially in mountain stages it can be a race against the clock for many riders. Nowadays there are many support cars driving behind the bunch, so riders can easily switch wheels or bikes, but in 1935 the frame of the leader broke during the time trial and he was forced to steer with one hand so he could hold the tubes together with his other hand. Another change is nutrition. In the seventies the riders did not pay much attention to nutrition and raced with water in their bottles. Now all the riders have special diets and special drinks so they can push harder in the end. They don’t think for one second about drinking water out of the fountain like the riders did in 1978.

Victories Team Argos-Shimano

2013 1x Stage SterZLM Tour (2.1) Garmin Pro Race Berlin (1.1) General Classification Tour de Picardie (2.1) 2x Stage Tour de Picardie (2.1) 1x Stage Giro (WT) 3x Stage Tour of Turkey (2.HC) Scheldeprijs (1.HC) 1x Stage Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (WT) 1x Stage Paris-Nice (WT) 1x Stage Tour of Oman (2.HC)

2012 Grans Prix d’Isbergues (1.1) 5x Stage Vuelta a Espana (WT) 2x Stage Eneco Tour (WT) 1x Prologue Vuelta a Andalucia (2.1) 2x Stage Tour of Hainan (2.HC) Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (1.1) Omloop van het Houtland (1.1) 1x Stage Tour de Pologne (WT) 1x Stage Ster ZLM Toer GP Jan van Heeswijk (2.1) General Classification Tour de Picardie (2.1) 2x Stage Tour de Picardie (2.1) 2x Stage Jours de Dunkerque National Championships Japan - Road Race (NC) Scheldeprijs (1.HC) 1x Stage Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (2.HC) 2x Stage Tour Of Oman (2.HC) 1x Stage Etoile de Bessèges (2.1)

2011 4x Stage Tour of Hainan (2.HC) 4x Stage Tour de Pologne (WT) 2 x Stage Jayco Herald Sun Tour (2.1) Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (1.1) 1x Stage Tour de Wallonie Picarde (2.1) Kampioenschap Van Vlaanderen (1.1) 1st Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen (1.1) 1x Stage Vuelta a Espana (WT) 1x Stage -Tour of Austria (2.HC) Halle-ingooigem (1.1) General Classification Delta Tour Zeeland (2.1) 1x Stage Delta Tour Zeeland (2.1) Prorace Berlin (1.1) 4x Stage 4 Jours de Dunkerque (2.HC) 1x Stage Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (2.HC) General Classification Ronde van Drenthe (2.1) 2x Stage Ronde van Drenthe (2.1) 1x Stage Critérium International (2.HC) 1x Stage Tour De Langkawi (2.HC)

Victories Team Argos-Shimano

2010 4x Tour Of Hainan (2.HC) 1x 34th Route Du Sud - La Dépêche Du Midi (2.1) 2x Stage Delta Tour Zeeland (2.1) 2x Stage Tour of Belgium (2.HC) 1x Stage 31st Bayern-Rundfahrt (2.HC) 1x Stage 64th Tour De Picardie (2.1) Ronde van Overijssel (1.2) Ronde van Noord-Holland (1.2) Hel van het Mergelland (1.1) 1x Stage Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen (2.1)

2009 1x Stage Tour Of Qinghai Lake (2.HC) 1x Stage Delta Tour Zeeland (2.1) Tour De Rijke (1.1) Dutch Food Valley Classic (1.HC) Batavus Prorace (1.1) 1x Stage 4 Jours de Dunkerque / Tour du Nord-pas-de-Calais (2.HC) Ronde van Overijssel (1.2)

2008 1x Stage Tour de L’Ain (2.1) 1x Stage Delta Tour Zeeland (2.1) 1x Stage Tour de Picardie (2.1) Ronde van Noord-Holland (1.1)    

MPCC

Ethics is one of the core values of Team Argos-Shimano. The team is one of the early members of the MPCC (Mouvement pour un Cyclisme Crédible – Movement for Credible Cycling), which was established by a number of French and German ProTour teams during the 2007 Tour de France. Team Argos-Shimano joined in 2008. The MPCC consists of 11 teams, with 6 additional teams on probation. The members dedicate themselves to strict compliance with the ethical code of the MPCC, whose rules are more rigorous than the UCI rules. “The MPCC’s member teams apply stringent internal rules and guidelines to strengthen the credibility of the team and thus also of cycling in general. In doing so we take responsibility ourselves, thus contributing to a clean sport,” says Iwan Spekenbrink, general manager of Team Argos-Shimano and MPCC’s vice president.

1t4i Guidelines

In 2008, team manager and owner Iwan Speken-brink founded Team Argos-Shimano, previous Skil-Shimano. Spekenbrink has a clear vision for the future of the team: ‘To create the best sporting environment for cyclist possible, through the 1t4i mission, vision and core values’. This vision, mission and core values have resulted in a number of guidelines to which we refer as ‘1t4i’ (1 x t and 4 x i). 1t4i stands for Team spirit, Inspiration, Improvement, Integrity and Innovation. We expect our riders and sta! to operate in compliance with these guidelines, and also the organisation and the team as a whole are expected to act in line with 1t4i. Next, an important sports-related component - improvement. Throughout the year special attention is paid to working (together) optimally – fully aimed at achieving sporting progress and further strengthening the team – and to the way of working and collaboration, including the intentions and attitudes that are displayed. We believe that in doing so we will create a perfect sporting environment with intensive and innovative support in many areas and with internal processes that are entirely aimed at translating far-reaching and innovative expertise into optimal functionality for our athletes, using the technologically most advanced materials and outfit, so that our athletes and sta! are supported, motivated and challenged to grow and to play a leading role at the highest level as a team.

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Colofon Editorial Marit Huisman

Tom Copeland Krista Smith

Photography Cor Vos Team Argos-Shimano

Concept Geert Broekhuizen Marit Huisman Bernice Rijnberk

Graphic Design & Davy Roox Lay-out Martijn Leenaers

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Media@1t4i.com The content of this magazine is the original and copyrighted work of Team Argos-Shimano unless otherwise attributed. No copyright is claimed on non-original or licensed material. Team Argos-Shimano has made every e!ort to give proper credit where necessary. However, if you believe any of this material is yours or is being used inappropriately, please contact us so the situation can be addressed immediately.

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