The Philips - Hero management is proud to bring to you our squad presentation for the 2026 season. We will be taking on the PCT again after a year's break, meaning our riders will tackle some of the more familiar races, and few not so familiar ones. These are the riders that will take on the assignment.
Climbers and Stage Racers
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Leo Hayter
73
79
74
69
76
75
75
73
61
66
75
66
70
77
Nicola Conci
71
77
76
74
78
76
75
78
56
63
68
63
71
77
Dinmukhammed Ulysbayev
70
76
74
72
72
72
71
72
60
62
65
68
64
71
Alan Boileau
67
75
76
77
65
68
71
73
62
67
76
68
67
64
Naveen John
68
70
69
68
75
70
73
72
58
64
67
74
66
76
Lennard Hofstede
70
70
73
76
62
73
71
72
61
61
74
78
71
62
A fully developed Hayter is primed and ready (we hope) to take over leadership duties in the climbs and stage races. We do not expect to be chasing too many breaks, given our leader is just about sub-top on the terrain. It was a conscious decision not to focus too much on climbing support for this season, but rather more on versatile riders who could help across terrains and disciplines.
Punchers
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Mick Van Dijke
69
73
77
80
71
74
75
72
67
71
74
76
72
72
Alan Boileau
67
75
76
77
65
68
71
73
62
67
76
68
67
64
Hayden McCormick
70
66
71
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Lennard Hofstede
70
70
73
76
62
73
71
72
61
61
74
78
71
62
Lukas Nerurkar
69
64
69
74
58
72
69
68
58
66
72
70
69
62
Nicolas Vinokurov
68
65
69
72
61
65
68
69
57
64
68
72
68
64
Mick Van Dijke is rewarded for his performances last season, by spending time in our training program and hulking up his hill-climbing ability in the off-season. We have improved his support squad from last season, add Boileau, Nerurkar and Vinokurov to the trusted pair of Hofstede and McCormick to deliver him into good positions on the hills of PCT and beyond.
Cobbles
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Jay Lampawog
76
65
67
68
76
76
75
73
77
64
68
75
67
74
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
Callum Scotson
72
56
60
63
76
73
70
70
75
66
75
68
63
78
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
Possibly the 'fun-nest' part of our squad and also the most unpredictable in terms of the kind of expectations we should be making on them, which would also be realistic. Lampawog comes in to lead our Northern Classics setup and is another rider who has benefited from our off-season training program. Scotson adds more muscle to the existing pairing of Hoole and Allegaert.
Flats and Sprints
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
73
64
68
71
64
70
73
78
61
78
79
65
67
66
Esow Alben
77
58
61
64
63
73
68
70
52
77
79
62
65
73
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
The flats are another area where we have reduced our focus. However, Kulikovskiy has done very well in the sprints in the last two seasons, basically relying on wheel-surfing without any leadouts, and that is basically the plan this time as well. Alben will be able to share some of the load in stage races, with the latter only racing together in a couple of races. We hope Tim Van Dijke can play the role of an able pace-maker/roleur on the flats
Time-Trails
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Marlen Zmorka
73
60
63
65
81
73
74
70
60
61
69
66
59
81
Nicola Conci
71
77
76
74
78
76
75
78
56
63
68
63
71
77
Jay Lampawog
76
65
67
68
76
76
75
73
77
64
68
75
67
74
Callum Scotson
72
56
60
63
76
73
70
70
75
66
75
68
63
78
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
Naveen John
68
70
69
68
75
70
73
72
58
64
67
74
66
76
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
Dinmukhammed Ulysbayev
70
76
74
72
72
72
71
72
60
62
65
68
64
71
Age is catching up to Zmorka, but he is still our best TT rider by a margin. Conci and Lampawog will be his able lieutenants in a number of TTTs, with Scotson adding more depth to the trio of Van Dijke, John and Hoole this season.
Talents
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Ronaldo Laitonjam Singh
72
62
64
65
61
70
75
71
63
76
76
58
68
69
Declan Trezise
77
61
61
60
63
70
75
66
67
74
75
63
68
65
Yanglem Rojit Singh
70
62
64
65
74
71
72
67
68
70
72
62
60
74
Lukas Nerurkar
69
64
69
74
58
72
69
68
58
66
72
70
69
62
Nicolas Vinokurov
68
65
69
72
61
65
68
69
57
64
68
72
68
64
David Beckham Elkatohchoongo
73
56
58
60
69
69
69
62
65
57
68
69
62
75
Ivo Domgjoni
68
61
65
69
55
71
65
61
69
68
64
66
65
58
Athit Poulard
69
69
69
68
68
70
70
70
62
69
71
72
69
67
David Haverdings
70
66
67
68
57
69
69
60
68
67
71
64
76
62
Pavel Novak
66
68
68
68
65
69
64
70
64
64
66
68
64
65
Ronaldo, Trezise and Rojit are all in their final year of development, and are all loaned out. Our target of getting a top cobbles or TT talent remained unfulfilled this season, so we hope to be able to change at least one part of that next season.
2026 Roster
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
Mick Van Dijke
69
73
77
80
71
74
75
72
67
71
74
76
72
72
Nicola Conci
71
77
76
74
78
76
75
78
56
63
68
63
71
77
Marlen Zmorka
73
60
63
65
81
73
74
70
60
61
69
66
59
81
Leo Hayter
73
79
74
69
76
75
75
73
61
66
75
66
70
77
Jay Lampawog
76
65
67
68
76
76
75
73
77
64
68
75
67
74
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
73
64
68
71
64
70
73
78
61
78
79
65
67
66
Alan Boileau
67
75
76
77
65
68
71
73
62
67
76
68
67
64
Esow Alben
77
58
61
64
63
73
68
70
52
77
79
62
65
73
Hayden McCormick
70
66
71
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Lennard Hofstede
70
70
73
76
62
73
71
72
61
61
74
78
71
62
Dinmukhammed Ulysbayev
70
76
74
72
72
72
71
72
60
62
65
68
64
71
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
Callum Scotson
72
56
60
63
76
73
70
70
75
66
75
68
63
78
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
Naveen John
68
70
69
68
75
70
73
72
58
64
67
74
66
76
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
Lukas Nerurkar
69
64
69
74
58
72
69
68
58
66
72
70
69
62
Athit Poulard
69
69
69
68
68
70
70
70
62
69
71
72
69
67
Nicolas Vinokurov
68
65
69
72
61
65
68
69
57
64
68
72
68
64
David Haverdings
70
66
67
68
57
69
69
60
68
67
71
64
76
62
Ivo Domgjoni
68
61
65
69
55
71
65
61
69
68
64
66
65
58
Pavel Novak
66
68
68
68
65
69
64
70
64
64
66
68
64
65
David Beckham Elkatohchoongo
73
56
58
60
69
69
69
62
65
57
68
69
62
75
Management Thoughts
After our disappointing relegation from PT last season, we wanted to thin the squad and yet consolidate our leadership positions. We were able to do both, and get leaders who should be competitive or better in all terrains, a team building philosophy we have tried to follow in every season we have been a part of the peloton. Will our leaders excel in all the terrains, most likely not, but we hope to keep chipping away in all of them, to end up in a respectable position at the end of the season. This season is also the transition in us starting to put our faith in our home-grown talents as team leaders with MVD being the first in line to do so, with Hayter and others hopefully following suit in the coming years. With regards to our expectations this season, we do not think we have a team to be a direct promotion candidate, but we are hoping to end up somewhere in the few positions just below the Top 5.
I'm not the best at judging squad strength but I think your evaluation is spot on. A well-rounded team with options in every terrain which should lead you to a tranquil season. With good planning and favourable luck maybe promotion but a lower top10 would be my guess from what I have seen elsewhere. Either way you have a solid base to continue building upon for next season!
@Gustav: Nothing much to add as you agreed with me mostly Hopefully the base is well set for a promotion push in 2027. Looks more realistic any way.
@TMM: Funny how we went from one competitive TT rider to a whole TTT unit over a span of three seasons (and probably less). MVD training was always the long-term plan ever since he was signed and I decided on the development path. Happy to finally get there.
It is time to look at the talents we have recruited over time, who will be developing with us or elsewhere this season.
Ronaldo Laitonjam Singh | Loaned Out
Age: 24 | Level: 4
Our top talent from the 2027 maxed class is also perhaps the best talent to ever come out of India. We expect Ronaldo to nail down one of the sprinter spots on our team for the best part of the next decade!
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
72
62
64
65
61
70
75
71
63
76
76
58
68
69
Sprinter
74
61
64
66
62
71
78
72
62
78
78
58
68
72
Track Sprint
74
61
63
66
62
70
78
72
61
78
78
58
68
74
Declan Trezise | Loaned Out
Age: 24 | Level: 4
Trezise is another exceptional talent who will max out as a strong roleur who would also be a perfect leadout for a top sprinter! This is not a rider type we have had many of in our history, so we're excited to see how he can perform next season onwards.
The next home-grown Indian waiting to take his last step towards reaching his full potential is Rojit, who will fit well into our TTT unit.
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
70
62
64
65
74
71
72
67
68
70
72
62
60
74
Time-Trial
71
62
64
65
76
72
73
68
68
70
72
63
60
76
Track TT
71
62
64
65
76
72
73
68
68
71
73
62
60
76
Lukas Nerurkar | In-house
Age: 23 | Level: 3
Our next in-house puncher talent, and the natural successor to MVD, is Nerurkar, who will already be an able domestique to the former. We're still deciding which exact route to take in this case.
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
69
64
69
74
58
72
69
68
58
66
72
70
69
62
Hills v1
71
66
73
79
59
77
72
70
58
70
77
74
71
63
Hills v2
71
66
75
78
60
75
74
71
58
69
76
74
71
62
David Beckham Elkatohchoongo | In-house
Age: 23 | Level: 3
Our first talent specializing in Prologues, Beckham will continue his development in our setup fthis season.
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
73
56
58
60
69
69
69
62
65
57
68
69
62
75
Time Trial
76
56
59
61
73
72
72
65
65
57
68
71
62
79
Track TT
76
56
58
60
73
72
71
64
65
59
70
69
62
79
Nicolas Vinokurov | In-house
Age: 24 | Level: 3
Vinokurov was a target for us in his neo-pro season but we had to shift our priorities and gave up on signing him then. We are glad to have got now and he will also slot into the support staff of MVD for this season and beyond.
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
68
65
69
72
61
65
68
69
57
64
68
72
68
64
Hills v1
70
67
73
77
62
70
71
71
57
68
73
76
70
65
Hills v2
70
67
75
76
63
68
73
72
57
67
72
76
70
64
Ivo Domgjoni| In-house
Age: 24 | Level: 2
Domgjoni will take his next step of development with us this season, in the process of becoming a useful cobbles domestique in the future.
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
68
61
65
69
55
71
65
61
69
68
64
66
65
58
Cobbles
72
61
65
70
55
77
69
62
75
72
67
67
65
58
Classics
72
61
66
72
55
75
68
62
73
71
67
70
66
58
Hills v1
69
64
69
75
55
75
68
62
69
71
68
69
66
58
Hills v2
69
61
71
73
55
74
69
64
69
71
68
69
65
58
Athit Poulard | In-house
Age: 23 | Level: 1
Our next big talent project will revolve around the development of Poulard. The possibilities are endless, and so is our confusion at the moment!
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
69
69
69
68
68
70
70
70
62
69
71
72
69
67
Stage Race
72
76
74
71
73
77
75
77
62
69
72
73
69
72
Climber v1
70
77
76
69
68
77
75
75
62
69
75
75
73
67
Climber v2
74
77
74
69
68
75
77
74
63
69
74
81
78
67
Hills v1
72
72
74
76
68
77
74
71
62
74
76
77
70
67
Hills v2
70
70
77
75
69
74
77
74
62
72
78
77
70
67
Sprinter
76
69
70
69
68
75
74
82
66
76
78
72
70
67
Track Sprint
76
69
69
69
69
74
75
74
62
76
78
72
70
74
Fighter
77
72
72
71
71
75
75
75
65
72
75
81
72
70
David Haverdings | In-house
Age: 22 | Level: 1
After a gap of a couple of years, we have our next Dutch talent, someone who should be a capable cobbles and classics rider as well as a useful roleur.
Stats
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CO
SP
AC
FT
DH
PR
2026
70
66
67
68
57
69
69
60
68
67
71
64
76
62
Cobbles
77
66
67
69
57
76
74
63
75
72
74
67
76
62
Classics
75
66
70
73
57
74
72
63
75
70
74
72
77
62
Pavel Novak | In-house
Age: 22 | Level: 1
Novak has been penciled in as a long term member of our mountain support team, and should go through the paces with us until he is ready to do so.
The team management is proud to present the all the jerseys that our riders will be wearing this season.
2026 Team Jersey
New sponsors bring about the need for a new jersey, and we reached out to a new jersey designer to help us achieve our vision. Jakstar came up with a very clean design, encapsulating the primary colour of our lead sponsor as well as some cool racing stripes to go with it!
Spoiler
The following is the presentation of our World and National Championship jerseys and the riders who will be wearing them this season!
World Champion - Individual Time Trial - MARLEN ZMORKA
India - Road Race - ESOW ALBEN
India - Individual Time Trial - NAVEEN JOHN
Russia - Road Race - ALEXANDR KULIKOVSKIY
Italy - Individual Time Trial - NICOLA CONCI
Once again, credits to Jakstar for these amazing jerseys.
Some juicy talents there. Had an eye on Novak but couldnt dedicate funds there. Him and Poulard offer quite a lot of options. Trzise should be fun as well, while Nerurkar gives you a option as hilly leader especially a native-one. Looking forward to see the future of your team.
Some juicy talents there. Had an eye on Novak but couldnt dedicate funds there. Him and Poulard offer quite a lot of options. Trzise should be fun as well, while Nerurkar gives you a option as hilly leader especially a native-one. Looking forward to see the future of your team.
Also good-looking kits
Hoping the future indeed is bright with the talents we've managed to secure. Looking forward to see them in action as their developed self!
It is now time to present the goals for this season in the PCT! We have put a lot of faith in our young leaders, along with a goal for our Road Captain as well.
Milano - Torino
Goal: Win
We have gone with the most successful race on our calendar as our first Win goal. MVD will be here and attempt to achieve it.
Giro dell'Emilia
Goal: Win
Another successful race makes it as another Win goal for our newly energized puncher leader.
Deutschland Tour
Goal: Top 5
Zmorka will be in Germany to take on a Top 5 goal, which thought would be a better value choice for our World Champion than the other clashing race.
Tour de Suisse
Goal: Top 10
The last race goal is for our new stage race leader. Even a Top 10 placing might be a challenge for Hayter but we hope he can use his overall stage racing abilities to sneak into the Top 10.
PCT Team Standings
Goal: Top 5
Realistically, Top 5 might be a stretch for us this season. However, we had to make it a Goal to try and get there, as otherwise it would be a boring season!
I think Deutschland should be possible for Zmorka for sure. Milano-Torino was fairly climber-heavy last year (Amezawa won it for us), so I wonder if MVD could struggle there. Better chances for the Giro dell'Emilia I reckon. I wonder if the final two climbs in the Suisse stages, because of the long flat run-ins, will be ridden at too high of an intensity for Hayter's low hill stat. If not, I think he should have a good shot to achieve the goal.
Top 5 in the team standings is a very real possibility I think. Not assured in any way, but enough previews have you there to say it's not much of a stretch, I think. I have my fingers crossed for you (as long as it doesn't come at our expense )!
@jt: I would agree with you, and the fact that I believe MVD is better in stage races (we'll see after training), but I was looking for HC win goals for higher points, and there's no HC stage race to target with him. Win goals are always hard anyway, but those are the two races we've done the best historically with our team set up across leaders and game versions.
@cunego: I'm hoping MT uses MM more than the pure climbing, so MVD can still give it a go. Kind of doesn't fell right if the game engine takes the punchers' chances for a good result in that race! Emilia has always been good for us, so hoping that continues. Hope the mountains in all 'mountain' races are ridden as mountains, otherwise Hayter's not going to have a good season!
Hoping Deutschland works out, as you both have mentioned the possibility. Would be surprised if we get into the Top 5 in the end, but ad to go for that goal as a possibility.
Hopefully the base is well set for a promotion push in 2027. Looks more realistic any way.
