After a great 2012 season, Rinaldo Nocentini didn't have the same level of success in 2013. Above all, he missed a win and the 36-year old now hopes that he will return to his winning ways in 2014.
The Ag2r-La Mondiale team had its best season for years, with a win on the queen stage of the Tour de France and top 10 results in both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana. While new signings Domenico Pozzovivo and Carlos Betancur had plenty of time in the spotlight, one of the team's veterans didn't contribute much to the success though.
Since 2006 Rinaldo Nocentini has been one of the most successful riders on the French team with numerous top results in hard one-day races and one-week stage races. A former winner of the Tour Mediteraneen and the GP Miguel Indurain and runner-up in the Paris-Nice, the 26-year-old enjoyed his moment in the worldwide spotlight when he wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France for several days in 2009 before going on to finish 12th overall.
In 2012, Nocentini was perhaps better than ever. He finished 4th in the Tirreno-Adriatico, 5th in the Criterium International, in the top 12 in all three Ardennes classics, 6th in the Tour de Pologne and the Tour of Beijing, 18th in the Vuelta a Espana and was 2nd on stages in both the Criterium International and the Tour de Romandie. With regular top performances in the WorldTour races, he was a natural choice for the Italian team for the world championships in Valkenburg.
This year was more quiet for Nocentini. Things got off to a great start when he finished 5th in the Tour of Oman and was on the podium in both the GP Camaiore and the Strade Bianche. From there, things didn't go his way and he only showed his glimpses of his talents like when he was 5th in the Italian championships.
He ended his season on a better note as he was 2nd on stages in both the Vuelta a Burgos and the Vuelta a Espana and especially rued the defeat in the latter. Having made it into the successful breakaway, he was unaware when young Warren Barguil attacked at the flamme rouge and so his sprint win was only good enough for 2nd. His good late-season form did, however, once again earn him a spot on the Italian team for the world championships.
Despite Nocentini's success, he is not a prolific winner. He hasn't won a race since 2010 when he took the overall at the Tour Mediteraneen and he hopes to find back to his winning ways in 2014.
"I wish I could get back to winning again," he told Arezzo Notizie. "This year I missed out in the most beautiful races. I am thinking of the Strade Bianche but especially on the Vuelta where I thought I had locked up the win. I'm still happy because I think I had a season at a good level, including the experience with the national team."
Ag2r has started to plan the coming season and Nocentini will know more about his race schedule next week.
"We could say that the 2014 season will begin next week," he said. "With my Ag2r teammates, we will gather in Montgenevre and it will be an opportunity to learn more about our new riders."
Nocentini expects his schedule to be similar to what it has been in recent years.
"Speaking of races on my calendar, it is still too early," he said. "However, I will definitely take part in Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Sanremo, Amstel, Flecha and Liege and I will certainly be at the Italian championships. Later I will decide whether I will do the Giro or the Tour and at the end of the season I would like to once again wear the blue shirt. I have always seen selection for the national team as one of my most important objectives."
Being joined by Betancur, Pozzovivo, Romain Bardet, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Christophe Riblon and Maxime Bouet, Nocentini will be part of a very powerful roster of climbers in 2014.
01.05 - 04.05: La Coupe du President de la Vi... |
04.05: Sundvolden GP |
04.05: GP Eco-Struct |
04.05: Liège-Bastogne-Liège Junior |
04.05: Ronde van Overijssel |
04.05: GP du Morbihan |
04.05: GP du Morbihan Femmes |
28.04 - 05.05: Vuelta España Femenina |
30.04 - 05.05: Tour du Bénin |
01.05 - 05.05: Vuelta Bantrab |
Tyler MAGNER 33 years | today |
Violetta KAZAKOVA 20 years | today |
Xiang Yuan LI 29 years | today |
Jérémy DERANGERE 49 years | today |
Floris GERTS 32 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com