We take a look back at Team BikeExchange-Jayco’s 2022 highlights as another season of action-packed racing draws to a close.
We are extremely proud to have supported Team BikeExchange-Jayco for the 2022 WorldTour season. We worked with a selection of the team’s riders, focusing on biomechanics and physiology, combined with aerodynamic testing in the wind tunnel.
Team BikeExchange-Jayco is one of the few cycling teams in the world to operate at the highest level in both men’s and women’s cycling. The team was founded in 2011 before being admitted by the UCI to the WorldTour in 2012, where it has remained ever since. In it’s 10 years of racing the team has achieved great success, with four monument classic victories (Milan-San Remo 2012, Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2014, Paris-Roubaix 2016 and Giro di Lombardia 2016) and a grand tour (Vuelta a Espana 2018) to their name.
Dylan Groenewegen got the team off to a flying start this year, sprinting to wins at Stage 3 and Stage 5 of the Saudi Tour. In the process Dylan also secured victory in the sprint classification of the 5 day tour in early February.
Moving into March, Simon Yates impressed by winning Stage 8 of Paris-Nice on his way to second in the general classification. Simon was one of the riders we worked with pre-season on TT positioning so it was great to see him finish 5th in the ITT on Stage 4 also, beating the likes of Ethan Hayter and Stefan Bisseger. Luke Durbridge, who we also got to work with put in a strong ride to finish 17th just forty-two seconds down on the eventual winner Wout Van Aert.
Simon Yates working on his TT position with us in the wind tunnel at Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub.
Team BikeExchange-Jayco also stormed to victory at both of the time trials in the Giro d’Italia with Simon Yates and Matteo Sobrero. On Stage 2 Simon put three seconds into his nearest rival, Mathieu Van Poel, on the 9.2km course. Tom Dumoulin finished third five seconds down and in fourth was teammate Matteo Sobrero who we also had the pleasure of working with in the lab and wind tunnel. Simon went on to taste victory again on Stage 14 into Turin before abandoning three days later.
Matteo put in a blistering ride on Stage 21 to win the final stage by twenty three seconds to nearest rival. Michael Hepburn and Lucas Hamilton – who both also paid us a visit at Silverstone for some biomechanical and aerodynamic testing – put in a strong rides to finish 9th and 25th respectively.
Simon Yates on his way to victory on Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia.
Simon celebrates atop the Stage 2 Giro podium in Budapest.
Matteo Sobrero after setting what would remain the fastest time of Stage 21.
Matteo soaks up the atmosphere in Verona after smashing the final stage.
At the Tour of Pologne ITT on Stage 6 Matteo put in another good ride to finish 8th. This capped a solid all-round performance from the team as Lawson Craddock, Michael Hepburn and Lucas Hamilton came home in 14th, 19th and 29th respectively.
Lawson then went on the defend his USA National TT title in Knoxville. As defending champion, he was the last rider down the start ramp and trailed the fastest time at both intermediate splits, but overhauled the deficit in the closing kilometres to clinch victory by just 4 seconds. Work on Lawson’s TT position began earlier in the year when he visited us at Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub. Our Aero Power package is designed to find proven, measured performance improvements. With a winning margin of just 4 seconds at the finish line, every performance margin mattered on the day.
Lawson Craddock on the top step of the Men’s USA National TT Championships podium after successfully defending his title.
In July, Team BikeExchange-Jayco enjoyed success on arguably the World’s biggest cycling stage – Le Tour de France. Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to victory on Stage 3 before Michael Matthews soloed away from his breakaway companions on Stage 14.
Dylan in disbelief as he outsprints rivals Wout Van Aert and Jasper Philipsen to victory on Stage 3 in Sonderborg.
Matthews has time savour his win on Stage 14 after distancing Alberto Bettiol on the final climb into Mende.
Next came the final Grand Tour of the year – La Vuelta. The first stage was a TTT in which the team produced a strong ride to finish a respectable 4th on the day. The team featured five riders that we had worked with this season. In the ITT on Stage 10 into Alicante Lawson Craddock continued his fine run of form to finish 6th, one place and five seconds ahead of teammate Simon Yate. Michael Hepburn missed out on the top ten by just two seconds to finish 11th. The next day Kaden Groves sprinted to victory in Cabo de Gata!
Overall, it has been a pleasure for Vorteq to be able to work with some of the best cycling talents in the professional peloton this season and we cannot wait to help the team to yet more victories in 2023.
Lawson Craddock at the 2022 Giro, rocking his US Champs colours.
The team produced a number of great TT rides throughout the season.
A winning ride from Matteo at his home Grand Tour.