Hello, welcome to the HQ of Team Europcar.
Currently, we are a Pro Continental Tour team, which is the second division of cycling. Our goal this year will be promotion. We're simply the best PCT team out there, and we're capable of doing well on every kind of terrain. Also, we currently have a lot of talented riders, and we will aim to develop them as well.
The team rides on a French license, which means that we will focus on French riders, but we won't limit ourselves too much on nationalities.
The Sponsor
Of course, every team needs a sponsor. Our sponsor is called Europcar. It's a big Car Rental company based in Paris, France. It's focus isn't just France, Europcar is located in a lot of countries. I'm sure you have seen an Europcar store at some point in your life, almost regardless of where you live. You might even have used our cars.
The main focus region of Europcar is France, but they're looking to expand to Asia as well. They are a big name in the car business.
One thing is sure, Europcar is for sure our ideal sponsor to accomplish our goals, they definitely are able to give us enough money to survive on WT level and give us a lot of freedom in what we do.
Europcar is a sponsor since 2011, before that the sponsor was Bouygues Telecom.
Tour de France
Osterreich Tour
Tour de Wallonie
Tour de Pologne
Vuelta a Burgos
USAPCC
Tre Valli Varesine
GP Plouay
GP Fourmies
GP Quebec
GP Montreal
GP Piemonte
Vendee
Paris-Tours
Chrono des Nations
Japan Cup
Part 2
Spoiler
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Scheldeprijs
Paris-Roubaix
Brabantse Pijl
La Fleche Wallone
Tour of Turkey
Tour de Romandie
Quatre Jours de Dunkerque
Rund um Koln
Tour of California
Tour of Norway
Bayern Rundfahrt
Ronde van Belgie
Criterium du Dauphine
Tour de Luxembourg
Part 1
Spoiler
San Luis
GP La Marseillaise
Tour of Qatar
Tour of Oman
Volta ao Algarve
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Paris - Nice
Nokere Koerse
Dwars Door Vlaanderen
E3 Prijs - Harelbeke
Criterium International
Gent - Wevelgem
Driedaagse De Panne - Koksijde
Team Europcar did their work on the transfer market, and can proudly present to have signed Kim Po-Ding as new signing. He's going to be the first North-Korean cyclist in the Peloton, and he's signed as team leader. He will lead the races where being good at TTs is important.
Kim Po-Ding is one of the 5 best Time-trialists, at least that's what we believe. He's only just 23, so he seems to be a great talent.
Besides being good at time-trials, Kim Po-Ding is a great climber and puncheur as well. He will make the differences in TTs and then try to hold on on the hills and mountains as long as he can.
Kim Po-Ding will have luxury service, including a translator and a mentor. He will of course be our leader in every TT, and seems a great marketing 'object' for our friends in Asia, especially North Korea.
We're really happy with this signing, and it seems Po-Ding, and with him, whole North Korea, is as well.
My name is Kim Po-ding and I'm your new cyclist! Let me start by saying how nice it is to visit the country of France. I never been outside North Korea, as people who approach the border get shot with rifle. Then shot again if survive. But I obtained special permission from Our Great and Noble Leader to promote the glorious nation of North Korea in the world.
So why did I sign for this team? I like that no Americans here. Only Japanese guy, but crash is always possible when we go training in Alps, no? I do like other team mates like Titi Voeckler. He's a really good friend. He told me history of this team and our 2 managers. One was Mr. Europe, one was Mr. Car. So they made cycling team together.
I like managers as well, but they look confuse when I say their name. I fear I'm not saying it right. But they nice people otherwise, they say I can ride much races, and that is what I like.
I've rode all races in North Korea so far, it was very success. I won Pyongyang Cup 2 times and Tour of Labor Camps 5 times! I got a lot of seconds on National Championship, behind Our Great Leader. One time, I was certain I had won, but they told me Our Great Leader had already finished one hour before. He is so strong, I hope to be like him one day, so I train harder and harder each year.
Because I rode so well in North Korea, I was sent to the World Tour to show the world what our great nation can do. I was told to win Tour the France, so I will win Tour de France! For honour, glory, and the lives of my relatives!
On that note, I should probably say my name confuse many people. I am from the noble Kim family. In Korea, we put family name first. So friendly people can call me by first name, Po-ding. Americans call me Mr. Kim.
Now, I must continue my training, we'll talk again soon, and maybe I can announce my schedule then! Bye bye!
Good news from the Team Europcar corner. We managed to sign another custom rider. His name? Lae Khamse Khamphan. He's a 23-yo cobbler from Laos. I strongly believe that he's one of the best cobblers in the world, and at our team, he got the chances to prove that.
In Laos, it's a bit hard to break through as a cyclist, since there aren't enough facilities. This guy overflows with talent though, he's already one of the best, and might grow into the best. He's a strong guy on the flat, decent over hills and got a good sprint as well. A great addition to our team.
With this signing, we got one of the most feared cobbled teams. We can't touch OPQS yet, but we can give them a hard time, with Turgot, Gaudin and now Khamphan in our team.
We're very happy with the signing, and he also expands our Asian market.
Yes.
We've talked about it with Ollfardh. I didn't have enough time to manage a team on my own, and he was so desperate for me to join that he accepted(nah, that's not it, but we just made an agreement that SSJ2Luigi takes and sends all the PMs to Ollfardh)
Team Europcar has presented 3 of their goals for the first part of the season.
They are focussed on cobbles mostly, simply because this is the part of the season with the most cobbled races, and since that's our specialisation, I think it makes sense that our sponsors wants us to do good on those races.
The first goal is a Top 5 of Omloop het Nieuwsblad. It's not hard, since it's a flat race with not a lot of cobbles close to the end, so if we're lucky it turns into a small bunch sprint, where our leader is best
The second goal is a Top3 in the GC of Volta ao Algarve. The guy that has to do it there is Po-Ding, the terrain suits him fantastic. Though we expect some strong WT line-ups there, possibly to prepare for Paris - Nice and Tirreno - Adriatico, we think Po-Ding can handle this, he's just fantastic
The hardest of the three goals presented is a Top 3 at the E3 Prijs. This is one of the most important cobbled races in the world, and we expect tough opposition. Still, since Khamphan is estimated to be in the Top 5 of best cobblers, we think we may have a shot here. Though the hilly profile makes it a bit harder for him to survive, we have confidence that he can do it. Or otherwise, maybe Turgot or Gaudin can do this job, though this one for sure won't be easy.
Easy:
Top 5 - Omloop het Nieuwsblad
Medium
Top 3 - Volta ao Algarve
Hard
Top 3 - E3 Prijs Harelbeke
Edit:
Spoiler
I only changed lay-out, I forgot that the post had to be un-edited, but well, you can see that the introduction post has the same goals
As you have seen above, Belgian climber Thomas Peeters signed for Team Europcar. That's right, another great signing for us. He's very young, he's just 21 years old. Nevertheless, he's one of the better climbers out there and will for sure be able to give the team a lot of pleasure. He's one of the finest talents of Belgium, and possibly of the world as well. We'd estimate his climbing abilities close to Pierre's, yet, his TT needs a bit of work. So that's why he won't be able to go for big GCs, at least not the ones with a lot of TT kilometers. He signed as Protected rider with a lot of leader opportunities.
But since Europcar won't always be going for GCs, that means going for a (late) attack in a lot of cases as well. Thomas already speaks some French, so that will make it somewhat easy to settle in. Also, Thomas adores the other Thomas on the team, Thomas Voeckler. That's one of the reasons that made him sign for us.
Europcar is very happy that we can welcome him on the team
Europcar can announce the signing of yet another youngster, the 20-year old climber from Iceland, Johann Nokkvason. We're very happy to have him on the team. Finally, the Icelandic people have a rider to cheer for as well. And what a rider, there aren't a lot of 20 year olds more talented than him. Naturally, Johann loves the cold temperatures, and therefore will race a lot in the high mountains, which are his speciality as well.
It's great to welcome a climber, our climbers squad wasn't sufficient yet, now it possibly is. Lets face it, Johann will have to work for the leader sometimes for sure, but he will get a lot of opportunity to attack, either by joining the breakaway in bigger races or launching a late attack in smaller races. He might have some leader opporunities as well, we'll see how that pans out.
My name is Johann Nokkvason and I just signed a contract with Team Europcar.
The management have promised me a free role throughout the season where I will get to chase TV-time and mountain jerseys in breakaways. On top of that they have promised me that I will get to race in the snowy Paris - Nice and they will even find me a house in the Alpes so I can feel at home in the cold while getting an even better climber.
I had a lot of doubt as to where I should go, but the initial offer from Europcar sounded just right and I'm certain I will feel at home on this team!
Giovanni Bernaudeau
Andrea Guardini 
Andreas Klöden 
Lae Khamse Khamphan
David Veilleux
Österreich Rundfahrt
Vuelta a Burgos
Japan Cup
