Team BikeExchange-Jayco men wrapped up a successful 2022 season on Sunday at Veneto Classic, with a final tally of 22 UCI race victories from six different riders – nine of them UCI WorldTour events.
From the high mountains to bunch sprint finishes and time trials, it was a year of varied race wins displaying the team’s strength, depth, and consistency, highlighted by a stage victory in each of the three Grand Tours: the first time since 2016.
Groenewegen The Great
New 2022 recruit Dylan Groenewegen got his debut season with the Australian outfit off to a dream start, gelling instantly with his new teammates and lead-out train, to take two stage victories at the Saudi Tour, making it a special first appearance in Team BikeExchange-Jayco colours.
Despite the pressure on his shoulders, joining as the squad’s sprint leader, the 29-year-old delivered time and time again, claiming no less than seven phenomenal victories throughout the busy season, including a meaningful Tour de France stage victory on day three in Denmark.
Grand Tour Stage Success
For the first time since 2016, Team BikeExchange-Jayco threw their hands in the air at each of the three Grand Tours thanks to stage wins from five different riders. Simon Yates claimed two victories at the Giro d’Italia before unfortunately being forced to end his general classification pursuit due to injury. The third Giro stage win came from local Italian rider Matteo Sobrero, who blasted to success on the final stage time trial in Verona.
Over in France, Groenewegen enjoyed a remarkable bunch sprint victory early on at the Tour de France, before Michael Matthews rode out of his skin on a hilly stage to take an emphatic solo win on day 14; his first Tour de France stage victory in five years.
For dessert, to finish off the season, Kaden Groves claimed his maiden Grand Tour stage victory in what was his Grand Tour debut appearance, winning stage 11 at La Vuelta, ending a rollercoaster day for the team.
Time Trial Triumphs
A stand-out highlight for the Australian outfit throughout 2022, was the consistency and performance level in the time trial discipline across the board. After a couple of years of drought, with no victories or podium finishes in time trials; thanks to the hard work of the technical staff and the squad’s bike sponsor Giant, Team BikeExchange-Jayco men claimed no less than three individual time trial victories at the highest level, thanks to three different riders.
Yates shone on day two of the Giro d’Italia, stunning his rivals to take his first ever Grand Tour time trial win, before Sobrero delighted the local Italian fans, racing in his national championship tricolour jersey to win the stage 21. Lawson Craddock then rode to success at the USA Championships, delivering the team with the unique USA championship jersey, which he donned for the remainder of the year.
Brent Copeland – General Manager
“It has been a season of lots of ups and downs, but we have definitely had more positives than negatives. The number of victories we have had, and winning stages in all three of the Grand Tours, is something we can be very pleased about. On the other hand, there’s always things to improve, we never settle, and we are continuously working on these.
I have to say a special thanks to our sponsors, we have really seen the entire team step up a level in 2022 and this is thanks to many of our sponsors and the products and equipment they have been able supply us with. It has meant we have been able to challenge at the highest level, and this can be seen with our great and consistent results and especially in time trials.
We have many new riders coming onboard next season, preparations are in full swing, and we are really looking forward to having a productive off-season. We have big ambitions for 2023.”
Matt White – Head Sport Director
“If we look at summarising our 2022 season, I think the inclusion of Dylan Groenewegen into our team has been one of many highlights. The wins he provided us and in general having a world class sprinter on the team, winning races at the highest level, that has been a big bonus for us. Obviously, this was highlighted with his win at the Tour de France.
The second highlight has been the change of equipment this year. It has made a really big difference and we have seen the riders’ abilities to win time trials go up to another level. We have improved a lot, and it is thanks to our partners Giant and CADEX. There has been a lot of work on this behind the scenes with our technical support staff, but with the new equipment, I believe that has been a big game changer for us.
This year we bounced back very well from the previous season, we have had big wins in all three of the Grand Tours and that is something that is not easy to achieve. We have had a great year and we are looking to build on the momentum that we have gained in 2022 into 2023. We will have an exciting new group with some youth injected into the roster as well.”
Team BikeExchange-Jayco Men – 2022 UCI Race Victories: (22 wins) 6 riders
- Saudi Tour stage 3 – Dylan Groenewegen
- Saudi Tour stage 5 – Dylan Groenewegen
- Paris-Nice stage 8 – Simon Yates (WT)
- Volta Catalunya stage 1 – Michael Matthews (WT)
- Volta Catalunya stage 2 – Kaden Groves (WT)
- Tour of Turkey stage 2 – Kaden Groves
- Vuelta a Asturias stage 1 – Simon Yates
- Vuelta a Asturias stage 3 – Simon Yates
- Giro d’Italia stage 2 – Simon Yates (WT)
- Tour de Hongrie stage 4 – Dylan Groenewegen
- Veenendaal Classic – Dylan Groenewegen
- Giro d’Italia stage 14 – Simon Yates (WT)
- Giro d’Italia stage 21 – Matteo Sobrero (WT)
- Tour of Slovenia stage 2 – Dylan Groenewegen
- USA Championship TT – Lawson Craddock
- Tour de France stage 3 – Dylan Groenewegen (WT)
- Tour de France stage 14 – Michael Matthews (WT)
- Villafranca de Ordizia – Simon Yates
- Vuelta a Castilla y Leon stage 2- Simon Yates
- Vuelta a Castilla y Leon overall – Simon Yates
- Arctic Race of Norway stage 2 – Dylan Groenewegen
- Vuelta a España stage 11 – Kaden Groves (WT)
*WT – WorldTour level
Photo: Getty Images
