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[PT 20] Rakuten | Talents
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 29-09-2020 19:05
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4667
Joined: 29-09-2018
PCM$: 185.00
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There's a pretty interesting climber among the **** riders. But there are quite many of them out there, so let's see if we'll finally talk 
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| DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 29-09-2020 19:52
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2433
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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I think we might well be having a chat over transfers.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 29-09-2020 21:51
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Why do the best managers have to be so smart and put all their cool riders on 1 star, it's not fair  Interesting loan option though, and cool to see our old loan-in Onodera growing still and maxing this year  |
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 30-09-2020 16:36
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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Thanks everyone, I look forward to speaking with you all, come the transfer window.
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@ redordead - Thanks. It will hurt a bit to see some of them go, but PT is the highest level, and I think we need to re-tool a bit in order to balance success while still trying to bring in some talents.
@ Fabianski - I think I know who you are speaking about. He would be a great rider at the CT level, and his wages are very conducive to allowing enough wages for more leaders as well.
@ DaveTwoBob - Looking forward to it. I know we have some interest in a few of your riders as well, although most aren't available
@ jandal - Well, thats very flattering that you are grouping me in with "the best managers" I would've thought you'd be excited about Kuboki as well
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 06-10-2020 15:44
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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Well, we've got our man.  (Dont mention how much he's earning)
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 06-10-2020 23:11
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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Nairo Quintana |  | 4.100 | 850,000 | 30 years Nairo joins as our co-leader in the mountains. He still has 3 years before a decline, so we think he is a solid investment over the other available riders on the market. His arrival from free agency also allows us to allocate our funds in other ways... | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 68 | 82 | 74 | 71 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 52 | 51 | 66 | 73 | 61 | 71 |
Kai Reus |  | 4.100 | 55,000 | 35 years Kai joins as a strong domestique, and solid TT rider, who should help with TTTs, as well as being able to fight for his own results in breakaways, or hilly TTs. His experience will be helpful for the younger riders in the squad, much like Rolland was last year. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 73 | 67 | 70 | 75 | 70 | 73 | 72 | 63 | 50 | 56 | 77 | 65 | 75 |
Xianjing Lyu |  | 1.00 | 90,000 | 22 years Lyu is a great talent in cycling, that may be Kinoshita's replacement one day. He is a solid rider when the roads get steep. He will spend the season on loan with Repsol - Netflix, but as soon as next season he could be in our colours. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 65 | 67 | 69 | 62 | 70 | 70 | 67 | 50 | 63 | 68 | 65 | 72 | 64 | | Max Stats | 66 | 75 | 78 | 63 | 74 | 75 | 74 | 50 | 63 | 75 | 73 | 75 | 65 |
Spoiler Layout copied from the_hoyle
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| Shonak |
Posted on 06-10-2020 23:13
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
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Gratz. Nairito looks like he is 40 on that picture. Hope he won't decline midseason. 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 06-10-2020 23:13
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8056
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
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Given that I couldn't get Lyu, I'm glad you ended up with him. Nice prospect to have. 
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| cio93 |
Posted on 06-10-2020 23:16
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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With just a biiiit more FL, I absolutely would've chased Lyu to accompany Niu!
He's a really interesting rider IRL, never racing outside of China, but absolutely smashing it there when he does.
Congrats on the signing.
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| Bikex |
Posted on 06-10-2020 23:25
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Team Leader
Posts: 7255
Joined: 25-08-2012
PCM$: 600.00
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Also congrats from me, was close to outbid you again, but in the end decided against.
Will be a great rider, but tbh hoped he would've been added a little bit better since he seems to be one of the biggest talents in a long time coming from Asia irl. |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 07-10-2020 10:00
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11675
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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I don't think even Nairo believed that he could fetch that much in FA Great addition though!
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 21-11-2024 19:56
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 07-10-2020 16:49
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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@ Shonak - As long as he's 30 in MG years, thats all that matters
@ Mre + Cio - Thanks. He's probably one of the biggest talents we've successfully gone for in a few seasons and being from our focus area is a bonus. I'm not messing up his development like I have with my other riders in the past, so hopefully he will be maxed at a young age, that makes training worthwhile. After a few years of Hill training, his FL can probably be upgraded with the stat exception
@ Bikex - Thanks for not outbidding us. I agree, he's a huge talent irl, even for being based in Asia, much like how Choi was (but he sadly retired quite early).
@ AbishekLFC - Yeah, he's one happy man now. I was hoping to get him for 600k or less and have room for one more sub-top leader, but as I quickly saw how prices for GC riders were going, Im quite happy to get him from FA and still have money and cap space left over. Some clearly inferior riders were going for just as much!
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 12-10-2020 20:49
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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Jakub Kratochvila |  | 4.100 | 100,000 | 32 years Jakub joins from Free Agency, for a very modest wage. He will be one of our top domestiques in the mountains, and may even get a chance to lead in some races. His ability on short and long climbs should ensure he is always one of the last riders in the lead group for our team, in tougher stages. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 67 | 76 | 77 | 70 | 70 | 68 | 72 | 54 | 53 | 64 | 72 | 72 | 70 |
Tushantha Rajapakshage |  | 4.100 | 95,000 | 28 years Tushantha joins as maybe our best TT rider, given his ability on shorter prologues, and his climbing ability, compared to Lok Cheung. Tushantha is going to be an important rider for us, that will hopefully be able to get into many breakaways, as well as place well in TT's. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 72 | 64 | 70 | 76 | 71 | 72 | 68 | 61 | 50 | 69 | 75 | 54 | 78 |
Stagiare
Pierre Barbier |  | 1.00 | 10,000 | 23 years Pierre will be joining the team in August, as well as for the Tour de L'Avenir, and will hopefully gain some solid experience. He hopes to become a classics rider in the future, but could also be a solid sprint leadout. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 67 | 58 | 62 | 63 | 67 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 69 | 69 | 60 | 64 | 63 | | Max Stats | 74 | 58 | 63 | 63 | 74 | 72 | 78 | 74 | 77 | 71 | 61 | 65 | 64 | | 74 | 59 | 63 | 63 | 74 | 71 | 79 | 71 | 78 | 76 | 60 | 65 | 63 |
Loan In
Piotr Brozyna |  | 4.40 | 50,000 | 25 years Piotr is a rider we had wanted to join the team permanently heading into the season. However with our Plan A not looking like it was going to work out, we needed to keep over 1million in cap space for our Plan B rider, meaning he joined another team for the minimum before we could contend. However when the opportunity to loan him in for the season became available and our Plan A working out, we are able to welcome Piotr for this season (at the least). He will be a solid domestique in the mountains, and is a solid TT rider, meaning he can ride GTs and be of use if there is a TTT. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | | 2020 stats | 69 | 76 | 68 | 72 | 74 | 71 | 72 | 54 | 64 | 68 | 62 | 65 | 72 |
Yes, Kinoshita has improved his hill stat. We think based on his backups, and Hagen declining, there is an opportunity for Kinoshita to realistically be one of the best, if not the best in the top tier of Puncheurs in the MG. The rest of the squad is quite well balanced as well. Perhaps its a bit weak for PT, but with the team being an underdog, and over half of the team with over 70 Fighter, we think there is an opportunity to score a lot of points from breakaways for us this season. Wins may be hard to come by, but we may be able to score frequent Top 10's with so many capable sprinters, and strong climbing depth as well.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 12-10-2020 21:14
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Hell yeah I love to see that Kinoshita upgrade, love seeing him do well and very excited about seeing him at 83
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
5x  x5
2x  x2
2x  x2 |
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 13-10-2020 17:00
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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jandal7 wrote:
Hell yeah I love to see that Kinoshita upgrade, love seeing him do well and very excited about seeing him at 83
Thanks. He's really the life of this team now. I was considering training Shikai/Saya Kuroeda instead, but I think for this season its more beneficial that Kinoshita is capable of winning monuments.
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 16-10-2020 16:00
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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We contacted our teams jersey supplier, hillis91, who kindly came out of retirement just to help us out with a couple NC jerseys, so we thank him very much for his work.
Chen Shikai, China RR Champion
Our first NC wearer is Chen Shikai, who will wear the Chinese national colours as road race Champion.
Saya Kuroeda Japan RR Champ, Rei Onodera Japan TT Champ
Next, two of our biggest homegrown talents will be sharing the Japanese champion jersey, depending on the type of race it is. Kuroeda is a great classics rider, and Onodera will be our top TT rider for years. Kinoshita our star wore it last year, but decided he wanted a bit more anonymity this year.
Jacob Salcone Fiji TT Champ
Jacob Salcone will wear the Fiji champion shirt during time trials this year. What an amazing jersey it is too. We may have to try and find a co-sponsor with those colours for next season so we can wear it full time next year...
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| Guave |
Posted on 16-10-2020 16:08
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Stagiare
Posts: 163
Joined: 07-09-2020
PCM$: 200.00
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Probably one of the nicest collection of one-and-the-same-nation/region racers i've seen so far. I understand the Yamamoto link now I see Pierre might turn out a very similar rider as his older brother! Sprinting clearly in the genes! Best of luck (but i don't think you'll need any )
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 16-10-2020 16:18
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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I think the depth should give you a good chance to stay up, but a lot probably depends on whether Kinoshita makes good on the training investment. At least he doesn't have to compete against Beltran as much anymore
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 16-10-2020 21:27
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Wow I love that Fijian champion's jersey, maybe even more than Ngamoki-Cameron's old one for us
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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| redordead |
Posted on 17-10-2020 12:28
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4881
Joined: 18-10-2017
PCM$: 200.00
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cunego59 wrote:
I think the depth should give you a good chance to stay up, but a lot probably depends on whether Kinoshita makes good on the training investment. At least he doesn't have to compete against Beltran as much anymore
I very much share that sentiment, as I think Kinoshita has now surpassed Beltran.
I'll be cherring for you and Kinoshita in PT
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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