2016 Team Presentation

As you have known for a while Volvo decided to leave our team prematurely. In the mean time we have been negotiating with several companies in a time made more complicated by the forming of Statoil – Stoerensoe.

Fortunately we have been able to find a company with both the will and the funds to help us move in to the future on the same level as this year. The new sponsor can’t fill Volvo’s role we have convinced our old sponsor to let us keep the team cars.

In fact our new main sponsor can’t contribute with much more than money and giving us a chance to promote the fight against Diabetes. A fight that can be handled partly by promoting a more active lifestyle and partly by the products of Novo Nordisk.

We are proud to present to you our new jersey:

As for the roster you know all the major names as nothing much have changed there.
Apart from those we have kept our stagiaires Joel Wallin and Sonny Bak, who both showed good promises in their time on the team.

To help Nokkvasson feel more at home away from Iceland we have signed his childhood friend Gúdjon Olafurson. Joakim Arntsen and Johannes Karjalainen completes the roster.
All of them are very talented, but can look forward to a year mainly in the role of the helper.

Astana Pro Cycling
Even though they have lost a key rider in Van den Broeck they have more than compensated for their losses with the signings of Sicard for the stage races and Vinther for the cobbles.
Belisol
They lost their main sponsor, but that’s pretty much the only thing they have lost. Keeping their main riders, except for a losing a declining Greipel, and adding Bauke Mollema makes this a very strong team.
Cofidis, le credit en ligne
The French team have lost one of their biggest talent in Geniez, but have replaced him with Keukeleire making the team more varied than last year. One of the teams that could end up doing very well again this year.
Colnago – CSF Inox
The strongest CT-team of last year performing well in both WT and CT races. They have lost Pozzovivo, but the signings of Van den Broeck and Swift should be able to make up for that. They should have every chance to stay on the WT.
Colombia – Coldeportes
With Duarte and Fränk Schleck gone Colombia had to get creative and signed Hesjedal and Sconamiglio instead. Not quite the same class of riders, but they still have some strong domestic climbers able to score enough points to ensure survival on the WT.
Commonwealth Bank – GreenEdge
What to do when you lose the Tour de France winner? Sign the King of the Cobbles…
This is a team for the flats, capable of supporting Boonen and Appolonio perfectly, but if they win the Tour I'd expect the UCI to close them down...
Euskaltel – Euskadi
The Basque team lost their three biggest stars in De Gendt, Poels and Sicard. Replacing them with Goss seems a dangerous choice for this team. They need their captains to surprise if they want to survive this season.
FDJ – BigMat
They need Gilbert to find his 2011-self in order to survive one more year. Seems like a dangerous bet, but perhaps his curse is gone with the rainbows...
Liquigas – Cannondale
A solid team last year, now strengthened with Pozzovivo. They should get some good results without having to worry about relegation.
Movistar
The Spanish team continues the line of having a lot of strong riders, but no real favourites in any terrain. Why not? It has been a success so far!
Nissan
Once again Nissan has lost important riders and replaced them brilliantly. Nibali could not ask for stronger support and it will be interesting to see Van Garderen back on the highest level after a year with Team Nippo.
Novo Nordisk – SAS
One of the strongest teams last year. And the captains are all at an age where they’re only getting stronger!
Omega Pharma – QuickStep
Two years in a row they have just avoided relegation. They look like a certain last place on the WT-classification unless some of their many outsiders for the cobbled races can perform miracles.
Rabobank Cycling Team
Loosing Cancellara and Kruijswijk is never an advantage, but even though they haven’t really signed any big names they seem to have the depth needed to still get plenty of wins in all terrains.
Team ISD – Ferrari
The Italian team avoided relegation by only two points last year, so something needed to happen. Signing Cunego, Urán and Cavendish seems like a good way to start scoring some more points…
Team Santander
Not really any great climbers left on the former team Sky, but Sagan, Cancellara and Froome should score plenty of points in other terrains. Rojas is back on the WT to make the Spanish sponsor a bit happier.
Team Saxo – Tinkoff
Bjarne Riis has a capability of always bouncing back. The Schlecks were replaced by Contador. Contador by Nibali and now Tour de France Winner Andy Schleck is back on the Danish/Russian team. Meanwhile Gallopin is developing in to a major favourite for the cobbled classics.
Vacansoleil – DCM
Last year this team was all about Cavendish. Now they are suddenly focused on the climbs with the signings of Duarte, Kruijswijk and Di Luca.

Alstom
Not the strongest team around, but with a bit of luck Rolland could make a “Duarte� and secure promotion along with some good results on the cobbles from Turgot.
Belavia
A fairly new team on the circuit, but a team with an exceptionally depth thanks to focusing on nationalities not a lot of other teams are focusing on. The late signing of Siutsou gives them that last edge, that can score them a lot of point – much like we saw Whirlpool last year.
Club La Santa – Cantabria Infinita
The strongest Spanish CT for a good few years have slowly grown stronger year by year alongside their Croatian captain Kiserlovski. Now he is in his prime and with a bit of luck they could get some very noteworthy results.
Saur – Sojasun
One of the strongest CT-teams last year and nothing much have changed for this season. They should be able to battle for promotion but might blow it by riding too many World Tour Races.
Team Selle Italia
The team got relegated by a margin of only two points. They have managed to hold on to most of their captains while signing some more interesting names and have a lot more depth in the roster than most of the CT-competition.
SES Astra – Magic-Sportfood.de
Jeanneson, Roche and Olivier are all riders, who can do a lot of damage in continental races. On top of that they probably won’t waste a lot of race days getting destroyed in WT-races.
Sharp
Last year the team raced almost every WT-race resulting in a very low amount of points. If they focus a bit more on races where they actually can do something they have the riders to mix in the battle for promotion.
Shimano
Two years ago they were a WT-team. Now they’re deteriorating fast. They have some strong riders, but lack depth and winners.
Statoil - Stoerensoe
The Fusion between Christina Watches – Onfone and Team Øster Hus – Ridley have resulted in a very strong team. A lot of riders capable of scoring points and some interesting talent to back them up.
Tissot
Relegated last year after leaving it up to Urán to score all the points, they will be determined to get back in the WT, but are in risk of getting too many wildcards to score enough points in CT-races.
Volkswagen
The former Katusha team have spent the last year transforming from a Russian team to a German one. Mainly by not prolonging with Russians and signing most of the Germans looking for contract, but also by trading Russians for Germans on other CT-teams. On top of that the team bosses attracted Sergio Henao, who should be a real force in the Continental Races.
Team Whirlpool – PKN Orlen
Last year they surprised everyone by scoring a lot of points. They have lost some of their biggest scorers, but still have Stybar and their new signing Oss. No one expected anything from them last year so it’s hard to say what they can do this year…

Blue Water Cycling
Jonas Aaen Jørgensen showed some great things in late 2015 and will be a very interesting rider to follow alongside several talented Danish youngsters and Wynants should the team get to race any cobbled races.
Christina Watches Development Team
The youngsters from Christina Watches – Onfone, who didn’t get a spot on the new team. A lot of talent, but probably not a lot of wins…
DONG Energy – Himmerland
Viganò and Celis are fast enough to get some wins and Lund is not a bad climber considering the level of the team.
Ikea Cykling
The Swedish team have taken on a lot of talented riders this year. Not only Swedes, but also three Finnish riders and then Kvasina and Rensburg to score some points. Still also a solid team with good depth for the domestic races.
Jardar Sykling
A solid team where the Norwegian captains are polstered by a couple of foreigners.
Joker Merida
A group of solid foreigners supported by a bunch of Norwegians. A team that should get some decent results, but only few points for Norway in the nations ranking.
TDC – LRØ Rådgivning
A lot of talented Danes capable of great things given the chance.
Team Øster Hus
The riders left out of the big team after the fusion. We shouldn’t expect much, but they have the capabilities to shine in moments.

Santos Tour Down Under