@tastasol: Kind of expected you to be interested in him, just like you were last transfer season. Should be some interesting talks at least, especially considering the limits and challenges you're up against after relegating.
@jph27: I hope so too!
@hillis91: Thank you! You should have joined the game earlier, I guess
With the transfer season only 15 hours away, we feel it's time to write something about our targets on looking at the Free Agents. Obviously we're looking at a lot of different possibilities, as Boasson Hagen leaving gives us a lot of money to throw away in wages.
After several seasons with a huge focus on bringing in and developing Norwegian riders, we've decided together with our sponsors that we'll look slightly more abroad than we've done in previous transfer seasons.
Having said that, we're still very much a Norwegian team with a Norwegian core and a couple of Norwegian targets, so nothing drastic should happen, except for our biggest star leaving.
Coming to targets for our transfer season, we can't hide that we've been several times to Eastern Europe to talk with riders we could chase. Especially Michal Kwiatkowski is high up on our list. Not as an replacement for Boasson Hagen, as we very well know it won't be possible to replace The Boss, but we think Kwiatkowski got the tools to become a contender for top 5s in the Pro Tour hilly races, both stage races and classics. Admittedly not this year, but we see Kwiatkowski as a long term project, if we're able to sign him.
Eduard Grosu is a very interesting rider, but we'll consider our options before deciding to pursue him or not, as we feel we're well covered for the sprints with Kristoff and Holst Enger. Though, the Romanian is looking set to be a future great, after being tutored and completing his development at the former Metinvest-Dacia team. Matej Mohoric is a rider we wanted to chase already last year, but we weren't able to. Hopefully he can be attracted of the thought of developing with us, and then be assured the role as a captain seeing we'll be without a world beater captain for the hilly races the next couple of years.
We'll obviously chase some talents as well, and there is several of them this year. Admittedly Superman Miguel Angel Lopez, the Slovenian David Per who looks set to be a decent cobbler, and Danish allrounder Mads Pedersen are all on our shortlist, but we realize we won't be able to chase all of them. We're still not sure who of them we'll give a try.
Lasse Norman Hansen is a rider we're interested in. If we manage to sign him, he'll immediately be our best time trialist, but he also got the tools to do a job for our sprinters.
Of course we've several other targets as well looking at all the riders being free agents, but then there's also riders in other teams we've a huge interest in.
At last we include the availability of all our riders in this transfer season. At least this is what it looks like before the transfer season starts. Much can change, of course.
ember wrote: Eduard Grosu is a very interesting rider, but we'll consider our options before deciding to pursue him or not, as we feel we're well covered for the sprints with Kristoff and Holst Enger. Though, the Ukrainian is looking set to be a future great, after being tutored and completing his development at the former Metinvest-Dacia team.
Introducing Boasson Hagen into the transfer market certainly will rattle some cages. Assuming you get a good price for him, the re-build to follow will be very interesting to say the least; have fun!
Though if Kwiatek does not end up in a Polish Team, my biggest hope was that, unlike FroomeDog, that manager should train his hill stat and he would be a strong rider. So if your sincere about training him, then I wouldn't mind him ending up here As for the others, lets see how many dreams are shattered tomorrow
@alexkr00: Ouch! That's a bad mistake on my part, and rumour has it Grosu is furious already
@Scorchio: Yeah, it will especially be interesting to see the PT teams aiming to build for the hilly races now that both Ponzi and Bakelants are FAs and EBH will be sold. At least it gives them three different options to secure a top PT leader. And thank you! No doubts my team will be weaker points wise, but hopefully it will have a greater future potential, and still be safe from relegation, also without EBH.
@Croatia14: That's how transfer seasons tends to be, there will always be interest in good riders from more than one team Looking forward to see how the FA market develops when it opens!
@sgdanny: Dreams will definitely be shattered, and I fully expect that to happen for me as well Then it's all about plan B, C and those plans currently unknown to me as well, which really is what makes this game outstanding, I'd say. Kwiatkowski is obviously a rider there will be fierce competition for, especially seeing the demand from a sponsor of another team Good luck with transfers and securing your targets! Will definitely be interesting to follow and see how you decide to continue to build your team in the PCT.
With all eyes on the transfer season, we've been lucky to find time to announce or goals for the 2017 season. We'll be the first to admit that they're too ambitious, but both the team management and the sponsor thought it would be a clever idea to aim high after last year's success in terms of goals, giving us a healthy budget this season.
Though, we understand that you're wondering if we're living on another planet, as Boasson Hagen leaving means that 2017 could very well be a fight to avoid relegation. Nevertheless, we've made a top 3 in the Pro Tour team standings a goal.
What follows next is the biggest and most prestigous race through the season, the Tour de France. We'll travel to France with ambitions of a top 3 in the general classification. Seeing how incredibly high the level is amongst the greatest stage racers, we won't fool ourselves and think this is an easy one, but at least we'll give a chance.
Then we move to our win goals. Last year we got our best placing in the hilly classics and monuments with Kristian Dyrnes in Giro di Lombardia. His second place there, beaten by Ponzi on the line, gives us hope we can be in contention if it again comes down to a sprint for 30-40 riders, and maybe even win on a very good and lucky day.
We'll also try to win when we visit Portugal. We've had great editions of Volta a Portugal in the past, especially last year with four riders in the top 12, which makes us confident we can now win the race, building on what we learned in 2016.
Last, but just as important as the other goals, we're aiming for the win in Tour of Northern Europe. Very ambitious, and not with a team or captain to do it as it stands now, but visiting Norway we're eager to show ourselves in front of the enthusiastic crowds we're sure to meet.
The start of this transfer season didn't disappoint. Just as chaotic and hectic as previous years, we did our best to navigate and make our main move, which was to sell Edvald Boasson Hagen. We got several offers, and in the end we decided we liked what Grieg-Eftel and tastasol came up with.
Now that the hours have passed, it's official news. Edvald Boasson Hagen leaves the team. As said in an earlier post, we've got mixed emotions about this, but we support his choice and are happy for the deal we got.
Matteo Trentin
Captain
305.000 €
28 years
FL
MO
HI
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SP
ACC
FI
DH
PR
74
59
74
61
76
71
75
79
75
76
67
56
67
Matteo Trentin was part of the deal, which sees the talented Italian cobbler come to lead way for us on the cobbles. We must admit we were very far from scoring results in the cobbled classics, and we hope to change that with Trentin. He'll be our undisputed captain on that terrain, which hopefully will also help Kristoff as the weight on his shoulders should be less, at least for the cobbles.
To sign Matteo is exciting. We know how well he can do, and he's a proven cobbler in the Pro Tour, with his stage podium in ToNE, 4th place in Strade Appia Antica, 5th in Paris-Roubaix and 7th in Ronde Van Vlaanderen. No doubts we've got expectations for him, and hopefully he can excel and consistently fight for top 5s in cobble races, team manager ember says.
I truly enjoyed my Pro Tour debut with Grieg - Eftel, after our promotion back in 2015. I appreciate the opportunity to continue in the Pro Tour and get the chance to race the world's best cobblers again, Trentin says.
Dylan Teuns
Talent
200.000 €
25 years
XP 4.06
FL
MO
HI
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SP
ACC
FI
DH
PR
68
73
76
64
72
72
74
50
66
70
68
65
60
Also Belgian talent Dylan Teuns joins us from the FA market. Admittedly it has been a very hectic and chaotic FA market, and also very frustrating at times. Though, to finally secure a rider from there, feels good. We know there will be opinions on the fact that we've overpaid greatly for Teuns, but we're comfortable with the wage we've given him, as he should be a valuable rider for many, many years.
Dylan will be very valuable already this season, but even more in the years to come, as he's still developing. We especially like the fact that he's able to handle the mountains to some extent as well as the hills, were he excels. Hopefully that's something he can use to his advantage, trying his luck in breakaways and dangerous moves. If not this year, we're sure his time will come to ride for results, team manager ember says.
Joining Aker - MOT is great for me. I'm sure the Pro Tour is the right level for me to secure I continue to develop, and to see them give me such a wage shows they've got faith in me, which is great. I'll work hard and do my best to pay back, both as a domestique when it's needed, but also as an opportunistic rider, Teuns says.
We know there will be opinions on the fact that we've overpaid greatly for Teuns
Yeah I definitely think so Nice pick up for you though, love his stats and he would have wasted a year in my team anyways before I'd loan him out to PT (or maxed him myself)
@Ian Butler: To be honest, I strongly disagree both are expensive. Trentin at 305k as an allrounder type of a cobbler feels good to me at least
@roturn: Lucky indeed, and very good for you as well, I'd say, at least points wise. Looking forward to have him maxed, as his mountains/hills combination should benefit him in certain races.
@matt17br: Seeing how the FA market is considering puncheurs, both the greatest, the decent and good, but also the talents, I'm actually pretty happy to pay 200k for him. Obviously too much compared to renewals and a "normal" wage for a 76 hils - 78 potential - rider, but only looking at the FA market, I'm tempted to say he's underpriced
Trentin definately isn't expensive IMO. He is on a very decent wage, and his versatility really speaks in his favour. This is exactly the stats I would have liked Tom David to end up with, but that is not likely.
Dylan Teuns is a bit expensive looking at his current stats, but for. 75MO / 78 HI rider I think it's as should be. Duo statted riders like him are very often great in the PT (probably elsewhere too, but haven't got too much experience with that).
@SotD: Definitely agree on Trentin and his wage, hopefully he proves to be of great value as well when it really matters, when racing. About Teuns, I hope he'll be of at least decent value especially when finished developing. A very good PT domestique for the classics, and then maybe strike if lucky in a breakaway.
@trekbmc: Thank you! Fingers crossed he lives up to his potential and my expectations.
@Knockout: I obviously agree! Very excited to see him racing, that's for sure.
@tastasol: Fingers crossed for that, definitely. And luckily you got a decent replacement in terms of a leader, I guess
Transfers: Cancellara and Beltran Join Aker - MOT
It's with great pleasure we can announce that we've found our new captain for the hills. Eduard Alexander Beltran will lead the line, as he was bought from Azteca - NBCSN for 1.000.000 Euros.
Eduard Alexander Beltran
Captain
360.000 €
27 years
FL
MO
HI
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SP
ACC
FI
DH
PR
69
79
79
66
73
72
72
59
65
76
78
74
66
Seeing how the transfer market is progressing, we're happy with the deal, and we hope Beltran over time can prove to be great value for us. Already this season he'll be our undisputed leader for the hilly terrain.
It's great to see Eduard Alexander join. We don't expect anything close to the results Edvald Boasson Hagen got known for, but we hope he can prove his worth in especially hilly stage races. Looking at the classics, we're aware he doesn't have the greatest tools for performing well, but he'll anyway give it a try. We're also considering to send him to the Tour de France already this season, but that needs to be thought a lot more about, as we've many other riders with the Tour as their big target for the season, team manager ember says.
I'm very happy to join Aker - MOT. They've promised me the role as captain in the hilly races I do, and they've also expressed faith in my hilly abilities for the future. I'm sure we'll co-operate well, and then I should score some valuable points, eventhough the competiton is very tough, Eduard Alexander Beltran says.
We also secured the signature of a true legend, as Fabian Cancellara will ride in our colours this season. It will probably be his last hurrah as a professional, and we're excited to have secured him for our team. He signed on a wage of 110.000 from the chaotic FA market.
Fabian Cancellara
Legend
110.000 €
36 years
FL
MO
HI
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SP
ACC
FI
DH
PR
77
62
65
76
67
67
68
77
65
65
64
56
76
Fabian will be of great value to our team. Not just as a rider with his proven abilities both on the cobbles and in the time trials, but also to tutor our younger riders and use his experience to make sure our race tactics for the cobbles are on point, team manager ember says.
This year should be great with Aker - MOT. I really like how they are strengthening their team for the cobbles, and I'm very motivated to be part of it and do my best to give the team the best results possible. I'm prepared to leave it all on the line for Matteo, as I think he really got the tools to compete with the best cobblers in the world on a more regular basis than what he has done in previous seasons, Fabian Cancellara says.
Riding at the highest level for Aker - MOT is a nice opportunity for me. I'm prepared to give it all for Matteo, and I know I won't have many chances to hunt wins on my own. Though, I'm fine with that, and hopefully we can challenge for big wins and result as a group, with Matteo as our leader, says Lhotellerie.
Also joining the team to improve our line up for the cobbles is Damien Gaudin. We paid PT colleagues Strava 347.000 € for his services.
Damien Gaudin
Domestique
50.000 €
31 years
FL
MO
HI
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SP
ACC
FI
DH
PR
74
51
68
67
77
69
71
77
57
71
72
58
67
Damien got the tools to be a key asset on the cobbles, especially in his favourite race of the year, Paris-Roubaix, where his great stamina combined with ability to fight for positions should see him be next to Matteo a long way into the finale. We're very happy to secure his signature, as he completes the rebuilding of our team, where we now have one of the world's best teams for the cobbles, says team manager ember.
The team manager and staff presented the project to me, and I immediately got excited about the chances to join them. I'm grateful for Strava and their manager Shonak. I enjoyed riding there, but hopefully this move can help me make the next step as a rider, says Gaudin.
Edvald Boasson Hagen 
Rasmus Guldhammer 
Romain Feillu 
Daniel Oss 
Michal Golas 
Dylan Teuns 
Eduard Alexander Beltran 
Fabian Cancellara 
