One area of the team in which we have kept some consistency is in our Sprinting department. Although we had 2 departures in Hofstetter and Ovsya, we have retained our 2 key leaders as well as a younger and fully developed lead-out man.
Dutchman, Fabio Jakobsen, is into his 4th year as Sprinter Leader for the team having won the CT Individual Rider Rankings in 2021, finishing 10th in the PCT in 2022 and continuing with some success with almost 500 points in the PT last season. He did under-perform somewhat with a no show in the Tour but we expect he'll be back to top form again in 2024. It's hard to believe he's only 28!
Belgian sprinter, Gerben Thijssen, is in his 2nd year as a Leader for us. He was very impressive in 2023 as he outscored Jakobsen. His year included a stage win in Paris-Nice and winning the final stage for 3rd in the Points in the Giro d'Italia. We hope he can continue in this vein of form going into this season.
The trio is completed by Jules Hesters, meaning a very cohesive team with all from the same region. He has increased responsibility this season as our key lead-out man while having some opportunities for himself also.
Given the young nature of this trio, we anticipate they will remain with us for many years still. Although they may not have the same pure strength as others within the Pro-Tour, strength and depth in numbers is where we see ourselves succeeding.
Nice trio of sprinters from the Low Countries! And all of them enjoyed growing up at your team as well iirc, which makes it even better. Also love the puncheur side of your team. Had to fight hard for Storer and hopefully he makes it worth it. El Chapu and Finkler are two great latin talents that have been (partly) developed at your team as well, which again is great to see. Although they might indeed look alike just a little bit too much, and you should get rid of one next season. Sell them to Oxxo - Frisby for a discount price would be a fair decision.
Onto another part of the team which has been key to our success in the last 3 seasons, from the Continental Tour to the Pro Tour, it's our Time Trial specialists.
The team here is led by none other than Benoit Cosnefroy. Signed in 2018, the now 29 year old Frenchman has shown time and again why he was such a great investment at 120,000 for a fresh young 23 year old 6 years ago. He was our 2nd highest scoring rider in 2023 following an underdog late season win of the Tour of Northern Europe. This coming after being 46th in the 2022 PCT and 6th in the 2021 CT. We will need another big season out of him with Thomas no longer in the team.
Our only other senior rider is Spaniard Jaime Castrillo who also joined us in 2018. His experience within the TTT set-up and support to Cosnefroy and our sprinters will be key this season.
Next up is the exciting Belgian, Yentl Vandevelde. With still a year left in his development, he is already a very talented rider. Even better that he's eligible for U25 points both this season and next.
Also in his final year of development is Guatemalan, Henry Alberto Sam. An exciting and aggressive rider who very much fits the mentality and our TT unit in not being one-dimensional. He actually scored well last season with a 2nd in a classic from the breakaway. We hope for more of this in 2024.
We end with the youngest rider in the whole team and that is someone to watch out for in the future. Australian Brady Gilmore unfortunately had his development hindered by a season due to the teams logistics challenges in 2023 but he will begin to show his potential in the years to come.
All new additions to the team given our points last season in the Cobbled races were lacking.
One of our biggest signings this year from the Free Agency, Argentine Lucas Manuel Gaday finished 5th in the Individual CT Rankings for his team last season. Although this is a big step up for him, we hope he can bring this success into our team in 2024.
Australian Cyrus Monk also joined us from the Free Agency. He is our primary lieutenant for Gaday and will hope to provide further depth points in the cobbled classics.
Nichol Blanja Pareja joined us in the moments following the end of the transfer window as a replacement signing for another we were chasing. The 24 year old Filipino has 2 years remaining until full development in which we see him as an aggressive puncheur with a bit of a kick.
The final 2 in Jasper Stuyven and Michael Gogl also joined post-transfers and will provide support in the Hills and other races this season where required.
We take this moment to present to you the 2024 ZARA - Irizar squad.
In total we have 23 riders, 9 of whom will be in our colours for the first time in 2024. Of the other 14, 1 spent 2 years of development with us while the other 13 have been with us since the start of their careers. At an average age of just under 28, and with 16 riders under the age of 30, our squad is set-up for sustained future success.
Without further ado, our squad list is as follows:
FLA
MO
HIL
TT
STA
RES
REC
COB
SPR
ACC
FTR
DH
PRO
Shikai
72
81
71
76
74
76
78
55
57
67
59
69
76
Choi
70
80
73
74
76
75
78
62
58
67
67
70
73
Conci
71
77
74
78
76
75
78
56
63
68
63
71
77
Rodriguez
69
77
75
70
71
74
74
55
63
73
72
64
74
Soler
69
76
71
74
76
74
76
54
54
66
60
61
77
Storer
70
75
78
69
72
73
73
58
64
74
75
66
72
Finkler
69
69
77
65
76
71
70
61
68
75
75
70
63
Dieteren
67
70
77
58
75
70
68
51
63
66
80
73
58
Stuyven
70
63
77
58
75
67
68
62
66
74
79
69
58
Gogl
69
69
76
62
74
72
71
57
67
75
73
69
63
Chapulin
69
67
75
61
75
75
70
64
68
75
75
68
66
Miquel
69
68
75
59
75
75
70
61
64
69
69
68
59
B. Pareja
70
63
69
62
70
71
74
56
63
71
73
68
67
Jakobsen
74
59
67
59
75
73
81
73
80
80
67
68
69
Thijssen
75
61
63
60
74
70
78
65
79
81
65
64
60
Hesters
75
61
64
60
74
75
79
72
78
78
63
67
60
Cosnefroy
76
68
71
78
78
81
72
69
69
69
81
74
78
Castrillo
77
66
67
76
75
72
72
55
70
73
71
67
76
Vandevelde
73
59
64
76
70
72
70
60
62
65
72
66
76
Alberto Sam
74
66
67
74
74
73
71
58
66
69
76
68
75
Gilmore
68
53
54
71
70
65
65
58
60
72
73
68
71
Gaday
71
67
75
65
75
72
71
78
71
71
61
64
68
Monk
74
60
66
69
76
70
70
76
61
70
72
77
69
Newly acquired Shikai and Choi lead us in the stage races with Conci as an ever-present right hand man who will have his chances to lead also.
Storer is an exciting addition supported by a cast of our own youth and some older heads to keep everyone under control.
An exciting, young sprinting duo of Jakobsen and Thijssen return hungrier than ever!
A fully homegrown time trial squad is spearheaded by Cosnefroy who will need another big year while also supporting the youngsters around him.
Finally, something new for us in the cobble duo of Gaday and Monk.
We are looking forward to a competitive 2024 season in the Pro Tour! We know there are some strong riders and teams out there who we can't wait to test ourselves against. See you on the roads
Congrats on putting together a really thoughtfully constructed team with a cohort for all kinds races. I think Hesters could be a big threat in Grand Tours, with strong secondaries but unlikely to be in the first tier of sprinters who get too much wind.
I love your strategy of going for TTers with other skills, it has really paid off over time. Sam is a really fun rider and Cosnefroy is unique. Although I think a repeat in ToNE will be hard with the parcours changing.
Blanca Pareja was on my list as a possible late pick up, he has a nice skill set.
Congrats on putting together a really thoughtfully constructed team with a cohort for all kinds races. I think Hesters could be a big threat in Grand Tours, with strong secondaries but unlikely to be in the first tier of sprinters who get too much wind.
I love your strategy of going for TTers with other skills, it has really paid off over time. Sam is a really fun rider and Cosnefroy is unique. Although I think a repeat in ToNE will be hard with the parcours changing.
Blanca Pareja was on my list as a possible late pick up, he has a nice skill set.
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Second what you said with Pareja, was a rider that was on my list as well, and I was really surprised he went as long without a contract as he did, will be a super fun rider once maxed.
Also hope this team is strong enough to stay up, it's one of the coolest teams in the MG but we have seen stronger teams relegate in the past, but if everything lines up you should be safe!
