The team's biggest acquisitions for the 2010 season are Feillu brothers, both of them minor stars from a recent Tour de France while riding forAgritubel.Romain, the elder, wore the yellow jersey for a day in 2008, while younger brotherBrice won a stage in 2009.
The team opened its season at theGrand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise. The squad for this event was chosen in December; Hoogerland was the leader, trying to improve upon a fifth-place finish in this race in 2009.[1] Westra figured into the morning's breakaway, along withJussi Veikkanen andJulien El Fares, and nearly managed to stay away, being caught with only a few kilometers left in the race's final climb. A selection was made among the 85-strong peloton that had caught Westra and Veikkanen, with six, including Hoogerland, contesting an uphill sprint finish. Hoogerland finished second behindSaur–Sojasun'sJonathan Hivert.[2] Traksel wonKuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, on the first weekend of the traditional spring classics season, in brutally bad weather. Of the 198 riders who began the race, just 26 finished, as the rain and the cold combined with the hilly parcours to make for what was called the most difficult day of racing in the last seven years.[3] Traksel outsprinted two breakaway companions,Ian Stannard andRick Flens, for the win.[4] Vacansoleil had had van Groen in first position on the road when Traksel made his eventually race-winning attack. Van Der Schueren told Traksel to drop back, yet the stocky Dutchman continued to ride away. Though happy to have won, he referred to the attack as "stupid" when asked after the race.[5]
Vacansoleil's first stage race of the season was theÉtoile de Bessèges. The first stage ended in a mass sprint, won by Božič after the team overpoweredFrançaise des Jeux' leadout train.[6] Božič followed it up with a similar win the next day.[7] In February, Mol won theTour of Qatar overall by figuring into a crucial stage 2 breakaway.[8][9] He did not win any stage.
The team did not receive invitations to either theGiro d'Italia or theTour de France, despite the fact that both start in the Netherlands. It remains to be seen whether they will be invited to theVuelta a España.
^Cycling News (2010-02-03)."Bozic speeds to stage one win".Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited.Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved2010-02-03.
^Cycling News (2010-02-04)."Bozic blasts to Besseges double".Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited.Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved2010-02-04.
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