Spring Classics
From a team accostumed to riding the cobbles since the times of Cancellara, the expectations will forever be high as the team remains with a strong core of powerful riders. It wasn't however at all what the team was expecting. In fact there was only one race where the team played a vital role and got results which was Gent-Wevelgem where surprisingly it was Degenkolb who went on to finish runner-up. All others, either for bad luck or what clearly looked like lack of form, the team just wasn't there.
In the asphalt it wasn't too different, despite a couple podium places in Mallorca early on from Mollema it didn't catch on, Strade Bianche had a ninth place from Skujins but all others somewhat failed to achieve solid results, in the Ardennes is where we caught another glimpse of the American team with Mollema taking a sixth place in Fléche Wallone and then Degenkolb also coming in runner-up in Frankfurt.
Stage-Races
With Porte as an addition to the team it seemed evident he'd take the win in Willunga Hill, he did so but honestly far from the power he's shown the last few years, he took second overall behind Impey. Wins in Provence and Haut Var were a motivating factor early on and... well... nothing much really in the next few months. But that followed the trend of the team this year where everyone came to form in the final months.
Only in California did we see something again from the stage-racers although it was a disapointing fifth place from Porte in California, followed by eleventh in the Dauphiné. Myabe Felline's eleventh in BinckBank was the highlight of the coming weeks though, some solid results but nothing extravagant.
Grand Tours
The Grand Tours were a big part of Trek's season actually, they went quite well. The Giro was the best perhaps, after what had been a slight decline in consistency Bauke Mollema had the form of his life this year and it was evident in Italy (throughout the year, again) where he finished fifth in the overall, taking part of the raid to Lago Serru and then being strong and consistent all the way to Verona to take a brilliant Top5, where Giulio Ciccone took a stage and the KOM easily and was one of the most omnipresent riders throughout the three weeks.
The Tour, they both rode in support of Porte, the Australian didn't have an inconsistent race but couldn't manage better than eleventh, whilst Ciccone seemed again flying, he rode in yellow actually but then a crash early in the second week derailed what could've been a maiden GC stint, or another tilt at the KOM classification. And in the Vuelta finally saw Theuns battle it out in some sprints, then some brief moments of quality but no win from there.
Season Finale
But here, yes here is where the team stood apart, came into form and several riders took advatange of this late season dash. Mollema took fifth in San Sebastian. then Jasper Stuyven was fourth in RideLondon and took the overall in the Deutschland Tour. Then the pair went on to finish fifth in Québec (Stuyven) and tenth in Montreal (Mollema).
From there on it was full force, in back-to-back days Edward Theuns won the Primus Classic and then Mads Pedersen took the Grand Prix d'Isbergues with Degenkolb making it a one-two. And in the next week in Yorkshire we all know how the Dane impressively took the Worlds to own the brand new rainbow jersey, no doubt a late brilliancy showcase late in the season. However it wasn't yet finished, Skujins and Mollema were looking pretty good in the Italian Classics and wouldn't you know it Bauke Mollema won Lombardia after a sneaky attack, managed to hold off everyone making it a perfect season finale for them. They still managed to take another win though in the coming weekend as Mollema rang the bell again in Japan Cup.
Wins (WT): 11 (3)
Highlight: Mollema's win in Lombardia
Best Performer: Bauke Mollema
Biggest Surprise: Giulio Ciccone
Negative Surprise: Ryan Mullen
Ranking: 8/10
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