A very good climber, similar to his leader Velits in that he has a great diesel engine and is best in the high mountains. However, he also has the punch and nous to go for himself if needed. The Iranian is technically and tactically very good and brings PCT experience from Compal and Meiji - no offense to our friends at Compal but we'd rather a season like the latter. We look forward to Abofazl riding for us next year, and will be the key domestique for both Bennett and Velits.

Our first South African (not for lack of trying this time #RenewOctagon) and a very valuable. A diesel puncheur who can do longer mountains and even flat efforts, his skillset and bucketloads of experience will be very valuable as a climbing and hills domestique (and maybe C2 leader...). He has a lot of loyalty and likes to attack on occasion which could see some interesting tactics in play if he and Roux so feel.

The talented Kenyan mountain biker has attempted to make the code switch once before and rode for his home team Kenya Airways as a stagiare two years ago - he even became the national champion! However after the team disbanded unfortunately nobody wanted to give him a contract. But we have handed the still just 22-year-old climber a stagiaire deal, and we hope to take him on full time and help him realise his KoM ass-kicking potential.

The talented young Colombian climber is a tough bugger to say the least. A man with great mental strength for such a young age and with the mindset which lends itself to endurance, be it long stages, efforts, or stage races. He excels in diesel climbing which isn't 100% the Xero style but makes him a great solo breakaway artist or domestique. Hopefully, we can fit him into our long-term plans and develop his lovely skillset ourselves.

Heine wrote:
I think you built a really nice squad, and I love the Venter signing. A really nice rider that just lacks a bit of acc to be really awesome

redordead wrote:
Gilanipoor and Venter were both very much on our radar as well, just couldn't afford them at CT this time . Good signings

jandal7 wrote:

Thank you for not going for them Thanks

Booker wrote:
Hope you manage to pull off that 65% focus next year, although I'd be very impressed if you successfully accomplished that and the survival goal

2017 Leader: Anthony Roux
Best Race 2017: Gisborne GP, 1st and 4th
Leader Terrain Placing 2017: 1st

Anthony Roux
31 | Maxed | 130,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
74	65	78	62	78	71	70	52	57	75	82	65	62

Jaco Venter
31 | Maxed | 70,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
70	74	77	60	72	74	71	50	58	66	70	67	60

Stanislau Bazhkou
27 | Maxed | 75,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	69	75	76	73	75	71	53	63	64	67	61	76

Tom Davison
28 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
72	69	73	69	70	70	69	60	65	69	71	70	73

Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou
32 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
72	71	73	70	70	73	68	64	72	70	72	64	71

Joseph Areruya
22 | 1.00XP | 260,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	70	71	64	73	74	72	53	68	69	67	59	64

The one terrain where our improvement is next to non-existent, but seeing how we tore up the CT and wanted to invest in other areas, I don't care! Roux should be an outside scorer for some races, especially if we can get creative with our tactics. Venter is a top-notch lieutenant, and I know Anthony wouldn't have anyone else by his side but Marv and Tom. The loss of Diggs was a necessary evil, and the season-long loan-out of Geremie was also one, although it shouldn't have happened. Both of their losses will be felt in the squad as a whole, but especially here. Hopefully, given we won't have the favourites tag anymore, we can function like this.

Leader 2017: Simon Clarke
Best Race 2017: Circulo de Juarez, 6th GC
Leader Terrain Placing 2017: If you care you can count it

Luke Rowe
28 | Maxed | 265,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
78	55	66	65	76	70	79	75	79	80	75	71	74

Tosh Van der Sande
28 | Maxed | 275,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
75	65	70	58	78	73	76	66	79	79	54	60	58

Dylan Kennett
23 | 2.87XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	58	64	69	72	72	68	62	73	72	67	68	74

Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou
32 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
72	71	73	70	70	73	68	64	72	70	72	64	71

Carl Ngamoki-Cameron
30 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	63	67	65	73	72	67	71	71	72	68	73	66

Nils Schomber
24 | 2.95XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
69	54	57	68	62	70	64	50	69	69	62	64	75

Gregory Daniel
24 | 2.90XP | 37,500

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	63	68	72	69	70	67	55	55	66	70	68	71

Joseph Areruya
22 | 1.00XP | 260,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	70	71	64	73	74	72	53	68	69	67	59	64

Hamish Schreurs
24 | 3.06XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
69	54	66	52	71	73	68	73	69	69	64	62	61

Definitely the terrain where we have improved the most - and the one we didn't plan on improving much at all! Luke when he's around and Tosh are top notch tough sprinters - not your typical fastmen but guys who can hang around on tougher terrain and have the skill and power to get through long days, wind and short hills ok. They don't have much of a leadout but I feel like one isn't necessary - it would have been nice but they are strong enough to find their way with guidance. We are planning on splitting them to maximise success and hope when they ride certain classics together they can work well and get some top results. Having nice domestiques as well as an attacking option in Jams will certainly make life easier.

Gonna pretend Vandenbergh never rode for us

Mekseb Debesay
27 | 4.68XP | 365,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
74	67	73	72	74	78	69	75	69	78	72	74	74

Luke Rowe
28 | Maxed | 265,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
78	55	66	65	76	70	79	75	79	80	75	71	74

Hamish Schreurs
24 | 3.06XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
69	54	66	52	71	73	68	73	69	69	64	62	61

Carl Ngamoki-Cameron
30 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	63	67	65	73	72	67	71	71	72	68	73	66

Callum Scotson
22 | 2.00XP | 0

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
68	56	62	72	67	66	67	69	66	74	67	63	74

Not quite the masterpiece we envisioned, but I am still a fan of our cobbles unit. Luke is a top notch guy for the less brutal races he can manage to attend (especially the Baltic, De Panne and Cheshire tours with sprint days) and Debesay is a fascinating rider who works well in the Flanders-type classics and is one tough bugger. Hamish and Jams are improving all the time and Carl is a very nice leadout rider for any semi-classics Luke might go to. Except there are none. Dammit.

Peter Velits
33 | Maxed | 350,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	82	75	74	74	73	74	55	65	67	70	63	74

George Bennett
27 | Maxed | 160,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
67	78	76	65	75	74	79	58	65	73	55	63	65

Abofazl Gilanipoor

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
69	77	71	68	74	71	73	53	56	73	67	73	68

Jaco Venter
31 | Maxed | 70,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
70	74	77	60	72	74	71	50	58	66	70	67	60

Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou
32 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
72	71	73	70	70	73	68	64	72	70	72	64	71

Jordan Schleck
22 | 3.54XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
62	71	69	52	68	67	75	53	52	70	56	57	60

Joseph Areruya
22 | 1.00XP | 260,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	70	71	64	73	74	72	53	68	69	67	59	64

Tom Davison
28 | Maxed | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
72	69	73	69	70	70	69	60	65	69	71	70	73

Joseph Kimathi
22 | 1.30XP | 15,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
68	68	66	61	65	68	65	61	62	68	67	73	63

Hernan Ricardo Aguirre
23 | 1.00XP | 10,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
66	68	66	58	72	72	71	56	61	61	76	69	56

Not as strong depth as we'd like, since George and Peter will largely be seperated, but Peter is a fantastically strong climber whose TT does him credit too and a top notch leader in this division. He has some loyal domestiques who are very capable as well as Gilanipoor who should stick with him well into the pointy end of races. Certainly hoping for the squad to protect Peter well enough that he can finish it off with some high GC placings and rake in the points to help keep us up.

Mekseb Debesay
27 | 4.68XP | 365,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
74	67	73	72	74	78	69	75	69	78	72	74	74
75	67	74	72	75	79	70	77	69	78	73	74	74

#ClassicsNeedsACC

Jamalidin Novardianto
24 | 3.73XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
73	61	68	68	69	75	72	69	69	76	74	68	72
76	61	68	68	70	78	74	69	73	79	74	68	75

#ClassicsNeedsACC

Jordan Schleck
22 | 3.54XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
62	71	69	52	68	67	75	53	52	70	56	57	60
64	77	74	53	70	70	79	53	52	74	63	59	61

Hamish Schreurs
24 | 3.06XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
69	54	66	52	71	73	68	73	69	69	64	62	61
73	54	67	52	74	74	71	76	75	73	64	63	61

Nils Schomber
24 | 2.95XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
69	54	57	68	62	70	64	50	69	69	62	64	75
73	53	58	74	66	76	68	50	69	69	65	64	81

Dylan Kennett
23 | 2.87XP | 50,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	58	64	69	72	72	68	62	73	72	67	68	74
75	58	65	69	73	76	71	62	79	78	67	68	78

Daniel Afoa
23 | 1.55 XP | 50,000 | On Loan at Equinor Pro Cycling

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
64	63	67	62	65	68	65	57	64	67	68	70	60
67	67	76	63	73	72	69	57	67	75	75	73	61

Joseph Kimathi
22 | 1.30XP | 15,000 | Stagiare from 1/08

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
68	68	66	61	65	68	65	61	62	68	67	73	63
69	76	72	61	66	72	70	61	62	75	74	75	63

Hernan Ricardo Aguirre
23 | 1.00XP | 10,000 | Stagiare from 1/08

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
66	68	66	58	72	72	71	56	61	61	76	69	56
66	75	68	58	75	77	75	56	61	65	79	73	56

Joseph Areruya
22 | 1.00XP | 260,000

FLA	MON	HIL	TT	STA	RES	REC	COB	SPR	ACC	FTR	DH	PRL
71	70	71	64	73	74	72	53	68	69	67	59	64
72	79	79	65	76	78	79	53	68	76	75	60	65

jandal7 wrote:

Would our rival manager from Kulczyk be impressed with 60%?

@roturn - Well, we can't give everything away just yet, can we?

@Booker - Your validation matters a lot, so thanks! The top three raking in key points, Roux turning up and then some and Jams back to his old self with no FL breakaway alogirithm nonsense would be awesome! And yeah, we're just biding our time until Areruya can wreak terror on the peloton Thanks

@AbhishekLFC - Don't think my team will come close to yours, but thanks a lot - awesome to be taking on the PCT together whichever order we come in! Indeed even when my first plan was quite specialised being able to score in nearly every race was important to me, and if it goes to plan my rider schedules on paper say we can do just that! I'm a big fan of a versatile rider, what's a domestique who can't offer more than one thing? And when it's a leader like Debesay... I love it even more

Aquarius97 wrote:
Velits clashing with Kudus way too much RDs for my liking (~30)