@Fabianski - What does that say about the current crop of MG managers? Far fewer financial institutions and insurance companies (e.g. RBC / UBS), we're all focused on doom spending and drinking! The kind of people that know how to have a good time - that Podium Ambition manager knows how to really get after it, judging by the GIFs in his 'voted best' thread (wink, wink)

@Dippofix - This guy is a connoisseur of Belgian brews. I have to confess I haven't had Zinnebir, but it looks nice from a cursory search. To be honest, even just a nice Hoegaarden with an orange wedge is a nice one.

Onto the MG, looking further into the post-renewals DB, I can't see a world in which we're not in each other's hair for the scraps of Chinese riders out there. One of us will have to focus on the domestic a little less in this first season, and I'm not sure Tsingtao will allow us to ignore their prescriptive quota. Top down diktats are a very common practice for Tsingtao and though the executives are very happy to share their free samples, they expect their money to be used for the betterment of Chinese cycling.

Their CEO is a keen fan of Chen Shikai, so the directeur-general of Duvel-Tsingtao has been trying to figure out a respectful way of letting the CEO know that spunking half the budget on 1 guy won't be the way to go.

Fabianski wrote:
(or even in the riders' bottles, who knows ^^)

Booker wrote:
@Fabianski - What does that say about the current crop of MG managers? Far fewer financial institutions and insurance companies (e.g. RBC / UBS), we're all focused on doom spending and drinking!

(10th August 2024 - Libremont, Belgium)

Meeting in a small brasserie in Libremont, just one town away from the Duvel-Tsingtao cycling team's headquarters, Jean Wauters, the Directeur Sportif, met with L'Ardennais to elaborate on the team's formation and objectives for its debut season in 2024.

Arnaud Lambert, L'Ardennais: Thank you for meeting with us today. As you can imagine, the launch of Duvel-Tsingtao has caused quite a stir in our region, with locals hopeful of yet another competitive Belgian team heading into the upper echelons of the MG. Can you tell us a bit more about how the team came to be?

Jean Wauters, Duvel-Tsingtao: Yes of course, and thanks for having me. Funnily enough, the directeurs of the team were initially approached by Tsingtao, who have major interests in a number of breweries and what could be classed as gastropubs in emerging suburbs in China. They have been seeing an increase in awareness around pollution and environmental impact of combustion engines in transportation, and a clear move towards more sustainable mobility, whether that is with electric vehicles or even in many places, cycling. Many people will arrive at these gastropubs on bicycle, and Tsingtao has seen the success of Rapha's cycle cafes in the West. They are interested in exploring that model, but of course with some light beer options as well!

Tsingtao approached us to locate the team in Belgium and specifically the Ardennes, given the country's iconic heritage in cycling and the world-class talent available in this part of the world. Tsingtao believes the pedigree and training set-up offered in Belgium is an ideal launchpad for China to take a greater role in cycling. I believe the CCP has also gotten behind this mission and sees Tsingtao as a palatable, no pun intended, representative company into the global MG landscape.

AL: Thanks for explaining the rationale, but that doesn't explain why there's a partnership with Duvel? Surely there's competition between the two sponsors, both being beer sellers?

JW: I don't know the full details, but when Tsingtao representatives came to Belgium to look around, they had meetings with a number of prospective partners. I was told that the meeting with Duvel was the most raucous and lasted well into the night, so make of that what you will. Also, with Duvel's history of research and development, Tsingtao believes it could even work together with Duvel to develop further products related to cycling for the Chinese market.

AL: What sort of products? You mean like beer-flavoured gel?

JW: I couldn't possibly comment!

AL: Very interesting. But moving onto goals for this coming season and specifically how the team is thinking about roster composition, are you able to give any clues away to the fans?

JW: Wouldn't the other CT managers like to know?! As you can imagine, I can't say too much, but I'd be happy to give a little bit of insight on what we're look for.

The medium-term mission is to develop talent from both partner nations, with a strong emphasis on expanding China's roster of top level riders. But thankfully, both partners recognise the best place to develop talent from is a position of strength, and the short-term aim is to get promoted to the PCT division as rapidly as possible.

This season in the CT division, Duvel-Tsingtao will need to build a competitive roster. We aim to be versatile across terrains, and draw on the Belgian heritage of being a strong squad across the pavé, but also with genuine leadership on the mountains and in the hills. We also see some potential for Chinese leadership in certain disciplines, which would be an added bonus.

There is a clear desire for at least half of the squad to be made up of Chinese and Belgian riders, and we think with riders being made available either in free agency or listed on the transfer market, we will be able to accomplish this goal.

But as I say, the primary aim is to get promoted at the first time of asking - I don't believe I will be allowed to stay on as Directeur Sportif if this main objective isn't satisfied, and I would expect both sponsors to say the same thing.

AL: Thank you for providing that detail Jean, very interesting. Best of luck with the upcoming team building and for the season ahead.

@kandesbunzler26 - We look forward to talking, especially if we have no choice in the matter!

DarkWolf - I fully agree on Nemolito. Surely agave is the national product, stop taking the US' main export product! Though if he added in a waffles element with the fried chicken, the road conditions might turn a bit too slick with all the salivating from the peloton

jandal7 - You've hit your quota on engagement on my HQ We will not be intimidated by all this hype for other 'strong' managers! We will be lobbying for other managers to take it nice and easy this transfer season, play the long-game, go for a full roster of home-grown development talents! And our team budget has already included 'entertainment costs' for free beer giveaways just before the transfer season opens, hopefully that'll help...

@kandesbunzler26, Jakstar22, knockout, AbhishekLFC, Nemolito, jandal7 - Cheers guys, I was expecting a little more competition for some of these signings (but of course less competition for others ones being lost out on), overall very happy with the first couple of days of this transfer window. And thanks for the positive notes!

@liefwarrior - I could maybe be looking at things through beer-coloured goggles, but I actually think a couple of these could be useful (read: annoying) breakaway riders at times, especially Roosen, Dewulf and Hermans. I agree with your sentiment that these guys will ultimately be helpers and thanks for the feedback, but I actually hope we get some sneaky scoring from the fight/resistance/stamina combos.

@alexkr00, Caspi - I won't say the barn keg party at the start of free agency had nothing to do with it, but I did see Roosen and Hermans off to the side drunkenly complaining about their previous managers, before doing belly shots off each other. That felt like the right time to bring out the contracts and pens for signatures.