Although he’s likely to have to dedicate himself to helping Philippe Gilbert and Thor Hushovd in the Classics and some other races, as well as Cadel Evans if the two are in the same stage race, former world champion Alessandro Ballan is nevertheless hoping that he will also be able to clock up decent results in 2012.
The Italian rider is aware that there is a pecking order in the team and that while he is a strong competitor, that he is not currently at the same level as someone such as Gilbert. However he’ll also know that sometimes being on a strong team can bring its own success; if Gilbert is closely marked by others, he may be able to capitalize on that, as what happened with the Mapei team when Servais Knaven won the
Indeed Ballan’s biggest success came thanks to having strong team-mates, with the attacks and counter-attacks of the Italian team in the finale of the 2008 world road race championships earning him the rainbow jersey.
He countered at just the right moment then and with riders such as Damiano Cunego marking those behind, he was able to solo to a huge victory.
“On this team, we have many big riders like Thor Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert who will have their own chances,” the 32 year old acknowledged. “No matter what, I would like to see a rider from the BMC Racing Team succeed. But I still want to perform at my best at the races I like, such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo.”
Ballan moved to the team prior to the start of the 2010 season. He is yet to clock up a major win, although he has gone close on several occasions. In his first year with the BMC Racing Team, he finished second on stage 15 of the Tour de France, third in the Italian road race championships and fifth overall in the Tour of Poland, a race he had won twelve months previously.
In 2011 the near-misses continued, with second to Philippe Gilbert in the Montepaschi Strade Bianche, fourth in Milan – San Remo and sixth in Paris-Roubaix. And while the arrival of Gilbert and Hushovd might seem to limit his opportunities, he’ll think back to his worlds win and know that sometimes being on a strong team ensures that the success is shared all round.