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[PCT'24] Specialized | History 5 years in the making
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| redordead |
Posted on 16-08-2024 07:28
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Plenty of cuts in renewals and from the looks of it still many changes to come. I'm interested to see what direction you take. This was quite a stable midtable team for a couple of years now.
"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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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 17-08-2024 00:29
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Tour de France Champion
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Older riders getting the cut makes sense, though definitely some big parts of your team. It will be very weird to see GVK in particular elsewhere.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 19-08-2024 15:36
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Classics Specialist
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@Fabi: Yeah the cuts are consequences of a few failed attempts at signing a younger core which means that rather than having a gradual offloading of deadwood I had to offload a huge chunk at the same time. Whether this will be a full on promotion push time will tell there is for sure a world where the plan is to fully secure a younger core and scrape by for a year in PCT.
@Sean: Time will tell how big the Canadian direction will be, there are a few names on the list somewhere for sure though 
@janda & bbll: For sure something that made me really sad in this renewals period, there will be a longer post dedicated his accomplishments in the future once transfers are over for sure.
@rod: being a stable midtable team is all fun and games time to hopefully become a top team or have built a project that's so exciting that I might relegate
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| knockout |
Posted on 19-08-2024 18:25
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Grand Tour Champion
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Coutinho with a really nice wage now. Would have been very interesting without the renewals changes lowering my options.
Also i want to recommend Riesebeek to anyone interested. Dude bas been very valuable every season for a good half decade.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 21-08-2024 09:54
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Classics Specialist
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Some (many) oldies and team legends let go, so you're definitely in for a busy transfer season. Hopefully more succesfull and most of all with a bit more luck than last time.
Coutinho available was a surprise to me, but I guess his clear match fixing in that Portuguese NC just went too far for you
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 22-08-2024 13:07
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Classics Specialist
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knockout: His wage is indeed really good for what he offers but time will tell if he stays or goes, should make him a valuable asset in transfers since he slots into many teams.
Nemo:A ton of the old guard of the team leaving and it is weird seeing the team in the DB atm without so many of the riders that have established our legacy over the year.
It was egregious to say the least watching Coutinho throw away a chance at an NC but in reality he would have been on the market NC or no NC.
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 28-08-2024 00:19
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Classics Specialist
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While the plan isn't to go full Canadian, signing the biggest Canadian cobbles talent in eons to our team is a huge boon. Also a nice contrast compared to last year where we didn't have any deals lined up.
| Nat. | Name | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CB | SP | AC | FG | DH | PR | OVR | Age | Wage |  | Jeremie La Grenade | 67 | 57 | 61 | 59 | 68 | 68 | 59 | 69 | 65 | 63 | 59 | 72 | 61 | 67,12 | 22 | 50.000 | | Jeremie La Grenade | 74 | 57 | 62 | 59 | 75 | 73 | 62 | 77 | 72 | 64 | 60 | 73 | 61 | 67,12 | 22 | 50.000 |
Also a huge thanks to Anthony Turgis who is moving onto greener pastures as German outlet Kraftwerk has overtaken the service of the French Puncheur.
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 28-08-2024 08:38
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Classics Specialist
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BOOM!
Nice regional signing, congratulations!
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 28-08-2024 16:55
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Classics Specialist
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Boom indeed!
Very happy to finally get my hands on a Canadian talent, been too long since De Vos had a partner!
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 28-08-2024 16:58
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Classics Specialist
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Awesome signing first Canadian cobbled rider since Patrick Naud in the DB it seems it was about time there was a new one |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 27-11-2024 20:16
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 28-08-2024 16:59
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Classics Specialist
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Our next signing is Tahm ehm Josh Kench! He might be our first Kiwi signed on a permanent deal, and while he isn't the biggest Roleur in the world he does offer some very interesting skills for our team in a similiar vein to Medvedev.
Spending the last year with now defunct Amaysim Kench already has plenty of experience that should make it easy for him to progress his career with us.
| Nat. | Name | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CB | SP | AC | FG | DH | PR | OVR | Age | Wage |  | Josh Kench | 68 | 62 | 64 | 67 | 68 | 71 | 65 | 67 | 66 | 70 | 72 | 72 | 67 | 67,95 | 23 | 50.000 | | Josh Kench | 77 | 65 | 67 | 70 | 74 | 77 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 75 | 79 | 76 | 70 | 67,95 | 23 | 50.000 |
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 28-08-2024 17:00
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Classics Specialist
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jt1109 wrote:
Awesome signing first Canadian cobbled rider since Patrick Naud in the DB it seems it was about time there was a new one
Really nice to finally see a Canadian talent that fits my team philosophy so well, especially with Naud being on the decline Canada has needed new blood in that area!
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 29-08-2024 18:48
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Classics Specialist
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As the first few deals we had in mind came crumbling down, we were quick to secure our first big leader for the 2024 season. But before we get too deep into the future let's take a trip into the past:
5 years ago in the 2019 season the CT saw the, potentially, greatest battle ever fought on the C2 cobbles. Going into the season it was a story of two captains of two relegating teams, Netia and NENT. One one side you had a young former u23 world champion that was still trying to find his footing in the pro scene and had sacrificed his development to lead his team back to the PCT, his foe much like himself a young leader at the time but had very much found his level after he was unable to make his mark on the PCT division.
The first battle was fought on the roads of Denmark at GP Herning, where a hometown hero took the win, but it was the experienced leader that had the first show of strength as he finished 4th with the inexperience of the young gun showing as he decided to set a blistering pace early in the race but he expended too much energy and failed to drop his contenders and finished outside of the top 10 being unable to follow the final move.
The race that followed was one of the most legendary races in MG History. A rainy day in Portugal set the stage for one of the biggest battles the CT will ever see: The 2019 Viana Do Castelo.
The young gun's team had made a grave error at the start of the day as they failed to put a man into the break which meant that the Netia team only had 1 domestique to help out the young gun. A mistake that NENT didn't make which put them at a great advantage tactically.
This forced the young gun to make a move on the penultimate ascent of the climb with 40ish km to the finish line. Initially a move that look decisive as he went alone.
At first it looked like there was no way back for the young gun's foe as he had left him in the wheel hanging by a thread.
Another youthful mistake was made as he caught the breakaway and relaxed a bit as his foe caught up to him. It was no longer a 1v1, the experienced leader had his helper stationed in that breakaway and the young gun was now fighting 1v2.
As the helper's heroic efforts had drained his powers it was now a heads up battle between the two top dogs as they headed into the final climb.
But it was clear on that day there was no debate the more experienced rider was by far the strongest rider on the day as he put the young gun into the ground and distanced him by 2 minutes on the day.
It was one of the most majestic wins in MG history and I plead everyone to go back and read the original report as it is one of the best ones ever written.
This was the tale of the battle between Guillaume Van Keirsbulck & Przemyslaw Kasperkiewicz . A battle where the Belgian beat the Pole multiple times over a season and manifested himself as, potentially, the greatest C2 cobbler of all time.
It is also a tale of two legendary foes becoming allies as they spearhead our fabled legacy on the cobbles, picking up the reins from Maxime Daniel.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 29-08-2024 20:16
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Directeur Sportif
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Kasperkiewicz and GVK are an excellent cobbles duo for the season. You should be doing great in the Norther Classics this time!
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| Bikex |
Posted on 29-08-2024 21:03
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Team Leader
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I remember reading back on the CT cobbles races of that season before signing an unmaxed Kasperkiewicz from the free agency. It turned out to be a great signing and in the upcoming seasons he brought me 5 victories. I can't wait to see how he does for you. I hope you'll apply for a wildcard for Tour of Northern Europe. I would be very intrigued to see how he does there with the updated route supposedly benefitting strong cobblers more. |
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| liefwarrior |
Posted on 29-08-2024 22:12
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Ah, I remember the 2019 cobbles. It was always fun having the .2 and .2HC races be more difficult for poor Nikolas Maes than the .HC cobbles were. Even if it meant fighting against ProConti teams, at least there he didn't have to try and keep up with the monstrous performances of GVK and Kasperkiewicz. An excellent pair of signings.
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| redordead |
Posted on 30-08-2024 11:23
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Kaspa should be awesome in PCT. I love your commitment to the cobbles! 
"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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| whitejersey |
Posted on 31-08-2024 18:38
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Classics Specialist
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AbhishekLFC wrote:
Kasperkiewicz and GVK are an excellent cobbles duo for the season. You should be doing great in the Norther Classics this time!
Really an area that I hope I am locked in for a bit of domination, as for now it does seem like the cobbles in PCT are relatively up for grabs, depending on one specific set of training, and we hope that Kaspa is the man that goes in and smashes the division.
Bikex wrote:
I remember reading back on the CT cobbles races of that season before signing an unmaxed Kasperkiewicz from the free agency. It turned out to be a great signing and in the upcoming seasons he brought me 5 victories. I can't wait to see how he does for you. I hope you'll apply for a wildcard for Tour of Northern Europe. I would be very intrigued to see how he does there with the updated route supposedly benefitting strong cobblers more.
Probably no wildcards on the horizon for us this year as our dealings have left us with close 0 money left, hopefully in the future we get to see Kaspa at the highest level again!
liefwarrior wrote:
Ah, I remember the 2019 cobbles. It was always fun having the .2 and .2HC races be more difficult for poor Nikolas Maes than the .HC cobbles were. Even if it meant fighting against ProConti teams, at least there he didn't have to try and keep up with the monstrous performances of GVK and Kasperkiewicz. An excellent pair of signings.
Truly a horrible year to be a C2 cobbles enjoyer if you weren't either me or trekbmc ^^
redordead wrote:
Kaspa should be awesome in PCT. I love your commitment to the cobbles!
He really should be and that's what we're banking on from him to secure our survival and then have him as a key piece of the team for 3 years or so.
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 01-09-2024 16:31
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This should easily be the best cobbles team in the division! But Daniel will be eager to put up a fight!
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 01-09-2024 21:21
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Classics Specialist
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Nice read up on that epic fight and indeed making the circle round by signing Kasperkie now. Hope he does great this year, and hope Malacarne learns a thing or two from him 
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