As you know, we're here to gladly announce the creation of what we want to become not just the strongest ever Slovenian Cycling Team, but also a powerful team able to compete with the biggest teams in the world, and in the biggest races, without losing its Slovenian identity.
We previously said that our main sponsor would be Pivovarna Laško, the leading brewery of our country, and now also our main partner in this adventure. Furthermore, we've got the support of another three sponsors, which will be revealed later on.
Our focus will be, as you can surely imagine, to have a roster filled with as much Slovenian riders as possible, and we will also keep an eye over any rider in the Balkans willing to shine and show talent. Of course riders from all over the world have ouyr doors open, providing they have the talent and will to succeed, but we have no doubt that this team is the chance many Slovenian riders were waiting for to show what they're made of.
Finally, we are grateful to the renowned designer ANFreeman for creating our team jersey, which we, finally, show:
Thank you very much for your attention and stay tuned for more news.
Leaving our main sponsor aside, three sponsors have joined us for this 2012 season. They are:
Tuš Telekom
As one of the main telecommunications companies in Slovenia, Tuš Telekom didn't want to lose the chance of being part of this project.
Adria Airways
Slovenia's flag carrier airline will also support our team, providing us with cheaper tickets, which will be something we'll appreciate when we have to travel to places as far from our headquarters as China, Utah or Réunion.
Colnago
The Italian manufacturer will provide our bikes. Working with a company with all the experience Colnago has will with no doubt benefit the team a lot.
With regard to our team goals, they will be:
- Win the GP Kranj.
As the only race of the Continental Division 2 in our home soil, our goal couldn't be other than to give it all for the win. Our fans deserve no less.
- Get a top 10 in the Championships of Zurich
A hard race in Zurich where our guys will have to break a sweat to get a top result. The relatively close distance to home, which for sure will make it possible for some of our fans to get to see the race live, plus Colnago's interest in doing a good job in what used to be a World Cup race pretty much forces us to be up there here.
With these two races being part of our goals for this season, it seems safe to assume that we'll be a hilly classics focused team.
Finally, as a season goal:
-Going Global: Five wins (Either GC, stage or classic) outside of Europe in races of Division 2 status.
Both Pivovarna Laško and Adria Airways want a stronger present in the international markets, and how could they do it better than through the cycling team they fund? So yes, we want to shine, and not just at home.
Edited by kumazan on 06-07-2011 00:00
This is just the start of a brewery rivalry which will make the Renault vs Peugeot look like a joke.
And yeah, I hope you have left enough Slovenian FA for me after the transfer season. I've put my eye in some of them, and hopefully most of them will be part of my roster later.
I have a feeling i'll like this team. I'm sorry to announce that i re-signed the Slovenian champion, Jure Kocjan in one of the last days of the transfers though .
Posts: 4807 Joined: 14.07.08 Location: Sydney, Australia PCM$: 30.00
Kami wrote:
I have a feeling i'll like this team. I'm sorry to announce that i re-signed the Slovenian champion, Jure Kocjan in one of the last days of the transfers though .
And I got the biggest cobbled talent from the country...
Thank you all for your comments, they are greatly appreciated. Except those who pillaged all the Slovenian talent, of course.
Interview #1
After a couple of days of absolute silence, working in the team's future, Pivovarna Laško's team manager Viktor Kumazan has spent some time with thr RTV Slovenija journalist Slavko Jeri to answer some questions. here you have our manager's first interview with the local media.
The first question is an obvious one. How do you feel after being selected to manage the team which will be Slovenia's only representant in the Pro ranks?
I have to say that I'm very proud, it's not like every day gives you the chance to lead a project as interesting as this one.
Do you know why were you selected?
I've been involved in a way or another with the world of cycling for a long time, and it happens that I know the CEO of Pivovarna Laško, Pavel Teršek, since we were 7, as we went to the same school in Laško. If you wanted to invest your company's money, I'm sure you'd want something you know well in charge too!
Okay, let's talk a bit about the team. Why have the staff composition not been announced? And who will compose it?
The team staff will not be announced until the final roster is confirmed, i.e. until the end of the transfer period. I'll only say that there will be some well-known names for the Slovenian fans.
In the team goals presentation, you said that, and I'm quoting you:" it seems safe to assume that we'll be a hilly classics focused team." Any further comments on this?
Well, of course I don't want us to become a one dimensional team, only able to have the leading role in hilly races. This will be difficult, taking into account that we can't have a roster bigger than 16 riders, but we'll try to have as most diversity as possible. Then, we can't just pretend the GP Kranj isn't very, very important for us, so the hilly focus is kind of unavoidable.
The transfer period is starting in just 5 days, but you have remained pretty quiet. No shortlist, no rumors, only that "hilly focus". What can we expect from Pivovarna Laško in this first ever transfer season for you?
We'll be releasing a shortlist within the next three days, for sure, although if you have a look at the free agents I'm sure it's easy to gather quite a few names we'll sure make a bid on. I have to say that I'm pretty excited about my first transfers, and we'll be working hard to complete a strong squad.
Finally, I'd like to know what the pre-season plans look like. I guess we'll see the team in a training camp. When, and where?
Yes, after the transfers we'll do a first training camp in the Triglav National Park, where we'll find hard climbs, flat roads, altitude, and a stunning scenery, and all that at home, I sure couldn't find a better place!
Here you have some pictures from our first destination as a team, the Triglav National Park
Spoiler:
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to meeting with you again.
You're welcome, and I'll be happy to answer all the questions you or the fans have about the team.
As I announced in my previous interview for RTV Slovenija, we are here to present our shortlist for the upcoming 2012 Season of the Continental 2nd Division, that is, the riders we are interested to sign once the transfer season starts the day after tomorrow. We know that our fans are eager to know how our team could look like, so we won't make you wait anymore.
THE LEADERS
Ino Ilesic Krzysztof Szczawinski Ricardo Serrano Ruben Elvira Lobato Luis Felipe Laverde Jimenez
A strong mix of fast people, a good climber and some hilly specialists which we know for sure would deliver good results for our team. Whoever of them finally join us will be, without the slightest shadow of soubt, a man to watch when we hit his terrain.
THE PROTECTED RIDERS
Matic Strgar Dean Podgornik Tomislav Danculovic Vid Ogris Andrej Omulec Kristjan Fajt Robert Vrecer Yauhen Sobal
A handful of time trialists, plus the fast Omulec and the Slovenian climbers Fajt and Vrecer make the core of 2nd tier riders all team needs. All of then can make great results by their own, or can provide some quality work for the team leaders. Time will tell, but we are sure of the value of all these guys.
THE DOMESTIQUES
Jure Golcer Matej Marin Rok Jerse Bostjan Rezman David Tratnik Gorazd Bauer Andrej Tehovnic Gorazd Bauer
A team couldn't work without several guys willing to give it all for their leaders, could it? These are the guys we want to make that obscure work the fans and the media rarely appreciate, but so much needed for any DS.
Finally, we have put our eye on some young riders we think are talented enough to be valuable assets in the future. With time, and experience, their talent will bring them to success, adn hopefully that will be while riding for our team.
As we still have some time left, so we'll answer a couple of questions. Who is the first?
Q1: This pre selection is composed by 20+ cyclists, yet you only have room for 16 riders, so I guess we won't see many of those guys in te final roster, am I right? Then, can we disregard any option that rider who is not in that shorlist ends up signing for you?
Well, it's obvious that we can't sign all of those guys, because although I'd be glad to have them all in my team, the rules don't allow that. However, we're not the only team in the earth, so it is to be expected that quite a few of those guys sign for another team, meaning that, even if we actually were allowed to sign them all, we couldn't.
On your second question, I wouldn't give it for granted. There are several interesting riders who didn't make to our shortilst, but who could end up in our team. I'm pretty sure that there will be more than one rider who isn't in that shortlist who will eventually have a bid from our team in the table.
Q2: You talked, previously, about a hilly focus for your team. While it's pretty clear that this hasn't changed, we can also see a sort of a TT focus we didn't expect. Will this be another key part of the team's identity, or you don't really plan to become a TT superpower?
He, honestly, we'd like to be a superpower at everything. The fact is, there are some interesting free agents, some of them Slovenian, who can TT pretty well. Why wouldn't we be interested in them? I'm sure they can get us some results. Does this mean all them will come? Absolutely no.
So that's it, our time's over. Please stay tuned, the transfer season is about to start and all the rumours and the confirmed signings of Pivovarna Laško Cycling Team will be announced here. So goodbye, and see you soon!
You will have hard time getting some of them. I'd expect Polsih Team really fighting for Szczwisnki, getting around 200,000 mark for him. Those two Spanish and One Colmbian might not be happy with move to Slovenia, long way from their homeland
Strong shortlist, very nice thread and good luck !
Alakagom wrote:
You will have hard time getting some of them. I'd expect Polsih Team really fighting for Szczwisnki, getting around 200,000 mark for him. Those two Spanish and One Colmbian might not be happy with move to Slovenia, long way from their homeland
Strong shortlist, very nice thread and good luck !
They won't find a manager who is able to speak Spanish in any other team, though.
And agree about Szczawinski, but trying can't hurt, I guess.
We are pleased to announce that, after the first day of the transfer season, we've come to an agreement with 7 riders to join Pivovarna Laško Cycling Team for the upcoming season. They have the honor of being the forst riders of the team's history, and we are sure they will deliver great results for us.
After this brief introduction, I'm glad to present those who are our very first cyclists:
Rubén Lobato
Rubén (34 years old) is a hilly specialist who will bring experience to our newly created team. With a long career at his back, he's the man we put our hopes on for the hilly races.
Dean Podgornik
Dean (33 years old) is another experienced rider with a great TT hability and a quite decent speed, which makes him dangerus in a reduced sprint. He says that he's very excited about joining a Slovenian team, and we're sure he'll get us some valuable results.
Matic Strgar
Matic (30 years old) is another good TT specialist. Apart of this, he'll be a valuable support in flatish or even hilly races, and to ride at home will, for sure, make him deliver.
Tomislav Danculovic
Tomislav (32 years old) is a strong Croatian rider, capable of performing quite well in hilly races, and even hilly stage races, and also a good rouleur, which makes him a perfect domestique also able of getting results by his own if the team needs so.
Vid Ogris
Vid (27 years old) might not be the best sprinter out there, but he has a significant kick, and could surprise anyone in a sprint, specially in an eventual reduced sprint caused by echelons or a breakaway.
Kristjan Fajt
Kristjan (30 years old) is a good climber capable of either super-domestiquing à la Szmyd, or getting top placings by his own. Not having the biggest acceleration out there, he's one of those diesels who don't seem dangerous, but beware if he starts up the engine!
Gino Delise
Gino (24 years old) is an Italian youngster who is our great investment for the future. With the potential to become a great climber, the goal fopr him is to keep developing, so hopefully he can become an important rider for us in the future.
And that's it for now. The transfer season is still going on, so keep tuned to be the first to know the next signings of our team.
