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[PT] Vesuvio-Accumalux 2016
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Posted on 08-05-2015 22:40
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Grand Tour Champion
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I can't say that I don't like this development. We'll talk soon 
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 09-05-2015 07:08
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World Champion
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Ouch, 500,000 Euros is really a lot for one of our biggest transfer targets. Metinvest management will have some sleepless nights coming, we will continue to asset the situation.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 09-05-2015 09:29
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| viking90 |
Posted on 09-05-2015 09:23
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Grand Tour Specialist
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€500.000 wellwell, we have to think about that for some time 
Btw he is riding in a beautiful jersey on that picture
Edited by viking90 on 09-05-2015 09:25
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-11-2024 03:30
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 15-05-2015 20:15
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Team Manager
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With my transfers winding down, it's time to reveal the team's full sponsor goals! It was a tough year to decide, as no longer can we rely on Frank Schleck to achieve most of our goals. Luckily we have a very able replacement to depend on!
 Win, Giro d'Italia
As previously announced, Andy Schleck has his eyes firmly set on the Giro crown.
 Win, Liechtenstein Classic
After destroying the field to win here last year, there was no option but to look to come back and repeat that feat!
/ Top 3, Tirreno-Adriatico or Tour de Suisse
We've kept our planning options open with this one for now, although a decision will soon have to be made. Andy Schleck finally won the Tour de Suisse last year after years of just missing out, while Tirreno has been a happy hunting ground for brother Frank - but has gone mountainous this year.
Top 5, Team Standings
After 2nd last year, a Top 5 again has got to be a reasonable target. Andy Schleck will have to be supported well by the likes of Ben Gastauer and Ben Swift across the season to ensure the team achieves it.
 Top 10, Classique du Grand-Duche
Our home race, so of course we need a goal! Part of a very interesting dynamic this year as it clashes with Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico - rather than being a standalone race.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 15-05-2015 20:17
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| SotD |
Posted on 15-05-2015 20:29
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World Champion
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Some interesting goals, for sure... None that can't be completed, but I see 3 that could well be difficult.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-05-2015 11:51
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Team Manager
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This hasn't been the busiest of transfers seasons for Vesuvio-Accunalux, besides a very brief attempt to sign Angel Madrazo. But behind the scenes we were locked in negotiations, coincidentally enough with the team who eventually signed Madrazo, Quickstep.
After many long days, we eventually emerged with the signature of our 1 permanent new signing of the year: Nick Van der Lijke. The young Dutchman turned professional for HTC Nieuwsblad in 2013 and immediately got stuck in by joining the breakaway on Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under, his opening race.
He impressed on a few occasions that year, most notably by beating Nolan Hoffman in a sprint in the Tour of South Africa. A year in which the puncheurs were not able to beat Nolan on the hills. He later took a hard fought breakaway win in the Tour of the Czech Republic, with his group holding on by less than 40 seconds at the end of the race. An 11th place finish on the gravel roads of Strade Bianche was his best overall result.
Last year he stepped up a level on loan to Team B&O, but found individual opportunities limited. He mainly scored ranking points for finishing races, with his most notable being 40th at Ronde van Vlaanderen, 45th in Lisbon and 50th in Tirreno-Adriatico. At the Giro he made his Grand Tour debut, and this was where his standout performance came on Stage 5. Flat rated but with some tough hills, he got in the mix at the end to secure a 7th place finish.
Two places behind him that day was Pedro Merino Criado and the pair will now work together this season in service of Ben Swift. But with Van der Lijke's great hills and sprint combination, individual opportunities are certainly guaranteed. He is the best chance our team has had for Milan San Remo since Franco Pellizotti won in 2009, for example.
Van der Lijke ensured 2014 would not go winless upon returning to Quickstep colours at the Tour de l'Avenir, winning the bunch sprint in Stage 2. Let's see if he can keep up the streak of at least one win a year this season!
History
2013: HTC Nieuwsblad, 167th in PCT standings
2014: Team B&O, 229th in PT standings
Wins
[url=pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=28200&pid=667388#post_667388]2013 Tour of South Africa, Stage 4[/url]
[url=pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=29474&pid=725095#post_725095]2013 Tour of the Czech Republic, Stage 3[/url]
2014 Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 2
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-05-2015 11:52
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| SotD |
Posted on 17-05-2015 11:58
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World Champion
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I really like these rider presentations. If I was half as good as finding results and rankings I would do something similar for my riders, but I'm not
I'm really interested to see what van der Lijke can do for you. He was surely an expensive rider.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-05-2015 12:03
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Team Manager
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Easiest way to start is to search a rider's name in the Race Profiles forum. If they've ever won a stage, or finished Top 30 overall in a race that's on the calendar this year then that will come up in the search. Slightly easier for me as well as I have my ranking points files to look where a rider scored their points.
Yes, Van der Lijke was expensive, but I figured that if I could get him it would make for a more fun season than simply an extra bit of training on one of my leaders. Looking forward to planning his season, and seeing what he can do as a leader.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-05-2015 12:03
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| SotD |
Posted on 17-05-2015 13:57
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World Champion
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I agree... I had to make a bit of swapping aswell, otherwise the season would just be a step towards the next.
I think he will be pretty good. He is quite similar to Reimer who did well on those hard sprints in the past.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 17-05-2015 14:06
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World Champion
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I lijked him at Alak's team (get it), but at least he went PT and not PCT, and to a team that we wouldn't reach in the rankings anytime soon anyway.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 06-11-2015 21:53
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Team Manager
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After a partnership of 4 seasons, we can now reveal that Ben Swift is very likely to leave the team at the end of the season, to seek a fresh challenge.
This season has perhaps been his best year yet. A GC win at the Tour of Qatar, followed by 2 stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana, 3 stage wins at the Tour de France, and a spell in the race lead at both Grand Tours. This was his 2nd Qatar win, and 10th Grand Tour stage win - following 4 Giro stages and 1 Vuelta stage in the past.
He has now achieved all the big targets that the team had for him, and may yet end the season in the Top 10 of the Individual standings for the first time. In a year when many have struggled to beat Sam Bewley, Swift has shown that it is possible - often helped by a strong lead out train.
A change of teams for Swift could certainly help to make the transfer season as interesting as ever!
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 06-11-2015 22:04
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World Champion
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Smh...
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 06-11-2015 22:05
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Classics Specialist
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Swift to PCT
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 04-06-2016 15:10
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Team Manager
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The time has come for the Vesuvio management to decide upon team goals for the 2016 season. In other words, the time has come for the Vesuvio management to decide which races Andy Schleck will ride for the 2016 season.
Unlike last year, we won't be announcing which races - Grand Tour or otherwise - Andy will be targeting this year, until the race planning stage has ended altogether.
But what we can announce is the jersey he will be wearing as, let's not forget, he ended the season in fantastic style by becoming the World Champion. He took victory at the top of DuToits Kloof Pass in Paarl, overhauling the surprisingly strong Emanuele Sella in the uphill finish.
There was much discussion amidst the team and jersey designer OlegTinkov on how the jersey should look, and here is the final result. White shorts may not be everyone's favourite, but it is something that Schleck was quite insistent on!
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 13-07-2016 23:04
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Team Manager
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2016 Team Preview
Following a transfer season with actual free agent bidding, and the team goal of 'weakening, but keep it interesting', here's how Vesuvio-Accumalux are shaping up in a pressure free season where challenging for the title is not the intention.
World Champion, Tour de France
Having passed up a chance to defend his Tour title, in order to become the first rider in MG history to win all 3 GTs, victory in the world championship meant that Andy Schleck was all but obliged to take the rainbow stripes to the biggest race of all. Remarkably, 9 editions of the race has so far brought 9 different winners. While a 10th is always possible this year, we hope that Andy can be the first to reach that 2nd triumph.
Farewell Ben
After 10 Grand Tour stages and a host of other victories, Ben Swift is off to Aegon - Lavazza for a fresh challenge, to lead their fight against relegation. His departure offered up some exciting opportunities in the transfer season, with the aim of signing a few riders with his cap space. There will be less red amongst the sprints this season then, however the excellent leadout train remains intact - and a newly trained Nick van der Lijke should now have more opportunities to race for himself.
Back to the Cobbles
In the last six seasons, our team's best result at Paris-Roubaix was Amadou Bakari finishing 29th in 2011. And aside from Pit Schlechter taking 3rd last year at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, in a race of bizarre tactics, cobbles have traditionally been ignored. But it was not always this way, we did win Paris-Roubaix back in 2008 with Fabian Cancellara. So a cobbled rider was a priority, not to win anything, but at least to feature. The free agency proved expensive, either for leader or future talent, but an ideal opportunity emerged in the shape of Sep Vanmarcke and a little bit of training.
Second season syndrome?
While this is not his 2nd season at the team by any means, this is Ben Gastauer's 2nd season as leader in the hills. After a fine 2015 with some excellent results, now the challenge is for him to back that up.
Schlecks together
Having finally been reunited in 2014, the brothers have spent just one day a year (Championships aside) riding with each other, at Giro di Lombardia. While the decline of Frank is hardly enjoyed, one benefit this year is that they can at last be together for much more of the season. Indeed, Andy will have Frank for support for more than 3/4s of his season - most excitingly at the Tour de France.
Climbing depth
Part 2 of our recruitment drive, after Vanmarcke, was to improve the depth of climbing support in the squad. This has typically been quite lite, so could certainly benefit from strengthening. Fabio Aru was including in the trade of Swift, while Marc Goos was a free agent signing with a unique wage. You can't go wrong with a name like Marc, but his abilities across mountains, hills and time trials make him an even greater asset.
Fun in HC
The band choices of PCT teams threw up some surprises when only 11 teams picked Band 6. We were desperate to get that Band, and so it turned out, with 12 PT teams joining the action here. With former Tour de l'Avenir winner Alex Kirsch we have perhaps one of the best HC eligible PT stage racers and so Volta a Portugal provides an unexpected opportunity for real team leadership for him. Regardless of who the PCT teams bring, a Top 10 is certainly reasonable - and who knows what could happen with a good race? Also great about Band 6 is the presence of the Tour of the Czech Republic. He will not win there, and may not even feature, but it ensures a leadership opportunity remains for Frank Schleck - even as he declines.
Loanees to develop
With spare cap and room for riders one option could be to try to grab a 'bargain' 50k domestique. However, it is more satisfying and interesting to link up with a CT or PCT team and loan in a rider instead. Six riders from five teams will join us for the one year period. We even found room for Christian Ranneries!
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 14-07-2016 03:10
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Tour de France Champion
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And we here at Carlsberg literally cannot thank you enough for finding that room! 
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 14-07-2016 06:55
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World Champion
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Nice insight into the Vesuvio camp, have to say i am happy to see Andy going to France and battle Spilak, have fun there boys.
I just hope rest of his calendar is also "Pluchkin friendly". 
Nice to see brothers reunited for majority of calendar!
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-07-2016 07:31
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Team Manager
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Nice little look into your team.
Quite a nice history already with that team and really like those little extra stories like Frank Schleck.
A MG legend with still a very last season to show his veteranship. |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 14-07-2016 13:34
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Team Manager
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Nice insight into the Vesuvio camp, have to say i am happy to see Andy going to France and battle Spilak, have fun there boys.
I just hope rest of his calendar is also "Pluchkin friendly".
Nice to see brothers reunited for majority of calendar!
The Giro was tempting with an imo better route for Andy, but WC win meant it had to be Tour. It would be good to see them do battle at some point, the winners of the last 4 GTs. Schleck of course beating Pluchkin for his Tour win, while Pluchkin has never won a GT with Schleck in it
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 15-07-2016 08:40
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World Champion
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SportingNonsense wrote:
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Nice insight into the Vesuvio camp, have to say i am happy to see Andy going to France and battle Spilak, have fun there boys.
I just hope rest of his calendar is also "Pluchkin friendly".
Nice to see brothers reunited for majority of calendar!
The Giro was tempting with an imo better route for Andy, but WC win meant it had to be Tour. It would be good to see them do battle at some point, the winners of the last 4 GTs. Schleck of course beating Pluchkin for his Tour win, while Pluchkin has never won a GT with Schleck in it
That was before the glorius Metinvest days.
I agree that they will have to meet in the future again, but it looks like they will avoid each other this year completely, if Schleck is not going to two GTs. I actually thought we will meet him at Giro, because of the route, but nice to see you going the hard way and choose Tour!
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