The team had a few objetives to accomplish during the transfer period, and all of them have been fullfilled.

- The team had to be composed at majority by Italian, Spanish and Colombian riders. In the main team, 17 out 18 riders, with De Backer being the only rider outside this 3 countries. And in the development team, 7 out 8 riders, with Looyen as the only exception

- The team leader had to be Italian. We were able to sign Moreno Moser, who should be the top puncheur in CT, together with Costa

- We had to have 50% of Italian riders. That actually not achieved in the main team,
with only 9 out 20 riders being from Italy, but if you count together with the dev team, we have 14 out 28 Italian riders



With Moser as the team leader in the hilly races, he had to have some decent domestiques. None of them are pure puncheurs, they are more like climbers who can go well enough in hills, but as we have 5 riders who are similar (75-76 mon, 74-75 hil), they can be shared between mountains and hills.

Gaviria will be our main rider for TTs. He is the Colombian ITT Champion.

De Backer is our leader for cobbles. It was a last minute solution looking at our lack of cobblers, that's why he is the only rider not Italian, Spanish or Colombian.

Pelucchi and Sanz are our sprinters. Pelucchi is faster but Sanz should be better in not completely flat races

And finally we have a bunch of domestiques for all terrains

At the very last minute, we decided to create a U23 team so we could start watching how some young riders were doing without the need of having them in our main team



Most of them are Italian, although our two best youngters are not from Italy.
Looyen should do it great in the U23 circuit, being so close to the AVG limit and being a all-rounder rider, and Alzaga should be our cobbles leader in U23 races.

Another rider we have big hopes on him is Dario Guglielmo. He should be a great stage racer in the future.

And also we have one of the youngest riders in ICL, with Michele Lerda. Only 19, he should be either a puncheur or a climber with good ability in hills

Lufthansa Racing Team rounded out their transfer window yesterday by signing young German talent Martin Jansen. The young climber is yet another addition to the team's already bloated list of youngsters.

In their first season in the World Tour, the German team seem to have placed as much importance in youth development as in their search to find capable leaders to help secure the team's position. However, their choice of not setting up a development team have left a lot of people scratching their heads. Speaking to us earlier, here's what the team management had to say...

"We started Lufthansa Racing Team with a purpose of promoting cycling in Germany and our other focus nations. We have gone about our task with that focus in mind. However, we believe we have secured enough riders to make a mark in the World Tour and ensure safety. The young riders in our setup will go on to be a part of the future of Lufthansa's World Tour push, and we're doing everything in our power to make that a reality. While riding in a development team and going for race wins in the development league is good exposure, riding with seasoned pros in a stacked peloton will make them street-smart riders and ensure faster acclimatization."

While their intentions might be commendable, is it really a smart strategy for a new World Tour setup? With an average age of just 25, they will miss the experience and guile required from old heads when the business end of the season comes around. Planning for the distant future when the present is not completely secure might come back to haunt them!

The team's press conference has been announced for later this week. We will keep you posted on any further developments in this story.

The long-running spanish squad has sent in their selections to the UCI for the upcoming seaosn 2018. With a strong core of hill and mountain riders, the team has opted for some obvious chances. However, the manager is happy to also look for some new races.

"In the past, we've been be very one-sided, the steeper the gradient the better for us. This year, we wanted to mix things up, since Herrada turned into a top GT rider and Betancur has joined our outfit." Especially the young riders, led by Mathieu Van der Poel and Juan Pulido, get the manager excited and he hopes for potential stage wins as well as high GC placings by the dutch rising star.

"Last year was really a breakthrough season for Mathieu. He didn't win a stage last season but I think this will change sooner than later. He is on the rise, and his performances will only continue to impress us. He has been very active in the training camp and has been eager to learn from Betancur as well as Contador in the past", explaind Liberty Seguros' manager in a recent news article in Sporza. "I think in a few years he will be the benchmark in many ways."

The departure of legendary Alberto Contador still hurts the team manager personally. Still in close connection to Pistolero, the manager has said that Contador has felt very welcomed at the international super team CarbonSports. "We'll see if it was the right choice for both teams. We've spent a lot of money into the development and the longevity of Contador's performances. Unfortunately we were forced to let him go when aggressive bidding led to a huge increase in wage and in turn, the chance presented itself to invest again in the future in the form of Betancur."

Considering the various Grand Tour match ups, the manager would like to see Contador at the Tour. "We havn't had success at the Tour, most notably when Contador was 7 minutes in the lead and had this horrible crash. It's true, we were obsessed with the Tour in the last few years. Contador has won the Giro, the Vuelta, twice La Doyenne and the World Championships for us. The Tour has always deluded us, I wish him - and his new team - the best that this may change now."

As for a schedule of his new dream duo, heirs to Purito and Contador, Betancur and Herrada, the manager has shrugged and left much to speculation. "We first talk to the riders, see the overall season and decide then on what works and what won't. I hope that all three Grand Tours will be booked and that a wide mix of talents will be present. Many riders have made a step up from last season, and my hope is that this will show itself in the line-up. Exciting racing with Liberty Seguros riders involved, is what I like to see as a fan."

Rumour has it that Nairo Quintana plans to focus on the Giro di Italia 2018. Grrupo Argos - Quala have claimed their importance for the race, where Rigoberto Uran last year had his career race to finish on the podium. This year the Colombian may come back, but in support of his fellow countryman Nairo Quintana.

Moreover, also Wilco Kelderman and Jan Polanc should support Quintana in the mountains. The aim is to try and oppose the strength of hometown hero Fabio Aru of the new WT team Ceramica Panaria, who is likely to try and get his first pink jersey.

Nairo Quintana: "In my opinion the Giro is the race, where we can play our strengths the best. With Jan, Wilco and Rigo there will be 3 elite stage racers on my side. I feel great about our chances, as we will dedicate a lot to this race. Expect me in top form there. It will be tough against the likes of Aru, van Garderen and Nibali, but I'm up to any challenge.

The team will be completed according to race form. Most likely though some further climbing depth will be added. The most approximate line-up includes an outstanding supporting cast for Nairo Quintana:



Further plans of the team on the topic of Nairo Quintana are yet to be revealed. Decision may be made between the Tour as second focus or several stage races. However, the Colombian team is rumoured to really think about sending the Colombian to the Ardennes.

Right before christmas eve, Liberty Seguros has officially unveiled its roster for the upcoming ICL season.

After the transfer war for Alberto Contador, the Spaniard has left due to the high wage to CarbonSports. However, another Spaniard is ready to take over the mantle. Jesus Herrada has trained hard in the off-season and is set to be the new Grand Tour leader for the spanish outfit. Following the decision to appoint Herrada de-facto leader, his fellow Spaniards Carlos Verona and Benat Inxtausti left the team to newly promoted WT teams Sevilla respectively Lufthansa. In return Liberty Seguros brought in Axel Domont from Allianz as a helping hand in the high mountains.



Following the departure of Contador, who the team has built its base around for the past 4 years, Carlos Betancur joined from CarbonSports. The Colombian is set to to target the Ardennes and occassional stage races. Asked whether a Grand Tour is on the table for the Colombian, he was still illusive about it, but given his strong hill-acceleration combo, a rather hilly course may see him attempt a GT podium.

It is further expected that the last remaining domestique Rubén Fernandez will get his chance at some continental races, however most of the attention will be set on upcoming Mathieu Van der Poel, who is eager to make 2018 his breakthrough season. Joining from the free market is Willem Hofland, a young dutch sprinter domestique here to make VDP feel more at home.

In general, Liberty Seguros has adopted a cheap talent strategy this season, going for solid future domestiques but not clear-cut leaders. In Juan Pulido, the manager is keen to point out, they have a bright future star sealed. "This season, the Belgians wanted to lure him away with a big bet. We didn't take to kindly to such a maneuvre, since we have done deals in the past. We are definitely determined to a long-term plan with Pulido." Pulido is now indeed making a step up from the youth team, joining the likes of Van der Poel and Navarro who have alreaedy accomplished that in previous seasons. Further young riders who joined are Ivan Esquerro and Mikel Maria Gallepo.

With the build-up of the new duo Herrada-Betancur, much in the spirit of Liberty Seguros' past golden era of Contador-Rodriguez, Liberty Seguros' manager hopes that the transition to the future has finally begun. With just two stand-out riders however, the leaders surely will have to hit right, otherwise relegation may be a real threat for the established spanish team.

Since Contador has departed, only Gallopin as well as Castroviejo are present in the team since its foundation. With Samuel Sanchez, a former rider has returned and will ride for the team in his last season.

Long awaited Nairo Quintana has revealed his plans for 2018. After already stating his heavy interest in the Giro, the team decided to set Quintana on a rather alternative strategy for 2018.

In opposite to common ways Quintana will not go for a prestigious double, that would offer the most scoring possibilities. Instead, he mixes in some regional flair together with classics.

Nairo will add two stage races to the calendar. The choices may surprise, but it is the way to go for him. Thinking of his origins he will go back to the roots with rather unpopular choices, that emphasis the regional connection of Grupo Argos - Quala, racing both of them in Latin America.

Backed up by respective strong teams Nairo will try to defend his jersey at the Vuelta a Guatemala, where he last year won in dominant fashion. This time he'll have an even stronger support at his mission defence, aiming for nothing but the victory.

And then he also takes up the only South American WT Stage Race, the Vuelta al Tachira. Points per race day calculations hate this idea, as you have to win this race as a WT star to make the long trip worth it. Quintana though dedicates his season to the uprising Colombian cycling scene, hence he'll ride the Tachira with a full South American support including Uran, Sarmiento and Dayer.

We thought back and forth on where to go, but we decided against joining another stage race. Instead, Nairo will race 4 WT classics. Two of those are monuments. The look of Il Lombardia perfectly fits to the profile Quintana offers. Liege-Bastogne-Liege is more difficult, but we hope for a mountain influence on that profile. It it is there, then Quinti could be a main player in the race.

Then we have a mountain classic in Lac d'Annecy. The difficulty lays in the final part, where groups may merge again. However, we'll try to ensure a selective race by sending a rather strong team.

And finally Quintana turns home for the Bucaramanga Classic. On home soil he'll hope for a hard race. The full team will support him in his ambitions to close the South American season out with a big win.

Full calendar for Nairo Quintana 2018:

	Vuelta al Tachira	10 stages
	Liege - Bastogne - Liege	Monument
	Giro d'Italia	Grand Tour
	Vuelta a Guatemala	6 stages
	Course du Lac d'Annecy	Classic
	Bucaramanga Classic	Classic
	Il Lombardia	Monument

In a recent one-on-one interview held for another network, the manager of Lufthansa Racing Team opened up about his team's prospects in the upcoming ICL season.

The team spent the off-season trying to build a competitive outfit for their first ever season in the World Tour, in only the second year of their existence. They signed John Degenkolb, Greg Van Avermaet and Benat Intxausti as their their premier riders for the upcoming season. Richie Porte, the hero of their promotion, remains in the team, and will surely be their Grand Tour leader. They also signed some strong domestiques to support their leaders, a department where they lagged in last season. They have stuck to their stance of promoting young riders from Germany and other countries in their focus region by signing half a dozen talents for the future.

Despite the exciting signings, and by the manager's own admission, they are not likely to make an instant impact in the World Tour this year. The competition in the climbing scene is sky-high where the team's forces are moderate at best. Their cobbles line-up is strong enough to challenge the best but sprinting on the other hand is short of firepower. The manager candidly admitted that the goal of the team is to first and foremost survive in the World Tour. For this, they would have to very shrewd in how they plan their season. Trying to pick up maximum points from available race-days, and trying to avoid elite competition may be their mantra for the year ahead.

Just a couple of days after this interview was posted, we were able to catch up with their manager for a few minutes wherein he clarified a few of the points that were printed as part of the interview. He seemed a tad annoyed and emphasized on the fact that although Lufthansa might not be ready to challenge for the World Tour podium this season, they are definitely not targeting 'mediocrity'. The manager believes they have enough quality to pick up important results and hopes it will be enough to challenge some of the established teams. He also added that Lufthansa did not reach the top flight of world cycling to avoid elite competition and that he was relishing the challenge.

The team's race selections and more on their leaders' schedules is expected to be announced soon. So stay tuned!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we invited you today to this extraordinary press conference. We appreciate that you all took your time to visit us here in Friedrichshafen. I'm sure most of you are curious that we didn't publish the topic we want to talk about today but we'll come to that later. Questions can be asked later. First of all, i want to thank our sponsor for allowing us to use his venue for this press conference. Thanks Lightweight!

And now I'd like team manager Kurt Nockmann-Auth to join me on the stage. Kurt, why are we here today?

Hello everyone, this is an important day for the ICLUCI as we avoided a fine for PR activities by holding this press conference. That should be quietly celebrated as it is beneficial for our bank account - except that we are still absolutely against this rule.

Can you elaborate again what this rule is about and what the criticism is all about?

Sure, the rule is that every team gets a bonus for certain PR activities. This includes having a social media page, updating it with an up-to-date rider overview, doing lengthy reports about the team and holding press conferences. Everyone under a certain score will be punished with a fine that can get as large as the wage of three riders. Our critic is that it is one step further towards commercialism of the sport. The beautiful thing in this league is the racing and the racing should always be the focus. Instead the ICLUCI wants to add more show around the racing. Ideally - in the eye of the ICLUCI, every team should update all kind of social media channels before, during and after each race so that the league is more present in the life of fans. They want to get higher licenzing fees, more merchandise sales and more opportunities to showcast all sort of race sponsors. We should stop this trend before it creates a 2-class-society where only those who follow the PR guidelines can be competitive.

The ICLUCI claims that the fines are very small so it would not make a large difference...

We're against any difference due to PR activities no matter the size of the fine or bonus. If we kept quiet about it, the fines would surely grow larger and larger with time. So by protesting now we can stop this process right at the beginning.

We're here in the home of Lightweight. They would probably benefit from more PR activities. What is their stance on it?

We're elated that Lightweight supports our protest. They love the sport and want to make this sport as enjoyable as possible for all riders, teams and watchers and allowing us to hold this PC here is a very strong sign of support for our protest.

But you are one of only very few teams to have avoided the fines already. Why is that if you are against the PR fines?

We are not against PR activities. Those can be nice and we enjoy it at times but it should not be mandatory for teams that don't want to do it. Why we have already collected enough "PR points"? Well, the final two points came for the invitation for this press conference which was long enough accoring to the PR guidelines and this press conference itself. We wanted to show with it that activity because of activity rules must not be positive activity for the league.

So with enough activity to avoid the fines, will you continue to report about the team?

Yeah, we have a few things in mind that we want to share with the world of cycling. Only today, we're here because we won't get fined. After that, we're here because we enjoy it

Can you say more about your team and your newest star? The team has been very quiet about it so far?

We want and we will update about him when we believe it is time to update about it. But today, we don't want to do it. This was just about the PR bonus that we won't get fined.

Lufthansa Racing Team gave us a glimpse of their calendar for the 2018 season today. The team management have slightly shifted their focus away from Stage Races, which were their real point-scoring events in the CT, to the Classics. The full calendar is available here (along with an up to date Team HQ).

The management explained that this was a logical shift after having signed powerhouse classics riders John Degenkolb and Greg Van Avermaet. The signing of Intxausti too, has allowed the team to free up Porte to concentrate mainly on the Grand tours.

Interestingly, nearly all of their race selections in the Continental Tour are classics, with a couple of eccentric exceptions being World Ports Classic and the Baltic Chain Tour. Another recurring theme of the CT.2 race selections is the preference for cobbled classics. Nino Honigh has been earmarked as a rider on who the team plans to invest a great deal and these are mainly meant for his development.

The team is yet to announce the Grand Tour and Monument line-ups they will be fielding, but there has been a hint about Intxausti and Porte possibly not racing together in any of the Grand Tours.