Our second year on the road.. How did we get here?
Last year the Andorran Cycling Federation took an important step and provided enough funds for a structure to be built, solely on Andorran soil with full Andorran staff. The team's HeadQuarters is in the city of Andorra-la-Vella and all the training camps will have a base at the top of the Port d'Envalira, a climb frequently present in the Tour de France route.
We largely focus on hiring and developing Andorran riders, but this year there will be a secondary focus on the French Market, the entrance of cycling tourism company InGamba and Decathlon as secondary sponsor and service course respectively will add a special taste to the squad, as we'll look to bolster our french focus.
There is no limit to which the riders provenience may be in this team, Andorra is one of the regions with the biggest affluence of cycling training camps, and the team manager has contacts from all over the world, which has specially brought us a big motivation when it came to African riders, as we were able to solely provide professionalism to some countries, and we will look to do the same this year.
- So what will be your target this year?
Last year we mentioned lots of times that the main goal was to get experience, in both the staff and riders. Some neo-pros, lots of people who had no experience in Professional cycling (including erm... the manager) lead to a vast ammount of mistakes that thoughout the year we very evident and harmed the team's performance. But that was last year, this year, everybody is used to life on the road and the manager has gathered enough experience to develop an auto-intitulated "eagle-eye" which he thinks will be the key to bring the best riders onto the team. The rest of the riders are glad to hear that because they k̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶'̶l̶l̶ ̶k̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶d̶e̶r̶s̶h̶i̶p̶ will be working with stronger riders who will give them better chances of good results.
No numbers and targets will be given yet, but eagle-eye assures the fans that he is targetting big moves on this transfer season, and he wants promotion no matter what, he claims to be a mastermind willing of the most complex schemes someone could ever imagine and other teams will fear the Andorran jersey whenever they see it.
- But if the team only managed 17th last year, what has you so confident?
There was a clear misjudgement of our leaders last year. Lack of consistency, bad race planning and no clear team leader led to an expected low point score. This year we are very much aware of those mistakes and we will work as hard as we can not to repeat them. Starting with the riders chosen to represent our team, we tryed to cover every field and ended uo hiring riders that gave us no reward whatsoever, we learned we need to be more focused, and in less terrains, and build up from then.
- New focus? Does that mean the team will loose it's mountainous charisma?
Not at all. We have some ideas, but it's to soon to define them and also too soon to let others know of them. We will try to be as effective in the transfers so it's as simple as that.
- You have renewed with plenty of riders, and many don't give out any promise, why keeping them?
We believe in agressive racing. I mean, why race if you're not gonna put on a show and excite people, have them want to do the same.. We enjoy that type of racing, and we will combine some young riders, and our Andorran guys and others that we are aware they also like that racing, and keep chasing breakaways, keep trying to get epic wins out of them.
If you thought we were gonna try and control races you're wrong. We are here to give a show and have people scream cheering for us on the road and on the TV.
- Alright I see a lot of positivity, combined with excitement and panache, best wishes onto this new year!
Absolutely, thank you!
Edited by Yellow Jersey on 15-09-2018 19:21
This will be our jersey for 2018. All credit to the_hoyle for creating it. It's a simple idea for a design, folowing last year's jersey we were looking out for a more simple, black jersey, and we will shortly present our NC jerseys, with speciall attention to the Andorran one.
NC Jersey's
Spoiler
Guy Diaz Groiller in the RR, MIguel Afonso in the TT
Richard Laningo Laizer in the RR and TT
Bonaventure Uwizeyimana in the TT
Albert Kireva in the RR and TT
Robert Kiserlovski in the TT
Andorra will remain as the team's main sponsor but they have allowed us to find a secondary sponsor, aswell as more equipment sponsors in order to bolster the team's finantial stability. And there were already many big name companies interested in having their name represented, but we have chosen to make a deal with a recent and fresh company that we're certain to have a big future in the cycling world.
Yes that's right! InGamba will be our sponsor for next season.
InGamba is a very unique company in our business. The starting point for the it was a simple question: What would a cyclist’s perfect week look like? Away from strict diets and schedules and training programs. Just the bike, a beautiful location and a bounty of the best local food and wine.
That fantasy is now a reality. InGamba offers the equipment and support usually reserved for the sport’s elite athletes with the comfort and service of a luxury getaway. Then it takes that unique combination to some of the world’s most incredible locations before adding the most important ingredient of all: Fun.
With this we annouce that this season we will continue our focus in broadcasting and working with the finest Andorran cyclists, but we will have a secondary focus in France. With Mottin as a proof that France has been well represented in our team, we will look to bring in some more French riders into the team.
We do point out that there are, just like this year, no limitations of where our riders can come from. We've had a special relation with our African cyclists and with the disband of some African teams we see a big window of opportunity to keep up that good work, and as always we will keep our eye open at any time to any good deal that may present itself.
Our brand new sponsor. Decathlon, a sporting equipment retailer is a French bran in which we were very interested in right from the start. This year communications went well and they have depleted their trust in us, giving us the location for our service course, where all the bike equipment and major staff tools will be kept throughout the year, which will allow a much more easy and practic access, seeing Andorra is far off in the mountains and that may cause issues.
Andorra Airlines will be the only other institution to financialy aid the team. It will also have a big role in the team's transportation, as many races occur in other continents.
Cervello will be the team's bike distributor. It's range varies from aerodynamic models, climbing specific and time-trial specific.
One of the biggest and best equipment manufacturers Rapha will also support this project. Their work and range of equipment will be essential to ensure the riders can perform at their absolute best in any type of race.
As in every sport, nutrition is absolutely essential to ensure an athlete can perform at his best. SIS have loved the idea of the project and will be an essential help for the team.
The bike equipment giant will be the team's provider of groupsets, brakes and everything related to the mecanical part of the bikes.
Definetly one of the most important sponsors to work with the team. Zipp will provide with the broadest ranges of wheels, bars, stems and seatposts to ensure a good performance in the athletes' bikes.
The latest confirmed equipment sponsor, Giro's helmets will be protecting the riders throughout the season. Obviously benefiting of it's range, from aerodynamic to super-lightweight helmets.
Edited by Yellow Jersey on 17-08-2018 02:17
So who's available to be bought, hmm not an easy question... Some riders we don't want to see leaving cause of team interests, but for the right offer it is possible to see a name or two leaving the team if there are hungry managers arround.
Yeah for sure Rujano's last year, he was lucky that I was in a good mood when doing renewals After I feel I overpayed for some riders, Uwizeyimana included, but he had some good results last season and is a perfect fit for some races I may target this year so he's safe.
After a set of renewals that didn't inspire much confidence in the team's improval, the management knew that the riders coming in the team would be massively important. The team started with the intention of getting a major cobbled classics rider, and a French rider that could lead the team, both of those requirements were very hard to achieve, due to interest from several other team, mostly PCT. So in the background little ideas were being spoken about, and we managed to hire just 4 riders, but they will all be crucial to the team.
Robert Kiserlovski
Yes that's right, the Croatian is coming in as team leader. Although a third place in the Tour of America, Kiserlovski acheived a modest 73rd place in the PCT rankings last year, which is relative to this year's performance the management says. "Bringing Robert to a lower division means he won't ever have to race against WT competition, and he will have plenty of chances to shine in our calendar, with a team that is ready to fully back him up when he needs to."
Needless to say the team's expectations on him are very big, he was hired to help the team's pursuit of a promotion this season, and everything makes us believe it was the right deal. Alongside luxury domestique Ole Hirschlein, both in from Kraftwerk Man Machine, the pair was hired for a mere 500.00$, making it a deal that couldn't be ignored.
Ole Hirschlein
As previously mentioned, the German came as part of a deal alongside teammate Robert Kiserlovski. For a very short price and wage, from Hirschlein we find a type of rider perfectly suited for his job, he will be a domestique for both Kiserlovski and our next rider to be announced. He has very strong abilities to ride the high mountains, a tempo rider, which suits the team's philosophy ever since it was created, his lack of time-trialing abilities and those to ride in the hills (although not like Solis) aren't an issue seeing he will ride this season as a domestique.
Lawrence Warbasse
Like Kiserlovski, Warbasse wasn't a big scorer last season in the Newton Foundation squad, that with a promotion and a new desgination, set Warbasse free for hungry teams that were looking for a strong stage-racer. He will be the sub-leader of the team's mountain squad, although his strong hill and time-trial abilities could in a special case promote him to team leader, which in any case he should have because of limited race days for riders of this quality.
For just 660.000$ Warbasse was a great deal, his 28 years of age means that he is a rider that can indeed remain in the team for several seasons and keep an important roll, he will not only have chances to lead, but also assist Kiserlovski if needed and will have an important roll in the team's TTT setup.
Kevin Eeckhout
Hmm but is this a top cobblestone rider? Well he is Belgian Unfortunately the quest to find a top rider for these races was a goal many other teams had, and that led for a very complicated task for us. Eeckhout is not a top rider, he doesn't have top skills but nobody can deny he does have quality in the cobbles, and may be a secondary rider in those races who can take advantage of the confusion always related to this kind of race. Neither he or Flaksis are top riders for this terrain, but they can be a dangerous duo, and will have the support (or can in some cases) from Albert Kireva who also excels in this type of race. He came from the Free market after being released by hs former team, and will take just the minimal wage of 50.000$
We will look for a stagiare, him plus the two draft riders coming in the end of transfer season will complete our squad, we hope to bring more good news into this HQ soon. Team roster updatedEdited by Yellow Jersey on 23-07-2018 17:05
Wow, Kiserlovski, Warbasse and Hirschlein (<3) what a trio! That is insane
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Andzs Flaksis 
Unfortunately the quest to find a top rider for these races was a goal many other teams had, and that led for a very complicated task for us. Eeckhout is not a top rider, he doesn't have top skills but nobody can deny he does have quality in the cobbles, and may be a secondary rider in those races who can take advantage of the confusion always related to this kind of race. Neither he or Flaksis are top riders for this terrain, but they can be a dangerous duo, and will have the support (or can in some cases) from Albert Kireva who also excels in this type of race. He came from the Free market after being released by hs former team, and will take just the minimal wage of 50.000$
