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Team Puma - SAP 2014 | Stat gains
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:02
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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Sports clothing manufacturer Puma and business operations software developer SAP join forces once more to sponsor one of the most distinct German cycling teams for the third year running.
Team Puma - SAP was founded in 2012 with a clear focus on developing Western European talents.
Some high-profile youngsters were indeed signed, first and foremost the puncheur duo of Wilco Kelderman and Mario Vogt and the best German TT talent in Jasha Sütterlin.
Suprise late transfer addition Daniele Bennati proved strong enough to lead the team to the highest division in its first year, two years earlier than anyone could have expected.
2013 started with the acquisition of a highly sought-after Arnaud Demare who is touted a better Peter Sagan than Sagan himself could ever become, alongside further interesting neo-pros like Daniel or Bongiorno.
The German focus wasn't abandoned though and in Dominik Nerz, the best available German stage racing talent arrived.
The season was characterized by ups and downs.
Bennati managed to take a monument podium in Milano-San Remo along with four stages in the Giro d'Italia and the new arrival Jurgen Van den Broeck surprised in several shorter stage races.
With a late-season surge by B&O not completely countered due to weaker performances in the closing races, relegation couldn't be avoided in the end.
The team always was on a 3-year-plan though that did feature ProContinental status until 2014 at least, so while there was certainly some disappointment, no sponsor saw the need to pull the plug early.
Reinforced with new motivation from every staff member, the team went into the 2014 transfer season with the clear goal of getting the brightest German star talent in at least a decade and it indeed secured the signature of Silvio Herklotz, who will be a focal point of the team for years to come.
The departure of our beloved sprint legend Daniele Bennati was compensated directly in a swap with team manager favourite sprinter Gerald Ciolek.
Leaving the team were former leaders Van den Broeck and Nuyens as well as the HQ decision was to further invest in talents and use the upcoming season as a transition phase to await the maxing out of several 2012 talents like Kelderman and Bar.
Thus, a lot of cap space was again used on some interesting new riders like Tim Declerq, Jo Kogstad Ringheim or Sebastian Lander.
Subsequently, the biggest 2013 talents were loaned out to ensure their stay from 2015 on where the team will target promotion once more with the most fascinating talents from Germany, the Netherlands, France and Italy to join the ProTour permanently!
Edited by cio93 on 24-02-2015 18:07
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:02
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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| Top 10 | |  | PCT Team Standings | | UCI | | Win | |  | Berlin ProRace | | HC | | Top 5 | |  | Down Under Classic | 3rd (Ciolek) | HC | | Top 5 | |  | Eneco Tour | | HC | | Top 5 | |  | Paris - Tours | | HC |
Edited by cio93 on 11-04-2014 12:20
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:02
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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Edited by cio93 on 22-04-2014 02:04
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:02
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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 | Tim | Declerq | Cobbler | Talent | €50.000 | | Jérome | Giaux | Sprinter | | €60.000 |  | Sebastian | Lander | Sprinter | Talent | €50.000 |  | Jocelyn | Bar | Sprinter | Talent | €70.000 | | Mickaël | Delage | Allrounder | | €70.000 | | Sébastien | Minard | Sprinter | | €50.000 |  | Thomas | Bontenackels | Stage Racer | | €205.000 | | Gerald | Ciolek | Sprinter | | €130.000 | | Johannes | Heider | Climber | | €70.000 | | Silvio | Herklotz | Stage Racer | Talent | €525.000 | | Dominik | Nerz | Stage Racer | | €150.000 | | Jasha | Sütterlin | Time Trialer | Talent | €50.000 | | Mario | Vogt | Puncheur | Talent | €60.000 | | Paul | Voss | Climber | | €50.000 |  | Fabio | Felline | Puncheur | Talent | €55.000 |  | Victor | Shishelov | Fighter | Talent | €50.000 |  | Jetse | Bol | Puncheur | Talent | €60.000 | | Wilco | Kelderman | Puncheur | Talent | €125.000 | | Barry | Markus | Sprinter | Talent | €50.000 | | Dylan | van Baarle | Time Trialer | Talent | €50.000 |  | Jo Kogstad | Ringheim | Cobbler | Talent | €165.000 |  | Adrien | Chenaux | Fighter | Talent | €50.000 |
| Maxime | Daniel | Cobbler | BPost | €60.000 | | Arnaud | Demare | Sprinter | Festina | €135.000 | | Patrick | Bercz | Sprinter | Maloja | €50.000 | | Christian | Mager | Puncheur | Evonik | €50.000 | | Francesco | Bongiorno | Stage Racer | Rothaus | €60.000 |
Edited by cio93 on 07-04-2014 15:38
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:02
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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Gerald Ciolek
| | Age: | 28 | | | | | Wage: | €130.000 | | | | | Strongest stat: | Sprint (83) | | | | | Weakest stat: | Mountain (52) | | | | | Pressure: | High | | |
Dominik Nerz
| | Age: | 25 | | | | | Wage: | €150.000 | | | | | Strongest stat: | Mountain (78) | | | | | Weakest stat: | Cobbles (56) | | | | | Pressure: | Medium | | |
Wilco Kelderman
| | Age: | 23 | | | | | Wage: | €125.000 | | | | | Strongest stat: | Stamina (78) | | | | | Weakest stat: | Cobbles (62) | | | | | Pressure: | Low | | |
Edited by cio93 on 07-04-2014 21:48
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:02
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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News spread quickly that a new German cycling talent emerged from the amateur ranks in off-season.
The rider touted to become the best German stage racer since Jan Ullrich is obviously Silvio Herklotz.
As one of the leading forces in developing German talent, we already have the best puncheur talent, Mario Vogt, and the best TT talent, Jasha Sütterlin, from Germany under contract.
We do have a great young climber in Dominik Nerz as well, but he won't be able to lead a ProTour team.
Jurgen Van den Broeck cannot fulfill that duty for much longer, and luckily, the perfect opportunity to fill that future void with a German rider for hopefully a whole decade appeared this year.
It is no surprise anymore, but we can definitely confirm our major focus this transfer season will lie on Silvio Herklotz.
We will pursue him at any price.
This obviously means we are willed to put our big promotion hopes with the double-header Van den Broeck and Bennati at risk.
Both served us brilliantly during the last season and definitely were not the reason for our late relegation, but their wages are already difficult to cover as a normal PCT team.
The addition of Herklotz though, while we are hoping to be able to keep his eventual wage in an acceptable region, will probably make it impossible to keep those two great riders.
Herklotz would be the long-term replacement for Jurgen, and Nerz can lead our stage race squad for now.
The sprint department however needs an immediate replacement.
We are looking to make our front row even more German-heavy by signing either Gerald Ciolek or John Degenkolb.
Both feature a great value-for-money ratio and we would love to see Van den Broeck join a Belgian PT squad in return.
Furthermore, the projected loss of our two currently best leadout men means we have to fill that position with a more affordable rider able to form a great train with Jocelyn Bar in the future.
Riders we already expressed interest in are Sascha Modolo and Jens Keukeleire, but our scouts also told us Sebastian Lander would be a perfect fit.
We plan on developing a strong cobbles team around Maxime Daniel in the future, and with Nuyens and Wynants probably leaving, we need to look at that part of our team soon as well. Daniel needs two more years to be maxed, so this is what we can deal with regarding such a signing as well.
We love the look of the Bpost duo of Guillaume van Keirsbulck and Tim Declerq, but with them promoting last season, the list had to be expanded and now includes riders like Yves Lampaert or Vegard Breen as well.
Nevertheless, with Herklotz's portion of our salary cap not yet determined (and hopefully lower than planned), we might be able to sign a minor leader for the cobbled classics as well. A rider like Andrew Fenn or Pieter Jacobs looks perfect to take this role.
We are still highly interested in having an experienced puncheur leading Kelderman and Vogt for another year. Froome, Monfort, Gautier, Ulissi.....pick a name.
This has lesser priority than Herklotz though, so we have to look at which opportunities are left after his future is known.
A short look at the Free Agents besides Herklotz that are of high interest to us:
Yes, don't expect us to prominently feature in several FA battles. We cannot afford to pay inflated wages AND keep a focus on promotion.
Edited by cio93 on 11-03-2014 20:45
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-03-2014 21:09
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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After a hard 10 days on vacation without regular WiFi, I'm back.
I apologize for any delay I caused, there was no way to fulfill the required duties with the diligence they need and deserve.
But good news is I just sent in my goals and HC band selections, so expect news on how our (and with HC selection now being completed, yours as well!) season structure will look like soon.
Edited by cio93 on 10-03-2014 21:09
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| tyriion |
Posted on 11-03-2014 00:15
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Sprinter
Posts: 1510
Joined: 29-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Welcome back, now show us where Benatti goes 
Check out my ManGame team here
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 13:28
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Bot Agent
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Joined: 23.11.09
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 11-03-2014 06:16
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World Champion
Posts: 14236
Joined: 20-06-2011
PCM$: 300.00
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tyriion wrote:
Welcome back, now show us where Benatti goes
I gues he goes to the team with most money on the table.
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| SotD |
Posted on 11-03-2014 09:12
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World Champion
Posts: 12188
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
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Team Festina have a high volume of interest in a couple of your riders this transfer period. Of highest interest are:
Arnaud Demare
Maxime Daniel
And to a slightly lesser degree:
Thomas Vedel Kvist
Jocelyn Bar
Do you have any comments on the interest declared?
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| cio93 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 17:45
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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@Avin: He most probably will  Though feel free to offer a good rider in a swap everyone!
@SotD: I'm sorry to say there is hardly a way Demare or Bar would leave our team permanently, and Daniel is currently playing an important part in our future plans as well, even though to a slightly lesser extent.
Both Demare and Daniel might be available for loans though, this is certainly something we could talk about in the second week of transfers.
Kvist however is happy to finally receive some interest after being transfer listed since last November without anyone really caring. 
We would be interested to make some kind of swap including Keukeleire happen, and maybe a rider like Paillot could use some PCT experience for a season as well.
Edited by cio93 on 11-03-2014 17:45
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| cio93 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 17:49
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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The team management presented the 2014 goals to the public today.
"We decided to go back to our strategy of 2013. The only thing that is 99% certain is that we will have a sprint leader capable of fighting for wins after transfer season.
Whether that will be Bennati or a younger rider remains to be seen, but this team was built around him in 2012 and we therefore still have the perfect framework to support a similar rider.
Furthermore, we are confident to have selected a set of high-profile, but still rather easily achievable goals that should provide us with a good budget next season."
| Top 10 | | PCT Team Standings | UCI |
A a relegating team with a strong squad, many people expected us to fight for re-promotion straightaway.
The change of focus towards acquiring the best German stage race talent since Jan Ullrich means we probably have to back away from that thought for now.
Nevertheless, finishing amongst the 10 best PCT teams is a must with our mixture of talent and experienced talent. We have to locate the errors in abysmal season planning if we fail this goal.
| Win | | Berlin ProRace | HC |
We're back in PCT, and this way will lead us to a home classic again. We won it in 2012, and we want to win it in 2014 again. An absolute no-brainer.
| Top 5 | | Down Under Classic | HC |
The start of the season is always exciting, and success in the first race can motivate the whole team in spring.
If we should fail, we can easily get back on track as well and correct the mistake throughout the season.
| Top 5 | | Eneco Tour | HC |
With an experienced and consistent team around a (hopefully) experienced and consistent sprinter, this 4-day flat stage race is a perfect fit for our team.
We know everyone has a bad day sometime, so we don't take too much of a risk and go for a GC position amongst the best 5.
| Top 5 | | Paris - Tours | HC |
The most prestigious sprint classic of all cannot be absent from this list. Again, Bennati was victorious in 2012, so we're experienced in how to tackle the finale to be in a perfect position.
Only making it a Top 5 goal hopefully relieves some of the pressure that will certainly amass during the nearly 6-hour ride.
Post 2 is updated with those goals
Edited by cio93 on 11-03-2014 17:54
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 11-03-2014 17:50
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Team Leader
Posts: 6795
Joined: 21-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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SoTD is not the only one interested in Kvist though in case he could be convinced to go to a lower level and clsoer to home than Festina in order to get some more chance to ride for himself...
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 18:34
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
Joined: 06-11-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Wow! With those goals we'll meet quite often (you might want to check my thread )! I'm going all out to get van Heerden, so this should turn out to be quite interesting. Bennati will no doubt be (one of) the strongest in the division, so all those goals are pretty realistic. I'm curious to see your post-renewals squad, but I'm sure re-promotion is within reach for you as well  Looking forward to some absolutely epic sprint battles
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| tyriion |
Posted on 11-03-2014 18:34
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Sprinter
Posts: 1510
Joined: 29-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Herrklotz can't possibly get you those goals, you sure about your planning?
What's with all the sprint focus, go climb some lumps people.
Check out my ManGame team here
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 18:41
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
Joined: 06-11-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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tyriion wrote:
Herrklotz can't possibly get you those goals, you sure about your planning?
What's with all the sprint focus, go climb some lumps people.
If you're referring to me as well, I'm not going solely for sprints. All my goals are sprint goals as I believe I can achieve them if I sign my dream target. However, I'm actually looking to sign a semi-decent climbing leader as well as a certain South African stage-racer *cough*Augustynggghhh*cough*. Primary focus on sprints, but looking to perform on most terrains (bar cobbles ).
And as for Cio, well he's got Van den Broeck
Spoiler Not sure if he stays after renewals 
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| cio93 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 18:45
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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Most of these answers will be addressed in a few minutes when our first transfer outlook goes online. You'll be surprised
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| fintas |
Posted on 11-03-2014 18:52
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
PCM$: 1200.00
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See you in Down Under Classic, as for the rest I wish you the best of luck because I will not be in any of these races
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 19:00
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World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
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Apart from standings goals, no actual clashes in terms of goals. |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 11-03-2014 19:15
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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News spread quickly that a new German cycling talent emerged from the amateur ranks in off-season.
The rider touted to become the best German stage racer since Jan Ullrich is obviously Silvio Herklotz.
As one of the leading forces in developing German talent, we already have the best puncheur talent, Mario Vogt, and the best TT talent, Jasha Sütterlin, from Germany under contract.
We do have a great young climber in Dominik Nerz as well, but he won't be able to lead a ProTour team.
Jurgen Van den Broeck cannot fulfill that duty for much longer, and luckily, the perfect opportunity to fill that future void with a German rider for hopefully a whole decade appeared this year.
It is no surprise anymore, but we can definitely confirm our major focus this transfer season will lie on Silvio Herklotz.
We will pursue him at any price.
This obviously means we are willed to put our big promotion hopes with the double-header Van den Broeck and Bennati at risk.
Both served us brilliantly during the last season and definitely were not the reason for our late relegation, but their wages are already difficult to cover as a normal PCT team.
The addition of Herklotz though, while we are hoping to be able to keep his eventual wage in an acceptable region, will probably make it impossible to keep those two great riders.
Herklotz would be the long-term replacement for Jurgen, and Nerz can lead our stage race squad for now.
The sprint department however needs an immediate replacement.
We are looking to make our front row even more German-heavy by signing either Gerald Ciolek or John Degenkolb.
Both feature a great value-for-money ratio and we would love to see Van den Broeck join a Belgian PT squad in return.
Furthermore, the projected loss of our two currently best leadout men means we have to fill that position with a more affordable rider able to form a great train with Jocelyn Bar in the future.
Riders we already expressed interest in are Sascha Modolo and Jens Keukeleire, but our scouts also told us Sebastian Lander would be a perfect fit.
We plan on developing a strong cobbles team around Maxime Daniel in the future, and with Nuyens and Wynants probably leaving, we need to look at that part of our team soon as well. Daniel needs two more years to be maxed, so this is what we can deal with regarding such a signing as well.
We love the look of the Bpost duo of Guillaume van Keirsbulck and Tim Declerq, but with them promoting last season, the list had to be expanded and now includes riders like Yves Lampaert or Vegard Breen as well.
Nevertheless, with Herklotz's portion of our salary cap not yet determined (and hopefully lower than planned), we might be able to sign a minor leader for the cobbled classics as well. A rider like Andrew Fenn or Pieter Jacobs looks perfect to take this role.
We are still highly interested in having an experienced puncheur leading Kelderman and Vogt for another year. Froome, Monfort, Gautier, Ulissi.....pick a name.
This has lesser priority than Herklotz though, so we have to look at which opportunities are left after his future is known.
A short look at the Free Agents besides Herklotz that are of high interest to us:
Yes, don't expect us to prominently feature in several FA battles. We cannot afford to pay inflated wages and keep a focus on promotion.
Post 6 is updated with this text for an easier overlook on page 1. Expect the renewals outcome and subsequently a look at the transfer availability of our riders tomorrow.
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