Management

GARMIN SHARP (GRS) - USA

The Garmin-Sharp team had arguably its best ever season in 2012, with Canada's Ryder Hesjedal giving the US-registered team it's first ever Grand Tour victory at the Giro d'Italia.

Hesjedal and his team mates rode a tactically smart race, winning the team time trial stage in Verona before Hesjedal timed his attacks perfectly to take the race leader's iconic pink jersey from Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez during the final time stage in Milan.

Garmin-Sharp won a total of 23 races in 2012, including three team time trials, with 14 different riders, ranging from David Millar's Tour de France stage victory, to Sep Vanmarcke beating Tom Boonen at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium.

The team is largely unchanged for 2013, with only Vanmarcke opting to move on. Hesjedal will return to the Giro d'Italia and also target the Tour de France, while Dan Martin and Andrew Talansky will look to continue their steady but impressive maturity in the hilly Classics and Grand Tours.

Christian Vande Velde, David Zabriskie and Tom Danielson are expected to return to racing after completing their bans for their part in the USADA doping investigation.

Looking to the future, Team Manager Jonathan Vaughters has invested in talented young riders for 2013 and also hired Belgium's Nick Nuyens for the Classics.

« We had our strongest season in the history of the team in 2012, with our first Grand Tour win at the Giro, and we’ll be looking to build on that success in 2013, » Vaughters said.

« Our roster has an outstanding mix of new and returning riders, but with a focus on the next generation of riders. Our roots are in developing young talent and with additions like Rohan Dennis, Lachlan Morton and the return of Caleb Fairly, we’re poised to continue that tradition and fortify the future of cycling. »